Wed March 14 2018  —  e-mail Manfred

After Middle East, back in Turkey, Konya, Cappadocia, Pamukkale, Ephesos.

Flag turkey Amazing frescoes, rockchurches Gorem, Capadoccia, Turkey.

Wednesday, April 07 2010

5 years, 8 months, 16 days

Marmaris, Turkey

About Travel Photography,
Colors of the World.

Manfred is creator of ThisFabTrek.com, travel photography, a travel blog and a photography blog (a journey from 2004 to 2013). 'I set out to see the colors of the world, always I try to capture the colors'.

Seeing, is understanding, so I report and photograph, but formost enjoy and live those different conceptions of life (all that TV [and the web] cannot give). I reject jealousy, animosity, bigotry. Be free!

Manfred in the desert of the Western Sahara

The mind, when pondering at night and always asked those questions. What am I doing in corporate wonderland of bank, university, office or church? Who is the other animal asleep deep inside, the thinker, punk, creative, or Indian, vagabond and healer, maybe artist, writer, photographer, traveler, globetrotter? Oh God, dare you to think. When I saw the lies, gambles and manipulations I follow the old dream and set out for the journey of life lived, the journey to see the colors of the world.

During years on the road I have taken the turns as they came along, and realized one thing: Only such a small part of the planet can be explored and such a vast land and sea mass will always remain unknown, to me; many swamps, jungles, deserts and oceans will never be traveled. But then I am father of twin boys, Daniel and David, my most important, and I show them some of the wonders and colors out there.

ThisFabTrek, Photography and Journey, the Stories from the Road and Life around the World, stopped in August 2013 after more than 9 years, Love and Peace.

Last vehicle.

G20, Chevy Gladiator.

Chevrolet Gladiator G20, The boys in Cordillera Blanca, Peru.
The boys and Chevy van, Peru.

The G20, the vehicle that came to me for the Americas adventures.

6 wheeled Land Rover.

Land Rover Defender 6x6
Link to Foley

The vehicle of the Africa adventures, a Foley 6-Wheeled Land Rover Defender.

Before, the MB307.

Manfred and MB307
Journey, Middle East.

The vehicle of the Middle-East and North-Cape Journeys. See all vehicles.

Daniel and David with nanny Aisha, the best we ever had, black African Woman carrying white twin babies, in Bamako, Mali.

current MB307 31,250km

Trekking 569km

Ferry 2,070km

Train 4,138km

Land Rover 73,588km

Other cars 102,718km

Travel Blog

contains Festival/Fiesta/Art photography.

"There is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come." - Victor Hugo.

"What matters in life is not what happens to you but what you remember and how you remember it, to tell the tale." Living to Tell the Tale - Gabriel García Márquez.

"They never taught wandering in any school I attended. ... they never taught the art of writing a book, either. It's all so mysterious."
"Wandering is an art in itself. Wandering and writing don't mix"
"Writing demands commitment and if one thing your wanderer is allergic to is that very quality of commitment, for once one is committed he runs that very risk of failure ..." Wanderer - Sterling Hayden.

"Photography enables you to grasp a place first time round. ... Photography is a means of exploration, it's a vital part of travel, almost as essential as a car or a plane. " - Wim Wenders.

"The worst prejudice we acquire during our youth is the idea that life is serious. Children have the right instincts: they know that life is not serious, and treat it as a game..." , Egon Friedell.

"How far you gonna go. Before you lose your way back home" - Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around The World, Achtung Baby, U2.

"If you want to be a hero well just follow me." - Working Class Hero, John Lennon.

"When I think of all the things I have done, I know that it's only just begun." - I love you, Lou Reed.

"One does not escape the Sahara - the Sahara let's you go or not" - Touareg.

"Planet earth is blue and there`s nothing I can do" - This is Ground Control to Major Tom, David Bowie.

"Glory for the crazy people/in this stupid world" - Ahmed Fouad Negm.

www.thisfabtrek.com > journey > asia > turkey > 20100407-marmaris

South-western Turkey.

Map, south-western Turkey.

Download GPS (KML) track/waypoints.

Me on Ferry.
Me on Ferry.

Jaja, we enjoy a last day on a green beach west of Kyrenia, the area where the brothels and nightclubs easily outnumber the traditional locantasi (restaurants). Sunday it is, goats and cows grace on the pastures adjacent to the Med sea, daddies throw pebbles in the water with their children and I think this is exactly what I intend to do this summer with my own twin boys Daniel and David, all summer if possible. A clear day, Turkey on the other side north is just 50 km away, such a clear sight, the Taurus peaks still carry so much snow; it is only end of March. At night, ours, Christina’s and my last night on Cyprus, the moon just a sickle reflects on the still Med Sea. Monday we take the ferry to Silifke, Turkey.

Man sweeps pavement, Silifke Turkey.
Man sweeps pavement, Silifke Turkey.

This is what I wrote down, 22nd of March 2010. I only put it, type it onto my computer 2nd of June, more than 3 months after, when I have already reached Vienna and gone on a journey with my boys, north, Christina left once we reached Warsaw, and we are in Lithuania and have thrown many pebbles in waters; I am though much busier. I enjoy this trip as much as I have enjoyed others, I like taking notes, reliving moments when I put my notes into stories at a later moment, sometimes it requires discipline, it is outright hard work when you travel with children.

We reach Turkey’s south and spring really just started. the start of spring a constant feature on the trip north. From Silifke we climb the mountains to Diocaesaer or Uzuncaburc, Greek, Roman ruins, villagers are busy in their vineyards and elsewhere with their fruit trees, but the sprouting and blossoming is in the very early stages at altitudes of 1400m. And many of the Taurus peaks around still wear white. Later we drop down to Mut (300m) for the Turkish food we were graving for.

Back in Turkey, it feels as a part of the world that I know and enjoy, good food is just one thing, I started to hate burgers and fries on Cyprus, miss the Guinness though, is no Guinness in pubs here, are no real pubs then here in Turkey. Will be back to the good old Efes! Escaping Europe one more time feels tremendously important.

Uzuncaburc, Turkey.
Uzuncaburc, Turkey.
Diocaesarea, Turkey, Greek ruins
Diocaesarea, Turkey, Greek ruins
Man working in vineyard, Turkey, Uzuncaburc.
Man working in vineyard.
Cafe Turkey, Uzuncaburc.
Cafe Turkey, Uzuncaburc.
Men working their vineyard, Uzuncaburc, Turkey.
Uzuncaburc, Turkey.
Canyon southern Turkey.
Canyon southern Turkey.

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Konya.

Konya Sultan Selim-mosque, lights up.
Konya mosque lights up.
Archades, Sultan Selim Mosque, Konya.
Archades, Sultan Selim.
Tomatoes vendor cigarette smoking, Konya.
Vvendor cigarette smoking.
En-passant in Konya. Men speaks German.
Men speaks German.

That evening we descend on Konya (wiki), see the tomb of Mowlānā/Mevlana Rumi, sufi mystic (wiki) the next day. Konya is that typical Turkish town, markets, cafes, modern, busy, friendly. But Konya is more, is a boomtown of more than a million, the centre of the economically important vast agricultural plains that surround it.

konya, Sultan Selkim Mosque.
Konya, Sultan Selkim Mosque.
Konya, Christina. Sultan Selim Mosque.
Konya, Christina. Sultan Selim Mosque.
Mevlana Museum, Konya.
Mevlana Museum, Konya.
Konya, man.
Konya, man.
Men in Konya sitting, palaver.
Men in Konya sitting, palaver.
Girl and wryly smile, Konya.
Girl and wryly smile, Konya.
Cigarette smoking man Konya.
Cigarette smoking man Konya.
Bicycle Konya.
Bicycle Konya.
Cafe in Konya.
Cafe in Konya.

A lot of snow lies still on Taurus peaks (Toros Dağları) as we make it to Antalya, finally get clothes washed, the car cleaned, we are on a mission; we wait for my nephew Marco.

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Marco arrives.

my nephew Marco 2004.
Marco July 2004.

Marco, my godson and nephew was 3 when I went on the trip in July 2004. Now he is old enough (9) and joins me and Christina on the fabTrek for the first time.

We set out Sunday 28th of March, night falls quickly, when we scratch the lake-district near Egirdir heavy rains and thunder starts, we crawl up at no more speed then 40km/h, spooky, so much rain, in the front of the cabin is a leak somewhere, water trickles on the dashboard. First night somewhere near a lake is cold, where we are exactly, what is outside, hard to say. Marco is strong, is after his uncle.

Yaprakhisor, Cappadokia, Turkey.
Yaprakhisor, Cappadokia, Turkey.

In Konya again, Marco receives a first introduction to Turkish food and pizza, is ok? On to Cappadocia, we walk in the rainy gorge at Ihlara, seek shelter inside the cave churches, all is followed by snow at night, this is life on the road, sometimes.

Gorge near Ihlara, Cappadokia, Turkey.
Gorge near Ihlara, Cappadokia, Turkey.
Marco in gorge near Ihlara.
Marco in gorge near Ihlara.
Cliffs in canyon, Ihlara.
Cliffs in canyon, Ihlara.
Cave church frescoes. Cappadokia.
Cave church frescoes. Cappadokia.
Cold, wet in canyon. near Ilhara, Cappadokia.
Cold, wet in canyon. near Ilhara.
Camp and snow in morning near Yaprakhisor, Cappadokia.
Camp and snow in morning, Yaprakhisor.

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Marco in Cappadocia.

Marco in Uchisar.
Marco in Uchisar.
Cave church, Goerem.
Cave church, Goerem.

In the morning we go underground in the city of Derinkuyu, there are a couple of underground cities around dating from the time when Christians had to hide till Christianity became accepted in the 4th century. Many underground places were used though for much longer.

On to Nevsehir for another onslaught of Turkish food for Marco, it is so hard to get used to foreign customs. Via Uchisar for a first impression of life in fairy chimneys to Göreme (wiki) and its thousands of tourists; this is Easter week. The open-air museum fascinates with cave churches and their fresco paintings, - and fairy chimney; tufa cones that were hollowed out over the centuries to produce dwelling of several floors and storage chambers that extend right up to the peak. But it is horrible, blocked entrances, it is completely overrun, Austrians, French, Japanese, I resign, I won’t see the Cappadocia of my dreams.

Ochre paintings in cave church dome. Cappadokia.
Ochre paintings in cave church dome.
Ochre paintings, cave Cappadokia.
Ochre paintings, cave Cappadokia.
Rock church, ochre frescoes, Cappadocia.
Rock church, ochre frescoes, Cappadocia.
Frescoe, dome, rock church, Goerem.
Frescoe, dome, rock church, Goerem.
Tourists, Goerem, Cappadokia.
Tourists, Goereme, Cappadokia.
Landscape Capadoccia.
Landscape Capadoccia.
Tree in Cappadokia landscape.
Tree in Cappadokia landscape.
Cappadokia mountains.
Cappadokia mountains.
Marco, tired in Cappadocia.
Marco, tired in Cappadocia.
Cappadokia, fairy chimneys landscape.
Cappadokia, fairy chimneys landscape.
Mountains, rose and white. Cappadocia.
Mountains, rose and white. Cappadocia.
Cliffs of Goerem.
Cliffs of Goereme.

We are only glad once we leave, no peace here, we wrestle free and intuition let’s me drive out up the right path, turn left and turn left again, a parking, no one there, the near-by Aktepe mountains invite for a late afternoon walk and the magic rose and white landscape is all for us. Up and down, turn around the chimneys find the way ourselves through the moon like, star-wars like landscape, for 2 hours. Thanks god the bus loads never make it to the finest spots.

Songanli, valley, cave church, Turkey.
Songanli cave church.
Marco in Songanli-valley.
Marco in Songanli-valley.
Columns, stone cave church, Songali.
Columns, stone cave church, Songali.

Soganli valley, the next morning offers another great insight into fairy chimney homes and churches, another walk, the first with no rain. After some çorba (Turkish soup) we drop down to the coast, a 100km drive along the snowy peaks of the Ala Dağlar mountain range.

Ala Daglar, Turkey.
Ala Daglar, Turkey.
Snow on Ala Daglar mountains, Turkey.
Snow on Ala Daglar mountains, Turkey.
Donkey man, snowy Ala Daglar, Turkey.
Donkey man.

In Mersin finally Marco says enough is enough to Turkish food, so we have some McDonalds 9er chicken McNuggets, his favourite instead. Around the Anamur coast, then near Alanya the sun is finally hot enough for swimming, more 24er chicken McNuggets, at nights we play cards. Finally we say good-bye to him in Antalya after a week and more 169er chicken McNuggets.

Christina's iphone (facebook) captured some further inspirational insights from Marco in Cappadocia.

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Pamukkale and Ephesos

Pamukkale, white works.
Pamukkale, white works.
Surface of white rock in Pamukkale.
Surface of white rock in Pamukkale.

Travertines Pamukkale.
Travertines Pamukkale.
Pamukkale.
Pamukkale.
Sunset over Pamukkale, Turkey.
Sunset over Pamukkale, Turkey.
Feet on white chalky soil, Pamukkale.
Feet on white chalky soil, Pamukkale.

Alone and we miss Marco, he was more a friend than a child, Christina and I visit Pamukkale (wiki) and Ephesos (wiki). Pamukkale is fascinating, to walk bare-foot on the soft white chalk-like warm thermal-water over-spilled rocks, but sad, to see what Nature has created and man has destroyed man cannot rebuild with concrete. They’re making a good scientific effort though to protect what is left, and maybe it recreates itself over time. Ephesos is Ephesos, Austrian reconstructed, much of the good stuff to be seen back in Vienna, the Ephesus Museum, one day, ... after all we have seen over the past 7 months ...

Library Ephesos.
Library Ephesos.
Theater Ephesos.
Theater Ephesos.

Arch in Ephesos.
Arch in Ephesos.
Ephesos, facade of library.
Ephesos, facade of library.
Efes, Turkey.
Efes, Turkey.
Greek Roman theater, Ephesos.
Greek Roman theater, Ephesos.

We get to Marmaris which is nice, Turkey was so nice, has treated us so well; the fabTrek Middle East trip is coming to an end slowly, sadly, back in Europe and Greece is next.

www.thisfabtrek.com > journey > asia > turkey > 20100407-marmaris

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