Today we are leaving Istanbul and heading down to Gallipoli where the Turks and Anzacs fought for 9 months in world War 1. A disasterous campaign for the allies. Our guide gave us the war perspective from the Turkish point of view. Very interesting different slant on what went on. Like other fields the cost of lives was horrendous. In one battle, the Turks had 1500 Dead, and another 3000 wounded in a few hours. The battlefield was the size of a tennis court. The irony is that the Turks wanted to join the allies, but the Russians wouldn't hear of it. Looking at the ground, hills and valleys, and hearing the stories gives a deeper appreciation of what these young men faced on both sides. There are memorials for both sides.
The Turkish people ignored Gallipoli, until just recently. So many Australians and New Zealanders were making pilgrimages to the site that the Turkish people started to be interested in their own history. It doesn't mean as much to us, but it still makes you think about what went on, a day the sacrifices for both sides.
When we left Gallipoli, we caught a ferry at the narrowest point, and crossed the Dardenelles into Asia.
Because we were fairly early we had time to visit Troy. There have actually been 10 cities built on the same spot. The two most important are #2 and #6. Number 6 is the Troy of Homer, or Hellen Troy. They are lots of ruins, and digs over a wide area. It is simply amazing.
Walls of Helenes Troy
Our guide explained how to tell the different Troys buy the way the blocks were put together.
We will probably say this alot, but it was very interesting and exceeded our expectaptions. From Troy we went to our hotel. Six hours of being on a bus made everyone tired. From our hotel we could, do see the castles of Canakkale located at the narrows of the Dardanelle
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