amazing view in Amasya (clever blog post title or cheesy travel slogan? You decide!)

Here's the view from my hotel room in Amasya:

Isn't it fab?  We're spending two evenings here in this dramatic landscape.



the Buyuk Hotel on the outside

The cliffside behind the hotel contains the foundation of an ancient castle at the top and openings with the curved outlines, which are tombs of the Pontus kings of .  What I found a little more riveting was seeing the castle ruins at the top of the hill lit up in alternating red and blue during the nighttime!  Quite unexpected. I am quite happy to be facing the river instead.

The hotel is large (it's called the Buyuk Hotel- "buyuk" means "big"!) Night one was a wedding and the band's sound system was extremely effective. I was on the other side so escaped with only thumping heard.  Night two is a high school graduation party on the roof directly two floors above me. So fairplay - everyone got a noisy night.



A big draw here architctually are old Ottoman houses, many of which have been restored in a quarter along the river. We also went through the 13th century Seljuk Burmali Mosque, the 15th century Yildirim Beyazit Mosque and Complex; the 14th century Ilhanli Bimarhane Mental Hospital, and, my personal favourite, an octagonal Kapi Aga Medressa 


Rather stiff renditions of what a proper Ottoman would do with his day,
music and discourse it looks like

and then a similar scene for a woman's (Ottowoman?) day,
baking cookies and airing out the rug it looks like

water wheels that turn for no reason

At one mosque there is a little less painted decor and a little more colour through the use of materials, like the stones comprising the arches here.

classic Seljuk Turk mosque entrance

less painted decor and more colour through use of materials

detail of the painting along the inner rim of the area outside the mosque, for washing feet

 

The entrances to some mosques are sidelined with columns, which in earth-quake prone areas, actually turn.  This informs as to the effect of any tremors and whether the mosque is damaged.  What a great idea!  And when you condier that these mosques were built several hundred years ago it's positivly astounding!  Living at the edge of the San Andreas fault, I want to have these installed at my house now. I could check them every morning  (with the barometer and the coffee maker) to see if the integrity of the house remains strong.  Could they be installed in a wood framed house?  Hmm, I may have to check in with Eric about that. Maybe they could be rigged to ring the bell instead.

You turned, m'lady?

The octagonal medressa is similar to the Sinan-built one in Istanbul, except the outlook, which makes it extraordinary.  In Istanbul, there was only one building tall enough to be seen (and to see into) the centre, but here there is nothing to see but the surrounding hills, which makes it seem ethereal.  We were not able to explore beyond the entrance as it is currently used as a theological school and at that moment a couple dozen young boys were reading the Koran aloud.  Of course that made it even better, listening to their collective vocal wave, until they got too distracted by us and we had to leave. 

a view that hasn't changed since this was built centuries ago



boys at their small table chanting Koran verses

 



After a day of sketching we were free to wander, my favourite thing to do in a new place.  I saw a small group of protesters at the base of a statue of Ataturk, who is presently beng invoked more than usual as he was the one who really got Turkey on track as a republic, and a secular sciety, but more of him another time.  There's too much to say about him to add to our short time in Amasya.   



Ataturk on display over the river

 

ruins above and ruins below

Eric, Pinar and I spent a good afternoon wandering, but with purpose.We needed to find an adapter so that we could play tunes from everyone's ipod or iphone through the bus PA system.  Along the way Pinar found a pair of shoes, I was tempted by a rather cunningly designed bird feeder that was made (by the shop owner) out of aluminum.  But I heeded the inner voice telling me to move along. The sun lit up the town with that magical like you get in Northern hemisphere at this time of day.

In the end we did find the perfect shop, with all sorts of electric do-dads all in their individual little drawers built into the wall.  I am related to a few people who would have loved several solid hours in there, but we had an appointment to keep.

Drinks on the patio before dinner!


Me, Pinar, Eric and Walter doing what comes naturally
(sorry it's dark - photographer obviously liked the background view better)