Gallipoli

The ferry dock is at the northern end of the peninsula.  This is the area where the Australian and New Zealand armies fought and lost in World War 1.  You can read more about it here and here if you are interested in history.

It was quite sobering to see so many cemeteries and monuments dedicated to all the men who fought, regardless of what side they were on.

ANZAK monument

Lone Pine Cemetery for the Australian and New Zealand soldiers

Memorial to local soldiers lost during the campaign.

The entire peninsula was gutted with trenches.  Some of them with opposing sides just a few meters apart!
This set of trenches still had barbed wire fortifications in it. 

Noah over the bay where the Australian and New Zealand forces came ashore.

Shoreline Allied Forces cemetery

This replica demonstrated just how close the opposing sides where when they fought sometimes.

A local soldier praying in the trenches.

Justin and Noah talking about the battles.
Noah loves history and is super interested in this sort of thing right now.

Since I had my big zoom lens on my camera, I couldn't resist taking pictures of some of the folks who were touring the exhibit.

The Allied soldiers sort of looked like cowboys.

While the local soldiers definitely looked Ottoman with their mustaches and fezes.

 We went to a cheap little restaurant and had the basic local food for dinner.  However, I keep seeing different signs at restaurants talking about a local specialty.  So, once again, we had to try it.  The verdict... not good!

A dessert item made with semolina, milk, sugar, and feta-style cheese.
Wouldn't recommend it!

Up next... the day Noah has been most excited about... TROY!

Island Exploration

 We got up on Sunday morning and saw that the weekly bazaar had been set up just across the street.  It was fun to check it out and see what they sell there that isn't at our neighborhood bazaar.  The big difference was a few tables of knives, gardening tools, string, fencing, and shovels.  We don't really have those sorts of things at our bazaar.  Who needs it for all this concrete?!

The flower sellers have also come to our local bazaar.  Ladies are starting to fill up their balconies with beautiful color!

I loved this old lady who brought her own greens, peppers, and leeks to sell.  

Olives, of course.

Strawberries are in season!  Yum!  Kiwi, cantaloupe, and the little green sour plums are also grown locally.
Bananas, pineapple, and avocado are imported.

Noah was pocketknife shopping with his allowance.

This adorable village lady caught my eye, so I tried to snap a quick picture without bothering her.

We could not have asked for better weather!  Just as we were finishing up walking through the bazaar it started to rain.  So we piled into the car and headed out to an interesting spot where a lake is set right in from the shore.  In the few minutes it took to get there, the rain stopped!  All day yesterday and today it seemed like the rain would stop just in time for us to do what we wanted to do and then start up again when it didn't matter!

This coast and the lake that is just barely inland are well known for kite-boarding.
It is relatively windy but the water is still smooth.  We saw a few carloads of Europeans loaded down with their gear. come over to the island to kite-board.

This boy needs a weapon at all times.  Never sneak up on him, you may get a surprise!

The water was beautiful- so clear and green/blue.

 Then, it started to rain a bit again.  So we hopped in the car and drove all along the one road.  It was stunning!  Lots of free-range sheep and goats.  Of course, the coastlines and mountains were beautiful, but I was swooning over the fields of wildflowers!

This whole region was dotted with beautiful red poppies and little yellow flowers.

 After we saw every bit of the island, we went back up to the first village that we explored yesterday.  They had several different cafes advertising a special type of coffee.  As always, we were curious.

Picking out a cafe taste the special coffee.

Even though it was before lunchtime, we let these yahoos choose something sweet from the bakery case.

The Leonard Family- April 2014

The coffee in this area is hand-ground with a mortar and pestle.
It was yummy!

 After our coffee break we headed to the dock to catch our ferryboat.  On to explore some historic battlefields!  However, I think I could have happily stayed on this island for a few more days!

Greek Villages

The island is known for is three main Greek Villages that were abandoned as a result of various population exchanges.  It was so strange to go from hearing the call to prayer to hearing church bells.  They had little churches sprinkled everywhere throughout the island.

We started with the largest and most populated village.  Folks are restoring the old stone homes and they are beautiful!

One of the MANY churches we saw while exploring the island.  The strong Greek heritage was evident!

I love an interesting side street!

This one was begging to be explored.
We couldn't not go down that path!

And look who we met!

This girl LOVES her Daddy!

The Greek villages were built on hilltops to help protect them from pirates.
At least, that's what my Lonely PLanet guidebook says.

The water resivoir

Can you find the tiny white church on the scruffy hillside?

Callie loves to test the water when we come across this type of natural spring.

Looks like we're going to drive right off the edge!

Noah found the absolute perfect spot to relax and enjoy the view!

We threw them over the edge, but they managed to claw their way back up!

I made Justin pose with these fig trees.

The second village was tiny and no very accessible.  So we didn't walk around there too much.

The third village was like a ghost-town.
It was creepy and interesting at the same time.

Pretty much everything looked like folks just locked up and left.

The little village just sits empty on the hillside.

I zomed in a bit on the empty houses.
After seeing some of the renovated homes in the first village, I was ready to claim one of these and do some reno.
The old stonework was amazing!

The donkeys had already moved in to this one.

My guidebook recommended a hilltop restaurant that had an amazing view.
I'd say it was correct!

I am an official grownup now that I not only can eat fish, but that I can eat fish that is prepared like this!
It was delicious, by the way.  Best one I've ever had.

One last thing to see before it gets too dark.

The fortress ruins on the northern coast.

We all were pleasantly surprised by this island.  I'm not really sure what any of us were expecting, but this lovely and interesting place far surpassed it.  It was small and charming with beautiful landscape, incredible coasts, and things that each of us enjoyed seeing.  Also, the island as a whole is working to become the first complete community that is certified as organic.  So there were free  range goats and sheep everywhere, not to mention tons of farmland and green space.