Happy Easter! We awoke to another beautiful French morning, and all raced to breakfast in anticipation of a chocolaty surprise, but unfortunately it was not to be. For Lis Sandbach though, it meant sampling some delicious French chocolate croissants, as her Lent promise of no chocolate was now over.
Our first destination this morning was Delville Wood, the site of the South African Somme Memorial. This memorial contained over 5000 graves, 3500 of which were unidentified, suggesting the horrors of the battle. Over the course of the battle 400 shells were fired per minute on average. What was even more remarkable was the lone tree behind the memorial. It was the only tree left standing from the entire wood after the battle. As it began 3150 entered the wood, at the end only 143 men emerged, the rest were dead or wounded.
Delville Wood is also now the resting place of some chocolate as well. It became the site of our Easter egg hunt, which started with eagerness and excitement, but ended with nettle stings and scratches! Nevertheless, we ended up with a haul of Easter eggs and after we applied the first aid, we were on our way to the next destination.
This was the Scottish memorial, which was also the memorial to bagpipers from across the Empire who served in WW1. It was decided that it might be fitting for the bagpipes to be played, so I took them out, and played a couple of times through “Amazing Grace” and the traditional Scottish tune “Scotland the Brave”. This was appreciated by the group, as well as several packs of enthusiastic cyclists, who were riding by, although as we were playing about 9.30 on a Sunday morning, in the middle of a village, we may have left a few angry French folk in our wake.
Tom, the tour's Kiwi, takes his place beside the Pipers' memorial
Our next stop was Grevillers British Cemetery, where we had an adopted digger commemoration from Hadley, which included some genuine Aussie gum leaves left on his grave. We then made our way to Pozieres, a site of vicious and bloody fighting during the Battle of the Somme and also the Australian First Division Memorial.
Bruce outlines the horrors of Pozieres
After exploring this memorial, and hearing a grim story from Bruce about the battle, we went into the town of Pozieres and enjoyed a hot chocolate at a café with a difference. This café, adorned with Australian and British memorabilia, included a kind of museum, with genuine artefacts found by the locals, including unexploded shells and casings. Also in the back was a huge life sized model of the trenches, both Allied and German, which provided us with another perspective.
It was then off to Thiepval, and the massive Anglo-French memorial, a huge arch of brick and stone, similar to the Menin Gate, listing thousands upon thousands of the missing. Many of us were emotionally touched by this monument, which was located in idyllic countryside, especially when Bridget styodd beneath the central span and sang Amazing Grace for us. Many other visitors stopped and listened. One woman left the monument weeping inconsolably. Bridget described the experience as “the most moving part of the trip for me”.
We had a short time to get ourselves together on the way to lunch, which was up the road at the Irish memorial, where we were served soup and sandwiches by waitresses with a very Irish accents. This memorial was also important politically, with the IRA blowing up many memorials in Ireland during the '60s and '70s.
The SOAPs gather under the Moose of Newfoundland
We also went to the Newfoundland memorial, which had original trenches, albeit a little repaired and maintained. Still, these gave us a powerful insight into life in the trenches, especially for me as my head poked over the top, leaving me vulnerable to enemy fire. A look around the Visitor’s Centre got us some new hat badges, this time featuring Canadian flags and poppies.
And finally, Villers-Brettoneux, one of the most important sites for Australians on the Western Front. We first went to Adelaide cemetery, where we had an adopted digger tribute from Bridget for her great-grandmother’s uncle.
Bridget pays tribute to her family digger
We then found the grave from which a body of an unknown soldier was exhumed and buried at the Australian War Memorial as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We each took turns to read lines from Paul Keating’s speech dedicating the Tomb in Canberra. It turned out to be an amazing, moving speech.
After Adelaide Cemetery, we went to the local school, Victoria School. It was built by donations from Victoria in the 1920s, and inscribed everywhere are the words “N’oublions jamais l’Australie” (Never forget Australia), reflecting the connection between us and this school. It also housed large museum of memorabilia from the war.
Our final stop was the Australian memorial, which was also the site of the ANZAC day service on the Western Front. We were put off by the television equipment, which covered the cemetery and made it hard to conduct tributes for Liz Smart's and Martin’s adopted diggers.
Martin and Liz remember their adopted diggers
at Villers-Bretonneux
Yet we still managed, and as with all the tributes we were all deeply moved and saw the personal connection between the students and their diggers. We finished off with the Last Post on bugle and Waltzing Matilda on bagpipes. We finished off a bit earlier today, as we knew tomorrow would be the big day – ANZAC Day, and a 3:00 AM wake-up.
Today was a day where we gained a greater understanding of the tragic waste of life at infamous battle sites of the Somme. It was both a powerful and emotional experience.
After a reasonable wake up call to be on the road by 8.30, we were all very interested about the sites we were going to be visiting today. We began with Cobbers where there was a large statue of Sergeant Fraser carrying a wounded man - there was a significant story behind this man which Bruce explained to us.
We then moved onto VC Corner where Rachel and Kristy spoke of their adopted diggers. Kristy’s digger Private Thomas Henry Phillip Shephard was a touching story. She had a personal connection to this man and spoke of him fondly. When Rachel spoke of her digger Private Frederick Giffen Holst, I felt captured by his story. It was very powerful.
Rachel prepares to remember her adopted digger
Fromelles and Pheasant Wood was our next stop. Myself and Helen had our diggers resting here. I had a somewhat personal connection with my digger Private Thomas Joseph Cosgriff and it was an honour to remember and acknowledge his life and sacrifice to the group. It was also amazing to think that he exhumed and identified from the mass graves at Pheasant Wood. The new cemetery was beautiful and it definitely had an emotional impact on me.
Kristy remembers her digger at VC Corner
Aisling pays tribute to Pte Cosgriff
It was officially lunch time now! After a cute sandwich packed lunch in Vimy Ridge, everyone had a little wander where this site was explained by a Canadian tour guide uni student. It was quite interesting.
Our next stop was Bullecourt, where Bruce explained the infamous events of this battle site. It’s extremely painful to hear of such horrors not only at this site but all of the others, however I believe we all took something significant from it. It had a gorgeous blossom tree out the front where we all took some great photos!
Nearing the end of our day, we headed off to Mont St Quentin where Nick had his adopted digger Private Gervase Edgeworth. He gave a thorough discussion of his life and sacrifice, which was very fascinating, in particular how Private Edgeworth went to the same school Nick now teaches at.
Nick pays tribute to his digger, a student at Xavier
The very last stop was outside Peronne, where a Channel 9 TV crew filmed Laura as she gave an incredibly touching story of her adopted digger who was also her great-great grandfather. Private William Alfred Whitney had an inspiring story which nearly brought me to tears. As my own great-grandfather participated in war, I can relate to Laura with the emotion and significance of standing on the ground where our relatives once stood and fought in 1916.
Laura remembers her great-great-grandfather
It was another action-packed day that I am sure we will all remember.
Another early morning and by today everyone felt pretty tired. That didn’t seem to stop anyone though, it’s not everyday that you are walking the very paths that so many of our ANZAC’s walked and trying to comprehend the events that caused so many of them to lose their lives.
Today was really our introduction to the Western Front. We have experienced the overwhelming sense of sadness and loss before. It was impossible to visit Gallipoli without experiencing it. But today we were confronted with not only the sadness and sense of loss. We had to try and comprehend the sheer magnitude of deaths that occurred around Ypres and the Salient.
Here so many of the Allied soldiers fought and were killed that it is not as easy to discern the ANZAC story from the stories of members of the other allied forces.
To put some of the places we visited today into perspective, many of the cemeteries contain the graves of up to 10,000 troops. It’s impossible to imagine that the number of people killed in just one small battle is the same as wiping out the population of an entire town.
The Railway Dugout Cemetery
In stark contrast to Gallipoli, the places of pilgrimage that we visit here in France and Belgium are beautiful and green. The cemeteries appear welcoming, they are meant to be visited. Perfectly manicured and peaceful grounds are what await so many Pilgrims, comprehending the fact that 90 years ago the places where the cemeteries are situated were littered with the carnage of war is unbelievable.
For the people who live around this area the reminder of a war now gone is still alive. It is impossible to drive through Ypres without recognising the signs to so many cemeteries. The cloth hall in the centre of town is a fantastic representation of resilience from all people. The huge structure of the Menin Gate is another reminder of the war and one that continues to command respect for all those who were lost.
Paying tribute to the missing at the Menin Gate
The Flanders Field’s museum was a fantastic presentation of so many sides of the war. It was enjoyed by all and I think that afterwards everyone agreed there was a specific piece within the museum which really moved teach of us; from John McCrae’s poem to the gas masks on display.
Paul Jenkins presents the antique VFB fire
helmet to the Iper Brigade
All dressed up as we were, we had a quick dinner before attending the ceremony at the Menin Gate. Our group was represented by several members whom laid wreaths on the memorial while, Hadley played the Rouse and Tom played Waltzing Matilda on his pipes. The look on so many of the Australians' faces in the crowd when they recognised the tune of Waltzing Matilda was amazing. It was a fantastic reminder of how Australia and the ANZAC’s are so clearly still linked with Ypres and the ceremony at Menin Gate.
Tom pipes Waltzing Matilda at the Menin Gate ceremony
To finish a huge and greatly moving day, we travelled back to our hotel in Lille. We had a bit of a wind down card game together before breaking curfew and being sent to bed by the teachers. The day was full of emotional upheavals and it was impossible not to shed a tear or even a few hundred in some cases and as I laid in bed it was impossible to sleep for some time as the memories and events of the day continued to wash over me. Another day the same, I’m sure none of us will experience again.
Early this morning, we had an optional visit to the Hagia Sophia. Those of us who could manage to roll out of bed, braced the rain and wind and enjoyed visiting this 7th century building immensely. The Hagia Sophia was initially built as a Church, which was later converted into a Mosque and is today a museum.
Madonna & child in the dome of the Hagia Sophia
The interior of the Hagia Sophia is mosaic-ed with golden tiles, so it reflected the light and gave the atmosphere a magical feel. There is also Persian written on large disks and different types of marble used in the structure.
The most dominant architectural feature is the large dome which is supported by other arches and smaller domes. These domes were unique for the time and started a trend across Europe in the designs of other Churches.
One particular column was named the “Sweating column” as it was always slightly damp. We eventually got the idea from other visitors that you pushed your thumb into the man-made hole and made a wish.
The Hagia Sophia is quite extraordinary and was really worthwhile. Tying up our Turkish journey, the Hagia Sophia is the jewel of Istanbul and is an infusion of eastern and western culture.
Early risers gather at the Hagia Sophia
The rest of the day was spent flying to Brussels in Belgium and then driving to our hotel in the town of Lille in France. During this time, we learnt some useful basic French phrases (taught by Tom who is practically fluent). That night we had our first delicious French meal which consisted of salmon and chocolate mousse for dessert. Bienvenue en France!
Another early morning and by today everyone felt pretty tired. That didn’t seem to stop anyone though. It’s not everyday that you are walking the very paths that so many of our ANZACs walked and trying to comprehend the events that caused so many of them to lose their lives.
Today was really our introduction to the Western Front. We have experienced the overwhelming sense of sadness and loss before. It was impossible to visit Gallipoli without experiencing it. But today we were confronted with not only the sadness and sense of loss. We had to try and comprehend the sheer magnitude of deaths that occurred around Ypres and the Salient.
Here so many of the Allied soldiers fought and were killed that it is not as easy to isolate the ANZAC story from the stories of members of the other allied forces, such as the Canadians, Indians, South Africans and, of course, the many parts of Britain.
To put some of the places we visited today into perspective, many of the cemeteries contain the graves of more than 10,000 troops. It’s impossible to imagine that the number of people killed in just one small battle is the same as wiping out the population of an entire town.
In stark contrast to Gallipoli, the places of pilgrimage that we visit here in France and Belgium are beautiful and green. The cemeteries appear welcoming, they are meant to be visited. Perfectly manicured and peaceful grounds are what await so many Pilgrims, comprehending the fact that 90 years ago the places where the cemeteries are situated were littered with the carnage of war is unbelievable.
For the people who live around this area the reminder of a war now gone is still alive. It is impossible to drive through Ypres without recognising the signs to so many cemeteries. The cloth hall in the centre of town is a fantastic representation of resilience from all people. The huge structure of the Menin gate is another reminder of the war and one that continues to command respect for all those who were lost.
The Flanders Field’s museum was a fantastic presentation of so many sides of the war. It was enjoyed by all and I think that afterwards everyone agreed there was a specific piece within the museum which really moved them; from John McCrae’s poem to the gas masks on display.
A quick change was required after our visit to the museum so that we could attend the reception hosted for us by the major of Ypres. Surprisingly it was the boys who took the longest to change and dress. The reception was a fantastic opportunity to mingle with other Aussies travelling the battlefront and understand the reasons for other people’s journeys.
All dressed up as we were, we had a quick dinner before attending the ceremony at the Menin Gate. Our group was represented by several members whom laid wreaths on the memorial while, Hadley played the Rouse and Tom played Waltzing Matilda on his pipes. The look on so many of the Australian’s faces in the crowd when they recognised the tune of Waltzing Matilda was amazing. It was a fantastic reminder of how Australia and the ANZAC’s are so clearly still linked with Ypres and the ceremony at Menin Gate.
To finish a huge and greatly moving day, we travelled back to our hotel in Lille. We had a bit of a wind down card game together before breaking curfew and being sent to bed with our tails between our legs. The day was full of emotional upheavals and it was impossible not to shed a tear or even a few hundred in some cases and as I laid in bed it was impossible to sleep for several minutes as the memories created and events of the day continued to wash over me. Another day the same, I’m sure none of us will experience again.
For our farewell to Gallipoli, we returned to the cemetery at Shrapnel Gully, where Martin paid tribute to his adopted digger, Stanley Vaughan. Hadley played the Last Post and the Rouse and was followed by Tom on the bagpipes. Then as a special goodbye we grouped together and sang “I am Australian”, led by Bridget.
Students singing 'I am Australian' at Shrapnel Gulley
It had been raining and there was a cold wind blowing. But that seemed appropriate. It helped us imagine how much colder and harder it had been in December 1915, when the Allied High Command finally realised that the Dardanelles campaign would never succeed, and ordered the ANZACs to withdraw from Gallipoli.
Martin pays tribute to his digger
Martin's adopted digger, Pte Vaughan
Bruce again encouraged us to put ourselves in the place of those men on both sides, who had endured so much and lost so many comrades. He talked about the padre who walked among the graves sewing wattle seeds, as a final gesture of defiance. At last we boarded the bus and drove towards the ferry terminal. Ahead of us was the city of Cannakale, the site of an ancient fort which had stood up against the shells of the British and French ships, which had originally planned to sail into the harbour of Istanbul and force the surrender of Turkey. Thanks to Evan’s charm and his increasing ability to speak to simple Turkish, the Chief Petty Officer of the naval base at Cannakale invited us aboard the latest replica of the minelayer, Nusret, which had cause such havoc among the British and French fleets in battle for the Dardanelles.
Below decks on the Nustret, we were treated to an impressive, new diorama and original film of the encounters between the Allied battleships, the Turkish shore batteries and the minelayers! It was a total surprise and a real highlight for everyone on the tour.
After that, we were ready for a walk around the ruins of Troy, where we were guided by a local historian, who has published a book on the site and who was able to make sense of the crumbling stones of the once magnificent city besieged by the Greeks. Of course, we all climbed into the wooden horse for obligatory photo opportunity!
After walking the major sites of Istanbul on the first day in the rain, we were looking forward to getting back there in hopefully better weather. But all of us struggled to get out of bed in time to catch the one-and-only early morning flight from Cannakale at 5.45am. And we landed at Istanbul’s second airport, on the Asian side of the city. We faced a long, slow crawl through bumper-to-bumper traffic to get back to our hotel in Sultanahmet and a visit to the Grand Bazaar. But it was worth it!
After dancing the night away with Turkish families and each other in the Kum Hotel dining room, we began the day eating breakfast with our new Turkish friends before getting onto the bus to head south down the Peninsula. Our first stop was the Turkish Memorial, dedicated to the men from across the Ottoman Empire who died defending their homeland.
Bruce explains the Turkish memorials to the group
The vast size of the memorial came as a shock with a ‘graveyard’ of glass memorials containing the names of the 60,000 men known to have been killed in the war (although some estimates say upwards of 100,000 died on the Turkish side). The site also contained a huge stone memorial of four columns supporting of a roof painted with the Turkish flag. This memorial was built by the Turks to dominate the peninsula as it could be clearly seen from across the Straits.
SOAPs below the sculpted relief on the Turkish memorial
The Turkish memorial
We got back onto the bus to head towards the French Memorial. Which was hard to find, because it is not clearly signposted and rarely visited by the French. We missed the turn and got lost. We had to go back via the Turkish memorial to find our way, stopping to ask a soldier armed with a machine gun for directions.
When we arrived it was easy to see how we missed the memorial the first time we went past, as it was surrounded by a high, whitewashed wall on the top of a hill. Once inside we were struck by the difference to the Australian memorials we had seen previously. The French memorial was filled with fleur-de-lis shaped crosses, fashioned out of star pickets and wire painted black with a large art-deco style tower that commemorated the thousands of French men who died there. This memorial is one of the more neglected on the Peninsula and the French’s involvement remains a lesser-known chapter in the history of the Gallipoli Campaign.
We stopped in a small village to warm up with some Turkish cay (tea) and coffee. Some of us enjoyed it more than others – namely Tom - who downed three cups of the stuff, which bore a strong resemblance to mud. Our next stop was the British memorial which consisted of an obelisk on a very windy hillside. It had been constructed with a shiny, white rock as to be clearly seen by boats passing through the Dardanelles. On its sides, the names of the British soldiers and sailors killed in the campaign were inscribed in the stone. Just down the hill from the memorial was the landing site of the British ship the Clyde which was pinned down by fire from two forts on either side of the beach, trapping the men attempting to land from the boat. It was said in one account that the water had run red with blood for 50 metres.
We then headed to Krithia for lunch, which featured a rather interesting drink made of yogurt, water and salt that was nearly as ‘tasty’ as the Turkish coffee. We headed into the countryside to the site of the Battle for Krithia. Bruce then led us on a field excursion into a pine plantation to show us one of the hidden gullies that had made the Allies advance toward Krithia so difficult.
After exploring the south of the peninsula we headed to the Northern Sector past ANZAC Cove, stopping at Hill 60 (no, not the one you’re thinking of which was made into a film) and Hill 10, braving the chilling winds to pay our respects at the cemeteries. As we went north past Suvla Bay, Bruce was shocked to notice the size of the birds next to the road until he realized that they were actually goats (guess that’s why he doesn’t teach vet science).
SOAPs on the balcony of Attaturk's Bigali house
Our final stop for the day was the villages of Bigali where Ataturk stayed during the war and where his house is preserved as a tourist attraction to this day. It was interesting to see the inside of a traditional Turkish house with its rickety wooden stairs and low ceilings. We had a cup of tea with the locals and a game of super ninja in the village square before heading back to the Kum for a night of secret rehearsals (see tomorrow’s entry to find out more).
The third day of our trip had an overwhelming theme of commemoration. Throughout the day there were ten commemoration ceremonies held for the Australia and New Zealand diggers who we’d “adopted” and researched in our preparation for the study tour. As each student paid their tribute, we heard moving accounts of the lives of a range of gallant young men, from Privates to Reverends and Majors, each with their own story. These tributes were completed by the Last Post, the recitation of the Ode and the Rouse, played on the bugle by Hadley Black.
This fantastic day of touring the battlefields began with a group photo at the famous ANZAC sign at North Beach. We then traveled to Embarkation Pier, where we heard a tribute from David Lewien, who is a Vietnam veteran and a member of the State Executive of the RSL. He paid tribute to Reverend Andrew Gillison, a chaplain to the 14th Battalion. From there we went onto 2nd Post Cemetery. Thanks to Bruce’s knowledge of the area we were able to view the remains of a WW1-era barge on the shores. We spent the rest of the day along the 2nd ridge which was for the most part the front line at Gallipoli.
The most memorable part was the visit to the Lone Pine Cemetery. Gazing upon the thousands of names inscribed on the wall was truly heart wrenching. This experience was capped off by six tributes to diggers accompanied by Amazing Grace on the pipes and the Last Post and Rouse on bugle. At Lone Pine we also explored subsided trenches from the campaign.
Liz Sandbach at Lone Pine
After a tribute at Quinn’s Post we moved on to The Nek. This is a narrow strip of land, not much bigger than a tennis court, where three waves of Australians charged Turkish machine gunners. I found it hard to believe that while there are more than 200 men buried at The Nek – only 10 could be identified. The rest had literally been shot to bits. Here we met Turkish tourists from Istanbul and of all people, a school group from Horsham, Victoria. Here we heard stories from men who fought at the Nek. Bruce got Bob, our tour leader, and Nick, one of the teachers to read an extract from the film script of Gallipoli. This inspirational experience was followed by an amazing but terrifying view from Walkers Ridge down a steep cliff into Mule Gully.
Hadley playing the Last Post at Quinn's Post
Walker's Ridge looking into Mule Gully
SOAPs and Horsham Secondary College
A short bus trip followed, up to Baby 700, the sight of teacher chaperone Nick’s adopted digger tribute. Our tour of the 2nd ridge was completed with a visit to Chunuk Bair. Chunuk Bair was an ANZAC objective of the first day at Gallipoli but would only be briefly captured during the August Offensive. This offensive by New Zealand soldiers would cost of many hundreds of lives. One amongst these was Tom’s adopted digger Colonel Malone, the leader of the new Zealanders who took Chunuk Bair.
This amazing day at Gallipoli was finished by cultural entertainment at Hotel Kum. The students enthusiastically took the opportunity join Turkish party and to learn traditional dances. A truly cultural experience.
We start our second day of the tour with a five hour drive to the Gallipoli Peninsula. After our epic flight the day before, a long drive wasn't appealing but once we got underway the trip went quickly. Let me list what went down:
Super mega ninja destruction at the roadhouse.
Who has the hat? YOU have the hat!
An epic game of cheat.
The Turkish spotter game.
Stopping in Gelibolu and learning about the AE2 submarine.
Our beautiful Turkish lunch!
Once we got there, our first stop on our tour of Gallipoli was at the legendary ANZAC Cove. We took pictures by the sign and walked along the beach to the Beach cemetery. It was there Rachel had her commemoration of Richard Maynard, her adopted digger. We also saw John Simpson's grave. Walking where the ANZACs walked was surreal, especially since it was the first battlefield we encountered.
Study Tour group at ANZAC Cove
We then went to Shrapnel Gully, with its peaceful cemetery just a short walk from the beach. From there we clambered up to Plugge's Plateau. Interspersed throughout the cemeteries and points, Bruce Scates, the history professor from Monash, explained the ANZACs experience with the land we walked on. After Plugge's, we got back on the bus and headed to Lone Pine so that we could walk down to Shell Green. We were only supposed to have a look through Lone Pine, (which was covered in scaffolding and seating ready for the ANZAC service) but we missed the big sign pointing to Shell Green and walked a while down the wrong road. After realising our mistake, the group headed off to Shell Green on the right track.
Shell Green cemetery
At Shell Green we had Elizabeth's commemoration of Miles Neal Turner.
Liz Smart pays tribute to her adopted digger, Pte Turner
Hadley played the Last Post as the sun set over the Aegean Sea. It was a deeply moving experience, and I think the tone and solemnity of adopted digger tribute really set the mood of the rest of the commemorations for the trip. We watched the end of a beautiful sunset, then got in the bus to arrive in the Kum Hotel.
At the Kum, we had a lovely dinner of Turkish food. Certainly a memorable moment was when Laura's clear retainer, which she'd put on her side plate, got taken away by the waiting staff. Thankfully, the retainers were returned. We then went into our rooms, discovered the treacherous showers and, in Liz's and my room, discovered the broken toilet, which Bob organised to have repaired immediately.
We all got a warning about not being too noisy. Then, it was time for bed.
After a sleepless flight we were all very relieved to arrive in Istanbul! Once through a very trying Turkish customs, we bused to the Eresin Crowne Hotel which was fabulously located in the heart of Istanbul. After marvelling at the splendour of the hotel's lobby (which also displayed fascinating relics) we had a quick much needed shower before hitting the streets with our guide, Burcu. The weather was appalling, but we braved the bitter wind and heavy rain armed with umbrellas embodying the ANZAC spirit. Our first encounter with Turkish street sellers, was quite comical when they insisted we purchase more umbrellas!
The Blue Mosque dominated the city skyline with its noticeable six minarets. Built in 1631, the interior of the Mosque provided welcome shelter from the pelting rain and also exceeded our expectations with its stunning decoration. The floors were carpeted and the walls and high roofs beautifully mosaic-ed predominantly with blue tiles, giving the mosque its name. We heard men chant calling the faithful to prayer.
Our first Turkish meal,consisting of dolmades (rice wrapped in vine leaves)and a range of other Turkish delicacies, was lunch. This was followed by the traditional Turkish dessert baklava and a cup of apple tea.
Then we walked to Topkapi Palace, former home of the Sultan. Huge and elaborate, the rain did not detract from the beauty. Different parts of the Palace served various purposes, including rooms filled with precious jewels and artefacts and rooms for circumcision!
A surprise visit to the Basilica Cistern, which was an enormous underground chamber that had provided the ancient city with its water supply. Built in 565 by an Emperor, amongst the columns were two Medusa heads for support.
We then moved on to the Spice Market which was alive with friendly stall holders and exotic cuisine. The Turks particularly loved our Akubras and kept calling us cowboys and asking where our horses were! We also received a few proposals of marriage...! Turkish delight was a particular favourite for all, with flavours ranging from Rosewater to Pistachio. It did not take us long to discover that Turkey has a very distinct, lively culture like no other.
We then headed back to then hotel, exhausted and very much looking forward to a real bed.
