Day 157
13 hrs, 17 .8 kms

I arrive in Trabzon at about 4 in the morning. I head into the bus station to wait for dawn to start my exploration of the capital of northeast Turkey. It feels good to be back in a world that is much more predictable and familiar for me, and... FOOD!

I didn't even realize how much I missed it--the variety of delicious, cheap, well prepared food available everywhere and anytime--even at 4 o'clock in the morning. I start out with a heartwarming bowl of chorba soup, which will be the first of 5 breakfasts I will enjoy this morning!

I tell you, if the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, than Turkey has definitely won my heart. Invigorated, I head out at the first rays of dawn to start exploring this city. I have 4 days left of my trip, and I'm feeling my second wind and don't want to waste a minute.

The city is quite narrow at this point, with the sea in front and wooded mountains in back, but following the main road/overpass as it rises up along the side of the mountain--and into the heart of the city . Here there's a large, cheery plaza with food... food... food all around. Here I play my park bench concert, watch very well dressed teenagers head off to school... then continue down the street to enjoy my 2nd, 3rd and 4th breakfast.

I'm liking Trabzon. I think I might even do a Superhike here in this area. Which leads to the question: should I go ahead and go visit that famous cliffside monastary a few miles south of here? Definitely on my must visit list--but on second thought, putting it off for another visit would give me something really cool to look forward to when I come back to this corner of the world...

So for today I'm just going to hike across the city, through the bustling comercial district... along the vast park of land reclaimed from the Black Sea... and on to the next town down the shore, Akcaadat, and back.

Later that day

Back in town a few hours later, I quickly plunge into the heart of the old city, taking my videoclip in front of the imposing wall surrounding what was the ancient city of Trabzon . Within the old city there is a tiny area that feels well preserved, with little courtyard and groups of old men socializing and drinking tea.

Here I find a statue of Sultan Sulayman, one of the most powerful rulers during the Golden Age of the Ottoman Empire. Recently he's become a TV superstar with the hit Turkish soap opera "The Harem of Sultan Sulayman" which focuses on the ladies in his life. In Morocco, women of all ages are crazy about this show--while some traditionalists in Turkey are quite incensed that such an important historical figure be trivialized in this way.

Not here in Trabzon. Here his statue is in a solemn place (he was originally from Trabzon) where you can ponder on the good and bad that he achieved.

Finally I end my day doing some shopping for my wife in the bustling market area, then I set out to look for a cheap hotel... and call it a day.