The Battle for Gallipoli

What do you know about Gallipoli? Probably not much more than I did: a battle in WWI; the British did some stupid things; a lot of brave soldiers were killed; a defeat for the Allies. Oh, and Turkey was involved in some way.

As part of our “Aegean Tour” we visited the ancient cities of Pergamon and Troy, plus the Turkish region of Gallipoli. And learned perhaps more than we wanted to know about the last place (if a little knowledge really is a dangerous thing, by now we’re pretty safe).

Gallipoli is a peninsula in modern day Turkey; Istanbul is located at its northern end. Between its east coast and the mainland is the strait known as the Dardanelles (aka the Hellespont, for history buffs). During The First World Wa Turkey did not exist, it was part of the Ottoman Empire, which was neutral at the start of the war. England was allied with Russia and France (for once!)  against Germany and the Austria-Hungary Habsburg Empire. To aid Russia, England wanted access to the warm-water ports of the Black Sea, which were only accessible through the Dardanelles and past Istanbul. England (in the person of Winston Churchill) did a dreadful job of wooing the Ottomans, who ended up siding with Germany.

The territory (from http://www.historyinanhour.com/2014/04/25/the-gallipoli-campaign-summary/)

But England still wanted access to the Black Sea, which meant gaining control of Constantinople, so it sent a naval fleet up through the Dardanelles. The Ottomans were totally ready for them, and with sea mines and shore batteries gave England a big black eye.

ANZAC Cove, where the Allied forces landed on 25 March 1915 (at 4:30 in the morning, as our guide kept insisting)

England moved to plan B, which was a land assault on the Gallipoli peninsula. Using troops from the Commonwealth — the still-impressive remains of its once-vast empire — Britain landed troops on the western shore in May of 1915 and moved inland. Things did not go as they’d hoped: the Turkish army was well prepared and things bogged down for months, in the dreary trench warfare for which WWI is so (in)famous. In August New Zealand soldiers pushed heroically forward and took the high ground, only to be pushed back a couple of days later. With no further progress but many deaths through illness, thirst, hunger , and eventually freezing cold, the British finally called it quits in December and staged a magnificent retreat, withdrawing 100,000 men from the peninsula in a month with no combat casualties.

Looking north to Suvia Cove on the west coast, the second invasion site

Allied trenches, half filled in 100 years later (and these trenches are why Aussie soldiers are called "diggers"!)

This Plan B was carried out by troops primarily from Australia and New Zealand, along with some Indians and a few Gurkhas (from Nepal). This combined force came to be known as the Australian-New Zealand Army Corps, or ANZAC, a name also applied to the area over which the battle were fought (the central part of the Gallipoli Peninsula ).

One of many memorial sites on the peninsula commemorating the fallen Allied soldiers

This event — the battle for Gallipoli — and the valor shown by the ANZAC soldiers in the face of incredible hardships is a source of great pride for the people of Australia and New Zealand, and is celebrated in both countries every year with a memorial at dawn. It’s worth noting that only three of the 18 people on this tour were not from one of these two countries. And one of the Kiwis told us that the Gallipoli Campaign was presented as a Big Deal in school. New Zealand (and Australia) has a short history (well, the White people’s part is short) and unlike our own short history , they have no glorious Revolution or devastating Civil War to talk about. And it was clear this tour targeted ANZAC aficionados. 

We visited all three landing sites, all major battlefields, and every graveyard / memorial (every tombstone is marked “ it is believed [insert name here] is buried in this graveyard,” No one knows where anybody is, really.) it’s clear the Aussies and Kiwis take these areas very seriously, as part of their national heritage. What’s particularly interesting is that the Turks take it very seriously, too. They have gone to great lengths to preserve and protect the sites, and to honor the ANZAC forces. Of course, it was a great victory for the Turks and widely celebrated by them, too. It’s fair to say they were magnanimous in victory.

Ottoman soldier helping a wounded "digger" (Australian)

Another aspect of this campaign for the Turks was the emergence of one of their generals, Mustafa Kemal, today known as Ataturk. As head of the 19th Division, one of the two Ottoman divisions on the Peninsula, he drove the New Zealanders off the hill and neutralized the Allied forces until they finally withdrew. From this success as a military leader Ataturk created the modern Turkish state.

Ataturk is very widely loved in Turkey. His picture is everywhere, steely-eyed and charismatic. He can be compared to George Washington as Father of his Country, if George Washington were also a pop star like, oh, say George Clooney or Ricky Martin.

Mustafa Kemal, Commander of the 19th Division of the Ottoman troops, now known as Ataturk, father of modern Turkey

Ataturk seems to me to actually be quite a guy, showing wisdom and compassion in setting up this new country. He recognized the importance of keeping religion out of governance. To avoid a fundamentalist theocratic (“rule by the religious”) he built safeguards into the constitution. separating mosque and state. So even though 99% of the population is Muslim, Turkey remains a secular state (so far).

Near ANZAC Cove, site of the initial invasion by Allied forces, is this monument to those who fell in the battle. It is a quote attributed to Ataturk in 1934, and says, in part, "You, the mothers, who sent their sons from faraway countries wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace, after having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well."

Such concillitory sentiments are all to rare today!

https://journals.worldnomads.com/stowaway/photo_big/53/72589/Turkey/Gallipoli-Memorial-at-Anzac-Cove-by-Ataturkbr-andquotThose-heroes-that-s

The steely gaze of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk

What happened to the blog?

It seems the travel blog is on hold while we are doing some travel. Seriously, in the last few weeks we’ve been moving fast and encountering stories faster than they can be told.

Since leaving London at the end of August we’ve spent four days in Prague, five in Vienna, three in Goreme in Cappadocia, Turkey (where we had a hot air balloon ride! ! !), two in Konya , a couple near Ephesus , had a tour of Troy and Pergamon, and one of Gallipoli. Now we’re in Istanbul for six days. From here we fly to Split, Croatia, and a peaceful month in that quiet city on the gorgeous Dalmatian Coast.

Then, maybe, we’ll get caught up.

So, greetings from Turkey! We are staying in a family-run pension located near the Hagia Sophia museum and the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. We arrived late at night (that trip has its own story) and found our way up to the rooftop terrace. OMG, there we were, with the Blue Mosque, illuminated, not far in one direction and Hagia Sophia not far in the other. And there, looking south across the Bosporus, we saw the twinkling lights of Asia. Oh, it’s Istanbul, of course, because for over a millennium Constantinople, now called Istanbul, has been the crossroads between East and West. But we’re in Europe, and that part is in Asia!

We have really, really enjoyed Turkey. Incredibly friendly people, amazing landscapes, cradle-of-civilization type ancient ruins – and currently, an excellent exchange rate — make it a great place to be. Oh, and the food! Amazing variety and always fresh. Cucumbers and tomatoes for breakfast? Yes, and olives, bread, homemade fruit jam, and fresh yogurt. Eggs. And every place we’ve stayed included breakfast with the room. It’s a life I can get used too!

So for now here are a few photos to keep things going until next week, when we can stop being tourists and have some time to sort out and catch up.

​

 

Hot-air balloons at dawn, viewed from our guesthouse on our first morning in Goreme, Cappadocia

View from our balloon -- fantastic!

Some ruin at Ephesus

The Celcius Library, poster ruin for Ephesus. Pretty fabulous!

Seeing the whirling dervishes in Konya, where Rumi lived, taught, and died, was an unforgettable experience

Across the Bosphorus: here's lookin' at you, Asia!

The Blue Mosque in Istanbul

Hagia Sophia museum, nighttime

The spice market: just a taste, a soupçon, of the color and bustle of that market!

Next up: Split, Croatia (and lots of catching up!)

London, Part 3 (And Last!)

             Little Venice, Again

We were charmed by this area the first time we found it, and vowed to come back. We did, to take the canal boat trip to Camden Locks, a few miles up the canal. Our ride was narrated by a woman who clearly had a great love of the canals and the life that they enabled. We learned that the canals were built in the early 19^th century (and some earlier!) to provide transportation for goods, and the boats – like the one we were riding in, some 76 feet long – were towed by horses. One horse, anyway (one horsepower!), that followed a tow path along one side of the canal. At bridges and tunnels we were shown grooves worn in stone and iron from the tow ropes.

Groves in this cast iron bridge support are from years of tow ropes

             The canals were slowly replaced by railroads, and by trucks and roads. Many were filled in; now there is a serious effort to renovate and rebuild the canals for recreational use. As we drifted slowly along (we traveled the 2.3 miles in 45 minutes) our guide pointed out that we were in full nature, with trees and plants, birds and wildlife, in the heart of London! Our route took us past the gardens of some very exclusive houses in St. John’s Wood and past the edge of Regent’s Park and the London Zoo.

Pricy homes along the canal (as in tens of millions...)

There are many ways to enjoy the canals!

             We eventually arrived at Camden Locks in Camden Town, a rare dual lock. (Locks are necessary because the route of the canal changes elevation on its way to the Thames.) The double locks attest to the high traffic in this area, back in the day. And, back in the day, Camden Town was a major transshipment point, where goods were moved from boat (never call them barges!!) to road and rail, with horses playing a major role (if hauling heavy wagons can be considered play!).

A boat being locked down (lowered through the locks)

             Horses were so important that stables were built, eventually housing over 200 animals, and a horse hospital. Today they are all gone, of course, and the brick buildings have been repurposed as… wait for it… a shopping center! Well, a market, quite famous today, with many individual stalls selling all manner of artistic and, occasionally, useful items. (Paula bought a hat!)

Former stables and horse hospital -- note the ramp to the upper level

"Steam punk" theme inside one of the market buildings (impressive, what the Victorians did with cast iron!)

Horse stables re-purposed as all-weather market stalls

             We headed a block or so into town and had a fine lunch at the Elephant Head, a traditional English pub. While these places may seem to be a bit of a cliché – or a holdover – to modern Brits, we like them, and seek them out for a nice meal or a refreshing pint.

The Elephant Head in Camden Town

Amy Winehouse, Camden native, gets her own statue at the market

The dual locks at Camden. Green stuff on the water is duck weed, an invasive plant encouraged by the hot summer.

             Done with the market and lunch, we walked towards home, climbing Primrose Hill. We admired the view of the city skyline, constantly changing with new and continually more extraordinary buildings, and punctuated by countless construction cranes. Then we found a quiet spot on the grass and admired the clouds passing. Eventually, we walked down the hill and caught a bus for home.

The skyline of London from Primrose Hill

To see more of our canal trip, click here to see the video.

Video: A Canal Ride Through London

                           

             Return to Battersea

In a previous blog I talked of our “discovery” of the Battersea Power Plant. We wanted to go back and visit this park on the far side of the river, initially opened in 1858 (since the power station was built in the 1930s we can establish that the power station took its name from the park…). We rode the bus, getting off at the south end of the bridge, and walked through the new residential / commercial development that takes its name from the massive brick power station. It’s quite an impressive development! High-end apartments with fantastic views, private gym and restaurants, public markets and stores, gathering and performance spaces, and interesting art intended to engage the public with the project.

A mini-cafe at the project fence.

Kinda trippy art decorates the construction fence

Me, ready to beam up.

             We followed the road around the power plant, hoping to pass back in front of it along the river to get to the park. Ah, but the river walk is closed until construction is complete (there will ultimately be a park between the river and the re-built plant), and we didn’t want to retrace our steps to get to Battersea Park (the 1858 one). Instead, we followed the river downstream to the Vauxhall Bridge and crossed over, heading up towards Westminster.

The Vauxhall Bridge, looking downstream. Is that rain??

An interesting apartment complex on the South Bank.

Detail of Vauxhall Bridge. St. George, I think that is.

             We had no clear plan, but we’ve learned that it’s necessary to walk only a short ways in London to discover something interesting. Before long we came upon the White Swan, a pub we’d seen from the bus a time or two, and went in to see what it was like. We were met by a friendly young bartender who immediately began describing the refurbishment the bar had just undergone. Two hundred sixty years old, the place was, and dark and dingy. They’d raised the ceiling, uncovering massive beams, and scraped off the thick sticky black paint from the outside, revealing an impressive marble doorway.

The White Swan Public House, Vauxhall Bridge Road

             After this enthusiastic conversation we ordered a couple of pints and settled in for a while, and soon met a couple of locals. Of course, some like the new look of the pub, and some feel it’s been ruined. But the conversations were engaging. (One thing about being from California: it gives people the impression we’re interesting – everybody wants to hear about it!) And before we left, we found the rain squall that had been forming, and worried us as we crossed the bridge earlier, had passed through, and we had dry weather all the way home.

UP NEXT:
By the time you read this we will have left the UK, on our way to Prague, Vienna, and Turkey. We are already nostalgic for our garret flat in Notting Hill; for our adopted neighborhood; and for all the possibilities of London!

London, Part 2 (Our Last Week!)

 Ah, the time has gone by, as it always does, and now our lengthy month in London is coming to a close. One thing we’re really pleased with is our understanding of the area, and how the different neighborhoods are connected… and how to use the bus system to get from one to another. Very satisfying!

Let’s see what we’ve been up to…

Notting Hill Carnival

OK, so we haven’t really been “up to” the carnival, since it’s happening right now, as I type this. We’ve been warned: it is a massive carnival, the largest in Europe (second worldwide only to the one in Rio de Janeiro), attracting upwards of a million participants, happening every year at the end of August. The building where we are staying is in the ½ square mile of the carnival area, and for days we’ve been watching buildings, residences and businesses, fenced and even boarded up. Should be quite a thing! It is, however, raining today. Might keep participation low today, the family day. Tomorrow (Monday) is adults’ day. That could get wild…  (We'll get some photos later.)

             Greenwich

Noted for the Naval Museum and Observatory – and the Prime meridian – Greenwich is a few miles down the Thames from downtown London. We wanted to get out on the water, so we took the London river boat, part of the public transport system.

Tower Bridge, seen from the boat

             It was a good day out. We went to the Navel Museum, saw Admiral Nelson’s coat with the fatal hole in the left shoulder (he was a small guy, nowhere near as tall as that column in Trafalgar Square makes him out to be). I was more interested in the Royal Observatory, first established in 1675 and home to the Prime Meridian, the line of zero longitude which is the basis for our entire system of geographical coordinates (think: GPS). I also wanted to see the collection of watches from John Harrison, who was the first to develop, around 1730, a timepiece accurate enough to be used for navigation aboard ships (very, very important to the British Navy!).

A little (tongue in cheek?) art at the Naval Museum

The amazing Royal Observatory Greenwich

             Entry to the observatory museum cost £15 each even with the old-folks discount, which dampened our enthusiasm. The main attraction of the observatory is the Prime Meridian. Peering through the fence we saw people lining up to have their photo taken straddling the line, one foot in each hemisphere. But I’d done some research and found that the Prime Meridian has been moved: satellites refined the shape of the earth, and to keep things accurate the Meridian is now 100 meters away. Hah! Silly tourists…

Right foot in the west, left in the east. No, wait...

And these kids used their smart phone to find their own Prime Meridian (it's actually showing 0 degrees heading, True North, rather than 0 degrees longitude. We strongly supported their heresy anyway.)

             Using the GPS receiver on my smartphone (hardly a precision instrument, but close enough) Paula and I set our own Prime Meridian in the nearby park. Sorted! (as they say here). Still kinda wish I’d seen those watches, though.

My own personal Prime Meridian (close to the Real One)

             We ended the day with happy hour at the Greenwich Tavern, another one of those traditional pubs we like so much. Then, the long bus ride home…

 

Another of those fine, traditional pubs we like so much!

        

                              Speakers’ Corner and Movie Making

Last Sunday (a week ago!) we went to Speaker’s Corner, a spot in Hyde Park designated in 1872 as a place where citizens are allowed to speak on whatever they wish. I’d heard about it when I was a kid, and always wanted to see it, so that was the start of our perambulations on this day. The concept of Speakers’ Corner turns out to be far more interesting than the reality (as is true of many places). There were a few distinct small groups, none of which seemed particularly interesting. The largest group surrounded a fellow who had a well-developed haranguing voice; this was not his first time before a crowd. He was holding a bible and saying something about science. We moved on.

A good -- well, loud -- speaker at Speakers' Corner, Hyde Park

             Down in the south corner of the park, near Buckingham Palace, we watched a movie being made: a classic black Jaguar was being closely followed by a car with a professional-looking camera on a boom, giving a tire’s-eye view. Parked nearby an identical Jaguar was outfitted with a camera to catch the driver’s face. Bystanders told us it was for the new Men in Black movie (“with Liam Neeson! I guess Will Smith was too expensive…”).

Watch for this car in the upcoming "Men in Black"

One of a number of war memorials we passed. THis one honors Australians who fought and gave their lives for the Commonwealth. (Strongly reminiscent of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington D.C.)

Names of the battles are formed by bold facing selected letters in the names of the fallen. A nice "optical" feature.

             Amused, we walked on, away from Wellington Arch to Buckingham Palace. We saw the traditional guards in their red uniforms and tall black fur hats, and the effective guards with automatic weapons and bullet-proof vests. Then around the Victoria Memorial and through St. James’s Park. What a fine place that is! Grass, trees, a waterway with numerous species of ducks and geese. I’m impressed by the many fine parks in London! In spite of the big-city energy it’s not difficult to get lost in greenery. We sat on the grass for a while to watch an amateur orchestra set up and play. After a bit they invited members of the audience to come up and conduct. It was a pleasant interlude, but the shade was shifting and the sun was hot, so we moved on.

Amature performance in St. James's Park

There's some beautiful vistas in St. James's Park, such as this looking towards The Household Cavalry Museum and the Horse Guards Parade (and maybe Downing Street is in there, too)

             We crossed the major thoroughfare known as The Mall at the top right (NE) corner of the park and came up to the Duke of York Column, where we found a couple of well-dressed men – well  dressed for the 1960s – standing around, clearly waiting for something. “We’re extras for The Crown. They’re shooting season 3; episode 1, I think.” Well, that’s special! We chatted for a bit, then crew members started moving bystanders (us, in other words) away. We waited behind the barriers at the far end of the plaza, and I realized that however exciting being in a movie might be, it’s mostly waiting around all day to walk across the street, perhaps several times. We eventually moved on, down Whitehall Street.

The gentlemen we spoke with about the scene from The Crown

More extras waiting around for their scene to come up

             Number 10 Downing Street! We peered past the barricades and the armed guards to a series of identical building fronts. No. 10 was down there somewhere, home of the Prime Minister, equivalent to the American presidency (and nothing to do with the Prime Meridian).

Downing Street. No. 10 is down there somewhere

             We came to Westminster Bridge, and huge crowds. We walked halfway across to get a good view of Big Ben, all wrapped up (and no place to go!) for the next few years, undergoing what must be some very deferred maintenance. Then it was past Westminster Abbey (ironically, closed today, Sunday) and a long, long walk home!

Big Ben, tightly constrained but putting on a good face (ha)

Westminster Abbey. No, we never went inside.

Up Next:

     We've had a few more adventures worth talking about. Oh, plus the Carnival! We're hoping for some good costumes tomorrow.