Canakkale

After taking the 9am ferry from Lesvos to Ayvalik we had a satisfying Ayvalik tost at the bus station and started asking around about buses to various cities on the way to Istanbul. The earliest bus available was to Canakkale, so that's where we went. The 3 hour ride turned into a 5 hour one, but we were dropped off in the main square just in front of the ferry terminal. The heavy tourist traffic from down under means that there is plenty of decent accommodation around the centre. You might want to book a hotel way in advance if you're coming around ANZAC day though. We checked out most of the hotels in town, and almost all were in the 100-120 TL range with a few for 70-80 (for a double room), and after looking at a couple of rooms eventually settled on Hotel Helen Park, which had the cleanest and prettiest rooms. Hotel Temizay, Hotel Helen, Hotel Anafartalar (someone should tell them this name is a total stitch-up), and the Boutique hotel in the side street across from Anafartalar are also safe bets. For a budget place, the ANZAC hostel on the main street is alright but doesn't have ensuite bathrooms (40 TL for a double, less for a bed in a shared room).

Canakkale seems, on the whole, a chill and livable place, but it's not much to look at. The city was the site of a bloody battle in 1915 between the England/France and the Ottoman Empire for control of Constantinople (now Istanbul). It's an historically rich area for military and ancient history buffs, with all the archaeological and battlefield sites nearby and the giant guns and cannons displayed around the city.

After a brief once-over of the restaurants and bars in harbour area - where, incidentally, the giant horse used in the movie Troy is displayed - we walked through the whole city to find the archaeological museum. It's mildly interesting, small and unimpressive, but still, seeing the ancient ruins discovered in the area makes you ruminate on the nature of time. It's worth a quick visit, if only to get a sense of the layout of the city on the way there. We tasted the famous and absolutely delicious "Peynirli Helvasi" or cheese halva (which doesn't really taste like cheese) that is unique to the region and of course ate the best Turkish food ever, Lahmacun. It's kind of like a thin Turkish pizza, covered with tomato sauce, chillies, and ground up meat and served with lettuce, parsley, lemon wedges, and tomatoes. Always cheap and always delicious!

Lahmacun!


Peynir Helvasi


By the canal


Canakkale by night


Trojan Horse from 'Troy'


Statue of Emperor Hadrian at Arkeoloji Muzesi

For tomorrow, we've decided to avoid that tourist traps of Gallipoli and Troy and head to Bozcaada, Turkey's second largest Aegean Island and one of the larger producers of Turkish wine. For those who do want to go to Troy or Gallipoli, there are frequent buses and minibuses from the otogar, or you can take a tour from one of the many agencies near the ferry terminal.