Day 196 Sun 29 April 2007 Bursa to Pamukkale, Turkey

Another beautiful morning – (we reckoned up there had only been 8 wet days out of 196 on the trip) and we set out to explore Bursa on foot. Unfortunately being Sunday the market is closed but there’s little traffic and we easily find the Green Mosque and Green Tomb, although the latter is closed for renovation. The Green Mosque, which dates from 1300s and the Ulu Cami are splendid examples of early Seljuk architecture, with covered courtyards and ample decor.

Leaving Bursa we climb up through the beech forests on the slopes of Mt Uludag but the low petrol situation forces us to return and we drive south across country towards Pamukkale, 500km away. After crossing several mountain ranges we reach the Pamukkale valley which is one of Turkey’s main grape growing regions. Pamukkale, just north of the city of Dinizli has a mass of pensions, touts for which surround our car as soon as we stop. Fortunately we find the Venus hotel surrounded by a white picket fence where we check in and have dinner.