Stephen at Anzac CoveOur tour guide, Hassan, had done national service in the Turkish army and was a proud Turk, but the Anzacs still have a good reputation amongst the Turks, so we got a much more balanced perspective on Gallipolli than we ever had in school. It is easy to forget that what Gallipolli symbolised to the Turks was a glorious defence of their homeland, against the British might, when everyone had given them up as the sick man of Europe. We saw Anzac Cove, where the original landings took place, and it was easy to understand why it was such hard work for the Anzacs. We also saw some of the hills that thousands of men died fighting for, and while strategically it made sense, it just seemed like such a tragic waste of life.
The Lone Pine CemeteryWe stayed that night in Cannakale, a short ferry ride from Eceabat, and were up early to visit Troy. Troy was interesting, but (with hindsight having visited Ephesus) not a highlight of the trip – it suffers a bit from the jumbled layering (9 cities on top of each other) and the ongoing archaeological work which means that the guide really had to work hard to make it understandable. Still, the remnants of the walls make it clear why the Greeks needed the 'Trojan Horse' to get it, and the remnants of the buildings (and obvious wealth) make it clear why they might have wanted to. Unfortunately, the treasures of Troy have ended up in Russia (via some long-winded explanation involving the Nazis and the Communists) - in fact pretty much everything from Turkey has been looted at one stage or another, and the British are just as guilty...most of the tour guides are angry, too, which is understandable.
Sarah at the bottom of Main Street, Troy
The real Trojan Horse (if such a thing existed) was probably a bit more subtle than this one
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