1^st June 2014.

Dear All,

We were very impressed with the bits of Turkey that we saw. Modern Western Turkey is a bit like a construction site with new buildings going up everywhere and the crops we drove past seemed to be very well grown. Our guide was excellent – an old chap who is due to retire later this year, but he was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic.

We started in Istanbul with a heavy first day: underground water cistern, hippodrome, blue mosque, Hagia Sophia, Monastery of Chora and the Grand Bazaar! We did not linger long at the Grand Bazaar – thousands of shops selling similar merchandise – how they all make a living beats me.

Istanbul Basilica Water Cistern

Blue Mosque

Aya Sophia

Monastery of Chora

The Grand Bazaar

On the second day we toured the Topkapi Palace especially the Harem and Treasury then took a cable car to overlook the city and Golden Horn. A quick look round the Spice Market and then a boat trip up the Bosphorus.

Topkapi Palace

We left Istanbul early on Thursday to travel to Gallipoli visiting the Anzac and British memorials – the whole peninsula is now a war memorial. We stayed that night in Canakkale, thankfully with a swimming pool as it was now quite warm.

Gallipoli British Memorial

Friday was Troy, nine cities built sequentially on the same site, followed by lunch in a small hill village. This was our best glimpse of non tourist Turkey and we were shown round the mosque by the Imam even though we were in shorts etc. We stayed the night at Ayvalik. Saturday began at Pergamum and included the statutory visit to the carpet factory ending at a very large hotel on the Aegean at Kusadasi.

Wooden Horse of Troy

Pergamum

Ephesus was perhaps the historical highlight as the ruins are extensive and in reasonable condition with some restoration – especially the Library of Celsus.  This was followed by a visit to the Turkish Delight emporium and another village visit to Sirince. This village had understood the meaning of modern tourism and capitalism and run with it! We flew back from Izmir to Istanbul then back to Heathrow.

Ephesus, Library of Celsus

We were part of a large group (35) and although there were a few oddities most were very friendly and added to the experience. We especially befriended a couple from Bexhill on Sea and it turned out that his daughter is an actress, Sarah Hadland, who appears on Miranda as her diminutive side kick. The weather was wall to wall sunshine hitting the mid 30s by the end. I spent the week wondering whether my garden would be scorched only to find it nearly waterlogged on our return!

We returned Monday and I was surprised to find I had a Garden Club talk at Barton Mills on Tuesday! Lots of gardening to catch up – new potatoes, carrots, broad beans and strawberries this week. The cricket square needed some attention but we managed to get the game on yesterday despite being a bit soggy. Both teams have started well and are unbeaten after three games.

On Thursday we started the Lea Valley walk in Luton covering 11.5 miles to Harpenden.

Love

Mike & Kate