From Nigde to Antakya
Trip Start
Feb 08, 2008
1
28
120
Trip End
Sep 11, 2009
Antakya,
Hatay,
Turkey
Thursday, April 10, 2008
In Niğde I had checked out of the hotel and walked about 4/5ths of the way to the bus station (less than a half mile) when there stood before me Mustafa! He said he had called the hotel and learned that I had left.
We walked the remaining block to the bus station and Mustafa did all the talking to confirm who I was and have the pre-ordered ticket handed over. (At this rate my Turkish is not going to get any better. I'm now thinking Ill have to wait until I can hopefully settle, living by myself in Bursa. Inşalla). Then we talked further until the bus left. It's rather humbling, treatment like this (See previous entry).
Shortly out of Niğde I got a call on my cell phone from a fellow in Antakya. I am a member of a social network of travellers (sort of like Facebook). The essential idea is that one can "couchsurf" with like-minded members who will take you into their residence and essentially give you free lodging--along with however much they want to extend themselves. Well, I actually haven't done much couchsurfing myself through this site, as most members are young, and I apparantly don't appeal to a lot of them.
Anyway, this was one fellow who did respond. Only, I had forgotten about writing to him, so was temporarily confused as to who was calling me. When he asked me when I would be getting to Antakya I quickly figured it out. I only had time to say in about 5 hours when a guy from the bus company came upon me and made me stop the phone call. Flustered, I handed him the phone. . . . and he turned it off.
Later, at a rest stop, when I turned it back on and attempted to text message my caller, I found the service discontinued. Presumably because I have not paid the bill. (My friend in Ankara gave me the bill and sent me off to he post office to pay it. In two attempts all I got was the clerk saying there was a problem with the computer. I don't have a lot of patience with these bureaucratic things, so I haven't been running into every post office I pass).
Back to the story. South from Niğde is a rolling plain, mostly rather barren, but with fruit orchards thinning out as you move away from Niğde. After a while the Taurus Mountains loom up. The craggy tops were just clipped from sight by clouds, but the rough texture was evident by the canyons of snow. Then, just as you approach the base of the mountains, the road descends into a deep valley and works its rapid decent toward the narrow Clician Gates. It is pretty spectacular.
Out of the mountains near Tarsus and Adana is an alluvial plain, covered in the green of an early spring crop. Once beyon the Clician Gates you turn east for a while, then south down the Turkish coast of Hatay. I had always assummed the area to be also a plain. But no, there is a quite high
mountain range running south along the coast. The highest peak is 7,350 feet. And into its sides are some very impressively deep narrow gorges. Just the kind of geology I would like to get out and go climbing in to explore.
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 I couldn't or didn't want to answer. It was just obtrusive, not really a guy trying to make polite conversation. This wasn't another Mustafa.
I responded politely, but as curtly as I could manage. At one point I believe he wanted me to compare wallet contents with him. Whoah! I think his message was he was a poor guy, I was retired (therefore rich), and, I think, I should give him some money. Finally, though, he wandered off. (Then I began to worry about him shadowing me at the bus station in Antakya).
Well, at the bus terminal at Antakya (I say at, not in, for most Turkish bus terminals are at the periphery of the towns, and one needs further transportation to get into the city or town), I quickly got my pack from the pest guy--he was unloading the bay-- ignorred the guys shouting for taxis and whatnot, and walked into the terminal with the idea of just sitting down, getting my Lonely Planet book out and figureing my next move.
But, a couple of ticket touts ran up to me eager to sell me a ticket to . . . . well, anywhere of course. I said well actually I wasn't going anywhere for a couple of days, I just got in. After a little bit of conversation, one of the guys offered to take me into town, it being the end of his working day.
I showed him the number of my host so he could call to find out where I was to go. He called from the bus company counter (that was a good sign), and I thought I heard a word or two that indicated he was actually speaking with my to-be host, Kolay (no, it`s Ko-LIE). Something was said about "near the university." I wasn't given the opportunity to confirm speaking with Kolay
myself, which would have been wise. But, it looked fairly ok. Though the thought to wonder if I was being set up for something did cross my mind. But, sometimes you take chances . . .
At first it seemed like the guy's rattle-trap car had a dead battery, but he kicked it into life and off we went. I thought we turned the wrong way, but, no, over there was the city. He then turned into a scruffy residential area on the outskirts, and I started to wonder again. (Obviously, I'm showing a bit of paranoia in these early days). But, no, he was just checking in with his wife.
Into the city he pulled up at a curb, and when I stepped out, there was my host, Kolay.
Well, it's ten am, I've got to cut and get out into town. What I came for.
First to the Archaeological Museum for the fabled collection of mosaics.
