Category Archives: Transportation

Terry & Baris’ Big Weekend Adventure – Day 3 – Hiking the Lycian Way

Posted on May 17, 2012 | 4 Comments

Two weeks have passed since our big adventure.  I have finally come down from the high of a fantastic weekend.  And so we bring this series to a close with photos of our trek with Bougainville Travel, across the Lycian Way at Patara.  You can read more about the history of the Lycian Way – made famous by  the likes of St. Nicholas, St. Paul and Alexander the Great – by clicking here.

The 14km  hike was across some rocky terrain and some dirt paths, under sun and shade, but not too strenuous as you can see.  We encountered an array of flora, fauna, and ancient architecture.  After the hike, we enjoyed a delicious Turkish picnic lunch.  We followed that with an hour of fun and sun at the Sea.

I hope you enjoy the photos!  There’s so many that you can understand why it took 4 posts to write about it all!  Click on a thumbnail to view larger images.  Or simply sit back and enjoy the slideshow below!

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If you are interested in visiting Kaş, it’s easiest to fly to Dalaman or Antalya.  You then take a scenic bus ride to the town.  Direct flights from Ankara are not as common as from Istanbul.  We chose to take an overnight bus (Ulusoy) to the last stop, Kumluca.  We then continued along the scenic route with the Bati Antalya Tur bus.  You don’t need reservations for that bus, but be prepared.  It is not much bigger than a dolmuş and can get crowded.  Of course, Bougainville is happy to help you with your transportation plans as much as they can.

If you are interested in participating in paragliding, sea diving, kayaking, trekking, bus tours, or more, there are many companies available.  You can call ahead or simply walk in their offices.  As Bougainville was the first established, I tried them and highly recommend them!

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Posted in Architecture, History, Holidays, Just for Fun, Sports, Tourism, Transportation, Turkey

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Traditional Turkey in Ankara Hisar

Posted on May 14, 2012 | 8 Comments

Emma Stone - "Traveling Fundi"Adventures in Ankara welcomes guest blogger, Emma Stone. Emma is a travel ‘fundi’ who spent a year back-packing in Nepal. She is based in London and writes about finding budget holidays in unusual places.

Ankara is an exciting city to visit if you’re interested in Turkey’s ancient history. It has many examples of traditional architecture, completed by proud civilisations such as the Romans, Byzantines and Seljuks.

A well-known landmark is the Ankara Hisar or Citadel, which was built in a prominent part of the city. An area that is probably the oldest in Ankara, it is home to many fine examples of traditional architecture, including Turkish houses and restaurants that serve local cuisine.

Ankara Hisar

Although the foundations were laid by immigrant Gauls from Thrace, the citadel marks the original town of Ankara, which may date back 3,000 years ago to the time of the Hittites. The outer walls were built by a Byzantine emperor in the 800s AD and the inner walls survive from 200 years prior.

Within the citadel visitors can find a traditional village – right in the heart of Turkey’s sprawling capital city – complete with museums, cafes, fountains and a mosque, restored from the ancient stonework. Up a flight of stairs in one of the towers tourists can enjoy a panoramic view of Ankara.

View of Ankara

Lunch Anyone?

Easy to spot from any point in the city, the citadel’s 50-foot-high walls are a beloved symbol of Turkey’s capital. A place that has preserved ancient Anatolian life, the citadel is a place where locals and visitors to Turkey can wander the narrow streets and see traditionally garbed people sorting skeins of wool and cooking traditional meals.

Wool

Metal Craftsman

Entered through the Parmak Kapısı or Finger Gate, the citadel transports visitors to a place of cobbled streets and times gone by, even though many of the houses have been renovated and converted to hotels and restaurants. With numerous recreational spots to relax and enjoy a meal, the citadel is well worth the trip to experience traditional Turkey.

Finger Gate

Photos supplied by Adventures in Ankara

Note:  The Hisar actually goes by many names, especially in the local expat community.  Most common is probably the Kale, or castle.  I’ve also referred to it as “Olde City Ulus” as it reminds me of Olde City Philadelphia.  Thanks for sharing, Emma!

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Posted in Ankara & Aşağı Ayrancı, Architecture, Tourism, Transportation, Turkey

Tips on Parallel Parking

Posted on May 7, 2012 | 36 Comments

Since I was 6 years old, I have always lived on streets where folks must parallel park their vehicles.  My father was a truck driver and two brothers followed in that line of work.  So when it came time to learn to drive, believe me, I knew I had better learn to parallel park or suffer their wrath!

I got my permit the day I turned 16 and my license at 18.  I have owned 5 cars, all with a manual transmission, or as it’s known in the States, a stick shift.  One might assume that a stick is more difficult to park but it is not.  However, knowing your car, basic rules, and a little practice make it easy.

I actually learned to parallel park simply by riding in the cars of family members.  A long time friend often tells the story of a ride we took together in high school.  She came to town with her parents’ car.  When we went to park, she had no idea what to do.  So we changed places and I easily slid the car into the spot.  She still laughs about it because I didn’t even have a driver’s license yet.

Now, I live in a city of over 4 million people.  Parking is tight everywhere, although parking spaces are sometimes provided with housing.  But still, in such a huge city, I can’t believe that no one knows how to parallel park.  Here’s the vehicle of one woman who didn’t even attempt it.  She just drove nose in and stopped.

Nose First

These shots are all photos of what I woke up to this morning.  This man had wiggled his car into a spot which I feel had plenty of room.  But he couldn’t get it.  He was turning his wheel in the wrong direction and managed to get stuck between the sidewalk and the car in front of him.

Stuck

He actually left it in this position.  He didn’t even bother to turn his wheels in or close his side-view mirror.  The worst part was there was a car double-parked across from him.  Next came a car barreling down the street and didn’t slow down as he approached the two cars.  Pretty scary, especially since the passenger was blindly opening her door into the traffic at the same time.

Long after the man left his vehicle unattended, the driver of the double-parked car finally realized that it was a good idea to at least move his fancy VW a few feet forward.

Double-Parked?

The absurdity of it all.  He was in fact triple-parked, having parked next to cars that were double-parked blocking our building’s parking garage.  And next to No Parking signs none-the-less! This is exactly why we don’t pay to have a space in our garage!

Triple-Parked

It gets worse as one heads down our street towards the hospital.  Valet Parking blocks the sidewalk with cars.  They have roped off a portion of the street so that  guests can pull in.  They manipulate all of the free spots on our street.  They also create parking by pulling the cars in nose first.  They double and triple park everywhere.  And not once have I ever seen them pull a car into their parking garage!

Valet Parking

Back in Philadelphia, these cars would all have been vandalized.  Granted, I can actually call myself a pro at this, needing no more than 6 extra inches to pull an SUV in nicely.  But in Philly, I would sometimes have to circle for 45 minutes to find a spot, and then push it in as if I went in sideways, never touching a bumper.

So here’s a few tips for those of you who need the help:

1- Always back into the spot unless it is really huge, more than 2 car lengths.

2- To back in, pull your car all the way up next to the car that will be parked in front of you.

3- Lower your side-view mirror so you can see the sidewalk!  I can’t emphasize this enough!  It makes the whole process so much easier.

4- Turn your steering wheel toward the curb to gently back in and then in the other direction to level it off, parallel to the sidewalk.  Reverse the wheel again to pull forward.  Rock it to and fro to get it just right (forward and backwards.)

Step 4 is the hardest.  You need to practice in order to get that car on just the right angle.  The side-view mirror helps.  It’s made more difficult if the car in front of you is hanging out too far from the sidewalk.  Use the car behind you as a guide.  Looking over your shoulder, point the middle of your car towards the middle of the car behind you.

So I leave you with two more tips:

1- If you don’t get it right the first time, pull out of the spot, all the way up next to the car in front of you, and try it again.  DO NOT pull part way out and attempt it.  You will get it done, but it will take much more time.

2- Don’t worry about the cars behind you.  By law, they have to wait – although they rarely do in Ankara.  And don’t worry about being embarrassed.  You likely don’t know the folks who may be watching, and they likely can’t parallel park either.

Here’s a great video on how to do it:

And finally, once you get the hang of it, please do not leave 5 feet in front of you and behind you.  If you live in a city, that is precious space!  All you need is a few inches!  And besides, you may irritate folks who may have the urge to let the air out of your tires or worse!

For more on driving in Turkey, click here.

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Posted in Ankara & Aşağı Ayrancı, Education, How to . . ., Philadelphia, Transportation, Turkey, U.S., West Chester

In the Land of . . .

Posted on March 1, 2012 | 3 Comments

. . . Snow!

Ankara is not historically known for big snowfalls.  Apparently, that is changing now that I am here.  Last year, I flew back to the States in March.  I day or two before the flight, we were hit with 16 inches.  (That’s 2.5 cm per inch).

This year, the snow just won’t stop.  There was a span where it snowed at least 9 days out of 11.  It’s snowed pretty much once, twice or three times a week since then.

The problem with snow in Ankara is that most roads are not plowed.  The city’s terrain is similar to San Franciso – lots of hills.  And on top of that, it is rare that anyone shovels a sidewalk.

Picture this.  Snow covered roads.  Pedestrians forced to walk in the streets.   Cars heading in the wrong directions to avoid hills.

Let me make it easier for you to picture.  A friend just came aross this video taken in GOP, a more well-to-do neighborhood, minutes from my home.

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Posted in Ankara & Aşağı Ayrancı, Environmental Issues, Transportation

Remembering Ephesus

Posted on November 3, 2011 | 4 Comments

If you are Catholic and practiced at one time, it is hard to forget St. Paul’s letters to the Ephesians.  You may forget the text, you may even forget who wrote them, but that name, “the Ephesians,”  is somehow stamped on our brains.  Most likely, it was because we heard the term “Ephesian” so many times – without any idea of what an Ephesian was.

Well, now I know.  Ephesians were the dwellers of Ephesus or Efes as it is known in Turkey.  It’s a small, walled in area, full of the most amazing architecture and history.  Yes, the Ephesians, the tenth book of the New Testament.  It’s living history.

While on our vacation last summer to the vicinity of Bodrum, we had the opportunity to spend a day in Ephesus.  I can’t say enough about it.  It was very hot.  It was a long walk from one side to the other in that beating sun.  And it was well worth it!  You can read more about the history of Ephesus here and here.

We parked our car in a small lot, on one side of the gated city.  And we were thankful we did.  Apparently there is a larger lot on the other side.  Most people take a bus and are dropped at the smaller lot and picked up at the larger lot.  We did the exact opposite. We took a small horse-drawn carriage to the larger lot. So we walked against the traffic.  And we also walked downhill for the most part.  If you go there, haggle over the cost of the ride with the carriage.  He lowered the price ALOT when we said no.  He also made a stop along the way for some sightseeing that was not in the walled-in area.

I often kid about what belongs to the Catholics.  Believe me, I mean nothing by it.  What I truly love about places like Ephesus, is that it is such a mix – of religions, of history, of architecture, and more.  The Temple of Hadrian, The Library of Celsus, the State Agora, The Bouleuterion, the “So-Called House of Pleasure”, and nearby the Seven Sleepers, the Basilica of St. John the Apostle and Isa Bey Mosque.  Wow!

There will be more pics coming one day soon – of the area known to be the last home of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

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Posted in Architecture, History, Religion, Tourism, Transportation