Over the last 4 months, I traveled twice to Turkey. My last trip in late March was un utter failure. I was planning to go for central Anatolia but I had to return home after 2 days. My earlier trip back in January was a miserable one due to bad weather but at least I managed to see most of what was planned. I happened to leave my notes and my LP book in Turkey, finally I got the book back so hopefully I will be able to write something about it (but no notes).
DAY TRIP TO IZNIC from BURSA
As you enter the otogar building in Bursa take right and walk until you exit the building. You will see a big mini van with "Iznik". The are 3 shuttles ever hour from 6:30-7:30 during winter months. The trip is 1:30 hour and costs 10 liras.
Iznic is a dusty city but compact and very manegable. 3 hours was more than enough to see the city in winter. I don't know if the city roads are being upgraded or that was it. Any way I arrived in an early cold morning, the otogar is in town center. My first visit was to the Aya Sophia mosque. Which is probably the high light of my visit . at the back wall there is a depiction of The virgin Mary, John the Babtist and Jesus Christ. If wasn't for the care taker I would have probably missed it. It is faded so you need to look hard.
After that I visited 3 little old mosques which were NOT compiling @ all. The museum was closed for restoration. Further down the road from the museum you will see the Istanbul gate with Greek inscriptions. Follow the city walls to the left and it will take you full circle. You will see the lake shore and the other city gates. You will also come across the now destroyed roman theater which is enclosed and off limits.
Back to the bus station, where you see the remains of a destroyed Church. Suleyman Pasa Medresesi is will worth a visit. It has few artisan shops, you can buy Iznic tiles and various beautiful ceramics. Around the otogar, you will see Yakup celebi mosque and tomb. I felt sorry for Yakup celebi, this is a guy who was the son of Murad I, the third Ottoman sultan, he was killed by his brother Sultan Beyazid I, and he is abandoned like the rest of us in the dusty outdoor grave, exposed to the elements, in tiney mosque while his relatives are buried in five star establishments. His murder started the tragic saga of ottomans sultans killing their brothers after ascending to the thrown. Any way later on, I found another tomb for him next to his father in Bursa so I really don't know where this guy is really buried.
If you planning to drive, beware dogs on the way to iznic are NOT very smart. Dogs will take their sweet time to get out of the road and out of your way. Actually I witnessed a very funny seen in Istanbul while walking towards Imrahor Camii, I came across a TV crew shooting a soap opera in a cay hane, they had a very big production truck with their equipments. The truck was trying to enter a side road but there was a dog laying on the asphalt refusing to move. The crew tried honking, intimidations but the dog had non of it. It was not threatening, or growling. I guess it just wanted a nap. The local were amused and were pulling for the dog :-) this went on for few minutes and I had to go on my way. When I came back 10 minutes later, the dog was NOT there any more.
I will right up other parts of this trip in the next few days
