Arriving on Gelibolu peninsula at dawn
Ottoman stone bridge
Small charming street
 
Ali Pasa Bazaar
Ucserefeli Cami
Selimiye Camii
Entrance of the Selimiye Camii
 
Sultan Beyazit II Complex
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Our road takes us all along the western coast of Turkey, a long overnight journey that we spend talking at length before managing a bit of sleep. I awake as the sun rises while we cross the famous Dardanelles, a strategic entry to the Marmara Sea. We have just passed the ancient site of Troy, whilst across the water lies the Gallipoli peninsula that was the setting for famous WW2 battles by the Anzac, commemorated each year in April by thousands of young antipodeans. The land is barren and very rural, with many sunflower fields and the sea on both sides to brighten up our view, as the zealous bus attendant endlessly goes up and down the aisle to check all is fine for his passengers. Soon though, the horse-drawn carts and rare villages give way to cars and towns, and we reach our destination. We are greeted by Aykut, the boyfriend of Rusen's sister Serap. He kindly drives us to the south of the city for us to enjoy a peaceful lunch in a very green and quiet setting. From there, we cross two old Ottoman bridges, one over a river flowing from Bulgaria, the other over one from Greece. We walk back into the centre, occasionally catching a glimpse of the superb Selimiye Mosque that tops the city as its prime landmark, a masterpiece by the famous architect Sinan. There are a few charming wooden houses, markets and shops centuries old, and particularly superb mosques. After a few purchases, I enter the Üçserefeli Cami, a fine construction from which Sinan would perfect the Turkish style for mosques. Rusen and I then cross the park and market, both of which are dedicated to Sinan's work, one as it allows a view, the other as it was used to finance his work. Inside, all is serene and harmonious - we nearly fall asleep as we sit and watch the decorations. All the same, Rusen is awake and persistent enough to manage to find the symbolic upside down tulip carved in one of several marble columns: it represents the stubbornness of an old woman who would not sell her land to the architect, as it bore her garden of tulips. Joined by Serap and Aykut, we head off to visit the Sultan Beyazit II Complex, an old imperial mosque for which the hospital was converted into the Museum of Health. The various rooms offer an interesting insight into Turkish culture, and justify the European museum of the year award recently granted. Our guides for the day wrap up the evening by taking us along the river for delicious Turkish food in the open air, a lovely spot surrounded by nature and very well arranged, just a stone's throw from the lit bridges.
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Edirne 