Up this morning about 5:30, and down to our last breakfast in Sanliurfa about 7:30 and what a mob scene! They had a large portion of the non-smoking portion of the dining room reserved (I’m thinking for the Izmir football team who is in town to play the Sanliurfa football – soccer - team in the afternoon) and there were people everywhere! Fortunately, we were able to get a table for two in a quiet area to ourselves. We didn’t want to leave until about 9:30 am, as we only had about 4+ hours to go to get to Adana, and we didn’t want to arrive too early to get into the hotel, so we puzzled and read books (Kindles, I mean!) until then, when we went down to check out.
Such nice people, and we had such a great experience at the hotel. We were able to get laundry done on Friday, so now starting with basically clean clothes (yay!) which should get us to Antalya, where we have a flat for two nights – which is supposed to be equipped with a washer, so I can do them myself!
Out onto the road, and quick as you like, we were heading out of town and towards the freeway to Gaziantepand Adana, about 3+ hours away! One thing that we did notice markedly was that for a while we drove through the same dusty, dry fields we had come to know about Urfa, and then we were in forests! Wow! Really missed the trees, but they’re all over the area here in Adana, and they’re beautiful!
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| Tarsus mountains! |
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| And forests! |
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| And a castle on the hill! |
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| Made it to Adana! |
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| Our sitting room! |
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| And I'm sitting! |
Easy driving for the most part, except for some road construction about 21 km outside of Adana. Then things got really hairy, as they narrowed the freeway down to only one lane – which took a while, and definitely a lot of patience – of which I am not known! But, we got through it, and headed into Adana.
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| View of the Seyhan River from our window |
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| Huge Mosque from our window |
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| Old Roman bridge |
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| Looking past the bridge down the river |
This is our third visit here. The first time, we were actually inside the museum to the ticket counter, when we were scooted out and told the museum was closing! I mean, seriously – they didn’t know before we were inside??? Really a shock! And they wouldn’t even let us stay in the garden outside to look around!! And I recognized Hittite carvings, and it drove me CRAZY, let me tell you! Then, the second time we were here – and we stayed here at the Adana Hilton, the museum was still closed for renovation … I’ve come to realize that it can take a REALLY long time! Instead, we visited Karatepe, a Hittite site outside the city, as well as wandered the streets, which was very enjoyable! That’s when I found out that the mounds of bright green substance that was being ground by spice merchants, turned out to be HEMP! Who knew?!
Today, we were able to drive right up to the Hilton Adana … one of the really good things about staying in a really large hotel – it sticks up – it’s 17 floors! And you can spot it from a distance away! Into the lobby, and it still has the same lovely, calm feeling that I remember from years ago!
Lovely gal at the check-in desk, was very helpful! Our room wasn’t quite ready, but we were treated to nice cold waters in the lounge for about half-an-hour. Then, taken to our room, which turns out to be a stunning two-room suite on the 15th floor! Beautiful! One room equipped as a bedroom, and the second as a sitting room, so we now have two complete bathrooms! Only wish that the desk was in the sitting room, but can’t have everything! We have a stunning view of the Seyhan River, which runs through town. In fact, we’re right next to the old Roman bridge, which is still in use, right below us. It is now pedestrian only, but still on the original arches that the Romans built oh so many years ago!
Settled in our suite, and caught up on email and messages. About 5:30 pm we headed downstairs for dinner. So nice to have a lovely, quiet restaurant to enjoy! Lovely service, and excellent menu! Along with our requisite bottles of sparkling Turkish water, we each enjoyed glasses of Italian Merlot. We were presented with an appetizer of diced tomato with nuts and spices, to spread over bread – it was absolutely delicious! Then we received the starter we ordered, which was warm humuus with pita bread. Also delicious, but such a huge portion, six people couldn’t have eaten it all! For mains, R had their charcoal-grilled lamb chops, which he loved and devoured. They came with onion with sumac and a tomato, along with a tomato and cucumber salad, with red wine vinegar dressing. That was excellent, because I had some of that – the salad, that is - as well! For my main, I had small beef strips presented in a bed of eggplant puree with yoghurt – again, as I think eggplant is one of my favorite vegetables, it was fabulous!! Just WAY too much to eat! And no, thank you, absolutely NO room for dessert! One of these times, I’m going to be able to get some chocolate ice cream … just not yet …
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| Warm, fresh hummus |
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| R's massive platter! |
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| Our "amuse-bouche" of tomato; excellent! |
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| R's "uncovered" lamb chops |
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| My beef tips in eggplant puree |
Then back upstairs, where R is currently sleeping, and I am writing! Tomorrow will be (knock wood!) at L-O-N-G last, the Adana Archaeological Museum! I had hopes of being able to do some walking along the river, but the weather forecast says it is going to rain, so that may not be possible … but we’ll have to wait and see! So, as they say, more later!
Much love,
m
xxx
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