Adana and Adiyaman Eastern Anatolia, Turkey- 2012

 In Sept 2012 we arranged to join a group of other yachties to tour the famous sites in  Eastern Anatolia. We decided to join the group in Adiyaman after first visiting the large city of Adana This part of the trip entailed a 10 hour bus ride along a very winding road with spectactular coastal scenery. However, this was spoilt by all the horrible tourist holiday hotels as well as thousands of squashed water bottles and rubbish scattered from torn plastic bags!

Once in Adana we walked all over the city enjoying the sights. One of the most spectacular was the Sabanci Central Mosque which was completed in 1998 and is Turkey's largest mosque. Like the Blue Mosque in Istanbul it has 6 minarets but the main dome is 54m (177') high.

The Sabanci Central Mosque

Here is Fran again with her friend Ataturk and the Mosque in the background. This park was beautiful and very peaceful after the husstle and busstle of the city.

Fran and Friend

Inside the Magnificent Central Mosque

Some of the Renovated buildings in and around the town

Buildings needing renovation!

The Roman Stone Bridge was built in 2nd century AD and is 319m long with 14 arches spanning the river. It is still used today

Roman Stone Bridge

We also visited the Archaeological Museum which had a very intersting outdoor section but most of the indoor exhibits were missing so we assumed they were "on loan"

Tom with Hadrian!

Objects from local Hittite excavations.

Sarcophagus were just lying around everywhere!

We are not sure what this one is all about.

Fran always likes to have a look inside the amphora. Just look at the size of these!

Fran Taking a Peep

 Adana is famous for it's Doner as it has peppers as well as the meat being cooked together.

Adana Doner

       So that's a glimpse of Adana.

24 Sept 2012

After a 5 hour bus ride we arrived in Adiyaman ready to met to our tour group the next day. Adiyaman was much bigger than we expected as it is a university town with a good "buzz" about it. We thought it was going to be a "backwater" Mind you it took a while to find a store selling some beer!

There were not many "tourists" in Adiyaman so we are getting some "odd looks" from the locals and the children just stared at us! We felt like we are from Mars! Anyone who could speak "English" wanted to talk to us. However, we felt uncomfortable about taking photographs as the town was not used to tourists.