I taught a Microsft MCSE class in Kassel for one month as a guest lecturer to a rather large class of extremely diverse individuals. The class was for Serco GmbH & Co. KG and was called "IT-Systemelektroniker IV" Technicians Kassel, Germany - August, 2002
Monday, July 01, 2002
Saturday, June 15, 2002
A travel log across Turkey - Diyarbakir to Istanbul
Please note: This is a very rough draft taken from my travel journal during one of my recent trips across
Best wishes and happy travelling!
Ajarn Charlie
Found my favourite peach drink again, this time under the “Cappy” label, farther west it had been “Matek”. Even cheaper here as it is only 750,000 lira.
The Dumas ride to the hotel was 4000,000 lira.
22:30 –
- The police here seem serious about their patrols and one is walking sentry in front of the station with an assault weapon.
- The PTT (Post Office) is next to the police station.
- Hundreds of men gathered in cafes to watch a soccer match.
- Erboda Bartique Hotel – 50,000,000 lira for a single room. Looks nice but that is expensive!
- Hotel Bakas - The rate for the hotel room started at 20,000,000 lira as I was told there was only a double room left. When I indicated this was an unacceptable rate, the clerk than admitted there was a “terrace” with a cot for only 7,000,000 lira. On roof there were a dozen cots with a blanket on each. Someone was already on a cot, totally hidden from view under a blanket.
- A very nice sister and brother helped me from the bus to the station where I could catch a Dumas to the hotel. She indicated she was a teacher as well.
- Far off into the distance you can see the burning of grass at night. Fires seem to be everywhere. Rather eerie.
As I lay here on my cot atop the roof of the Hotel Bakas, I wonder about the events swirling around me.
It is so hard to imagine the horror of what is to come when I can lay here and stare up and see a fortress of ancient time joining the star studded night skyline and the Milky Way. It has been years since I was able to see our Milky Way with such clarity and definition.
Saturday –
Awoke the 1st time at 04:45 to the wail of the minaret speakers calling the religious to prayer.
The bathroom and shower are the worse yet. The sink only allowed a trickle of water and the shower was totally unworkable.
I remain locked in as the front door exit is bolted and you must have a key to unbolt it and exit. I guess in case of fire I could jump out of a window if I had to….
07:20 – Mardin to
Met a Turkish high school student while trying to figure out which way to go. He and his family were leaving for a village to the NE of Mardin.
On the way out of Mardin by Dumas we pass the largest Gendarme base yet. At the entrance to the base a boy gets on with his family. He is carrying a rooster. Wonder if that counts against the bus passenger limit of 15?
07:50 – 80 kilometers
08:15 – 60 kilometers
Another checkpoint is reached at an intersection of two roads. At this checkpoint there is an armoured car and heavy machine guns and many automatic weapons.
08:45 – Reach
As I leave the bus the driver tried to cheat me out of 5,000,000 lira. I had given him the fare for the trip before we started and he indicated he didn’t have enough change at that point but would give me the change as he collected the fares. I thought this to be OK but had an uneasy feeling about it. Turned out to be true as he kept indicating he had no idea what I was talking about but after about 2 minutes of this discussion, he miraculously remembered that he owed me the money.
11:00 – Leaving Diyarbakir
Can’t really write here what I wrote in my journal about this city but suffice it to say, the city is anything but pleasant. You could compare it to a scene out of a star wars episode. This is a very tough town and trading is its reason for existence. Not a city for a western tourist really (not that I am one). Everyone seems to be watching everyone and I have definitely been “marked” several times. The two times I tried to ask assistance in finding the Turkish Airlines office only led to being led to a carpet seller for tea and the second time being led by a man who insisted on being paid for the service.
At the airline office there were of course no seats available until Monday to
(Fare to
As I board the bus and after settling down a bit, the steward wants me to turn my cellular phone off. This is a first for me on a bus. Guess it will somehow affect the flight and navigation equipment, as this is a request from the “Captain” according to a sign on the window. These bus drivers seem to have a very high opinion of themselves and seem to be “demi-gods” in their world and after watching them for so long at rest stops and in the loading and unloading process, it is obvious they all have egos that must make it difficult to get through the bus doors.
The bus continues to move southwest to
13:30 – Well, the bus just filled up and I am now setting on the last row against the window. Of course the seats don’t recline on the back row so this is the beginning of a 21 hour bus ride from hell. It is going to be a long trip to
14:30 – Sanliurta – The buses seem to be some type of cargo carrier as well. I haven’t quite figured our how it works or who is making the money from the goods being sold but there sure is a lot of time spent at the different stops discussing the many huge bags that eventually get loaded and how to load them. I am beginning to think we spend just about as much time at the station doing this process as we do actually on the highway between cities.
Starting the climb out of the valley that Sanliurta is in and we switch off the air conditioning and it quickly starts to get very hot.
It is 38 kilometres to Surus and 140 kilometres to Gazi Antep at this point according to a sign on the highway.
15:15 – Another overturned truck in the middle of the road (Gazi Antep is 100 kilometres away).
The skies here are amazingly clear, even to the point where I haven’t seem a single aircraft contrail in days.
I have also noticed that the hundreds and hundreds of fuel trucks that are on this road are empty headed east and heavy and slow headed west. Seems there is a lot of oil being shipped from somewhere and all indications seem to point to oil smuggling from
15:45 – Birecik – (Gazi Antep 58 kilometres) There is both a tunnel and than a bridge over a river as we pass through what is obviously a very old city. We stop five minutes later at a modern rest stop, just on the edge of the city. I remember this stop from the trip heading east and seems to be the stop used by all buses in both directions. I had two “hamburgers” at 1,250,000 each and a Pepsi. Seemed safe enough. I even found a western toilet in one of the stalls! Wow!
We once again have a full bus as we pull out and now I have a very curious young man setting next to me who seems to be intent on watching everything I do and write.
As we head west the road is littered with trucks. They are broken down, in parts, without tires, long, short, old, rusted and some even new. There are storage tanks spaced at short distances between various repair shops and/or gas stations. There is no single company logo on the sides of any trucks, just a wide and diverse group. Seems every fuel tanker in eastern Europe has been pulled into what is obviously one massive oil exodus; most probably out of
It appears from the infrastructure support and the terribly poor condition and rutting of the roads, that this has been a ongoing operation for many years. East they head fast and light, west they come back slow and heavy.
The E-90 construction ends about 12 kilometre east of Gazi Antep and at 10 kilometre east of the city you can get on the highway and head west which is a toll way.
17:15 – Gazi Antep – This is the bus trip from hell! Once again, an extremely modern bus terminal.
17:35 – Leaving bus station. Met a pair of twins on the bus who are attending the university in
As the bus leaves, for the first time people are standing on the bus. Well I got this to say, it isn´t boring!
Once again the stop seemed to take far longer than necessary as there was so much effort given to cramming things into the cargo hold under the bus. I just can’t imagine another box or bag down there and it is obvious we are very heavy.
17:45 –
Not far out of Gazi Antep we pas through the first of a series of tunnels, some quite long. I note that the second tunnel is called “Kizlac” and is 2,804 meters long, the third is “Ayran” and is 498 meters long, the fourth is 375 meters and the 5ifth is 387 meters long.
20:45 – Leaving
I tried to get off the bus at
As the hours pass, my mind wonders……
Why is it in the parts of the world where some of the highest temperatures exist, that people are forced for religious purposes to cover so much of their bodies and their head? It is the head where 80% of the body`s heat is dissipated from. In the
I know in most militaries that there is a requirement that soldiers must wear their hats (cover) when outdoors. Makes sense to have such a tradition/rule as this is a good way to keep the body warm and for northern armies such as the US, German, French and British, common sense became a tradition but why did such a “rule/religious law” become so important in climates with such incredible heat?
There is no such thing a myth. Myth is only the story that is left with a “spin” put on it so that common people with little to no education can understand. The more we understand myth and the science of the interpretations, we find has basis in fact everywhere.
Notes:
- Buses, even the long haul buses, do not have toilets. This really surprised me as they are obviously very modern and expensive. Each bus carries approximately 40 people.
- Make sure you have many small notes on you, especially 250,000 and 5000,000 for toilets and Dumas rides. You should usually get back some change for the 500,000 note on the local buses.
- You can go end to end across
- People on public and private transportation are generally very helpful and kind. I only recall one situation where someone tried to cheat me.
- People on the street who approach you will want something from you. Guaranteed!
- I usually try to give a few lira to the young child selling tissue paper, but take no pity on the woman dragging a young, infant around a bus station begging for money.
- If you eat snacks on a bus or train, it is considered polite to offer the item to those that are near you. I was often offered items from others.
- Watch carefully the fare be charged by taxis from bus stations. They are notorious for ripping people off.
- When people title their head backwards, that means “no thank you”.
- Every few hours, the bus steward will offer you either tea or coffee (Nescafe) or Pepsi. Seems Pepsi got
- Once you leave
- Do expect to see heavily armed police, gendarme and soldiers everywhere you go, especially east of
- Do expect to encounter many checkpoints by both the Gendarme and police with occasional armoured vehicles and heavy machine gun emplacements on public highways and cross roads east and north of
- Do expect buses to be stopped and boarded by Gendarme for ID checks after dusk.
21:00 Saturday evening on a bus north from
Setting here in the infamous “last row”. Sort of reminds me of “death row” for that is about how I feel after 10 hours in this seat.
On this particular bus, like most, you can’t tilt the seat back in the back row. To understand the time and imagine the feeling, imagine taking a trip to Bangkok from Frankfurt by plane, than turning around and flying back to Frankfurt….all with your seat in the up right position and people falling asleep on your shoulder that are setting next to you. Of course the 40,000,000 lira fare ($25 USD) is quite a bargain. Maybe I am just getting old….
18:20 – We exit the toll road. It as been rainy since daybreak and it is chilly as we make our first (and hopefully last) stop before
As always, the buses are washed down at these rest stops but they never seemed to be refuelled there. That of course takes another stop which in our case is obviously some very low cost, single pump operation. Probably the driver’s wife brother! Hahaha
Sunday Morning –
07:00 – Ozturkler Rest Stop – I have no idea how far we are from Istanbul but I´m going to guess about 180 kilometre. As always, our steward jumps onto the bus through the middle door after the bus is already moving. Too many cowboy movies….
I guess in a way I am glad I didn’t get off in
It has really been raining as we approach
07:20 – Back on “
Another truck gone onto a guardrail-very lucky as there is a steep cliff on the other side!
The man at the Turkish Airline office in Diyarbbakir reminded me of the game that was also played out in the hotel in Mardin. No rooms/no seats, except for the more expensive ones, “double-room” and “business-class”. A carpet merchant mentality; they have you in their “shop” , now they got you!
08:10 – 129 kilometers east of
08:40 – Once again we leave the
We almost left someone again, this time making it to the road before his wife said something. Why didn´t she say something before we left? Amazing to say the least…
08:50 86 kilometers to
As we pass down the coast, many ships become visible, many at anchor.
09:00 - The driver seems to finally have the pedal to the metal! Seems he wants this trip to end as bad as me. First patches of blue finally appear between the rain clouds. That a nice sign and wonderful welcome back to
Many ships lie at anchor on this early Sunday morning. Most appear to be small coastal oil tankers moving oil from the
09:10 – 51 kilometers to
I just noticed something rather odd which jolted my mind back to my many travels around the
09:25 – Sabiha Airport – As we pass the airport, I watch a very , very low Russian made aircraft taking off. Unbelievably low in fact! We are now 19 kilometers from
Another observation is that it appears the construction industry here as imploded like it did in
10:00 – Arrived at the bus station on the Asian side of
At the “Harem Giseler” ferry dock I pay another 850,000 lira for a token to cross to the European side. It appears tha the ferry runs every 30 minutes, even on Sunday and starts service at 07:00.
In
After leaving the docks, I head of the street past the European side train station and the mandatory McDonalds, following the tram line until I get to the “ibnikemal cad” street. This is where I have the greatest availability and value for rooms. There are many hotels on this street but what makes it so nice is that a very cheap hotel ($3 a night) is next to a 4 star hotel. I jotted down some of the names of hotels and restaurants on this street. The are:
- Romance
- Class Restaurant
- Hotel Landini
- Hatay Restaurant
- Hotel Siafir
- Otel Inci Palas
- Hotel Karacabay
- Hotel Orsep
- Metropol
- Ozler Restaurant
I found a room that is decent for 6,000,000 lira a night with a bath and a shower in the hallway. It seemed clean and safe. There however was no electric plug in the room to recharge my cell phone or computer. Had to run a cord out of the room and use the single plug in the hallway. I noticed others charged their cell phones the same way. Each room did have a sink in it.
I also notice down the street that there are men (young and old) walking arm in arm. I haven´t seen that since Alexandiar, Eqypt.
The Efes Pilsener Beer is pretty good. Got a shave here for 4,000,000 which was rather expensive. I only had to pay 1,500,000 for the same service in
I have also stumbled across some more Kurds working in the restaurants here. Interesting in many ways as they all seem to be highly educated and their English extremely good. One told me he had studied in
I don´t admit to know much about the “Kurdish Issues” but here, it is something that is extremely complex. The many checkpoints in eastern turkey reflect the ongoing turmoil. Many have died over the years and with the war in
Here are some ideas of what things cost:
- 6,000,000 Hotel room
- 4,000,000 shave
- 1,500,000 Internet for 30 minutes
- 5,000,000 eggs and a beer
- 850,000 boat across straits
- 650,000 tram
- 10,000,000 a few minute call back to
- 7,500,000 very nice men’s wallet
- 3,000,000 nice woman’s wallet
- 82,500,000 leather coat
- 4,000,000 map of
- 8,000,000 hammocks (very nice)
- 6,000,000 men’s shirts (long sleeve)
- 20-32,000,000 bed sheets
- 15,000,000 leather gloves (incredibly nice and extremely cheap by German standards)
- 15,000,000 very nice wooden walking cane
- 5,000,000 Burger King Whopper with cheese
- 500,000-1,500,000 Turkish Donner (Sandwich). If you move one block off the main streets, you usually can find prices to be significantly lower.
- 750,000 Fanta Lemon (one of my favorite drinks on a long hot day)
- 22,000,000 Blue Jeans (
- 10,000,000 Blue Jeans (
- 15,000,000 Rucksack in
- 15,000,000 Street DVDs in
- 2,500,000 to 3,000,000 Beer
- 3,000,000 to 4,000,000 Wine
- 4,000,000 Chicken/Potatoes/Coke
- 1,500,000 Nescafe Coffee
- 8,000,000 large canvas bag
- 7,000,000 10 Gillette double blade razors
- 5,000,000 8 piece stainless steel knife set
- 7,500,000 shower curtains
- 40,000,000 Woltra 9mmm Mod.92 pistol
- 35,000,000 Woltra 9mm Mod 85 pistol
- 2,000,000 4 pair of socks
- 12,000,000 cooking pot
- 6,500,000 skillet (for German export-very nice!)
- 3,500,000 oil lamps
Airfares from
Around the streets near the main Telecom office you can find a multitude of street vendors (always men) selling everything from Viagra, sex CDs, cell phones and software. Fascinating to watch this part of life here.
The non-tourist shops/markets roll-up at 18:00. This is about the same as in
I am surprised that t-shirts aren´t a big deal here and it is almost difficult to find one. That rather surprises me.
You will often get asked, “What are you looking for?”. My favourite answer is , “Nothing. Do you know where I can find it?” (Sorry. I know that is bad.)
It also fascinates me that everyone hustling a carpet or leather jacket has a brother, uncle, aunt, etc. wherever you are from. Just stand back and listen to the tout. Gets quite funny at times.
Always carry tissue with you as no toilets have paper. Sometimes you can buy it from the person where you pay the fee for using the facilities. Expect most toilets to be “oriental” where you have to squat. There is no bowl and flushing is accomplished via a container of water which you have to fill.
Many Internet Cafes are dark! Very dark and usually very smoky and run by older men. Although you will find numerous Internet cafes in
You change money at a change office in
Call to prayer in
Wednesday, May 01, 2002
2002 The Turkish Aegean Coast and Rhodes, Greece
"There are only two mistakes one can make on the road to truth, not going all the way and not starting."--Buddha
As I set here at the Bodrum airport ready to depart back to Germany, I have time to reflect on the incredible experience that Turkey and Greece has afforded me.
To say the least, the people are what make places like Bodrum and Marmaris Turkey warm and friendly. The azure sea, the warm breezes, the clear blue skies and the cosmopolitan atmosphere all blend together to make this one of the more magical journeys of my life. Where do I begin?
It seems I arrived from Germany a bit ahead of the normal tourist season, which appears to start on June 1. Before that date, things such as ferry schedules and who is going where or when seems to be a major issue and that did lead to some confusion and frustration. Maybe it was more my fault as I wanted to go to Greece, specifically to Rhodes, which was before the ferries were actually available to go. That took me on a bit of an odyssey across southwest Turkey and its ports to realize this goal.
The trip started out simple enough with a standard German tourist package from Nürnburg to Bodrum. Bodrum as a destination seems to be one of the more affordable destinations for Germans and many others from Europe and England. My roundtrip ticket including airport taxes and hotel accommodations with two meals a day was only 409 euros in May 2002. Pretty reasonable I thought for a quick escape to some sun and sea.
The trip out of Nuernburg was simple. Boarded the Boeing 737-800 at 18:45 and at 19:05 we were airborne. We climbed to 37,000 feet for the 2 hour 35 minute flight to Bodrum, Turkey. As day turned to night, I stared out the window wondering what experiences awaited me. As it turned out, Turkey and the Aegean far exceeded my greatest expectations.
Bodrum is a modern Turkish yacht port, which was once known as the ancient city of Halicarnassus. (Today, this same name is used more to describe the world famous disco that blasts music into the wee hours of the morning at the far end of its beach.)
Bodrum is a picturesque port on a peninsula in the Aegean Sea. Bodrum was Halicarnassus in antiquity, a major seaport and the site of the Mausoleum of King Mausolous, considered one of the Seven Man Made Wonders of the Ancient World.
As this is the first package tour I have ever taken (I insist on staying independent), I went with the flow on arrival, clearing immigration around 11 PM. My latest adventure however started with a rude awakening that as an American I needed an entry visa but at 45 Euro, I was visibly shaken. No one had prepared me for this and this far exceeded the cost of any visa I had ever purchased before anywhere in the world and I was the only individual on the plane that had to obtain a visa. Apparently, most Europeans and Germans don’t require one.
After this initial shock, I did manage to easily find the bus I was to board for my 30 minute trip to a hotel which turned out to be very centrally located and only a few minutes walk from the castle and main streets and port.
The Atrium Hotel is listed as a three start hotel which is appropriate but it was nice to find a comfortable pool, clean and roomy accommodations and a meal waiting for me in the restaurant by the pool when I arrived. The staff from the beginning to end was friendly and I sensed a real sincerity to be of help and do their best.
There were certain issues with the hotel over the next week that got under my skin a bit; such as the frig in the room lost power (and of course everything melted or got warm) when you left the room as the key was used to control the power to the entire room. The stool that was under the table collapsed as I sat down on it to use the computer on the desk in the room. From the looks of it, seems it had been repaired more than once. The desk was not attached to the frame under it either and with the windows open (I hate air conditioning), there was always quite a bit of noise coming from the street paralleling that side of the building. Oh well.
The meals were acceptable although breakfast was marginal even by European standards. There were hard boiled eggs, bread with butter, jam or cheese, olives of course and a pot of tea or coffee. The coffee was always the best part of this meal and it was enough to get the day going. If you were an early riser like me however, waiting to 8AM for this seemed a bit annoying but it is a tourist place with late night people and bars.
Since I was on the road and traveling, I only ate dinner at the hotel provided buffet 3 times. Once again, acceptable. One night consisting of pizza, another of chicken and another some form of stew on rice. Rice seemed to be a major component of just about everything the chef prepared, whether it was the main course, the soup, the peppers, etc.
Drinks, both at the Atrium Hotel bar and the mini-bar in the non-working frig were expensive. Water in the room was 2 million lira (500,000 in the stores on the street) and beer at the bar was 4 million compared to 1.5 to 3.0 million at the bars and discos in Bodrum. There were signs stating it was not allowed to bring food or drink back to the hotel but I brought my own anyway.
Bodrum itself is famous for many things and for me one of the most enjoyable was touring the castle and the world famous Underwater Archaeology Museum collocated in the castle. As fascinating as the replication of the actual ship and wreck exhibit was, what really made me feel special was the English Tower and its long table, flags, ancient weapons and small wine bar. For a few moments, I felt I had been whisked back to the 15th century and was a knight returning from some Middle East crusade. You can even set in one of the two large chairs at the end of the hall and put on a cloak with a Maltese Cross on it. The castle stays open during the midday break but the exhibit areas close between noon and one. If you leave the castle during this period, you can re-enter on the same ticket (10 million lira) on that day.
A good link in both German and English for things and events in Bodrum:
http://www.bodrum-info.org/
The crusader order of Knights of St. John captured Bodrum in 1522 and discovered the Mausoleum. The Knights of St. John were originally called the Knights Hospitaller, later acquiring the names Knights of Rhodes and than finally, the Knights of Malta. The order still exists today as the Knights of Malta.
The castle is very interesting, built by the Knights' of St. John in 1402. When the heretical Christina King Tamerland invaded Anatolia in that year, throwing the Ottoman empire off balance for a time, the Knights captured Bodrum. They built the Castle of St. Peter and it defended Bodrum until the end of World War I.
As I was on a mission of sorts with this trip, I avoided the normal tourist things to do (like taking a day boat trip to one of the many coves and islands in the area). That seems to be the main event while visiting Bodrum and with dozens of boats to choose from, prices seems fair, crews friendly and boats well maintained.
As I was trying to get directly from Bodrum to Rhodes (Rhodos), I started to inquire at various places what was the easiest/most direct way with the best price to do this. The more I asked, the more I got confused. Even though there were many signs out stating you could take a boat to Bodrum (with some even willing to sell me a ticket), I discovered there was in fact no service (not yet at least).
What was funny was days later I discovered that even one of the main companies that told me they would have a hydrofoil run on Thursday the 30th in fact didn’t even run on that day. It was interesting to note that a nice British lady who was hustling tours on the street from her booth, took me quietly aside and told me that these people would sell you their mother if they thought they could make money from it. Enough said I thought, tour operators are the same all over the world.
I eventually ended up taking a hydrofoil to Kos at 8AM the next morning. This happened after being issued a free ticket from the Bodrum Express Lines. This came to me as a shock and a surprise and happened after I explained the mass confusion between the street “agents”, travel agents and other ferry companies. The manager, in an effort to put his company’s best foot forward gave me a ticket for the next day to Kos, Greece where he assured me I could than take a ferry onward to Rhodes.
Rhodes, Greece (Rhodos)
Rhodes to me is one of the most magical places there is on earth. The city fortress is the largest occupied city in Europe with an amazing history. It also happens to be a very cosmopolitan city where so many from so many cultures come together.
It is a tourist destination but it is also a cross road for cruising sailors, global navies, merchants and traders with very reasonable prices and friendly people.
For me, I always head for the Mango Bar in Dorieos Square in the old city. It is owned and run by a man named Dimitrios Karelas and his family who has turned it into a meeting place of sorts for travelers and adventurers from around the world. They have also started a yacht charter business which seems to be doing quite well and combined with his wife and him expecting their fifth child in 5 years, he is one very busy man!
Around 1997, Dimitri saw the advantages of the Internet for his cafe and started providing people PCs and net access. Today (2002) he has 5 computers that are often full in the evening hours. He also offers 6 very affordable, clean rooms at the café as well. Drinks are reasonable and he offers a wide selection. Martin, who also assists him and his family, is a world traveler himself having spent many years in the Far East. A likeable sort of guy. I highly recommend the Mango Bar as a stopover if for no other reason than the people you will meet!
Rhodes is a city that would take many pages to describe and as many have passed before me doing just that and here are some interesting links providing great detail and commentary about this wonderful city and island: insert links
After Rhodes, I headed back to Turkey catching a hydrofoil ferry from the main cruise ship docks. Since I had purchased a ticket the day before (23 euro), all I needed to do now was pay the port tax (another 23 euro) and clear immigration. The only thing that seemed out of order in this whole process was the arrival of the ferry at 8AM which was also at the same time as several other larger cruise ships which led to obvious confusion as to where the hydrofoil was to dock and pick up its full load of ferry passengers.
We ended up loading on the most remote part of the docks, and as we were finishing the loading another large ferry made an effort to come alongside the wharf, finally berthing only a couple of feet from our stern. It was an amazing ballet of people and machines; an exciting “dance” to watch.
The 50 minute hydrofoil ride back to Turkey and Marmaris was beautiful although on this trip we were not allowed to ride on the small open area at the stern of the boat. I was therefore forced to view the scenery from the center of the boat where there was an area partially covered with canvas in which I was able to take many photos of the Turkish coast, and at times I felt I could almost reach out and touch it.
I was still worried about the “single entry” visa in my passport although I had been assured by some that it actually meant “multiple-entry”. Being use to these types of visas in Asia, single-entry meant one time, not more (...and in Cambodia if acquired in-country meant "single exit" as you can leave but not reenter). As it turned out, upon my return to Turkey from Rhodes, Greece into Marmaris, Turkey, I was asked at the port if I had a visa and when I said yes, they smiled and let me enter. Simple enough.
There was a bus available for the ferry passengers (for free) to take them downtown. I opted to walk along the water front and the cut through the marina. As it turned out, I found out this port and marina is the largest in the eastern Med with over 700 berths, most of them full. I was very impressed to say the least.
Marmaris seems to have it all, both for the tourist and the yacht and crew. There were the necessary lifts, chandleries, maintenance shops, etc. for the cruising yacht as well as the necessary bars, restaurants, cafes and shops for the accompanying passengers. I priced a navigation chart thinking I would like to have one to take home but at 30 million lira ($22USD), it was a bit too steep for my taste. All in all, walking along the port and through the winding streets was a very pleasant experience.
Coming up the coast from Bodrum to Marmaris on the Aegean Sea.
Behind me were the mountains of Anatolia and the remains of the megalithic Hittite cities. In front of me was a bustling port town and the rolling waves of the Mediterranean. Does it get any better than this?
After a bit, I decided to set down and have some breakfast and decided on my first “English Breakfast” on this trip. It was 4 million lira and consisted of 2 eggs on toast, some baked beans, half a hot dog, a tomato and two strips of bacon; it was filling and good but I thought it was Americans who always did it bigger?
Everyone seemed to understand my English and made efforts at communicating in English with me. Even the breakfast café was playing an English language station (99.5-Capitol Radio) while I was there. One person even apologized for his poor English and I even felt his comment to be genuine. Everywhere I went through Turkey, there was great effort at communications in English even when not necessary. (Two examples of that were when I was in a park early in the morning and saw a father with his son who was reading a sign to him in English and some schoolboys at the castle in Bodrum who when they heard me speaking English, tried to speak English as well.)
I eventually found the bus station at the edge of town that lies at the foot of a hill past a military housing area. It was about a 20 minute walk from the waterfront and was clean and simple.
Marmaris Turkey
I found the company who could take me back to Bodrum but their next bus wasn’t until 14:30, so I bought a ticket for 7 million lira and headed back into town and the waterfront. More to explore.
As I walked around the waterfront, I spied some back streets that looked interesting which eventually wound me up some narrow steps climbing up higher and higher. I soon saw signs pointing me to a placed called “Panorama” which I thought should be a place where I could see something and take more photos.
The view of Marmaris harbor from the Panorama Cafe in Marmaris, Turkey
It was a bit of a hike but it was worth it as the "Panorama" turned out to be a very small café on the rooftop of a house that overlooked not only the town and sea, but was even higher than the towers of the castle. There were only eight tables but in the hour or so I was there sipping a couple of beers and enjoying the flavor of the place, I enjoyed it immensely.
The man who was waiting the tables was someone who was both living and working in Turkey and Australia, spending the summer in each. He was Turkish but multi-lingual in many languages. He was both entertaining and informative. I felt a real warmth from both him and his mother who was in charge of the cash box. When I return to Marmaris, this will definitely be the first place I go for a beer and a burger! (There was also a sign saying that it was “Lonely Planet” recommended.)
I got to the bus station and got on a mini-bus that was nearly full but I managed to have two seats to myself. There were about 20 men and women on board, including one single traveling blond woman.
I mention this as many women I have spoke to have problems traveling in places such as Italy, Greece, Egypt, etc. but it seems to be easier for the woman traveler in Turkey than many other places through the Arab and Muslim world. I was surprised to see that no one before, during or after the three hour trip even noticed or hassled her although she was attractive and obviously single and well dressed.
The bus trip was quiet and serene. Reminded me of winding my way through parts of the Colorado Rockies at times. It seemed we were either climbing or descending most of the trip which lasted a little under 3 hours.
When we left the bus station in Marmaris, the only sign that I noticed that gave distance to anywhere was one that indicated it was 284 kilometers to Izmir, the largest city on the west coast of Turkey with 4.5 million people.
I also noticed several billboards along the way, one with www.turkeyguide.com on it. I also noticed a huge power plant about 1 ½ hours into the trip with very unusual and interesting surrounding facilities.
It appeared that the plant was being fueled by local strip mining of coal which was being fed directly to the plant by a long series of conveyor belts scattered across the landscape. The strip mining area was massive, stretching for many kilometers but efforts had been made to block the visible area by planting trees along the highway. Bodrum was 85 kilometers away according to a sign from this area.
We eventually returned to the coast dropping down from the upper valley and hills at the seaside village of Guvercinlik. From that point on, until we reached Bodrum, we wound our way around some incredibly beautiful coves, islands and villages.
After reaching Bodrum again, I headed for my hotel where I had a hot shower, changed clothes and headed out again, exploring as usual. This time I was headed for the marina on the other end of town to investigate their facilities and maybe find that elusive navigation chart I wanted of the local waters (at a reasonable price).
The yacht facilities here in Bodrum, as in Marmaris, are impressive. Not as large as Marmaris but seemingly equal in quality. I also found a navigation chart of the sea, islands and coast which I purchased for 22 million lira. It now hangs on my office wall in Germany.
I headed back to my hotel for my 13:30 pickup returning me to the airport and my flight back to Germany. The bus arrived at 13:35 and I was the last pickup before reaching the airport about 30 minutes later. Once again the views were spectacular and the time flew by.
Reaching the airport, I was amazed at the throngs of people gathered to pass through the security checks. Seemed every person and plane which was leaving that day had all come together at the same time. As it turned out, this observation wasn’t too far from wrong as many departures were scheduled between 16:00 to 16:30. I tried some of the very expensive airport food and it was horrible beyond belief. My definition of a hamburger is not the same as these people who sold me one. I also failed to change the remaining Turkish Lira back into Euros before passing through passport control. This was a mistake as there were no facilities to do so in the departure area but there were many places to spend your remaining Lira. Funny how that works.
Back in Germany
The plane departed Bodrum on time, once again full. The nearly three hour flight back to Germany was uneventful. The meal uneatable even by my standard of “I will eat anything while traveling”. Still not sure what was in the warm dish. Maybe some form of potatoes, peas and carrots….I think. It was rather funny actually to watch those around me open and than promptly close their “meals”.
We arrived back in Nuernburg. After a bit of a walk and down a very long series of stairs, I cleared immigration. For me, as an American with an American passport, there was no check. He didn’t even open it, just handed it back to me. There seemed to be more checks on the Germans returning.
The U-bahn and than the return trip back by train to Erlangen was easy, cheap and swift. From the time we landed to arriving back at my office, took a little bit over an hour. It had been another wonderful adventure!
(Note: At the time this was written, May 2002, the conversion rate from Euros to Lira was 1,280,000 lira to 1 Euro.)
As I set here at the Bodrum airport ready to depart back to Germany, I have time to reflect on the incredible experience that Turkey and Greece has afforded me.
To say the least, the people are what make places like Bodrum and Marmaris Turkey warm and friendly. The azure sea, the warm breezes, the clear blue skies and the cosmopolitan atmosphere all blend together to make this one of the more magical journeys of my life. Where do I begin?
It seems I arrived from Germany a bit ahead of the normal tourist season, which appears to start on June 1. Before that date, things such as ferry schedules and who is going where or when seems to be a major issue and that did lead to some confusion and frustration. Maybe it was more my fault as I wanted to go to Greece, specifically to Rhodes, which was before the ferries were actually available to go. That took me on a bit of an odyssey across southwest Turkey and its ports to realize this goal.
The trip started out simple enough with a standard German tourist package from Nürnburg to Bodrum. Bodrum as a destination seems to be one of the more affordable destinations for Germans and many others from Europe and England. My roundtrip ticket including airport taxes and hotel accommodations with two meals a day was only 409 euros in May 2002. Pretty reasonable I thought for a quick escape to some sun and sea.
The trip out of Nuernburg was simple. Boarded the Boeing 737-800 at 18:45 and at 19:05 we were airborne. We climbed to 37,000 feet for the 2 hour 35 minute flight to Bodrum, Turkey. As day turned to night, I stared out the window wondering what experiences awaited me. As it turned out, Turkey and the Aegean far exceeded my greatest expectations.
Bodrum is a modern Turkish yacht port, which was once known as the ancient city of Halicarnassus. (Today, this same name is used more to describe the world famous disco that blasts music into the wee hours of the morning at the far end of its beach.)
Bodrum is a picturesque port on a peninsula in the Aegean Sea. Bodrum was Halicarnassus in antiquity, a major seaport and the site of the Mausoleum of King Mausolous, considered one of the Seven Man Made Wonders of the Ancient World.
As this is the first package tour I have ever taken (I insist on staying independent), I went with the flow on arrival, clearing immigration around 11 PM. My latest adventure however started with a rude awakening that as an American I needed an entry visa but at 45 Euro, I was visibly shaken. No one had prepared me for this and this far exceeded the cost of any visa I had ever purchased before anywhere in the world and I was the only individual on the plane that had to obtain a visa. Apparently, most Europeans and Germans don’t require one.
After this initial shock, I did manage to easily find the bus I was to board for my 30 minute trip to a hotel which turned out to be very centrally located and only a few minutes walk from the castle and main streets and port.
The Atrium Hotel is listed as a three start hotel which is appropriate but it was nice to find a comfortable pool, clean and roomy accommodations and a meal waiting for me in the restaurant by the pool when I arrived. The staff from the beginning to end was friendly and I sensed a real sincerity to be of help and do their best.
There were certain issues with the hotel over the next week that got under my skin a bit; such as the frig in the room lost power (and of course everything melted or got warm) when you left the room as the key was used to control the power to the entire room. The stool that was under the table collapsed as I sat down on it to use the computer on the desk in the room. From the looks of it, seems it had been repaired more than once. The desk was not attached to the frame under it either and with the windows open (I hate air conditioning), there was always quite a bit of noise coming from the street paralleling that side of the building. Oh well.
The meals were acceptable although breakfast was marginal even by European standards. There were hard boiled eggs, bread with butter, jam or cheese, olives of course and a pot of tea or coffee. The coffee was always the best part of this meal and it was enough to get the day going. If you were an early riser like me however, waiting to 8AM for this seemed a bit annoying but it is a tourist place with late night people and bars.
Since I was on the road and traveling, I only ate dinner at the hotel provided buffet 3 times. Once again, acceptable. One night consisting of pizza, another of chicken and another some form of stew on rice. Rice seemed to be a major component of just about everything the chef prepared, whether it was the main course, the soup, the peppers, etc.
Drinks, both at the Atrium Hotel bar and the mini-bar in the non-working frig were expensive. Water in the room was 2 million lira (500,000 in the stores on the street) and beer at the bar was 4 million compared to 1.5 to 3.0 million at the bars and discos in Bodrum. There were signs stating it was not allowed to bring food or drink back to the hotel but I brought my own anyway.
Bodrum itself is famous for many things and for me one of the most enjoyable was touring the castle and the world famous Underwater Archaeology Museum collocated in the castle. As fascinating as the replication of the actual ship and wreck exhibit was, what really made me feel special was the English Tower and its long table, flags, ancient weapons and small wine bar. For a few moments, I felt I had been whisked back to the 15th century and was a knight returning from some Middle East crusade. You can even set in one of the two large chairs at the end of the hall and put on a cloak with a Maltese Cross on it. The castle stays open during the midday break but the exhibit areas close between noon and one. If you leave the castle during this period, you can re-enter on the same ticket (10 million lira) on that day.
A good link in both German and English for things and events in Bodrum:
http://www.bodrum-info.org/
The crusader order of Knights of St. John captured Bodrum in 1522 and discovered the Mausoleum. The Knights of St. John were originally called the Knights Hospitaller, later acquiring the names Knights of Rhodes and than finally, the Knights of Malta. The order still exists today as the Knights of Malta.
The castle is very interesting, built by the Knights' of St. John in 1402. When the heretical Christina King Tamerland invaded Anatolia in that year, throwing the Ottoman empire off balance for a time, the Knights captured Bodrum. They built the Castle of St. Peter and it defended Bodrum until the end of World War I.
As I was on a mission of sorts with this trip, I avoided the normal tourist things to do (like taking a day boat trip to one of the many coves and islands in the area). That seems to be the main event while visiting Bodrum and with dozens of boats to choose from, prices seems fair, crews friendly and boats well maintained.
As I was trying to get directly from Bodrum to Rhodes (Rhodos), I started to inquire at various places what was the easiest/most direct way with the best price to do this. The more I asked, the more I got confused. Even though there were many signs out stating you could take a boat to Bodrum (with some even willing to sell me a ticket), I discovered there was in fact no service (not yet at least).
What was funny was days later I discovered that even one of the main companies that told me they would have a hydrofoil run on Thursday the 30th in fact didn’t even run on that day. It was interesting to note that a nice British lady who was hustling tours on the street from her booth, took me quietly aside and told me that these people would sell you their mother if they thought they could make money from it. Enough said I thought, tour operators are the same all over the world.
I eventually ended up taking a hydrofoil to Kos at 8AM the next morning. This happened after being issued a free ticket from the Bodrum Express Lines. This came to me as a shock and a surprise and happened after I explained the mass confusion between the street “agents”, travel agents and other ferry companies. The manager, in an effort to put his company’s best foot forward gave me a ticket for the next day to Kos, Greece where he assured me I could than take a ferry onward to Rhodes.
Rhodes, Greece (Rhodos)
Rhodes to me is one of the most magical places there is on earth. The city fortress is the largest occupied city in Europe with an amazing history. It also happens to be a very cosmopolitan city where so many from so many cultures come together.
It is a tourist destination but it is also a cross road for cruising sailors, global navies, merchants and traders with very reasonable prices and friendly people.
For me, I always head for the Mango Bar in Dorieos Square in the old city. It is owned and run by a man named Dimitrios Karelas and his family who has turned it into a meeting place of sorts for travelers and adventurers from around the world. They have also started a yacht charter business which seems to be doing quite well and combined with his wife and him expecting their fifth child in 5 years, he is one very busy man!
Around 1997, Dimitri saw the advantages of the Internet for his cafe and started providing people PCs and net access. Today (2002) he has 5 computers that are often full in the evening hours. He also offers 6 very affordable, clean rooms at the café as well. Drinks are reasonable and he offers a wide selection. Martin, who also assists him and his family, is a world traveler himself having spent many years in the Far East. A likeable sort of guy. I highly recommend the Mango Bar as a stopover if for no other reason than the people you will meet!
Rhodes is a city that would take many pages to describe and as many have passed before me doing just that and here are some interesting links providing great detail and commentary about this wonderful city and island: insert links
After Rhodes, I headed back to Turkey catching a hydrofoil ferry from the main cruise ship docks. Since I had purchased a ticket the day before (23 euro), all I needed to do now was pay the port tax (another 23 euro) and clear immigration. The only thing that seemed out of order in this whole process was the arrival of the ferry at 8AM which was also at the same time as several other larger cruise ships which led to obvious confusion as to where the hydrofoil was to dock and pick up its full load of ferry passengers.
We ended up loading on the most remote part of the docks, and as we were finishing the loading another large ferry made an effort to come alongside the wharf, finally berthing only a couple of feet from our stern. It was an amazing ballet of people and machines; an exciting “dance” to watch.
The 50 minute hydrofoil ride back to Turkey and Marmaris was beautiful although on this trip we were not allowed to ride on the small open area at the stern of the boat. I was therefore forced to view the scenery from the center of the boat where there was an area partially covered with canvas in which I was able to take many photos of the Turkish coast, and at times I felt I could almost reach out and touch it.
I was still worried about the “single entry” visa in my passport although I had been assured by some that it actually meant “multiple-entry”. Being use to these types of visas in Asia, single-entry meant one time, not more (...and in Cambodia if acquired in-country meant "single exit" as you can leave but not reenter). As it turned out, upon my return to Turkey from Rhodes, Greece into Marmaris, Turkey, I was asked at the port if I had a visa and when I said yes, they smiled and let me enter. Simple enough.
There was a bus available for the ferry passengers (for free) to take them downtown. I opted to walk along the water front and the cut through the marina. As it turned out, I found out this port and marina is the largest in the eastern Med with over 700 berths, most of them full. I was very impressed to say the least.
Marmaris seems to have it all, both for the tourist and the yacht and crew. There were the necessary lifts, chandleries, maintenance shops, etc. for the cruising yacht as well as the necessary bars, restaurants, cafes and shops for the accompanying passengers. I priced a navigation chart thinking I would like to have one to take home but at 30 million lira ($22USD), it was a bit too steep for my taste. All in all, walking along the port and through the winding streets was a very pleasant experience.
Coming up the coast from Bodrum to Marmaris on the Aegean Sea.
Behind me were the mountains of Anatolia and the remains of the megalithic Hittite cities. In front of me was a bustling port town and the rolling waves of the Mediterranean. Does it get any better than this?
After a bit, I decided to set down and have some breakfast and decided on my first “English Breakfast” on this trip. It was 4 million lira and consisted of 2 eggs on toast, some baked beans, half a hot dog, a tomato and two strips of bacon; it was filling and good but I thought it was Americans who always did it bigger?
Everyone seemed to understand my English and made efforts at communicating in English with me. Even the breakfast café was playing an English language station (99.5-Capitol Radio) while I was there. One person even apologized for his poor English and I even felt his comment to be genuine. Everywhere I went through Turkey, there was great effort at communications in English even when not necessary. (Two examples of that were when I was in a park early in the morning and saw a father with his son who was reading a sign to him in English and some schoolboys at the castle in Bodrum who when they heard me speaking English, tried to speak English as well.)
I eventually found the bus station at the edge of town that lies at the foot of a hill past a military housing area. It was about a 20 minute walk from the waterfront and was clean and simple.
Marmaris Turkey
I found the company who could take me back to Bodrum but their next bus wasn’t until 14:30, so I bought a ticket for 7 million lira and headed back into town and the waterfront. More to explore.
As I walked around the waterfront, I spied some back streets that looked interesting which eventually wound me up some narrow steps climbing up higher and higher. I soon saw signs pointing me to a placed called “Panorama” which I thought should be a place where I could see something and take more photos.
The view of Marmaris harbor from the Panorama Cafe in Marmaris, Turkey
It was a bit of a hike but it was worth it as the "Panorama" turned out to be a very small café on the rooftop of a house that overlooked not only the town and sea, but was even higher than the towers of the castle. There were only eight tables but in the hour or so I was there sipping a couple of beers and enjoying the flavor of the place, I enjoyed it immensely.
The man who was waiting the tables was someone who was both living and working in Turkey and Australia, spending the summer in each. He was Turkish but multi-lingual in many languages. He was both entertaining and informative. I felt a real warmth from both him and his mother who was in charge of the cash box. When I return to Marmaris, this will definitely be the first place I go for a beer and a burger! (There was also a sign saying that it was “Lonely Planet” recommended.)
I got to the bus station and got on a mini-bus that was nearly full but I managed to have two seats to myself. There were about 20 men and women on board, including one single traveling blond woman.
I mention this as many women I have spoke to have problems traveling in places such as Italy, Greece, Egypt, etc. but it seems to be easier for the woman traveler in Turkey than many other places through the Arab and Muslim world. I was surprised to see that no one before, during or after the three hour trip even noticed or hassled her although she was attractive and obviously single and well dressed.
The bus trip was quiet and serene. Reminded me of winding my way through parts of the Colorado Rockies at times. It seemed we were either climbing or descending most of the trip which lasted a little under 3 hours.
When we left the bus station in Marmaris, the only sign that I noticed that gave distance to anywhere was one that indicated it was 284 kilometers to Izmir, the largest city on the west coast of Turkey with 4.5 million people.
I also noticed several billboards along the way, one with www.turkeyguide.com on it. I also noticed a huge power plant about 1 ½ hours into the trip with very unusual and interesting surrounding facilities.
It appeared that the plant was being fueled by local strip mining of coal which was being fed directly to the plant by a long series of conveyor belts scattered across the landscape. The strip mining area was massive, stretching for many kilometers but efforts had been made to block the visible area by planting trees along the highway. Bodrum was 85 kilometers away according to a sign from this area.
We eventually returned to the coast dropping down from the upper valley and hills at the seaside village of Guvercinlik. From that point on, until we reached Bodrum, we wound our way around some incredibly beautiful coves, islands and villages.
After reaching Bodrum again, I headed for my hotel where I had a hot shower, changed clothes and headed out again, exploring as usual. This time I was headed for the marina on the other end of town to investigate their facilities and maybe find that elusive navigation chart I wanted of the local waters (at a reasonable price).
The yacht facilities here in Bodrum, as in Marmaris, are impressive. Not as large as Marmaris but seemingly equal in quality. I also found a navigation chart of the sea, islands and coast which I purchased for 22 million lira. It now hangs on my office wall in Germany.
I headed back to my hotel for my 13:30 pickup returning me to the airport and my flight back to Germany. The bus arrived at 13:35 and I was the last pickup before reaching the airport about 30 minutes later. Once again the views were spectacular and the time flew by.
Reaching the airport, I was amazed at the throngs of people gathered to pass through the security checks. Seemed every person and plane which was leaving that day had all come together at the same time. As it turned out, this observation wasn’t too far from wrong as many departures were scheduled between 16:00 to 16:30. I tried some of the very expensive airport food and it was horrible beyond belief. My definition of a hamburger is not the same as these people who sold me one. I also failed to change the remaining Turkish Lira back into Euros before passing through passport control. This was a mistake as there were no facilities to do so in the departure area but there were many places to spend your remaining Lira. Funny how that works.
Back in Germany
The plane departed Bodrum on time, once again full. The nearly three hour flight back to Germany was uneventful. The meal uneatable even by my standard of “I will eat anything while traveling”. Still not sure what was in the warm dish. Maybe some form of potatoes, peas and carrots….I think. It was rather funny actually to watch those around me open and than promptly close their “meals”.
We arrived back in Nuernburg. After a bit of a walk and down a very long series of stairs, I cleared immigration. For me, as an American with an American passport, there was no check. He didn’t even open it, just handed it back to me. There seemed to be more checks on the Germans returning.
The U-bahn and than the return trip back by train to Erlangen was easy, cheap and swift. From the time we landed to arriving back at my office, took a little bit over an hour. It had been another wonderful adventure!
(Note: At the time this was written, May 2002, the conversion rate from Euros to Lira was 1,280,000 lira to 1 Euro.)
Ajarn Charlie
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)