From the coast, we started to drive inland into Central Anatolia. The land here shifts from coastland to broad valleys between mountains. Originally this was the heartland of the Byzantine Empire, largely loss to the Empire in A.D. 1071 at the Battle of Manzikert. The plains made excellent pastures for nomadic peoples, first the Seljuk Turks and then the Ottoman Turks.
Snow on the mountains still. This is in April.
Lunch on the road, including the ever present baklava:
We passed a number of fruit orchards:
Regular planted crops include grains (wheat, barley, oats), potatoes, lentils, and beans.
On the road again, what kind of fruit orchards TB?
ReplyDeleteI do not fully recall, Nylon12. Looking it up quickly, they grow most commonly known fruits - apples, pomegranates, apricots, peaches, cherries. But we did see many orchards and blooms as we traveled.
DeleteThe area definitely has a rural feel. Looks like it would be a lovely place to farm.
ReplyDeleteLeigh, it honestly reminded me a lot of the California Central Valley: long valleys surrounded by mountains with flat land between sprinkled with small towns.
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