The Liwan Hotel Antakya

... f&#305;nd out where &#305;t w&#305;ll term&#305;nate. Luck&#305;ly at the moment the dolmus was pass&#305;ng by the area and the passanger k&#305;ndly asked for the dr&#305;ver to stop to let me off. He also po&#305;nted &#305;n the general d&#305;rect&#305;on of the place for me to walk to. <br><br>I had some d&#305;nner and went off to search for a taxi. There werent many tax&#305;s around at that t&#305;me but luck&#305;ly I managed to f&#305;nd one parked ...

... Singapore Airlines of the bus world and we love them!<br><br>And finally, we have heard numerous stories and tales, but this is one to shock you all:<br><br>Whilst discussing the extortionate price of fuel in Turkey, £1.50 per litre (even more than the UK), one guy was commenting on how he managed to buy 75 litres of diesel for five Euros in Saudi Arabia. The other guy turns around and says:<br>"That's nothing mate, we got 100 litres for one Euro in Iran!"

... are called donnies here. We ate at one of the little shops just around the corner from the hotel and we could see what they were putting on them. This place they used 2 ½ flat breads, French fires a little chicken and rolled them up. Lots of starch and filling very fast. We got on the city bus and then out to the main bus terminal. There weren't too many on the bus and we were all spread out. We asked how long the bus ride was and one chap said 7 hours and the ...

... at the front behind the driver. There is a funny smell, Len think's it's diesel fuel. We think he must have just filled up. About 15 minutes along the smell isn't getting better so Len checks out the back of the bus, not as bad back there so we move back. There are about 9 people on the bus, there are 2 Japanese tourists beside ourselves. About 45 minutes along in the ride we pull into a gas station. The bus people are filling up very large ...

... since St. Peter's is official pilgrimage ground. Had tea at the Affan Kahvehanesi close to the synagogue. This old coffehouse famous for its milk-based desert called "Bici Bici" was full of retired locals playing cards. Owner's Son: 28; fulfilled his military duty as part of the counter-military unit; lost many friends; had a traumatic experience; left for Qatar when a family friend asked whether he would like to work at his restaurant ...

... limit was. Not speaking much English, he demonstrated by putting his foot to the floor, accelerating hard, whilst pointing at the dashboard. Unfortunately my eyes had dried up with the G-force, so I just nodded and wiped the dribble off my cheek. Within a couple of minutes of being dropped off, we got a lift from a couple of Turks in a bread van, who during some of their many stops (presumably to promote business) kindly bought us some ...

... see.<br><br>By this time it was around 4 in the afternoon, I'd guess. I decided not to hassle (language-wise) for a lunch in a local cafe; but to relax some.<br><br>So I went into the main hotel in town, the Big Antakya Hotel, as it is called. I was directed up to a fairly large dinning room that looked closed. But, they served me a lunch. A single strip of doner kabap with flat bread, some rice, the salad was a plate of parsley and mint. The drink was ayran, a thickish, milk ...

... gorges. Just the kind of geology I would like to get out and go climbing in to explore.<br><br>But, at this time the pest that interrupted my phone call reappeared and wanted to bother me with questions. On a personal level. He was a young guy, one of two or three other assumed bus company employees on the bus wearing orange ties. I surrmised that they were company guys on an inaugural run or something, as the bus seemed spotlessly new. Anyway, he continued to pester me with questions ...

... alcoves carved into the cave, and smaller cave rooms carved into the cliffs above. These are all hints of what the simple cave would have been, back when St. Peter preached. The Crusaders added some walls and an altar during their time. The first flowers of spring clung to the cliffside. I walked up here on a Sunday, but there was no service. Instead, the service was down below, in town, at the Syriac church, where the congregation sang to Illah, easily ...

... cards which took a lot of time! He said his dream in life was to win the lottery and travel, I really hope he wins the lottery - he deserves to. He said if I ever return to Antakya to come see him and I can stay with him and his family any time- what a champ! He then had his friend take some photos of us together and I was once again on my way. <br> <br>Before the sun went down I had a chance to check out the old part of town, which was a warren of colourful medieval ...