Hi!
I am writing from our new hotel in Bogazkale (population somewhere between 1,500 and 5,000). Actually, this is hotel #3…I will explain later.
Dinner last night at Kale Hotel was actually very good! They had some choices, and we both got the same things – lentil soup, eggplant stuffed with meat, chicken and rice…all served in their truly ARCTIC dining room! (Had they thought to close the front door which remained WIDE open even through the freezing rainstorm…) Back upstairs to our nice and toasty warm cocoon. In fact it got SO warm I got up during the night and turned the heater off! Up around 6, and out about 7:30, packing everything up and high-tailing it out of the hotel. I hate to leave hotels early, because I always feel so guilty, but in this case, there was NO WAY I was going to take a shower in that bathroom! ‘Nuf said.
So…decided to head this morning to Corum for their museum, and then to Amasya to see the rock-cut tombs. Absolutely stunning drive; green, rolling hills leading to even higher green and forested mountains. Corum, our first stop, was about an hour and a half away, and we found the museum with no problems. What made it great, though, is that while there seems to be NO general parking areas for some of these in-town museums, there was a street space available right in front of the door!
Passed first through their lovely garden; beautiful plantings and benches, with all the “extra” monuments like stella and mile markers on view out front. Then inside. The museum is actually on four different levels, but not four floors, which I know sounds odd. You walk around the outside of the first floor, looking at exhibits. Then, as you get back to almost the doorway, there is a staircase leading up a half flight. You again look at exhibits around the walls, and again come to another staircase up half a flight.
The museum was really excellent – great exhibits and explanations in English and Turkish … my kind of museum!
From there, and after banking and fuel stops, we headed towards Amasya, which lies in a valley that is so narrow, it is often assumed to be a gorge. It was absolutely lovely! The town is built along both sides of a wide river, very clean and neat but modern, with the rock tombs carved out of one of the high walls behind. The tombs were for royalty of the Pontic dynasty, yet another dynasty of which we were unaware. The kingdom was founded in 3rd century B.C. by run-away Greeks whose kingdom was finally crushed by the Romans and Julius Caesar in 47 B.C. But they did leave some lovely tombs!
We had lunch in Amasya, overlooking the river. Absolutely stunning views of the mountains. I was SO proud of Robert, as he actually managed to order two pides (pizza) with cheese and tomato – not listed on the menu! And when they came – with actual cheese and tomato, I was SO impressed! Back in the car and an incredible drive through more rolling farmland; stunning trees everywhere; very, very enjoyable!
Arrived back in Bogazkale about 4:30 p.m. and to Hittite Houses Hotel for the night. Met Deniz, the manager, whose English is excellent (he also has a cousin living in L.A. who manages an Ikea!) and he insisted we have tea (apple for me!) while he told us about the area. Then to our room. I had actually booked a triple room, rather than a double, just for the space! So! Problem! Apparently they had a very hard winter in Bogazkale; lots and lots of snow, so they are in the process of completing repairs before the tour groups start arriving…however, they have a sister hotel, the Asikoglu, right across the street … which is where we find ourselves for the night! At least we have a hair dryer, although I’m not sure how cold it’s going to get tonight…hmmm…can a hair dryer keep you warm?? We will have dinner and breakfast here, and then head to Ankara, where we will definitely need to do LAUNDRY! It is about a 3 hour drive, so I am hopeful that we can get there and drop the luggage…and see about laundry and get to the museum! Whew! Tired already thinking about it!
More later!
m
xxx
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