Jun 29, 2012 - Gallipoli and the ANZACS

My next tour started with a trip to Gallipoli. Visiting Gallipoli was a sombre experience for me. Although we learn about it in school and from our parents, I don’t think anyone can true begin to comprehend what these brave boys, because let’s face it, that’s what most of them were, faced when they landed on the beaches. It also illustrates how the combination of some poor and some downright stupid decisions and mistakes can lead to the unnecessary loss of so many lives. I can tell you now that standing on that beach and looking at what...

Jun 24, 2012 - Istanbul-ANZAC-Troy Area Day 3

21st May, 2012: Monday Weather beautiful, warm, sunny. Today we visit... Grand bazaar in Istanbul: spent money, bought some clothes and a pendent. This Bazaar had plenty of shops and peddlers selling their goods. Wayne tried the local coffee, strong, hot but drinkable. Looking forward to our next set of stops... Anzac Cove, and Lone Pine Memorials: Approaching the location the bus takes us along the European shore of the Sea of Marmara and heads westward to the Dardanelles. We stop to visit the WW1 battlefields on the Gallopoli (Gelibolu)...

Jun 13, 2011 - Anzac Cove

We had a whole day to discover Gallipoli (a few days ago now) - to discover the view and terrain of where the misguided young soldiers of world war one landed and tried to take refuge and defend or control their piece of turf. It was not only the young Australians and New Zealanders that lost their lives as it has been estimated that 36,000 of the Commonwealth died that year between the months of the April and December of 1915. We visited the most famous sites for the Australians in Anzac Cove where we went in the following order: 1. The...

Jun 7, 2011 - Turkey - Gallipoli

Yesterday we landed in Istanbul and took a day trip to Gallipoli. 5 hours each way meant that we only had about 4 hours to see the sights. It was a brilliant tour with a great guide. Some of the highlights included seeing where the ANZAC's landed (ANZAC Cove), where they were supposed to land, the actual trenches and also the many memorials to the soldiers. It was an amazing opportunity to be able to see the challenges that the ANZAC's faced and also to appreciate how close they were to their enemies.

May 4, 2011 - Troy

Got a sleep in today – Hotel Kolin too far from Canakkale to head out, especially in the rain! Not due to be picked up until 1.15 pm so we had a long overdue rest. Took the time to update the journal and read a book. Got picked up and collected the rest of the group then headed to Troy. Replica of the Trojan Horse at the site which we had a play on, then wandered through the ruins of Troy. Homers Iliad regarding Troy and Paris/Helen is a purported myth. The ruins of 11 Trojan cities have been revealed although the actual site is neglected...

May 3, 2011 - Gallipoli

Early rise, collect at 6.20 am then had gthe funniest morning on the bus . Had to other people so we drove around the same collect streets about 8 times looking for then. Wrong hotel info given to the driver got so frustrated and became very animated -had us in ysterics - he was even on two mobile phones trying to find them. Finally all passengers retrieved and headed off to Cannakale & Gallipoli. First stop was on the freeway - a dog was crossing to the middle of the road to retrieve a dumped rubbish bag , probably with food in it....

Apr 24, 2011 - Happy Easter. Troy and Gallipoli

The Easter bunny must have got lost – no choc eggs for us this morning! We are up at 5.30am, bags out by 6 and down to breakfast. A bit of a shambles, the “hot” food is cold, and Tony is chasing them up for muesli, milk and Horrors! No coffee either! There is not a lot of choice, and the usual rabbit tucker is there. Still wary of eating salads as the tap water is undrinkable, but we figure we have been lucky so far and hope we are slowly adapting to the lack of drinkable water. We don’t think we will get used to salad for breakfast, and...

Nov 15, 2010 - Gallipoli

Hoi hoi, Een laatste bericht uit Turkije, morgen gaan we over de grens naar Griekenland, met een hoofd vol beelden en herinneringen.......aan de Jordaan, waar we in het water stonden op dezelfde plek als waar Jezus gedoopt is. Aan het uitzicht vanaf Mt. Nebo (Mozes) op Israel, aan onze wandeling door Damascus, door de Rechte Straat, waar God Saulus heen stuurde nadat Hij hem verschenen was op de weg naar Damascus. Aan het huis (nu een nog in gebruik zijnde kerk) van Annanias, die naar Paulus gezonden werd en hem de handen oplegde zodat hij...

Nov 8, 2010 - Gallipoli

Wake up call was at 0530! breakfast at 6 and on road by 0645 to avoid the traffic...and it worked. The trip to Gallipoli was 5 hours and a good part of the way this was shrouded in fog so we didn't even get to see much of the Sea of Marmara. Once we gained a bit of altitude we began to see a lot of farming - olive trees, wheat , corn but not a lot of livestock - some small flocks of sheep and a few cows. Although apparently Turkey is fairly well self sufficient... And all there electricity needs are met by solar, hydro and wind with a few...

Nov 6, 2010 - Gallipoli

A very hungover early coach trip started the day and we headed south along the Dardanelles to Gallipoli. The essential ANZAC rite of passage. It was an amazing and sad reminder of those that gave their lives and was quite moving to experience the place in person. We had an excellent guide who knew heaps of detail about World War I and the Gallipoli landings from both sides of the conflict.

Jul 23, 2010 - Troja (Troy) - Cannakale

Geschichtstraechtiger, blutgetraenkter Boden. Von Troja selbst ist wenig uebrig, kaum Ausgrabungen, aber an der Hafenpromenade Cannakales steht das Original trojanische Pferd des 2004er Films "Troja" (Hauptrolle u.a. brad Pitt) -gut gemacht. Nebst dem Film berichtet auch geschichtlich genauer, wenn auch benso ueberspitzt, Homer in seiner "Illiade" vom antiken Kampf um Troja. Nicht unweit von hier, und ein Hauptgrund fuer die Touristen aus Australien und Neuseeland waren die Schalchtfelder des 1 Weltkrieges bei Gallipoli, wo viele Anzacs,...

Jun 30, 2010 - Vıneyards, temples, and battlefıelds

Turkey ıs an amazıng country - kınd of the US of Europe ın that ıt ıs an ıncredıbly dıverse collectıon of people. Sınce our last entry we have met up wıth our tour and started to make our way down the western coast of the country. Thrace ıs the European part of Turkey, located on the north sıde of the Dardenelles - a 15-mıle long very narrow waterway. We stopped at a small vıneyard for a tour, wıne tastıng and a great lunch on a veranda overlookıng the vıneyards wıth the Dardenells and Asıa ın the dıstance. The food has been very good -...