Our day began at dawn. We left Istanbul as the sun was rising in route to the countryside of Turkey which would lead us to Edirne, an ancient capital with graceful bridges and gentle flowing rivers and what is arguably the most beautiful mosque in the country – Selimiye Camii (mosque), the last work of the great architect Sinan from the 16th century. After a bumpy but satisfying two hour nap, I awoke to see land of biblical proportions … valleys and low sloping hills of brown grass with a variety of trees (Olive, Oak, Cypress) springing from small river banks. It was a scene out of the Old Testament.

Our first stop in Edirne was at the Health Museum, built for Sultan Beyazit II in the late 15th century. The museum is a complex of buildings outside the modern city that originally housed a hospital, mosque, soup kitchen and asylum. It has been meticulously renovated by a Turkish university. After a video presentation we were allowed to walk the grounds and were treated to traditional music using a ney (a flute-like instrument with acoustical sounds … the guy who played for us is also on one of Sting’s records). In the old days, music and water were used to soothe the anxieties of the depressed and the psychotic. It still works, as evidenced by the number of people in our group who fell asleep during the performance. But really, it is amazing to think how progressive and sensitive Sultan Beyazit II was in establishing a health facility while the mentally ill in Europe and other parts of the world were being burned or otherwise tortured.

We had an excellent traditional lunch and set out on the next long journey toward Canakalle, where we had a quiet and somber visit to the World War I memorial at Anzac Cove (Hell Spit), site of the first Allied landing in 1915. We then made a visit to the Turkish memorial and headed down toward the water – another two hour drive. We covered a lot of ground, more than 400 kilometers in a single day. The ferry took us across the Dardanelles to our destination – Canakalle – and after a large dinner, we rested well.

To make the point, we were tired. But who’s complaining? It’s all worth it.

A few in our group who will remain unnamed dodged the hotel restaurant in favor of dinner at the Burger King across the street. How those Americans love their fast food.