The wheels on the bus go 'round and 'round

We have been burning up the road miles all over Anatolia for the last few days; luckily for us we have a very comfortable bus and a very competent driver.

We hit the road Sunday after the kids returned from their home stays and began a six hour bus ride to Ankara, the capital of Turkey.  Most folks assume that Istanbul is the capital; after all it was the capital of the Ottoman Empire under the name “Constantinople.”  However, with the founding of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal moved the capital to a more central location in Anatolia, and Ankara quickly became a very modern city.

We began our time in Ankara at the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk – a truly grand structure, for a truly grand and transformative man.  The expanses of marble, the cavernous mausoleum, the gold-gilded ceiling, the ceremonial changing of the guards all served to begin to demonstrate the power that Ataturk still has today over the Turkish people.  There is a level of adoration and dedication to Ataturk which does not really translate into our American lives, and the students got to witness a bit of that first hand.

Next, at the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, we were able to look at artifacts from the dawn of civilization.  The museum was awarded the European Museum of the Year award a few years back, and it certainly did not disappoint.

One of the highlights of the trip so far for me came the next morning when we had a visiting scholar come to the hotel conference room and talk with us about the decline of the Ottomans, the Ottoman role in World War One, and the rise of the Turkish Republic under Ataturk.  The professor who was scheduled to meet with us had an accident (not a highlight for her, I’m sure) and was replaced with Marat, my guide from the trip two years ago who is now living in Ankara and finishing his doctoral work on the subjects.  It was a highlight for me because I am very fond of Marat and we have kept in touch, but also because our kids were so engaged with him and asked so many thoughtful and excellent questions.  It was a truly scholarly discussion, and I was so proud of the kids.

Then we started driving again – This time to Cappadocia – my favorite region of Turkey.

A word on driving in Turkey:  Outside of Istanbul, sanity returns to the roadways (mostly).  There are lots of busses on the roads, as many people prefer public transportation to owning a car.  Turkey currently has the second most expensive gasoline in the world – I think Finland has the most expensive.  There is something really enthralling about being a passenger traveling through foreign lands because you have the opportunity to just watch all the curiosities go by.  Being in a giant bus, you also have a great view of the world below. 

Turkey also has possibly the greatest rest stops in the world (even better than those classy stops along the Jersey Turnpike).  Each stop served delicious traditional Turkish cuisine.  Each stop has a market, usually complete with barrels of spices, nuts, Turkish delights, and dried fruits. And each stop has its own unique regional flavor.

14th Century Caravanseria

I’m getting long winded, and you are getting bored, so I will leave you with this.  Cappadocia is unlike anything I have ever seen.  My pitiful camera skills are no match for the wonders and beauty of the landscape we will immerse ourselves in for the next few days.  I encourage you to go to the web and search out images and videos created by people far more talented than me, although I have posted a few pictures below of our last few days and first taste of Cappadocia.  More to come!

Our hotel in Cappadocia

More Teenagers Sleeping Anywhere

Outside the Mausoleum of Ataturk

Marat!

More caravanserai

Touring Mustafapasha

Evening in Mustafapasha

 Quick disclaimer: Our internet is pretty spotty here, and blogspot hates it -- the photos are in no discernible order in this post - and not all of them would load.  Sorry!