Trabzon I was very happy here. (Trabzon)

Member Name: turkiye

Product:	Trabzon
Date:	05/03/02 (55 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Friendl, Scenic place

Disadvantages: long distance to travel, full of prostitutes

I travelled to Trab from Ist, then Ankara by train. I arrived in Ezerum & then had to catch a bus. The scenery from Maki was stunning, rally lush. It was quite difficult to find a hotel in Trab that didn't have prostitutes(Natashas) in it. Since the opening up of the USSR borders Russian prostitutes travel to Trab because they can make more money there than in USSR. From Lonely Planet I found a monastry Santa Monika which takes in guests. I can say without hesitation, unless staying with friends, that this was the nicest place that I have ever stayed in Turkey. I had my own room, the bathroom was along the corridor.There was a kitchen , a washing machine & a garden. It was really incongrous seeing Turkish boys of 18 or so singing latin masses. The boys had to cahnge the bedds & clean etc. They didn't seem to have much idea about ironing so I showed them. Because I speak some Turkish I used to get invited to their afternoon tea-parties. Their friends would come in with a cake or something. It was lovely.
Whilst there I visted Sumela Monastry.
I did find it quite difficult to go out in the evenings because all the restaurants had prostitutes there. I really didn't mind as there were good cooking facilities.
I got back to Istanbul by Ferry. This was in 1999, the year that the leader of the PKK, Adbullah Ocalan was captured . This lead to Turkey getting a bad press & there were not many tourists on the boat. I think I paid £14 for two days. I had my own cabin & my own steward. You could buy food but I took mainly my own. Everyone on the boat was very friendly to me. I was the only tourist. Yes, I have very fond memories of Trabzon.

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