|
A visit to Troy
from the port of Çanakkale
|
|
|
|
It was another rather hazy dawn, a
bit like yesterday, when we arrived in the port of Çanakkale,
which is strategically situated at the narrowest part of
the Dardanelles. Unlike yesterday, however, it turned out
to be a really sunny day. |
|
|
The night before had been another
calm one, as we sailed from Izmir. |
|
|
|
From our docking point (which is shown
as Liman Isletmeciligi on this map) it was only a short
walk to our coach and were soon on our way to the ancient
site of Troy. |
|
|
| |
|
An overview of what the site looks
like today. It was going to take quite a lot of explanation
to understand what we were looking at. We were quite pleased
that we had attended a lecture on board a couple of days
ago, or we might have been quite overwhelmed by all the
facts we were about to receive. |
|
|
This diagram is helpful when trying
to undertand the various periods of the site. I wish we'd
seen this before the visit! There is also a good overview
on wikipedia. |
|
|
| |
|
A modern take on the wooden horse,
also known as the Trojan horse, although there was nothing
Trojan about it. It was built by the Achaeans (Greeks) and
deployed very successfully by them to defeat Troy. |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
As with many previous guided tours,
we found it a bit difficult to follow our enthusiastic guide,
despite having our listening devices, but we did just about
keep up with the important facts. It helped to keep in mind
what our lecturer on the ship had told us a couple of days
before. |
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
Squirting cucumbers |
Our first sighting of a "selfie-stick".
I suspect it won't be the last! |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
Using the maximum zoom on the camera,
we could just see the Çanakkale Martyrs' Memorial in the
distance, on the other side of the Dardanelles. |
|
A very unusual acorn - I think it
is from Quercus macrolepis |
|
| |
|
|
|
Site of the Megaron building |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
Fortification wall |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
The Schliemann Trench |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
The Ramp |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
Palace House |
|
| |
|
|
Sanctuary |
|
| |
|
| |
|
Roman bath house |
|
Odeon |
|
| |
Video: Singing at the Odeon! |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
From Troy, we drove back along the coast
and admired the view across the Dardanelles towards the
European side. |
|
|
| It wasn't quite time for lunch yet, so we were treated to
a ride into Çanakkale town centre. |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
We paused briefly in the centre of town
to take photos of another Trojan horse; the one that was
used in the making of a recent film. |
|
|
|
It was time to return to the port and
back to our beautiful floating home for lunch. This port
structure didn't seem to be too welcoming though. |
|
|
Although we were only due to sail at
5.00pm, we decided to spend a leisurely afternoon on board,
because we reckoned we had probably seen most of what Çanakkale
had to offer. Besides which, how could we miss afternoon
tea? |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
Half an hour before our scheduled departure
time and with all passengers and crew accounted for, we
sailed. |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
Kilitbahir Castle, on the European side
of the Dardanelles is directly opposite Çanakkale.
On the side of a hill is a figure of a 1915 Turkish soldier
carved in white. In one hand he holds a rifle while his
other arm is outstretched towards a Turkish inscription
by the Turkish poet, Necmettin Halil Onan.
|
| |
(loosely translated as:- |
Dur yolcu!
Bilmeden gelip bastýöýn,
Bu toprak, bir devrin battýöý yerdir. |
Traveller halt!
The soil you tread
Once witnessed the end of an era.) |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
A last wave towards Çanakkale,
as we continued our voyage towards the next stop, Istanbul. |
|
|
|
