Perşembe 22 Mayıs 2008
We get up with the sun and walk down to the Cankuratan train station for two hops to the Yenikapı ferry terminal. The fast ferry goes from Yenikapı to Bandırma, halfway down the Sea of Marmara. It is brand-spanking-new and the most luxurious ferry I've been on. The train from is Bandırma to Izmir is not too shabby either. It stops short of the downtown terminus due to construction, and we are transferred thither by bus.
Izmir is the ancient city of Smyrna, famous for its strategic harbor and canny merchants. Of the many classical city-states along the coast of Asia Minor, it is one the few that continues to flourish. This was because its geography allowed the river to be diverted thereby saving the harbor from silting up. Today it is home to some 3 million people, enough to support a local Ikea store. The people of Izmir appear friendly and industrious. Just before sunset, we walk along the Cordon next to the bay, where there are many people relaxing with friends, dogs, cigarettes, beers, backgammon, and combinations thereof.
Turkey is a nation of smokers! Women, men, young, old - they all light up at the slighest provocation. Smoking was banned in public indoor spaces starting 19 May 2008.
We find a dive hotel (the Yeteroğlu) near the train station (at which we arrived by shuttle bus) and hunker down. At night, the disco next door comes alive.
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Eighteen points for using the ı rather than an i in Yenikapı. We are just now researching how we might get back to Istanbul from Izmir. Everyone said bus, bus, bus... but we are thinking tren, sleeper car, tren. What was your experience? It sounds like you've done a fair bit of traveling here. We are "stuck" here for three months, but are enjoying every minute of it.
Robert@Marinsa.es
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