6 September, Amasya
Otel Apaydin 40TL (shared bathroom)
After our customary Nescafe we climbed the
slippery limestone steps to visit two of the five rock-cut royal Pontic tombs
in the cliff on the north side of town. The Pontic kings, of Greek and Persian
origin, ruled along the Black Sea, with their capital at Amasya, until
conquered by the Romans. There is not much to see at the tombs, but the views
of the city are worth the slip-sliding ascent. Amasya’s other claim to fame: It
was the birthplace of Strabo (c 63BC to AD25), the world’s first geographer
who, having travelled in Europe, west Asia and north Africa, wrote 47 history and
17 geography books. We dined on catfish and chicken wings and fried eggplant
with yoghurt at a restaurant in the old city, then pottered home via an
ice-cream stall that tempted us with melon dipped in pistachios.
Amasya
Amasya
Amasya
Amasya
Amasya