Ankara

Yesterday we took the fast train to Ankara for the day.  It was 90 minutes and on time.  We bought the tickets right before we left with the return in the afternoon.  Our purpose was to check out the trains and also to see the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations.  It got big reviews in the Lonely Planet guide.  The book was correct.  Everything was in Turkish or English which made it very easy to read about what we were seeing.  It went from the beginning,  Palaeolithic displays, on up  through history.  The displays were very well done.  Well worth a visit.  (It would take way too much typing for me to try to explain anything.) On the way back to the train we went to what they call the Citadel which is a very old part of Ankara with the thick walls on the hilltop with lots of winding streets.  Of course a little kid offered to show us the way around which ended up at the shopping stalls.  It was still an entertaining walk and not unexpected to find vendors.  Ankara, of course, is a big big city, 4.5 million and we found ourselves happy to be back in our smaller town of Eskisehir.

Ataturk’s mausoleum is in Ankara  but we didn’t make it there this trip.  He lived from 1881 to 1938 and his picture and name is everywhere, stamps, banknotes, statues.   I’m sure some of you history buffs remember him from your history lessons.  He changed his name to Ataturk at some point but the way he is described in the Lonely Planet is “the Turkish state is a result of his energy and vision that without him there would be no Turkey. Ataturk stands as  beacon of statesmanship and proves that radical reform deftly handled, can be hugely successful.” 

The history is this country is truly amazing.  I’m trying to learn a little history as I learn a little Turkish.  My goal is still two words a day!  Someday when we don’t have much to type I’ll put in a few words.        

Today we took pictures of statues around the city.   There are many many more.