I have to say that leaving the clamour of Istanbul was a bit of a relief. We set off south to see Gallipoli and it was very moving. I have been to Gallipoli before and probably would not have have chosen to return because I didn't think I needed to but I am really pleased I did. As I walked among the gravestones at the Australian memorial, I was impacted by how young some of these soldiers were and the grief of war. We stayed in Canakkale that evening and it was relaxing to be in a smaller town with friendly locals and enjoy the sunset.
The following day we visited Troy. When I last went to Troy it had felt quite rushed but this time we had the time to walk around and learn about the archeology. I had to refresh my memory about the Trojan War because it has been a while since I studied it at uni but I'm pleased I did because it helped to put everything in context.
The next day was another busy day including visiting a carpet place and also Ephesus. We learned about the process of carpet making which was interesting but obviously Ephesus was a highlight. It was crazy busy and I could have spent more time wandering around learning about different aspects but the way it is arranged is good. The library is one of my favourite buildings and it is also impressive to see the scale of the theatre and appreciate the accoustics.
I am finding that as a travel more in Turkiye I am continually reminded of how much I love this country with all its beauty, diversity and flaws. In each place we visit I would like to spend more time wandering around to soak up the culture but it is a large country and we still have more to visit...
Gallipoli
Troy
Ephesus (and carpets!)
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