We have now returned to Istanbul after a night in Ankara. Main game in Ankara was to visit the mausoleum of Mustaffa Attaturk Turkey’s first president in 1923 after the independence battles. This chap also lead the Turkish forces at Gallipoli. History treats him as an amazing leader who is still revered today in Turkey. He led the country into the western sphere by a wide array of  cultural, economic and political reforms that our politicians look amateurs. Changed from the arabic to english alphabet (with a few minor variations), decimilization of currency and measures, separation of Islam and state, wide array of women’s rights in a Moslem country, shift of the Moslem holy day from Friday to Sunday and so on. There is a substantial museum recording his life and times as well as panoramas of the WW1 and independence battles against the Greeks.

Also some time at the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations. This focussed mostly on the Hittites and Romans.

We now head off on the 7 day Gulet cruise down the Turkish coast from Mamaris to Fethiye and return to Mamaris. First have to fly to Dalaman and then transfer by car to Mamaris. We will be onboard about 6pm.

Not sure about the  internet on board so may be off the air for a week.