Journey to Bodrum
Sensibly if somewhat extravagantly, I took a taxi to the otogar this morning. I was glad I did. I had bought a ticket to Bodrum, dropped off my backpack at left luggage and found a servis to Ulus (the area of Ankara where the museum is) all before 10.00 a.m. In Ulus, I wended my way through a bustling market area, stopping regularly for directions until I found the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations. I was glad I'd stayed the extra day in Ankara just for that. I stayed there four hours, there was so much to see, although in a very manageable space. The only annoyance was a French-speaking guide who clearly wanted me to hire him and appeared three times to compliment me, "Que vous travaillez!" and try to tell me things about objects I was looking at, which I didn't understand very well as Turkish was the only second language fully in my mind and French was not his first language and some of it was quite technical!
October 10, 2009:
I was interrupted at this point as it was time to board the bus. After the museum, I found my way back to the citadel and walked slowly to the top. There were some lovely stores in the area selling the usual assortment of expensive, good quality jewellery, handmade jewellery, ceramics and textiles, and cheaper, touristy tat. I spent a long time looking in them, considering possible gifts, but ended up buying nothing and simply calling Alex at around three thirty to tell her about them, as she loves shopping. I also had a late lunch in a newly opened restaurant which served me beans in olive oil, chips, bread, etc, and, later, a Turkish coffee right up in the shadow of the castle, plus a pudding made out of carrots. That little afternoon snack was quite pricey, but I didn't mind, it was lovely, and I had a bit of a chat with Julia. I then walked right up to the top of the castle tower, which provided an amazing view over Ankara on all sides, which was floodlit and golden as the sun was about to set, and provided probably the warmest feelings I had towards the city during my whole stay there. Children were playing along the walls of the tower with, of course, no heed whatsoever to the sheer drops on every side, and there was a couple or two clearly up there for a bit of time alone as well.
I then walked down, intending to head to Ulus metro. I wanted to make absolutely sure I came down the right side of the hill and didn't end up on the other side of Ankara, so I asked directions repeatedly. The last time was of two young men standing at the top of a set of stairs leading through a cemetary down into Ankara proper (a bit reminiscent of Eyup). They gestured the stairs and told me to go straight. As I did so, I heard one say something to the other, which as the second man replied, "Yes, I am going" (in Turkish), I think was something along the lines of "She needs someone to show her." Whether that was "Heeeeeey," nudge nudge wink wink "she needs someone to go with her" or "She's a tourist. She needs someone to go with her," I didn't know. However, he didn't follow.
Or not immediately. Ten minutes later he reappeared at my side, wanting to know where I was going. Ulus metro, I said, which his face demonstrated he knew the way to, and then -- which may have been a mistake "Yane, otogar." (That is to say, the bus station.) Ah! he said, I didn't need to take the metro, he'd show me the way to the dolmuş! There's a dolmuş? I asked. That sounded good. So we strode along, him chatting away, asking the usual questions, me on my guard. At one point he asked my age and then said oh, he'd thought I was 22 or 23, I was very young-looking and beautiful, which put me even more on my guard. He noticed and assured me he was a good guy, "Kardeş" (brother). He also warned me to hold tight to my purse, as there were bag snatchers in Ulus.
We eventually got to the dolmuş and I called out to the driver, asking if it was going to the otogar. Before the driver could respond, my guide quickly assured me it was, at which the driver sort of nodded and just let us get on. I expected the man to leave, but he went to pay. I offered my money, but he said he'd paid for me and took a seat on the opposite side of the minibus. I was really anxious now. No, I said, no, you can go. No, he said, I'm coming. Why? I asked, point blank. I live this way, he said.
Thus began a rather uncomfortable ride as the minibus filled up. I was torn between horrible visions of this not being the right route at all, and we'd get to the end, and it would be some deserted somewhere and it would leave, and there'd be just me and this guy; and worry that he was a good guy after all, maybe he didn't even live this direction but was just coming along to make sure I got out the right stop, and I'd insulted him.
In the end, we arrived at the otogar, he told me it was the place to get off, and I did the only thing I could. Smiled broadly, shook hands, thanked him very very much and said it had been nice to meet him.
My journey to Bodrum was uneventful, except that I was sat next to a man, which of course is only a problem in Turkey. The bus was packed so neither of us could be moved, until halfway through when people got off and he moved to an empty set of seats. Mum rang, which was lovely. I didn't get much sleep, which wasn't.
More on Bodrum in a further entry.
October 10, 2009:
I was interrupted at this point as it was time to board the bus. After the museum, I found my way back to the citadel and walked slowly to the top. There were some lovely stores in the area selling the usual assortment of expensive, good quality jewellery, handmade jewellery, ceramics and textiles, and cheaper, touristy tat. I spent a long time looking in them, considering possible gifts, but ended up buying nothing and simply calling Alex at around three thirty to tell her about them, as she loves shopping. I also had a late lunch in a newly opened restaurant which served me beans in olive oil, chips, bread, etc, and, later, a Turkish coffee right up in the shadow of the castle, plus a pudding made out of carrots. That little afternoon snack was quite pricey, but I didn't mind, it was lovely, and I had a bit of a chat with Julia. I then walked right up to the top of the castle tower, which provided an amazing view over Ankara on all sides, which was floodlit and golden as the sun was about to set, and provided probably the warmest feelings I had towards the city during my whole stay there. Children were playing along the walls of the tower with, of course, no heed whatsoever to the sheer drops on every side, and there was a couple or two clearly up there for a bit of time alone as well.
I then walked down, intending to head to Ulus metro. I wanted to make absolutely sure I came down the right side of the hill and didn't end up on the other side of Ankara, so I asked directions repeatedly. The last time was of two young men standing at the top of a set of stairs leading through a cemetary down into Ankara proper (a bit reminiscent of Eyup). They gestured the stairs and told me to go straight. As I did so, I heard one say something to the other, which as the second man replied, "Yes, I am going" (in Turkish), I think was something along the lines of "She needs someone to show her." Whether that was "Heeeeeey," nudge nudge wink wink "she needs someone to go with her" or "She's a tourist. She needs someone to go with her," I didn't know. However, he didn't follow.
Or not immediately. Ten minutes later he reappeared at my side, wanting to know where I was going. Ulus metro, I said, which his face demonstrated he knew the way to, and then -- which may have been a mistake "Yane, otogar." (That is to say, the bus station.) Ah! he said, I didn't need to take the metro, he'd show me the way to the dolmuş! There's a dolmuş? I asked. That sounded good. So we strode along, him chatting away, asking the usual questions, me on my guard. At one point he asked my age and then said oh, he'd thought I was 22 or 23, I was very young-looking and beautiful, which put me even more on my guard. He noticed and assured me he was a good guy, "Kardeş" (brother). He also warned me to hold tight to my purse, as there were bag snatchers in Ulus.
We eventually got to the dolmuş and I called out to the driver, asking if it was going to the otogar. Before the driver could respond, my guide quickly assured me it was, at which the driver sort of nodded and just let us get on. I expected the man to leave, but he went to pay. I offered my money, but he said he'd paid for me and took a seat on the opposite side of the minibus. I was really anxious now. No, I said, no, you can go. No, he said, I'm coming. Why? I asked, point blank. I live this way, he said.
Thus began a rather uncomfortable ride as the minibus filled up. I was torn between horrible visions of this not being the right route at all, and we'd get to the end, and it would be some deserted somewhere and it would leave, and there'd be just me and this guy; and worry that he was a good guy after all, maybe he didn't even live this direction but was just coming along to make sure I got out the right stop, and I'd insulted him.
In the end, we arrived at the otogar, he told me it was the place to get off, and I did the only thing I could. Smiled broadly, shook hands, thanked him very very much and said it had been nice to meet him.
My journey to Bodrum was uneventful, except that I was sat next to a man, which of course is only a problem in Turkey. The bus was packed so neither of us could be moved, until halfway through when people got off and he moved to an empty set of seats. Mum rang, which was lovely. I didn't get much sleep, which wasn't.
More on Bodrum in a further entry.