Yesterday we took the ferry from Maydos to the city of Canakkale. Riding through the countryside I couldn't help but think just how much Turkey has changed. It seems a million years ago that Shirley and I as teenagers drove across Europe, Turkey into Syria and the Middle East. Just how intrepid we were way back then - youth, naivety and energy helps.
Turkey today appears to be thriving and it is transiting into a modern secular state. The process of modernising Turkey started a long time ago but it has gone ahead leaps and bounds in recent years. Their acceptance into the European Community will be a reality in the next few years.
The soldier that beat the allied forces on the Gallipoli peninsula went on to initiate this process. He of course is Mustafa Ataturk. Found out that Ataturk is not his family name but rather the name the nation gave him - it means 'Father of the Turks'.
It amazed me just how secular Turkey is and one example of that is how women dress and go about their daily lives. I have seen more women practicing 'hijab' (Arabic word for covering up) in Melbourne than I have seen here. Quite a few women wear beautifully coloured 'khimar' or headscarfs. Very few wear the 'burqa', 'chador' or 'niqab' which I have seen in abundance in Melbourne. Women seen in the streets, generally and by far the vast majority, wear western fashion. This in a Muslim country surprised me.
At the hotel Jim and I discussed this because it surprised him as well. Google says that there are two references to what women should wear in the Muslim Holy book the Quran.
"...women must guard their modesty...they should draw their veils over their bosoms...."
"...men should instruct their wives...that they should close their cloaks around them..."
So it appears that people practicing Islam have to interpret what 'modesty' means. Women covering their bosoms is practiced in most cultures - so nothing strange there. Damn shame I say.
As for closing their cloaks around them - nothing about the face, hair, legs, arms, etc. Young women are out there doing everything you would expect them to be doing in Australia. Most appear to have made the decision that 'modesty' does not preclude wearing western cloths.
The ride across country to the big city of Bursa took me through agricultural land, vast industrial estates, modern motorways and past signs with every brand name or trademark to be seen in Europe. There are small pockets of the old traditional rural Turkey still to be seen but you have to go looking.
Jim's GPS for some reason just couldn't find it's way to our hotel. We had to stop several times and ask - everyone we spoke was very helpful and welcoming. On the last occasion I stopped at a large car park in the centre of the city. I walked into a foyer of a building to ask the receptionist for directions. The conversation went something like this -
Q "Do you speak English?" A "Of course sir"
Q "Can you direct me to this hotel please (handing her the address)" A "This is the tourist office sir of course we can help"
Q "Of all the places to walk into I have chosen the tourist office" A "Good choice sir"
Q "Do you know this hotel?" A "Of course sir" She then pointed out of the window at a large sign which bore the name of the hotel I was looking for.
Somewhat red faced I thanked her and took my leave. That's not the end of it though. Where the sign was located was not where the hotel was located. The sign was above an ancient building housing the Turkish Baths. In the end I had walk around the block and eventually found the entrance in a side street. To old for this why am I not on a coach where I sit back - I know why.
Walked Bursa's bazaars and back streets late into the evening. Families all out enjoying the evening and window shopping. The Green Mosque is the pick of the tourist sites but we didn't get there although we did meet a Turk/Kurd who worked there. He restores 'tiles' - apparently many of the tiles have gold inlay and he has been engaged at the mosque for twelve years so far.
The brochures say that Hannibal established the city - that is not just yesterday - that's some history. Many other historical sites to visit as you can imagine.
No pictures I am sorry.
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