Gallipoli, back to Istanbul (this time with Topdeck) and into Bulgaria!!!

Before dawn service ANZAC Cove

Manda freezing!

 The morning alarm sounded at 1030pm (pm that was); sleep totaling 1.5 hours. Rucksacks packed and lodgings triple checked for the essentials (passport, money, airplane tickets) the Peregrine Tour squadron boarded the bus ready to do battle. Our ANZAC 'battle' however wasn't with the Ottoman Turks at Gallipoli, rather the Turkish police at the checkpoints (yes there were checkpoints much like the airports with metal detectors and frisking!) and the freezing weather that prevailed (worsened as the day progressed - coldest at Lone Pine service at 10am). Luckily, for the other Peregrine troopers sleeping bags were provided as they were the only way to defend against the cold. So after crossing the Turkish line at the security gates we bunked down for the night in the grandstand were sleep was allusive! Dawn service, and similarly the Lone Pine service were certainly memorable and emotional experiences. Watching the sunrise on the ice cold looking water from ANZAC cove really put it all in perspective. Visiting Nana's mothers brothers headstone at Shell Green another moving moment.

Shrapnel Valley

Headstone of Trooper A. B. Robins

From Gallipoli Peregrine took us back to incredible Istanbul where the 2 week tour terminated and saw Manda and I join a slightly younger and slightly more school like Topdeck tour. Average age 27 which surprises me as I can identify far more <27 than >27? Maybe they are including the guide and drivers age?!? Could be that the younger travelers are the more boisterous... Anyhow I'm sure it will be an incredible experience traveling through eastern Europe, with or without them! Today we arrive in Sofia, Bulgaria's capital.

Upon entering Bulgaria you can't help but feel sad for these people, they haven't had much 'luck' in the past having been under Turkish rule for 500 years, Russian fighting, and then most recently (until the1990's) under communist rule its not been easy or equitable for their people. Not a wonder they win olympic medals for weightlifting, skiing and shooting! I suspect if wood chopping was an Olympic sport they'd win this too!!! Believe it or not, bass opera singers are another common product of Bulgaria!?!
Reading their alphabet is another confusion as it's our usual alphabet scrambled with reverse N's and R's, O with a horizontal line through then and an assortment of other interesting hieroglyphics!! Apparently two brothers dreamt it up in 600ac odd to help protect them against enemies (amongst a few other things I suspect) - would have worked a treat as I couldn't decipher a bloody thing! Currency is the Bulgarian Lev (presently 1€ buys 1.90 lev, 1$AUD buys about 1.50 lev. Local beer 500ml bottle costs 1.50 lev. Imported beers 2 lev, and that was at the Chinese restaurant! These cheaper prices are commonplace with their economy struggling a touch!
Would love to spend more time here but tours being tours we only get 1 day so that will be it!