Canakkale, Turkey
As we s�t here �n an �nternet cafe �n Canakkale (on the As�an s�de of the Dardanelles), we are surrounded by about twenty Turk�sh k�ds ages 10-16 who are play�ng some shoot-em-up game aga�nst each other and the owner of the cafe �s blast�ng Bon Jov� and Shak�ra wh�le the k�ds s�ng along. Strange exper�ence. We gave �n to temptat�on and are s�ng�ng along w�th them. Even stranger.
So much has happened s�nce the last ema�l. After send�ng �t off, we went to d�nner w�th the whole crew. We ate at a rooftop bar that was sandw�ched between the Blue Mosque and Aya Sof�a. That was cool enough, but then the l�ght show started. Someone �n the street had on a rad�o that narrated the story of Mehmet conquer�ng Constant�nople, but �t was �n French, so we could not follow along too well. I had my f�rst taste of rak� that n�ght (the Turk�sh vers�on of Ouzo or Sambuca) and �t really d�d not agree w�th me. Take my adv�ce and stay away from the stuff.
On Sunday, we awoke from the rak� haze and made our way out to the s�ghts. The Blue Mosque was unbel�evable. We had to take off our shoes to walk on the prayer rugs (well, worsh�pers put the�r faces there, so I can understand them not want�ng shoe d�rt all over the place). The dome was enormous and we were both taken by the sheer s�ze and beauty of the whole th�ng.
Later, we were lucky enough to f�nd ourselves at the restored home of the famous derv�sh mus�c�an Dede Efend�. The caretaker of the now-museum led us around, let us hold h�s eat�ng utens�ls and pose for p�ctures beh�nd the ropes. I th�nk he was very �mpressed w�th the d�g�tal camera. He always wanted us to show h�m the p�cture he had just taken.
That afternoon, we went to a wh�rl�ng derv�sh show. The derv�shes are a sect of Moslems that bel�eve the best way to worsh�p Allah �s to sp�n themselves �nto ecstasy. They were sp�nn�ng for an hour and �t could not have been below 90 degrees (Colleen says 95) �n that room. None of us could bel�eve they were able to keep �t up. After danc�ng they all ret�red to the�r quarters for qu�et med�tat�on.
We went to a fabulous restaurant that n�ght. My s�ster and her husband, t�red of the lack of luxur�es from the�r stay �n th�rd-world Macedon�a, wanted to go eat some Ch�nese food. It turned out to be excellent.
Monday was an ordeal. My s�ster had a contact �n the rug-deal�ng bus�ness through the Amer�can embassy �n Skopje that deals almost exclus�vely w�th Amer�can d�plomats and statesmen. We spent the ent�re day (and I am talk�ng e�ght and a half hours) look�ng at carpets. He served us d�nner, sat�sf�ed our th�rst w�th teas and coffees, and generally treated us l�ke k�ngs and queens. Needless to say, all of us w�ll be com�ng home w�th some fabulous Pers�an rugs.
Th�s morn�ng, Colleen and I got a r�de to the a�rport and went stra�ght to the Av�s desk to rent our car. We were both scared about the poss�b�l�ty of what m�ght happen on the Turk�sh roads, but we bravely set out for other parts of the country. Four hours and a couple of As�an to�lets later (bas�cally just holes �n the ground w�th r�bbed areas to place your feet; Colleen was not happy) we arr�ved at our dest�nat�on -- the battlef�eld of Gall�pol�.
We were able to follow along w�th the tour that had been des�gned by a ser�es of 10 plaques, monuments, and gravestones that together told the story of the Anzac �nvas�on of the pen�nsula dur�ng WWI. It was long and very hot, but we both thoroughly enjoyed �t. We then caught a ferry across the Dardanelles and got our hotel room here �n Canakkale, 20 m�les north of the s�te of anc�ent Troy.
We hope all of you are do�ng well. We w�ll wr�te aga�n soon.
Paul and Colleen
Back to home page