A TURKISH DELIGHT - DAY 8 – 17 NOVEMBER 2021 – Canakkale to Izmir

Leaving the salubrious environs of Canakkale and its quaintness for the third largest city by population in Turkey was a big ask. But it was time for Record Drive to move to Izmir, about 320 km south of Canakkale. We had two route options; a longer tolled road and a shorter, but slower, route along the coastal area. We chose the one mostly along the coast and with fewer tolled roads. Scenery and cost saving, the two obvious reasons. Out of Canakkale we were stopped by a Traffic Patrol that was checking driving license of all vehicle drivers. After inspecting Hetal's, who was at the wheel then, the smart cop wished us a happy journey and waved us on. The road conditions were such that we could coast along at over 80 kph. On the tolled highways I consistently maintained 120 kph.

The Dardanelles in Canakkale is the tapered waterbody that lies between the Aegean Sea in the southwest and the Sea of Marmara in the northeast. When you drive south from Canakkale the Aegean Sea comes into view and at some places they lap the embankments that abut the road. The views along the way are wonderful, but the weather wasn't clear enough to enjoy them enough. Small towns and some rural areas went by along the 320 km drive to Izmir. We made stops to change drivers, with Hetal taking over the wheel for the most part of the drive, and for one bio cum fuel break. Fuel was 8.19 TL a litre. At today's exchange rate, which is very volatile, 95 Octane petrol costs Rs. 57.25 a litre. When we complain about fuel prices in India we are asked to go to Talibani Afganistan. In my view, it is better to come to Turkey.

About 25 km short of Izmir traffic started picking up and huge settlements started appearing. Entire hillsides seemed to have been blotted from view with overwhelming construction, mostly housing. Further on, driving became a matter of survival with drivers displaying daredevilry. The hotel I had booked into was on the narrowest street possible. Not knowing where the hotel parking was I dropped Hetal off at the hotel to check on that aspect. I had to go around the block once more because of the tailing traffic. When I got back to the hotel frontage, the hotel steward was ready to assist. He expertly guided the car into a niche in front of the hotel and we unloaded the luggage. The steward assured us that he would park the car securely and safely. In him we trusted at that moment, with no other option.

I had chosen the hotel based on its distance from the attractions. On that score it did not disappoint. Izmir is said to have been founded by Alexander the Great. It was known as Smyrna since its founding by the Greeks in antiquity till the first half of the 20th century. Izmir is the third largest city in Turkey after Istanbul and Ankara. The Agora open Air museum is a good place to explore the city's ancient history. The excavations have unearthed precious information about the life and times of Smyrna. What took my breath away, apart from the complex arches, columns and marble sculptures was the water pouring through a terracotta pipe. It is mentioned here that the water is from an unknown source and in the olden days they were used for manufacturing in the marketplace, the agora.

Less than 750 meters from the Museum is the Kemeralti market, which is reputed to be the largest open street Market in the world and is one of the liveliest parts of the city. The labyrinthine 17th century Bazaar is home to shops, eateries, artisans' workshops, mosques, coffeehouses, tea gardens and synagogues. The shop till you drop is very apt in this market. They can fill your homes and embellish you from head to toe. Bargaining is always on. But one feature we found is that people do not get animated and loud in the market. Of course, the market is not as clean as the ones in Istanbul, and that goes for the rest of the city as well. Possibly the municipal agencies have to pick up their act. Hetal and I found it hard to resist the goodies. We bought half a kg of mixed nuts for the equivalent of Rs. 150. In a trice, half of it was gone. Then came the halka tatlisi, a ring dessert, made of flour and semolina dipped in sugar syrup.

As we exited the market we entered the Konak Square, which is bounded by the Kemeralti market on one side and the downtown waterfront on the other. The Governor's Mansion, from which the Square derives its name, is an imposing sight in the Square. Located to its side is the tiny Yali Mosque reputed for its octagonal shape and impressive tile work. Almost at the centre of the Square is the interesting 120 year old Clock Tower built according to Ottoman architecture style. It is certainly one of the most important landmarks of the city. The First Bullet memorial commemorates the journalist Hasan Tahsin, a Turkish Nationalist hero, who opened fire on Greek soldiers who landed in Smyrna on 15 May 1919.

The Konak ferry terminal and tram station are a few meters from the Konak Square. The ferry terminal on the Gulf of Izmir serves multiple destinations and is operated by a private operator. The passenger services looked busy. Outside the terminal was a vendor with many home-made sweets and we couldn't resist trying the traditional Turkish dessert from Izmir, Shambali. It is made of semolina, sugar and milk or yoghurt. It is mostly found with street vendors and small sweet shops in Izmir.

There is a nice walkway, along the Gulf of Izmir with the waters of the Aegean Sea lapping the stone embankments, all the way up to the Konak Pier, which was designed by Gustav Eiffel, the French architect of Eiffel Tower fame. From being a customs station to a fish market, the Konak Pier has seen it all. Presently the complex houses an upmarket shopping mall, restaurants and cafes. By the time we reached Konak Pier we were hungry as hell. Hetal's vegetarian search took her to Burger King while I decided to break tradition and try out KFC after a week of Turkish cuisine. The Zinger Burger was not a patch on what we get in India, I thought. But, the environment was heavenly, sounds of the Aegean waters gently lapping the Gulf of Izmir, soft music, lively banter and countless cats rubbing against one’s calf. The waterfront restaurants had been quite busy.

On the way back to the hotel we noticed two things. One was the bust of Chaka Bey, a military commander of the 11 century. He rebelled against the Byzantine Empire and broke away to establish his rule in Smyrna. However, he was treacherously slain by his son-in-law paving the way for the recapture of the area by the Empire. The second was the hundreds of shops that exclusively dealt with wedding couture. The dazzling displays made us slow down to appreciate the ornate design and the fabulous fabric. Many shops had customers even at that late hour.