A fitting end to our time in Istanbul was a visit to ‘MiniaTurk’, one of the world’s largest miniture parks.   With its 1:25 scale models of 122 notable landmarks, attractions, and ancient ruins from around Turkey, MiniaTurk is a great place to spend a few hours especially for kids. So on our last day in Istanbul we headed out to the north-eastern shore of the Golden Horn. Luck was with us too –  the sun was shining brightly.

The girls enjoyed recognising miniature versions of the places we had already visited during our time in this wonderful country and it was was great to actually see the landmarks together as it gave a better sense of scale.  The models also displayed each building in its complete and original form so we could see what an incredible monument the Temple of Artemis actually was.

To finish off, Phoebe and Imogen enjoyed the playground featuring a scale model of the Trojan Horse of Troy.

On the way back to the hotel, we were to change from bus to tram near the Eminönü ferry docks. This area is a chaotic hub on the shores of the Bosphorus and like moths to the flame we were drawn to the colourful illuminated boats that rock steadily on the water and the delicious smells.

We stopped for some of the famed grilled mackerel sandwiches which are eaten at tiny tables and chairs under the ‘tents’ on the dock. It must be one of the best outdoor cafes in Istanbul.

After five nights in Istanbul, we realised we had only scraped the surface ot this wonderful city, but unfortunately our time here had run out. With two days remaining, we had just enough time to squeeze in one last destination before crossing the border into Bulgaria… any guesses where?

David takes up the story ….

In the back of my mind during our whole time in Turkey had been the idea of visiting Gallipoli. While a stop at Gallipoli had not been on my ‘must do’ list for Turkey, I had resolved to go there if time allowed and the opportunity presented itself. Our Istanbul hotel offered a day trip to the peninsular for €80 per person and a small discount for the girls. However, the trip began at 6:30am and return the hotel would be at about 10pm that night. A very long day for everyone with really only about three hours on the peninsula.

In the end, we opted for a package deal offered by ‘Crowded House’; a hotel in the small town of Eceabat on the peninsular, whose brochure we had actually picked up from the ANZ Hostel when in Selcuk. We emailed Crowded House to see if they could put together something that would suit us, and they came back with a great deal that included a one-way transfer from Istanbul, lunch, Gallipoli tour with a guide, overnight accommodation, and breakfast at the very reasonable price of €220 ($280) for all of us. A much more attractive alternative to the long day trip.  Crowded House even provided the times for the onward buses and offered to assist with purchasing the tickets Eceabat to Edirne, and Edirne across the border to Plovdiv in Bulgaria.

Although our day still began early with a 7am pickup, we took comfort in the knowledge that we wouldn’t have to endure the late night drive back to Istanbul. I was also surprised and pleased when our minivan driver (who worked for another hotel) commented that we were staying at the best hotel on the Peninsular when he found out we were staying at Crowed House. Upon our arrival at ‘The House’( which wasn’t crowded, being low season and all) we were accompanied by the hotel staff across the road to the travel agents and bus tickets were quickly arranged for our onward trip the next morning. Back at the hotel, we were met by our Turkish guide ‘Bill’ and had lunch at a local restaurant before heading off with two other women (one Kiwi and one South African) on the short 15 minute drive to the other side of the peninsular where the Allied landings took place.

Bill was very thorough with his explanations of the sites we visited. He also took time to describe some of the background and history leading up to World War I, and the reasons why Turkey entered the conflict after initially claiming neutrality.

The girls are of course aware of ANZAC Day and both have marched every year since being at school, and even having attended dawn services  as babies when I marched with the Army Reserve.  We had spent some time talking about the war prior to our arrival at Gallipoli, so they were more aware of its significance. They could both recite the story of Simpson and his donkey so they were interested to know we were going to where his heroic acts became legendary. During the tour, Bill gave a balanced commentary and included some stories of the battles from the Turkish perspective. Surprisingly, Gallipoli is one of the few (perhaps the only) World War I battlefield that remains almost exactly as it was 100 years ago. Today it is a very quiet place with the ground covered in scrubby vegetation and the only sounds coming from the waves on the beach and birds in the bushes.

We made 10 stops on this tour and were always given some free time to look around each site. We stopped at three significant battle sites which are now ANZAC war cemeteries, and we took time to look at some of the headstones. Both girls (especially Phoebe) noticed how young some of the soldiers were when they were killed.

Included in our stops were: ANZAC Cove, Lone Pine, some Australian trenches, and The Nek. The access roads in the area have been deliberately constructed on ‘no man’s land between the trenches order to preserve the integrity of the former battlefield.

Our final stop was at the top of the highest feature in the area which was the objective for the campaign; Chunuk Blair. New Zealand forces actually managed to wrestle this piece of high ground from the Turks and held it for two days. It was also on this spot where Mustafa Kemal (leader of the Turkish Forces at Gallipoli) came close to death when a piece of shrapnel hit him in the chest close to his heart. Legend has it that his life was saved by the pocket watch in his breast pocket which took the force of the impact and saved him. The smashed watch is now on display in a German museum.

Another early start the next morning and we met our bus as it drove off the ferry from Cannakale right on time at 7:30am. It was a blustery and cold morning with the temperature hovering just above 0°C. As we climbed onto our comfortable, heated bus, and watched the sun come up over the Dardenelles, I again thought of the soldiers from both sides all those years ago in their fox holes and trenches enduring these conditions and much worse. While I have had my share of night watches, early mornings, and awful weather on army exercises it was always in a safe environment and of course with more modern equipment. My experiences can’t compare to the conditions here 100 years ago. So many soldiers fought and died over this piece of land that anyone visiting here can’t help but be touched by their stories.

Kemal went on to become the first President of the Republic of Turkey. After the war, he wrote an open letter to the mothers of the ANZAC soldiers who had fought and died at Gallipoli and his words are now set in stone at ANZAC Cove: