Day 3 Istanbul to Ankara
It was time to move on, leaving our Istanbul Airbnb and grabbing a cab to the car rental place, which also proved challenging due to the traffic. There is zero traffic control in Istanbul, so everyone parks and drives where they like, which includes buses squeezing down tiny cobbled streets and vans stopping where they please, causing gridlock where nobody gives way, and everyone honks furiously.
Getting out of Istanbul, driving our Fiat Egea Cross through this chaos on the wrong side of the road was also stressful as Google Maps was its usual inconsistent self, so there were a few wrong turns and expletives before we finally crossed the Bosphorus and were back in Asia.
From there on, the four hours to Ankara was plain sailing on virtually empty Turkish highways. The green hills gave way to barren plains and outcrops, and the approach to the sprawling conurbation of Ankara was soon upon us. Our accommodation, the Wonne Boutique Hotel, was right in the center of what appeared to be the upmarket district of the city. Every second car was a Benz or BMW, swanky apartment blocks and classy restaurants were everywhere, the people were well dressed and moved with purpose, and there were no tourists (aside from us). It felt like a different planet from Istanbul.
That evening, we found an outlet called Suvla selling local wine and a Japanese restaurant after the recent kebab overdose.
Day 4 Ankara
The breakfast at the hotel was like nothing I’ve ever seen: olives, stuffed peppers, pickles, figs, seven types of cheese, eggs, breads, potato wedges, cold meats, a true Mediterranean smorgasbord.
Not wanting to drive and navigate through the road lunacy, we left the car at the hotel and jumped in a cab to Anitkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and the Mecca for all Turkish citizens, most of whom decided to turn up today. There was very high security surrounding this impressive place, we caught the changing of the guards, and I’ve never seen such a display of nationalism (even in Thailand). There were queues in the souvenir shop where Atatürk merch was flying off the shelves, and there were thousands of people there, probably due to the holiday week.
Our next stop was Ankara Castle, which wasn’t as busy or impressive as Anitkabir. Yet the small ancient complex with its tourist bazaar and maze of tiny cobbled alleyways around the castle walls was quite charming. The view from the ramparts was impressive, being the highest point in the city that sprawled as far as the eye could see for 360 degrees. I never realized how huge this city was, yet it apparently only has a population of 5.5 million. The call to prayer echoing across the city was quite surreal when heard from the castle at the highest point.
We needed a rest, so we decided to venture back to the hotel, by which time I fancied a beer. Finding one was a challenge as Ankara seems to be a dry city, you can’t get a drink in the restaurants, and the minimarts don’t sell it. After a chat with the AI, I found the nearest Atakosk Tekel was about a kilometer trek uphill.
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