Wednesday 7 October

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This morning we took the car ferry across the Dardanelles ( the strait of water between Canakkale and the Gallipoli peninsula) for our Gallipoli experience. It was a moving experience to be where so many ANZACs had died and also to hear the stories about some of the more personal interactions between the ANZACs and the Turkish soldiers. We visited Ari Burnu ( the first ANZAC landing place), Brighton Beach, the beach cemetery with John Simpson’s grave, ANZAC cove, the Lone Pine Australian memorial and Johnston’s Jolly where the Turkish and Allied trenches and tunnels are still apparent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After Gallipoli, we went to Bigali which is where Ataturk’s house has been maintained as a museum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday 6 October

It was a late start today which gave us time to explore the little village of Assos before we travelled to Canakkale. In the first part of our travels we went to the Assos Temple of Athena through a village with steep cobbled streets. There were amazing views, even to the island of Lesbos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We went to the ruins of Troy and climbed inside the replica of the horse of Troy [I wonder if I should read Homer’s Iliad.] which by legend was a gift to the goddess Athena from the Greeks. We walked around the ruins which showed us all the different levels of ruins in the area. The posted information said –

“The wind brought wealth to Troia”

The currents of the Dardenelles and the prevailing north winds forced ships bound for the Black Sea into Besik Bay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That night in Canakkale the group went to an “Australian” restaurant where the notice board said that only English was spoken (not the case!!). Again our choices were fish, meatballs or chicken which became the standard joke at mealtimes for our group. We stayed at the grand ANZAC hotel.

Monday 5 October

More ruins today at ancient Pergamum in Bergama which we accessed by taking the gondola lift to the top of the hill to explore the Acropolis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then we continued to the village of Assos. We needed to leave our small bus at the top of the hill and travel by car to the hotel. It was well worth it with the small town of cobbled streets and our magnificent 180 year old hotel situated next to the little fishing boats.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Again so many cats and kittens playing around and having the cheek to try to get food from us, so the fish heads from our meals of sea bream and sea bass were gratefully received. From our room which overlooked the Aegean Sea, the coast guard boat could be seen patrolling its waters.