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dragojustineOur first big chunk of travel- last night we left the hotel carrying all our stuff and caught the tram on the water. Took the tram over the Galata bridge (jammed in like sardines) then carrie dour stuff through the little underground maze to the ferry docks. Ferry across the Bosporus (how cool is that?)
Bizarre moment- apparently, people hawk stuff on these ferries. A guy came on carrying this huge bag full of 8 or 10 really nice stainless steel kitchen knife sets. Stood up in the front of the ferry with one, cutting little sample treads and breads and paper with a constant stream of Turkish patter. A tidge surreal.
Off the ferry to the Asian side train station, this huge gorgeous building, all marble and stained glass. Caught the sleeper train to Ankara. Most people were very blasé about it- I guess if you backpack in Europe a lot, a sleeper train is very been-there-done-that. But it seemed like the most romantic thing in the world to me. It was all smaller adn more compact than I expected. Six feet long exactly, so me feet were flat against one wall and kind of got a cramp if I tried to lay on my back. First squat toilet, too. I don't mind it except that it's very difficult to try to brush your teeth in a bathroom with a squat toilet.
Off the train and onto our transfer the next morning. Apparently it's a big deal that our group is so full, so Korinna has tons of room in the budget for extras like that. It seems that the 300 Euros we pay her is her transport budget. Breakfast and a long bus ride to Goreme. it's odd how spoiled we get with free toilets everywhere at home. Everyplace here charges even if you've bought something at the attached business. I will never take the Great American Rest Stop for granted again.
The new hotel has plumbing issues, which was bad since none of us had showered in 36 hours, and charges through the nose for a breakfast. But the rooms are quite cool, the toilets flush, and I get a double bed which is wonderful.
Afternoon to wander through the open-air museum with all the fresco cave churches. I was frustrated with the lack of information on time periods and restoration, especially as there were obviously 2 layers of decoration in most caves and it was hard to believe that some of those weren't restored (except further investigation reveals that they were not- holy shit). Anyway, it was astonishing and impressive. All stairs and steep hills, and probably a good 3 miles all told, and I proved to be just uselessly out of shape. Also, there's less access to water than I expected- the hotel charges, and while I'd be happy to just drink tapwater, be sick, and get over it, there doesn't seem to be that option.
Dinner- testi kebab, the baked-in-a-clay-pot one. Delicious.
Bizarre moment- apparently, people hawk stuff on these ferries. A guy came on carrying this huge bag full of 8 or 10 really nice stainless steel kitchen knife sets. Stood up in the front of the ferry with one, cutting little sample treads and breads and paper with a constant stream of Turkish patter. A tidge surreal.
Off the ferry to the Asian side train station, this huge gorgeous building, all marble and stained glass. Caught the sleeper train to Ankara. Most people were very blasé about it- I guess if you backpack in Europe a lot, a sleeper train is very been-there-done-that. But it seemed like the most romantic thing in the world to me. It was all smaller adn more compact than I expected. Six feet long exactly, so me feet were flat against one wall and kind of got a cramp if I tried to lay on my back. First squat toilet, too. I don't mind it except that it's very difficult to try to brush your teeth in a bathroom with a squat toilet.
Off the train and onto our transfer the next morning. Apparently it's a big deal that our group is so full, so Korinna has tons of room in the budget for extras like that. It seems that the 300 Euros we pay her is her transport budget. Breakfast and a long bus ride to Goreme. it's odd how spoiled we get with free toilets everywhere at home. Everyplace here charges even if you've bought something at the attached business. I will never take the Great American Rest Stop for granted again.
The new hotel has plumbing issues, which was bad since none of us had showered in 36 hours, and charges through the nose for a breakfast. But the rooms are quite cool, the toilets flush, and I get a double bed which is wonderful.
Afternoon to wander through the open-air museum with all the fresco cave churches. I was frustrated with the lack of information on time periods and restoration, especially as there were obviously 2 layers of decoration in most caves and it was hard to believe that some of those weren't restored (except further investigation reveals that they were not- holy shit). Anyway, it was astonishing and impressive. All stairs and steep hills, and probably a good 3 miles all told, and I proved to be just uselessly out of shape. Also, there's less access to water than I expected- the hotel charges, and while I'd be happy to just drink tapwater, be sick, and get over it, there doesn't seem to be that option.
Dinner- testi kebab, the baked-in-a-clay-pot one. Delicious.