Iznik/Bursa

"Every last one, route one, rural heart's got a story to tell/Every grandma, in law, ex girlfriend/Maybe knows you just a little too well/Whether you're late for church or you're stuck in jail/Hey words gonna get around/Everybody dies famous in a small town."

During our Istanbul trip, I met up with a friend who is studying nearby for a little weekend trip to Iznik & Bursa.

Before I left, everyone told me I would not enjoy Bursa. "There's not much to see and it's not a pretty town," they said. I thought I would enjoy it anyway, but it turns out, they were right. For a city, Bursa was somewhat lacking for me. It was very complicated to get around --- I felt like we were always lost! & there wasn't a ton of stuff to see. The picture pretty much sums up how we felt about Bursa. The only great part of Bursa were the scarves - we all bought gorgeous ones that were pretty cheap!

After being frustrated by the day, we headed to Iznik in a bus. Is there anywhere besides Turkey where you can take a bus for $4.50 where you are served tea & snacks for 2 hours? If there is, please take me there. You barely even get that on airplanes anymore! I was impressed.

Iznik made our weekend trip worthwhile. It was a small town, made famous by it's tile-making, and little else. It was small-town Turkey, and I'm glad I got a chance to experience it. Our hostel even had what I lovingly call a "hovercraft with self- flush," which was definitely an experience.

While there, everyone wanted to speak English with us - there was a local judge and another business man who talked with us during our dinner, and after, this boy who ran into us on the street. He asked us to tea, and being spontaneous, we said yes! It was fun to talk, even though he couldn't understand that much. I love random experiences with locals! In my opinion, they make a trip. We also got two invitations to the Robin Hood Club, the newest bar in Iznik. As exciting as that prospect sounded, we declined.

Although Lonely Planet says 2 hours in Iznik will suffice, there is lots to explore. The city walls are gorgeous and a good place to start. There is also the lake, which is beautiful, and lots of ruins and tombs to explore. We had to cut our adventure short to catch the last ferry back to Istanbul, but it was a beautiful town and a great place to pass at least one day.

In short, it was a great side trip with great company! I'm so glad I got to visit with my friend & see another side of Turkey!