Day 54. Thursday, September 21. Rest day – Amasya
This attractive city of Amasya has a history going back at least some 7,500 years. But on this rest day I’ve failed to even scratch the surface of that and its present life. I spent barely an hour and a half this afternoon looking around the neighbourhood of my hotel on both sides of the river.
Before that, I had a longish ‘office’ day. Thankfully in the hotel’s spacious restaurant, with waiters bringing me tea from time to time then lunch. I was determined to catch up on my daily blog posts about our past four days on the road and this one. Plus, I must admit, replying to a few work-related emails. Real life will resume all too soon.
When I did get out, I thoroughly enjoyed the beauty, energy and highlights of the neighbourhood. Below are a few of the photos I took and a video Leonie took from the citadel of calls to prayer echoing around the city from multiple mosques..
The last one – the man on horseback – is the only one needing a bit of explanation. He is Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, a soldier before, during and after World War One, then founder of modern Turkey and its first president from 1923 until his death in 1938.
The statue commemorates the 1919 Amasya Circular, which is considered the first public document setting in motion the Turkish war for independence. Atatürk was one of the authors and signatories.
Tomorrow we start a three-day ride totalling 373km, with one night camping and two in hotels. Then we will spend our last rest day, in Safranbolu, before we ride our last four days (with our last two camping nights; then our last two in hotels) totalling 452km to get us to Istanbul.
Those seven days add up to 825km. The eagle-eyed of you will remember a recent post featuring a road sign that Istanbul was then only 845km away by motorway. Needless to say, we’re taking the scenic route…and will relish every one of these last few days and kilometres of our Silk Roads adventure.
Rod, I don’t remember a town of any size in Turkey that didn’t have a statue of Ataturk. I bet he’ll be in the centre of every town you visit from now on.