The day began when we awoke on the train.  Some of us (the unlucky ones) scrambled down from our top berths, while the lucky ones merely put their feet on the floor.  We awakened around 7 AM but,  as the train was 2 1/2 hours late leaving Istanbul, we had time to enjoy a leisurely breakfast - with lots of tea (so much that we had to pay extra for it!) – before arriving in Ankara.

In Ankara, our faithful Hussein and Zilli were waiting for us with the bus.  We visited the Avrupada Yilin Muzesi where we saw artifacts from 10,000 years of the uninterrupted evolution of civilization.  This museum was awarded the 1997 European Museum of the Year Award, which it well-deserved.  Among other things, we learned about the Gordian knot and that the name Ankara comes from a word meaning built in the gorge.

            In Ankara, our faithful Hussein and Zilli were waiting for us with the bus.  We visited the Avrupada Yilin Muzesi where we saw artifacts from 10,000 years of the uninterrupted evolution of civilization.  This museum was awarded the 1997 European Museum of the Year Award, which it well-deserved.  Among other things, we learned about the Gordian knot and that the name Ankara comes from a word meaning built in the gorge.

Lunch in Ankara was another huge meal with donair and salad.  The donair was served with pieces of pide on the bottom, followed by yogurt and spices, with the meat on the top – very different from donair at home and very delicious.  We then visited the very impressive tomb of Ataturk, the father of modern Turkey.  This memorial appeared to arise suddenly out of the surrounding landscape, just as the pyramids in Egypt.  Meli told us all about Ataturk and his accomplishments in creating the secular country that is today’s Turkey.

            We then fell into the van for the 4 1/2 hour drive to Cappadocia.  Most of us – including this writer – slept for a good part of this drive, so there will be minimal commentary on this leg of the adventure other than to say we drove through some beautiful countryside.

            After a buffet dinner and the purchase of some “jingle-jangles”, we arrived at our hotel in Cappadocia.  It was like landing in a surreal, lunar landscape.  The hotel was constructed in the ash cliffs, and our rooms were luxuriously carved out of these structures.  The jacuzzis, the down comforters, the comfortable beds, and (for 4 unnamed individuals) the copious amount of wine culminated in an amazing night’s rest.

Today’s vocabulary lesson:

           EEYEE - good

            Serefe – here’s to you!  (a toast)

            And the essentials:

                        Su – water

                        Bira – beer

                        Sarap - wine

Baloon ride in Cappadocia

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