Location: Canakkale, west cost of Turkey.
Status: Without
"Canakkale- a simply charmless city"
After a 5 hour day bus we arrived in Canakkale. A small town that sits
at the narrowest point of the dardanelles. This is the strip of sea
that divides Europe and Asia and leads from the Agean sea up to the
blacksea and Russia.
Canakkale does not have a lot going for it other than it's proximity
to Gallipoli and the site of Troy. There is also a heavy navy presents
here because of its important location on the dardanelles. But there
is not alot here.
Push me though and out of the 4 places so far this is my favourite.
It is just so beautiful. Even if I was Steven Fry I would still not
have the words to describe it to you. But I am going to anyway.
There is a prominard about 1km long that cuvers around next to the
sea. In the centre is a small ferry port and marina for tiny fishing
boats. The sea is amazingly calm due to its sheltered location. Just
1km opposite over the water is the gallipoli peninsula, a range of
mountains and hills. It's behind these hills that the sunsets. We walk
along the bullovard just one foot above the calm, clear water as it
refelects all the colours of the sunset. Then the sun drops behind the
mountain, sillohette it but leaving a glow of orange and gold above
it. Just perfect.
There is also a great vibe about the place. It's just full of familys
and groups of young people. We sit in a bar enjoying the view, a
cocktail and game of Turkish scrabble.
I just want a coffee.
Evey country has it's coffee a particular way. Italy is famous for its
short, strong expressos. Similar to alot of europe, when in our german
office you can have a "long coffee" that is about the size of a double
expresso. We, in the UK, like vatts of coffee as absent as possible
of any coffee flavour with as much cream, syrup, marshmellows and
strawberry topping as possible.
A turkish coffee is simalar in size to an expresso, beware of all the
grains at the bottom though. It's also not as hard hitting.
I like, for reference and comparison, a latte. With high street
preference coming from Nero. Not a bucket of mud, with a strong flavour.
But for some reason it is assumed that the local preference will not
be yours so as a forinor you are offered "nescafe". This is an
international issue not confinded to Turkey.
I knew when I left london there would be scaraficses and that there
would be home comforts I would miss and I am ok with the perfect latte
being one of them, replaced with instant coffee. This is ok. What I
can not fathom is how people can mess this up.
It's simple, teaspoon of coffee and hotwater. Maybe the lady this
morning miss understood me and when I asked for coffee she thought I
said "wow you look ugly, face of a man." so to punish me she gave a
cup of crap. We went in seach of even a cup of instant that would sort
me out. The search it's self was nice, we found a cafe by the sea and
watched as the marina came to life. Though the woman must have called
ahead. They advertised "cappachion" what i reacived resembled "cupa-
soup" that was poorly mixed, lumps of the power still floating under
the creamy head.
My morning activity on the second morning here, while Davina was still
sleeping, was a little walk by the sea.
I notice that one of many cafes has a coffee bean grinder so must do
latte/cappchion that is not from a power mix. And I am presented with
a small cup, nice amount of froth and a very drinkable body. Not Nero
but the closest so far.
Sent from my iPhone
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