On my way home from eight amazing days in Iraqi Kurdistan, and this morning I got to take advantage of a Turkish Airlines free bus tour. The weather was absolutely amazing (sunny, cold and windy) and just a few hours on the bus reminded me that I/we absolutely must get back to Turkey again.
Though I am willing to wait until the mayor of Istanbul is not under lock and key.
Last Wednesday (10/26), we flew from Izmir in western Turkey to Diyarbakir in eastern Turkey. From the airport, we left directly for the border as it was already 12 noon. We were more than 20 miles from the border when the line of fuel trucks began. Sometimes in a single line and sometimes in a double line, Turkish fuel trucks lined the right side of the road as far as the eye could see. Frank and I estimated that the line contained somewhere between 2,000-3,000 fuel trucks. We learned that the tanker drivers spend anywhere from 5 to 20 days waiting in this endless queue--sleeping, cooking, playing cards--or just waiting.
We could see through the gaps between vehicles that some cars and trucks had left the highway completely and were driving through the fields. Our driver had to back up until he found a place where he could drive off the highway, and then we, too, began to drive through the fields. When we got near the border, there was no way to break back through the jungle of vehicles (there was no semblance of lines anymore) to get to the customs post. After a few minutes, we saw a Turkish army jeep that was forcing vehicles to move so that it could get to customs. Our driver quickly got behind the jeep and followed it to customs.
Yesterday was the big Ruins Day for Frank and me. Actually, we had a wonderful time despite the fact that we spent the day on a dreaded "tour". Really, it was the only way to see everything we wanted to in one day--and they said "no shopping stops, promise!" (there was one tiny exception to this rule, but we did manage to wriggle out of it...)
Picture 2 is a remarkably well preserved theater--this one seating only 6,000 people, but the seats still have some lovely stone work. 
Next we travelled to Miletus, another of the famous cities of this era (400BC to about 400 AD). The Roman Baths (partially pictured in Pic 3) are the largest in this province in Turkey--can you see the lovely stone lion? (Foryou lovers of "The Narnia Series", the word "aslan" in Turkish means" lion".) This city was not as well preserved as some of the others, but still worth the wander around. More on Miletus: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miletus
Finally, on to the Apollo Temple at Didima, site of great pilgrimages to the Oracle who lived there. This place was spectacular! Picture 4 shows an overview of this enormous place.
Picture 5 shows Frank kindly giving some scale to the enormous columns, most of which only remain only partially intact. 
Finally, my favorite picture, which is also from Apollo's Temple. Behind the temple lies this fallen column, a giant of a thing, which reminded me for ALL the world of a giant, giant sausage, cut in thick slices on a cuttingboard. More on Didyma: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Didyma
Today we wandered through the fantastic ruins of Ephesus (approx 500 BC to 600 AD). Pictured below is the amazing library which was built complete with a cooling system to keep the 12,000 scrolls at the right temperature. Also, one of several surviving roads through the city--this one called the Sacred Way. Also at Ephesus is the Great Amphitheater, which could seat 25,000 people. While in days of old it seated the locals for theater performances etc, today it fills daily with groups of (mostly European) tourists, all of whom seem to receive similar performances by guides in all languages (at least based on the hand gestures and antics of the guides).
At left you will see that apparently a "Kate" has been here before to Ephesus...
Frank and I arrived in Istanbul two days ago, and we've spent our time so far wandering around this amazing city, sleeping--and, yes, enjoying the company of Labou, the Turkish Rabbit. As some of you are aware, Frank first met Labou two years ago on his way to meet me in Kurdistan. We saw him again last June on our way home to Seattle.
Today we saw the marvelous Topkapi Palace and some of its many treasures--two pictures of this spectacular place are attached as well as an overlook of Istanbul from the Palace. It was a gorgeous fall day: sunny, cool, bright, occasional showers. A perfect day for fall sightseeing--and lots of tourists, too, to our surprise!
Cappadocia, Turkey
