We were thinking about the possibility of taking a taxi to the train station, but the next metro just arrived before we lost all hope! For just, 3,25 TRY (0,55 USD) we travelled to the Ankara Railway Station (Ankara Tren Gar\u0131) at the Maltepe Metro Station (Green line on the Ankaray). After the metro arrived, we began running again through a spooky and partially abandoned underground pass to reach the railway station. No stairs, non-flat streets and empty sidewalks could stop us; not even a Simit seller. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After we checked for Eski\u015fehir with our passports, we finally calmed down, took a deep breath and sat down in our seats. Finally, we were on our way to this city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Downtown Eski\u015fehir, first impressions.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
After spending 1 hour in the high speed train, we finally arrived to Eski\u015fehir. The round trip tickets costs 75 TRY (12,54 USD). It was certainly colder than Ankara and you could see snow and ice in the streets with freezy winds around your ears. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We headed to the downtown of Eski\u015fehir, walking by the Ismet In\u00f6n\u00fc 1 Bulvar\u0131<\/em>. The boulevard shares between the tram and the pedestrians. It's modern and organized but not so clean; you can see a lot of few garbage bags and some rests of cigarets. All the buildings are taken care of and we didn't felt it as an abandoned city; it was actually very neat and pleasant. Some friends recommended us and now we know why. Later we headed to a lovely walking boulevard along the river. We were looking for a nice place to have some breakfast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We didn't have breakfast. The effects of this decision soon arrived as we began to stare at any food store, restaurant or simply a publicity image of food. How to solve this problem? Of course, the Turkish way!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Walking by the Porsuk Bulvar\u0131<\/em>, we found a caf\u00e9 in front of the river which offered Turkish Breakfast for two people with UNLIMITED tea refills for just 45 TRY (7,56 USD). Saeli suggested to have the classical Turkish Breakfast, which includes all sort of delicious typical food from here. This breakfast isn't served in one dish, but in small plates from where you can choose from. So, what makes this breakfast special anyway? Well, let's see!<\/p>\n\n\n\n From olives to marmalade and rolled eggs, you can find all sort of small delicious meals here. Here's is how it works, you pick from each plate and eat it in your big personal plate. The beauty of serving in such way in that you enjoy it with your friends or family, as everyone picks their favorite. Don't forget that the tea that comes with every Turkish meal!<\/p>\n\n\n\n I spotted a Mosque after we were walking in the downtown of Eski\u015fehir. I'm always enthusiastic to see these places that are so unfamiliar to me. In my home country, catholicism is the primary religion but to see other religions building it's absolutely interesting to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As we approached the mosque, we followed the rules. Women have to cover their hair for entering this holy place and they are not allowed to pray in the same place as men. We put our cellphones in silence and we took our shoes off. All the place is covered with a carpet. It wasn't what I would call “full of people” or “you don't a single free place to step in”. It was almost empty; perhaps just 3 prayers were inside. The whole place was in complete silence. I even found I person lying down close to the wall, probably sleeping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We walked back again to the downtown but this time to another neighborhood which is well preserved. On the way we tried to enter the Cumhuriyet Tarihi M\u00fczesi<\/em> but it was unfortunately closed on mondays (as Turks would say: maalesef<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n When we arrived, we understood we it's called “Old Town”. I have to say, it is very well preserved. The plaza is preserved as ‘antique' and only opened for pedestrians. Occasionally some vehicles do cross the plaza, like a motorcycle, but other than that, it breathes an air of live and rest from corner to corner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All houses are kept historical and you actually feel that you are in another century. For example, you see the Osmanl\u0131 Cafe<\/em> or Ottoman Caf\u00e9 where Nargile<\/em> or the arabic smoking pipe is offered. It's also common to see cats sleeping in the restaurant's chairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I always have the opinion that when food is offered in the menu, a picture of the meal comes very handy because it suggests how your meal is going to be presented to you. This tactic, of course, help your costumers to decide which meal would like as they could already smell it. Unfortunately, this could be also misused or overdone and take the prestige out of the restaurant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We headed later upwards into this plaza street to find many many stores opened with all kind of souvenirs, even if these streets were somehow empty. The main reason was the date that we visited: it was Monday and it was Winter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n At Kur\u015funlu Camii & K\u00fclliyesi<\/em> we visited the mosque and more crafts and arts sold inside the courtyard. It was very peaceful and covered with ice in some parts of the garden. I was truly delighted with the drawings in the mosque and how them fit so well with the arch of the structure itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Saeli found an illustration of a cultural center called Beylerbeyi Kona\u011f\u0131<\/em>, hanged in the wall of a house outside the mosque. Here we saw and compared the linguistical similarities between other existing Turk languages: Turkish, Turkmen, Azerbaijan and many other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After seeing a small mosque called Orta I\u015f\u0131k Camii<\/em>, we headed upwards again but we understood that there wasn't anything left to see or no distance left to run<\/a><\/em> (which reminds me to the sad song from Blur<\/em>). Some of the houses were already in bad condition so we didn't really found anything there. Then, we headed back to take a bus (line 11) into our next destination. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Listen up: when we stepped into the bus, we explained to the bus driver that we wanted to pay with money instead of the normal bus card. (All this was done in Turkish… so Saeli was the one who spoke to the driver; I'm still learning \ud83d\ude42 ). But the bus drive said that, well, Instead, he said that it would be no problem that we just sit back there, he will “invite us” the trip. And he did; we sat there enjoying the free ride. Saeli and I were so thankful of this kind of people. When we stepped out, all that we could say was Kolay gelsin <\/em>which means that “may it come easy for you”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This park outside of Eski\u015fehir have many attractions such a fake children's castle, aquarium, zoo, a scaled pirate ship and many more. It also hast a small train that get us around the park, which just costs 3 TRY (0,50 USD).<\/p>\n\n\n\n We sat down in that park to eat. Saeli brought candy for eating as lunch, for some reason. I like to eat a meal that feels ‘complete', not just dessert; so I took my salty and sweet sandwiches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When we finished visiting the park, we bought 2 bus tickets in the park. We weren't going to risk ourselves this time! So we waited in a bus stop outside the park, located in the highway, for about 15 minutes. The first bus that stopped by, was going to take us to the downtown of Eski\u015fehir. The ticket costed 6 TRY (1 USD) each.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When we stepped outside the bus, We walked back again to the bus station around. Before anything else, a Turkish tee was necessary to continue. We stopped at a book store in front of the river and I found a book about the Bremen Musicians. I bought it for my English student so she could practice reading and understanding. Later, Saeli and I stopped in a Caf\u00e9 to drink at least two tees since we have walked a lot and we were thirsty!<\/p>\n\n\n\n I stopped at a candy store in the streets of Eski\u015fehir, near from a mosque called Nalbant Camii<\/em>. If I'm correct, it was called Cem \u015eekerleme G\u0131da<\/em>. I had the objective clear in mind: the Turkish Delight or Lokum<\/em> is a MUST in every trip. They are simply delicious and I just can't one piece. Of course, variety is crucial when enjoying this sweet meal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I ordered 2 kinds of Turkish Delight at 16 TRY \/Kg (2,67 USD) and in the corner of my eye, I also spotted two of my favorite candy that I have tried here as well, the \u00c7ak\u0131l ta\u015f\u0131<\/em> (or as I like to call them “little stones”) and the trio of chocolates (black, white and coffee), at 65 TRY \/Kg (10,87 USD) and 70 TRY \/Kg (11,70 USD) respectively. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Among the streets in downtown of Eski\u015fehir, there were hundreds of stores opened and crowds come and go. We found one in particular interesting: Temiz \u0130\u015f Kuru Kahve<\/a><\/em>. From coffee from many countries around the world to teas, oils, honey and other special ingredients.<\/p>\n\n\n\nTurkish Breakfast, as it should be.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>Re\u015fadiye Mosque.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/li><\/figure><\/li><\/figure><\/li><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe Old Town of Eski\u015fehir.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Going uphill of Eski\u015fehir.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Camii and the museum.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
May it com<\/strong>e easy for you!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
we can't do that<\/s>. And even if we showed that we do have the money, he didn't wanted to accept it.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSazova Park\u0131<\/em> in Eski\u015fehir.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Foodmarket around Eski\u015fehir.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Ahhh… the candies.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Temiz \u0130\u015f Kuru Kahve. Eski\u015fehir's delight.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n