pothos.org

All,

I've just returned from a two week coach tour of Turkey. A very enjoyable trip and I'd recommend Turkey to anyone. We visited several sites with links to Alexander, though nearly all the remains date from after his time. I think the best part happened on the first day of the tour. We visited the Gallipoli battlefields and then caught a ferry across the Bosphorus from Eceabat to Canakkale, so very close to where Alexander crossed. I stood at the bow as we pulled out of the harbour and gazed across at Asia. My own crossing of the Hellespont!

Well, it brought a smile to my face!!

Derek

derek wrote: We visited the Gallipoli battlefields and then caught a ferry across the Bosphorus from Eceabat to Canakkale, so very close to where Alexander crossed. I stood at the bow as we pulled out of the harbour and gazed across at Asia. My own crossing of the Hellespont!

I sincerely hope that, as you neared the shore, you cast your spear into the earth and claimed Asia as spear-won territory?

I agree, Turkey is a fantastic place. I've never been to the West Coast, however, so have not yet been to Troy, Ephesus, Miletus, Halicarnassus, etc. etc. - very much on my list, as one might imagine! Most of my time in Turkey has been spent in the East, where there is, of course, a lot of Hellenistic stuff (and pre-Alexandrine as well as medieval) ... but seriously lacking in Alexanderobilia ...

Are you going to share any of your photos with us?

All the best

Hello,

Lucky thing, you!!!

Never been to either Greece or Turkey but thought that the footage on the "footsteps of Alexander" in that area was very beautiful. It must be quite a moving experience to cross the Hellespont. Just out of curiosity, how long does a boat ride across take?

Best regards,
Dean

It only took half an hour or so to cross the Bosphorus. It was a local ferry, very routine and sails every hour. You can clearly see from one side of the straits to the other and it's still quite green and undeveloped, so you knew the contours, hills and vegetation were pretty much what Alexander saw. It was a quite atmospheric feeling.

My brother's the photographer. I collect postcards. As he lives in England and I'm in the US, I probably won't see the photo's until his next visit.