Great Turkish road trip
Travelling on a budget? The bus is a great way to go round and see this country.
IF all of Turkish history were on this bus, I’d be sitting next to sultans, whirling dervishes, Silk Road caravanners, Greek shopkeepers, apostles and olive growers. Instead, I’m sitting next to a guy from New York and a couple from Toronto. We’re coming up on a bathroom break at a rest stop in central Turkey.
“Fifteen minutes!” our guide says, as the bus doors swing open. “Do not be late.”
I join the crowd hurrying to the ladies’ room, passing shopkeepers’ shelves of merchandise – ooh, look at those cute tapestry bags and fresh pistachios – amazingly similar to the wares at other stops.
At least five other giant tour buses are here, dislodging their dozens of tourists, same as ours. Drivers grab a quick tea break or a smoke. Tourists stretch their legs, knowing there are many kilometres to go before tonight’s hotel.
Then it’s back on the bus. More of Turkey to see.
Ruins and pretty pools
Generally speaking, Turkey has five must-see-before-you-die sights. They are scattered across western and central Turkey, with a lot of kilometres between them.
> Istanbul’s old city: You hear people rave about this historic city. They are not exaggerating. Topkapi Palace, where Ottoman sultans and their harems lived until 1853, is a sensual spot perched on a cliffside. Nearby, the towering Hagia Sophia museum (once a cathedral, then a mosque) dwarfs all mankind. Next door to that, the Blue Mosque is every square inch a piece of art, blue mosaic tiles on every surface.
> Troy: You’ve heard of Helen of Troy, right? Certainly you’ve heard of the Trojan horse – the gift from the Greeks to the Trojans to end a war, except the Greeks were hiding inside and sprang out to conquer their enemies. This place in western Turkey is believed to be where Troy existed 4,000 years ago. A botched 19th-century archaeological expedition has left this place a bit torn up, but there is a dandy “replica” wooden Trojan horse to climb at the entrance.
> Ephesus: This highbrow, beautiful city dating from the 1st century is beloved by tourists and known for its early Christian converts (the apostle John lived here, and some believe Jesus’ mother, Mary, also). You can still view Ephesus’ cobblestone main street, the façade of its massive library and its stadium to get a glimpse of everyday life 1,000 years ago.
> Pamukkale: My personal highlight. A fantastic natural hot springs site where mineral pools spread calcium carbonate on rocky cliffs, turning it into what looks like puffy cotton – and transmuting it into elegant travertine limestone.
> Cappadocia: The Sedona of Turkey, it’s full of unworldly rocky spires, rock formations where ancient people made their homes and churches. Today, it’s home to artists, rug makers and balloonists. In the still of a morning when hot air balloons drift above this ancient, funky town, it’s quite a sight. Surprise on the Silk Road Yes, I reached all of these places on a claustrophobic giant bus with 42 companions. It was completely opposite of the way I usually travel.
Yet when I think back on it, I don’t remember the kilometres, but the moments: the wood-smoke smell of Cappadocia at night, the sharp scent of roasted chestnuts in Istanbul’s old city, the softness of Pamukkale’s white cottony surface on my feet.
One other highlight? The lesser-known, mysterious Caravanserai of Sultanhan. It is an ancient caravan inn along the Silk Road in central Turkey. The 13th-century equivalent of the Holiday Inn still has its original soaring wood door, intricate carving and a nave with thick walls. Travellers of old spent the nights there with their animals and worldly goods while journeying the Silk Road.
Yes, there were dangers on the way, and exotic surprises and too much togetherness and likely hardships. But just like today, the trip was worth it.
Five tourist splurges in Turkey
1) Take a balloon ride in Cappadocia.
2) Take a Turkish bath; you will never feel so clean.
3) See a whirling dervish: It’s not dancing; it’s a demonstration of the trance-like whirling done by members of the mystical Sufi sect.
4) Buy a rug or textiles.
5) Get some evil eye protection. You see the blue eyes all over Turkey. It’s ancient superstition. The eye is not an “evil eye”. It’s an all-seeing protector from malicious spirits, and boy, don’t we all need that. — Detroit Free Press/ Tribune News Service