we're baack!

this is a long one people - get a cuppa.

back from turkey.
awww - i am watching baby polar bears taking their first steps on a snow slope (on tv - although we did have 6" of snow here the other night)- outrageously cute.
where was i - yes - apart from having to come back to work : , the trip to turkey was FABULOUS. amazing and diverse countryside, amazing culture - ok food, for a vegetarian, oh - great eclipse of course (the whole point), didnt get too ripped off.... good times, my friends, good times.

i was fascinated with the recent history of the area aswell (my grasp of modern history/events that shaped the world is woeful) and even developed a bit of a crush on Ataturk (he is EVERYWHERE - and has a bit of a sexy scowl).

in other news, my mum arrived for a month last saturday. was great to see her AND my brother is going to be here in 10 days!!! (if only i didnt have about 10 deadlines!). Simon has got himself a job in the magistrates court in adelaide so i am very proud!

we took ALOT of photos so it has been a bit hard to pick ones to blog! ; )
I think I will do them in the order we visited them in...
we flew into Instanbul but headed almost straight away to Gallipoli.

Gallipoli was extremely moving and beautiful. I was really struck by the serenity of the place... it was hard to imagine the carnage that occured there...but occur it did....1/2 a million turkish, english, french australian and kiwi mostly boys (oh, and 49 canadians) died or were injured on the peninsula. Our guide pulled some shrapnel out of the ground which brought home just how much fighting went on - when there is still evidence almost 100 years later. i think you really have to visit to understand the place - but don't visit on ANZAC day! when they expect 20-30,000 people (hence the stadium seating).

Next we headed to the south coast on a 14hr bus trip to get in pole position for the solar eclipse! we initially thought to stay in antalya...however accommodation was proving to be a bit hard to come by....so we decided to head for olympos - an ancient ruined byzantine city and popular for us backpackers cos you can stay in treehouses and it is sublimely beautiful. we thought that would be awesome except maybe a bit cold (it wasnt warm in gallipoli) but fortunately they also do heated bungalows! - i know, we are getting old! so it was a goer.

olympos was almost like my idea of heaven - well it would be if no one else had found it. The valley is filled with the ancient ruins, blossom of almond and orange trees, oleander and fig trees. The air smelt so sweet! The valley opens up to this fantastically gorgeous beach...where we saw the eclipse. I also went for a swim (just me and the english) - it wasnt exactly warm, and when the eclipse started it got really cold - i was fereezing! Photos dont do it justice really. we had a great night at the camp which meant that we had to stop in antalya on our way to goreme (we couldnt face a day on a bus).

Goreme

blogger isnt uploading the photos : (