You Know What...: Unforgettable Turkey -Day 6: Cappadocia -Ankara-Bolu

Early morning, on 6th day, the sympathetic smile on Enis's face, left me despondent. It looked like the weather was not on our side. It was once again, finally confirmed that we wouldn't be flying the hot air balloon over Cappadocia. If that is the Will of God, then I accept that there must be some wisdom behind it. My only regret is that, I have been told that this hot air balloon ride is one of the cheapest of balloon rides over the world. O well...I wasn't going to let one disappointment (albeit a major one) bring my spirits down.

That morning, we made a slight detour. Instead of heading straight to Ankara, we went first to the Caravanserai that we missed 2 days before. Mashaallah! You know what, the place really brought be back in time, more like towards the medieval times (or maybe even earlier). And, strangely, looking back at the photos, I think I was even dressed for the occasion! Okay, a bit about this caravanserai...

This Caravanserai - The Aksaray Kayseri Caravanserai was one of the stops that was built during the Silk Route era, this one in particular was built in the Seljuk Dynasty. It served as a free stopover for weary traveling tribes, with each individual provided with 100g of meat for each of the 3 days maximum that he/she was allowed to stay over. Although it was built in the 14 century, but one marvels at the safety system of the place. The doors would open in the morning, and closed at night. The safety system insisted that each traveler wrote a report of all their personal goods to the officers in charge, and prior to leaving, all those items would be rechecked. Any damages to their goods would be redeemed. This particular caravanserai did not allow animals into the sleeping quarters, although there were some in which the animals bunked together with their owners - mainly for shared warmth. The place resembled some form of dormitory lifestyle - communal kitchens, conference room,a mosque(mescid in Turkish) in the centre. This particular serai could fit to about 100 individuals, which meant that if a tribe contained 25 strong, then at any particular point, there would be about 4 tribes stopping over.

I was really brought back in time, feeling myself pulled back into the times of those travelling tribes that once must have stopped at some point in this Serai. The relics were still in comparatively good shape, with pigeons making their homes there now. The cold wintry weather and the bleak grey skies added to my sense of imagination as to how those travellers appreciated this kind of stop over just to rest and recuperate, not forgetting to socialise; after spending days on the silk route. I was mersmerised, really getting a feel of the place as it once might have been in all its glory centuries ago...come share this moment with me to go back in time..

The signboard with a brief history of this Caravanserai

The bus stops in front of the caravanserai fort wall

The walls surrounding the caravanserai

the entrance to the Caravanserai

The walls surrounding the inside of the caravanserai

Certainly they were not as happy-go-lucky as this madam!

View from the archway

Presumably once used to wash the hands?

Mosque at the centre of the Caravanserai

Stairs leading to the Prayer Hall of the mosque

The separate sleeping quarters

From here on, we started our journey towards Ankara. I realised then, from looking at the map we were on our second half of our journey - homeward bound. But as yet there was still much to be seen and captured. I was certainly looking forward to visiting the Blue Mosque in Istanbul.

Houses few and far between en route to ankara

Bleak empty vastland -wonder if much has changed from those caravanserai days

With vast open lands like this, a stop-over would be heaven sent!

Modern day amenities - stopover for petrol... and toilet!toilet!toilet!

In Ankara we stopped for lunch at a restaurant which was built in1961. After lunch, we headed for a nearby mosque to pray zohr/asr. The water was chillingly cold right to the bone. If I had never lived in UK before I would certainly have freaked out.

View of the restaurant where we had lunch in Ankara

The mosque in Ankara where we prayed zohr/asr

The surrounding, the weather, reminded me so much of Salford in late Autumn!

After prayer we went straight into Ankara, where we visited the Mustapha Kamal Mausoleum. The place was impressive; the museum portraying the various aspects of his life was educational. The picture gallery that portrayed his victory into transforming Turkey to what it is today, a fully secular muslim nation, tells the sad tale of the end of the Muslim Caliphate. Unfortunately for us, his success meant the End of the Glorious Days of Islamic Caliphate. Looking at the lifestyle of the caliphs and kings, it was understandable for Mr. Kamal to want to rid the country of their powers and influence. But unfortunately he went too far I think in totally wiping out the Islamic culture, up to having the Islamic alphabets changed to the Turkish alphabets, and having the azaan be recited in Turkish. His approach of uniting Turkey under one united nation seemed to appeal to the young, who adhere to his teachings (there is even a book for the youngsters to refer to - The Attaturk Doctrine so to speak) with no questions asked. This is such a pity, because Mr, Kamal, in his zeal to rid of the errant final Caliph, went overboard so as to totally overlook the true Islamic principles, which will not only unite the nation, but also has the potential to unite the world! And by prohibiting Islam to be practised freely, he has deprived the Turkish populace for so long from the opportunity to understand the beauty of fundamental Islam. At least this is my opinion. In trying to 'free' Turkey from the clutches of affluent caliphs, he had imprisoned the minds of the youngsters from understanding and opening up to the real beauty of true Islam. Well....at least that is what I think.
Anyway, looking at his tomb, and the heavily protected grounds of this mausoleum, I reach the conclusion that in the end, he too, was nearly as affluent as the last caliphs of the Ottoman Empire. Hmmm... Looking at the guards that protect his tomb, I pity Mr. Kamal, even in death he had to be protected...from whom I wonder? Alas, no pictures were allowed in the museum buildings.
Interestingly enough, we met fellow tourists from Ezmir and got the chance to snap some photos with the local people Turkey visiting the mausoleum.