Ayvalik – Bye Bye Turkey and a few words about Turkish buses

Feeling a twinge of homesickness following our visit to Gallipoli, (In our group of about 15 Australians we shared a lunch table with an older couple who happened to be from Coffs Harbour and their son is living in Bundagen.  Such a small world!) we moved on to the small town of Ayvalik on the Gulf of Edremit as a stepping stone into Greece.  

The area is a wonderful blend of Greece and Turkey.  The town was a majority Greek town predominated by olive oil manufacturing.  In the 1920’s when the population transfer happened during the Turkish War of Independence, the town was essentially emptied and too few of the remaining Turks knew how to continue the olive oil production.  Ultimately the Turkish government had to bring back several thousand Greeks to stem the decline of industry.

We stayed at a simple pansyion in Ayvalik with the most fantastic views of the harbour and the most spectacular sunsets over the hills surrounding the bay.  Each evening was a brilliant show.

 

Ayvalik by day

Sunset over Ayvalik

We took a ferry across the bay to the Cunda Island which was a delight – narrow cobblestoned streets, lovely waterfront cafes and windmills straight out of Don Quixote dotting the hillsides.

 

Waterfront of Cunda

Cobblestone streets

Windmills

We stumbled upon the Taksiarches or Metropolitan Church, a former Greek Orthodox Church turned Mosque then left for ruin following damage by an earthquake in 1944.  The building was restored in the late 1990’s and turned into the most eclectic and amazing museum.  The beautifully restored church with frescos of saints on the walls exhibited steam engines, model cars and ships, old medical equipment, diving suits, old tape recorders, toy trains, tin cars, real cars and motorcycles and dolls from all over the world, just to name a few of the fantastic items on display.

Restored church cum museum

 

Doll collection

So our last full day in Turkey was lovely and we were feeling a bit melancholy about leaving but thinking we may be back to sail these waters.....

But before saying goodbye to Turkey we must say a few words about Turkish buses.  They are fantastic.  Murray’s take note!  We took several long distance bus trips (Tatvan to Ankara, Marmaris to Istanbul, Çanakkale to Ayvalik) and they were all a real treat.  All the buses are modern Mercedes buses with comfortable seats and video monitors on the back offering movies, music, GPS, TV shows and a usb port to charge your phone or listen to your own music.  Every bus has a driver, or two depending on the length of the journey, and a steward.  As the bus pulls out of the terminal the steward gives everyone an ice cream to start their journey.  Then every few hours the steward loads up a little wheeled chart and offers drinks (hot and cold) and snacks.  The bus stops every 2 ½ to 3 hours at the most amazing bus stops.  They are more like an airport terminal than a bus stop.  They are huge and immaculately clean with pretty landscaping outside.  Inside are shops and nice restaurants with really good food – no chicko rolls here!

There were so many good things about Turkey; the people, the scenery, their complex and ancient history, their breakfasts.  We will miss it.

Bye for now, Turkey