6.30pm arrived at the wonderful Hotel D'Etranges after a long, long day. 
The people there were just wonderful The hotel is famous because of the archeologist who discovered Troy (Schliemann) stayed there, but it was famous for us for its incredible breakfast!!!!!!! 
We felt we had earned our wonderful seafood meal on the seafront. Everyone came out as the sun set to walk, eat mussels, to make and drink çay, to fish, to share a beer or simply to enjoy the sunset. What a great people gazing experience!
I was often stopped by groups of guys who wanted their photos taking. No print, nowhere to send the photo to.... they were just happy to have their photo taken!
The guy in the orange pants was onto a really good lurk. He would place the soccer ball between two empty bottles of water - for 1TL you had 3 shots at getting the ball through the bottles without knocking the bottles over..... impossible! There was a constant stream of people waiting to try.
Lots of older Turkish men where flat caps... "Ey Up!" I thought... but I could find the history of the fez and other hats but not the Turkish Flat Cap. Anyone know? Did find out that the English Flat cap so loved by Yorkshire men can be traced back to the 14th Century when a law was passed to encourage the wool industry. All males over 6 years of age, except for the nobility and "persons of degree", were to wear woollen caps on pain of a fine of three farthings (3/4 pence) per day. By the time the act was repealed in 1597 the fashion trend had been set.
Sampling Jasmine flower tea.
Checked out the swimming suits, which came complete with long pants.
Loved the Street Art.
And the faux Trojan Horse which had been a major prop in the film of the same name.
Canakkale was fantastic for shopping .... you could buy anything from tripe and goat's innards to a glamorous evening wear.
Canakkale is dominated by the Dur Yolcu Memorial. It sits above the fort, a huge figure of a Turkish soldier carved in white upon the hillside. In one hand he holds a riffle while his other arm is outstretched towards an inscription...
Traveller halt!
The soil you tread
Once witnessed the end of an era.
Which of course it did... as well as a new beginning. Modern Turkey!
And so farewell to Canakkale (Still no carpet in our luggage Ha! Ha!) with all its history, fashion, food and fun and into the dolmuş once more. This time to Izmir ready to explore Epic Ephesus!
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