Gallipoli

Departing from the bus station (otogar) in Istanbul during a fearsome rain storm, Sheri and Curtis rolled along the shore of the Sea of Marmara to the town of Eceabat on the Gallipoli Peninsula. We checked into Crowded House Hotel. The peninsula is rural and quiet. It parallels the Dardanelles which is an ocean strait that leads to Istanbul and the Black Sea and ultimately to Russia, Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia, and Armenia.

This area was subject to sea borne attacks and attempted invasion by the UK and French forces during World War One. These battles are important to the identity of the folks in Australia and New Zealand (ANZACs), and it is a sort of pilgrimage point for them. Curtis spent 1981 in New Zealand so he too wanted to visit this area.

The idea in WWI was to invade the peninsula, Take over and control the Dardanelles and thus take Turkey out of the war and provide aid to Russia. On April 25 1915, 15,000 ANZAC troops landed in and around ANZAC cove (apparently it was not the right spot).

ANZAC cove on the Gallipoli Peninsula

Under constant fire they fought up steep gullied hills to about 2000 yards inland and then were repulsed back to about 1000 yards from the beach. There was terrible loss of live on all sides. Despite several attacks the situation was stalemated for nine months before the ANZACs were withdrawn. In total about one million men were involved on all sides in the attack and defense of Gallipoli, with about 500,000 casualties including 120,000 dead. It was a complete disaster for UK and France. It was a victory for Turkey, but also a disaster for them too.

ANZAC north beach landing area

Visiting the battlefield, ANZAC cove is quite small, simply a short stretch of beach. From the high ground it’s easy to see the beach and turn your head and see the short stretch to the stalemated trench area. At Lone Pine cemetery, an area the size of two football fields, on August 7 to 9, 1915, four thousand men died here. Climbing out of their trenches and attacking, suffering a counter attack, and then attacking again.

Turkish Soldier carries wounded Australian to safety

This area is extremely important to the Turkish because this is where they were able to repel world superpowers from their soil. This is also where Mustafa Kemal, later known as Ataturk became a famous officer. He went on to rule Turkey and drag it into the modern age. His picture, statues, and quotations are everywhere in Turkey. Every business has a picture of Ataturk. Every square has a statue of him.

Ataturk Statue

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Trojan Horse in Canakale

Returning to Istanbul Sheri and Curtis checked into the Courtyard Marriott which is located by a freeway interchange. Istanbul is very modern and full of freeways and malls and factories and apartment blocks.

Pensioners sitting around a park

We went to the Beyoglu part of the city and had a fine dinner (on Sheri’s dime) of mezes and a fish platter. The vibe was busy and young and trendy, quite different from the rural areas. The seasons have changed since we arrived and sandals have been replaced by tights and knee high boots. We walked to Taksim square the whole way was packed with people like New Year ’s Eve.

Trolley to Taksim Square

We diverted down a narrow side street. It was lined on both sides with restaurants, a different one every 20 feet. Everyone was sitting outside and there wasn’t an empty seat (Sunday night).

Beyoglu Restaurant scene

We went over to the Asian side of Istanbul to check it out. The tourists and trinket shops don’t exist here. We made it back to the Sultanahmet part of town and Sheri stimulated the economy by stocking up on gifts.

Loading chicken meat onto the world's largest kebap

Turkish Delight in a sweets shop

Istanbul fish market

Turks love their chili peppers

Next day we puttered around the hotel and then went to the airport and Sheri flew off into the steel gray Istanbul sky.

Curtis shuttle bussed it to a stop at the south side of the Sultanahmet on the Sea of Marmara. With his luggage he walked along the esplanade around the east peninsula of the city to where the Bosporus starts, passing a line fisherman as he went.

Lighthouse in the Bosporus

He stopped by the train station and then went across the fantastically busy street to have a cappuccino and a bowl of chocolate pudding. After that he caught a night train to Bulgaria.