The last official day of my eight day tour of Turkey had begun! The overnight bus arrived at my destination in the coastal city of Canakkale. Prior to the tour, the tour company had arranged for us to stay for a few hours at an intermediary hotel:”Hotel Helen” to get some rest and to freshen up. Breakfast was included. My morning meal included slices of crusty bread with cherry jam, apricot slices, raisins, as well as olives, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Tea was my am beverage of choice. The meal filled me up and energized me enough to start my day!
The day’s tour would take us to the location of the ancient civilization of Troy. Our morning was free, however, since the tour did not start until early afternoon. This gave me ample time to get some much needed rest after several days of amazing, non-stop sightseeing with lots of walking and hiking. My refreshing nap gave way to lunch time. While this city did not really have many vegan dining options, I was fortunate enough to find a vegan-friendly restaurant called “Cafeka” (Cafeka Restaurant) across the street from the hotel. it appears that their online menu does not include the vegan-friendly meal that I selected from their hardcopy menu. I dined on Spaghetti Napolitano (not made with eggs) in a lovely tomato sauce, adorned with sliced tomatoes and green herbs. It was really good!
The tour guide arrived promptly in the early afternoon. It was a surreal experience to finally be visiting Troy: a site only previously known to me through my childhood literature! Granted, an actual “Trojan Horse” has never been found at the site. It may have only been a figment of author Homer’s imagination. However, excavations of the land have proven that civilizations did indeed call this region their home. Likewise, the Trojan War most likely did occur. Nine layers of civilizations were excavated at the Troy site.
Upon arrival at Troy, we are first greeted at the entrance, with a large replica of a Trojan Horse. The wooden figure was built during the 1970s. It was so much fun climbing the wooden staircase inside the horse, to its first level, followed by a climb up a wooden ladder to its second level. I peeked through an upper window of the horse, onto the landscape below.
Troy’s grounds accommodate the remnants of ancient buildings. While the Trojan Horse may in fact be legend, there is actually archaeological evidence of several periods of civilization that lived here. From 3000 BC until 500 AD, nine civilizations called this place their home.
Authentic pottery excavated at Troy was displayed at the entrance to the excavation site.
Knocked down pillars ravaged by storm and earthquakes lay strewn to the ground.
Stone pieces with Greek writings are also found among the ruins at the site.
The Troy VI level ruins included a house structure.
We strolled further down the walkway and encountered a wall on the right from the Troy VII layer of the city. The wall to the left is from the Greek Troy VI period.
The Trojan War is thought to have occurred during the Troy VII period between the 12th and 14th centuries, in these fields that meet the sea. Evidence of fires and human massacre points to the belief that the city was captured by the Greeks.
A Temple to Athena was built on these grounds during Troy VIII.
The stony walls are marked with indicators as to which period is referenced. The following shows the clear demarcation of the Troy III and Troy IV civilizations.
A walkway ramp made of stone can be found at Troy II.
Roman Baths are located at the Troy IX level.
An Odion Theater is also located at the Troy IX area.
When our afternoon tour completed, we headed down the hill to our van and drove back to Canakkule center.
A movie about Troy was filmed in 2004 starring Brad Pitt. Though it was filmed in Malta, the actual Trojan Horse from the film was sent to Canakkale and is proudly displayed by the waterfront.
My tour of beautiful Turkey had come to an end! Our tour group members were transported by ferry for a ten minute ride to a town on the other side of the Aegean Sea. From the ferry, I glanced back at Canakkale from the gorgeous views of the ocean!
Once we arrived, a minivan awaited us to take us back to Istanbul for our flight home.
We made a quick rest stop along our coastal drive. A playful flock of geese were wading along the edge of the Aegean Sea!
Our guide gave us a dinner break at a large rest stop for tour buses. The restaurant there offered a plentiful buffet. My entree included sauteed eggplant, green peppers, and potatoes and a bowl of lentil soup. The meal was delicious!
For dessert, I selected a vegan treat made of chickpeas and raisins in a syrup base, with a slice of watermelon. This soup-like sweet appeared to be a version of the Turkish “Asure” or “Noah’s Pudding”. I really enjoyed it!
As our drive continued back to Istanbul, we noticed a rainbow forming over the Aegean! What a perfect ending to a magnificent vacation in Turkey!
I spent the remainder of the journey just admiring the views from the window, until we arrived back in Istanbul. A temporary room at the hotel had been arranged for me to take a shower and to get some rest, prior to heading to the airport for my return flight back to the USA.