I am sure you have gathered by our extended stay in Turkey that we thoroughly enjoyed our time here. There are truly so many exciting things to see and discover. We visited some of the most famous archeological wonders of the world including Troy, Assos, Ephesus, Permagon and Pamukkale We spent nearly two weeks in Cappadocia and during our time there we explored the underground cities at Derinkuyu, marveled at the 8^th century medieval frescoes painted on the walls of the caves and rock side dwellings.

 We had an unforgettable 10^th wedding anniversary where we admired the Cappadocia landscape from 6000 feet in the sky a dream and unforgettable present courtesy of Cappadocia Balloons. Gwen a Canadian member of the Olympic committee treated us to a wonderful night out featuring traditional Turkish cuisine and dance. A night that was almost perfect until I was dragged out in front of 300 people and asked to belly dance. This I tried but failed miserably! Ralph a German motorcyclist beat me on all counts including style, rhythm and technique but I later heard he practices every day when he his home in Germany.  “Ralph, Gwen, Monika and I took our BMW GS motorbikes for an Off Road experience of a lifetime, exploring the unique and beautiful landscapes of Goreme, Avanos, Nevsihir and Urgup. We rode high into the mountains and through the deepest of valleys of this spectacular terrain only ever stopping to explore caves, canyons and magical rock formations caused by the erosion of the volcanic tuff. After Cappadocia we rode North West to Istanbul and became the guests of the Colpan family the owners of the world famous Blue House Hotel and Pudding shop.

 We were invited by BMW Turkey to have our bikes inspected in Istanbul. We delightfully accepted and were blown away by the state of the art building. An octagon shaped premises situated on 10000 acres of land featuring a host of facilities including TV and Projection rooms, Conference Rooms, Café, on road and off road training school. As you would expect they have motorcar and motorcycle departments and an eager and enthusiast staff. We thank them for their prompt support and service and especially grateful for their generosity which included new Meltzer tires on bikes, full service and a chain and sprocket set for Monika’s 650gs. So if you are ever passing through turkey make sure to pop in and say hello because a warm and enthusiastic welcome is guaranteed.

 As you would imagine during our time in Istanbul we met up with numerous motorcycling adventurers all heading to every point of the compass all coming from every point of the compass, some where traveling  to Africa, others to South America and the rest to South East Asia. Istanbul is a melting pot for tales of exploration, advice and great company. We made new friends with American motorcycling adventurers Striking Viking and Peter from Berkley both riding BMWs. Peter is heading to South Africa via Egypt, Sudan and Tanzania and the Striking Viking is en route South East Asia via Syria and UAE. We enjoyed the company of English motorcyclist adventurers, Pete Cook and his French Girlfriend riding a BMW R1150GS who where en route India and Nepal. We even met an English couple from Peterborough who had traveled from Africa via Nepal riding Suzuki 100 complete with fitted sheep racks.

We where truly inspired by the drive and enthusiasm of Glenda an adventurer from California who at the age of 60 years old packed one suitcase and set off in the night for a three month quest of discovery to North East Asia, Kazakhstan and Turkey When we met her in Istanbul and was full of vitality her eyes sparkled with delight she said she was enjoying life so much on the road that she was currently planning her next adventure India, Nepal and Tibet and as luck would have it her schedule ties in with ours so we hope to get re equated some ware on the road to Katmandu where we promised her a few days ride on the back of one of our bikes.

We enjoyed the fine company and the wanderlust spirit of, Mitch from USA, Doris from Washington and John from California all of whom where taking time out from their busy lives to follow their dreams and explore the magical sights of Istanbul and Turkey. Brian Kelly the current United Nations spokesman for Cyprus and his lovely wife offered us advice on the exciting continent of Africa and when the socializing ceased the discovery of Istanbul commenced. We enjoyed a 6 hour cruise of the Bosphorus which sailed 30 kilometers north at a relaxing 8 knots to the edge of the black sea with a short break for a freshly caught fish dinner. We marveled at the architectural splendors of the Iya Sofia Museum, Blue Mosque and Topeka Palace with its Harem complete with 3 court yards, 2 swimming pools and 300 rooms decorated in murals, paintings and ceramic tiles. Our favorite attraction was Kariya Museum a restored church which dates back to the 11^th centaury and features some of the worlds greatest Mosaics and frescoes and features a collection of frescoes depicting the life of Mary and the birth of Jesus.

 Before our departure of Istanbul we were invited by the management of the Orient House to sample a traditional Turkish night. It was a four and a half hour extravaganza complete with Belly Dancers, Knife throwing and sing-along it was a fantastic night and we have little doubt the 300 other guests like us departed the premises feeling they had experienced one of the best, if not one of the most entertaining nights of their lives.We departed Istanbul and rode South and then east trying our best  to avoid the snow storms which had all but consumed turkey visiting the towns of Akhisar, Antalia, Silifke, Kmarars, Golbashi, Bingol, Tatvan and Van.

 Jan 2005

 We arrived in Van a small city located on the shores of the lake with the same name and was greeted on the outskirts by a large statue of two white Cats which sits tall and proud on a round about...  If you drive a further kilometer north you will pass another round about monument this time it is a 5 meter high T POT and this is where we now make ready for our crossing into Iran. After visiting Izhak Pasha Sari Palace we retreated again to the city of Van to avoid the harsh mountain weather and enjoy the extra facilities a city like van has to offer. During our time in van we were invited to talk to the children at Sehit Koray Akoguz School. 52 teachers and 1200 pupils occupy the cities largest school. The English teacher Ms Belge Auci and Director Mr. Abdu LLan Celebi invited us to dinner where we where treated to Kebabs, yogurt and Turkish coffee. The children took it in turns to ask us questions about our adventure and a young girl aged 14 sang us a Turkish Song in English and a boy of the same age song us a traditional song in Turkish. Pictures of a young soldier hang from the wall of the schools director office; we enquired if it was his son. He replied he is a young soldier from Van who was shot by the PKK terrorists that used to be so prevalent in the area a few years ago. As a tribute to his bravery and his short life the school was also named after him.

We also visited the world famous Van Cat House a two story building dedicated to the preservation of the world famous Van Cat. These animals are sort all over the world because of their unique features which include brilliant white fur, odd colored eyes, one blue and the other gold. And they have a love of water and are extremely good swimmers.The director of the house is Veterinary Doctor and has the responsibility of keeping 130 Van cats in healthy condition. Surprisingly considering the way they live they are all but free from diseases. The most common ailments include eye infections and ticks. The house is completely designed to maximize the cats comfort. There are 8 large rooms on the ground floor and they are joined together by small walk ways. Tunnels from the sectioned cat rooms allow the cats to visit the inside garden and their play area by walking beneath the house corridors. The external walls have cat’s flaps so they can exit out side to the fenced in enclosure. The kittens are separated from their mothers and the boy cats are separated from the females each having their own rooms which come complete which comfy sofas and large backed chairs. According to the Director the Boy cats are extremely moody and temperamental. Considering the large amount of cats that reside in the house they have ample amount of space. The conditions are excellent and the whole facility spotlessly cleans. The Director was proud and relieved to say all the cats are house trained and utilize their outside and inside litter trays. Ten years ago the Van Cat was under threat of extinction because it seemed that every tourist that visited Van to see the world famous cats took one home with them. The Van government has now stopped the exportation of cats from the region and it is hoped due to the dedication of people like the Director and his staff the numbers will boost to a respectable1000 within four years.

Enter Turkey

Friends on the road - Former CDR HMS Raleigh

Friends of the road - Herman Family Istanbul

Turkish Resteraunt

Cotton Pickers - Troy

Troy - Wooden Horse

Assos

Pergamon

Market Cafe - Candarli

Candarli Castle

Paintings Ephesos

Ephasos

Ephasos Library

Game "OK" Turkish Leisure Time