Train Gravesite in Kusadasi Turkey

#TrainGravesiteKusadasiTurkey

The Turkish rail companies imported their engines from Germany, England,
France plus the United States
 As they wanted to rely on a proven design because of the demanding geography of this country and with the changing weather per seasons

The rail network would have had to navigate mountainous regions with a steep gradient, with sharp curves, plus the summers that would have been hot /dry and winters very cold / with much snow

KeyTip; The museum is located around a 30 minute taxi ride from the port of Kusadasi to the town of Camlik  So i got the roundtrip price of $50 Euro with a 2 hour wait (feel free to negotiate as the locals like to do this)  plus it is a 3 Euro entrance fee  (hours are 8am-8pm)

 

China
This is only place left on earth where steam locomotives are still widely in use
 So now rail enthusiasts are travelling there to witness the last gasps
 of the engine that created the modern world

United Kingdom
Steam locomotives were developed here during the 19th century and in use until the 1980s when most railways fully converted to electric or diesel power

Consumption Facts
An average Steam Locomotive would consume 20 tons of coal plus evaporate 100,000 lbs
of water per hour
So in the name of Climate Change i am glad these machines are retired 😉

 

The Choo-Choo Sound
Ever wonder why that sound comes out
Its the used high-pressure steam being expelled up the smokestack after it has pushed the pistons

Powertrain 
Unlike a car motor (internal combustion) a steam engine is an external piece of machinery,
 which means the fuel is burned outside the the main power plant system to heat the water in the boiler

The Dog House
Some locomotives had a small shack located on the car (carrying the fuel plus water) for the head-end brakeman, which kept him out of the main cab

Linke-Hofmann-Werke 
 It was a railway wagon factory in Breslau Germany (1832) with this interesting historical fact
 The city returned to be a part of Poland in 1945 and then back to its original name of Wroclaw,
 because of the result of territorial changes after the Second World War

Early History
Starting in early 1900s it employed over 50,000 workers plus manufactured 3,000+ locomotives
which as you see some ended up in Turkey

Not Involved
During the Second World War Turkey remained neutral
  As it expanded its rail network, the country kept importing locomotives from both
 Germany and England 

The Camlik Railway Museum
It is the biggest in Turkey and contains one of the largest steam locomotive collections
in Europe (established in 1997)

The Yard Contains
 33 Steam Locomotives, 9 Passenger Cars, 7 Freight Cars and other Railway Vehicles 
The museum is located on the oldest line in Turkey, uses the original tracks built in 1866 plus sits on the property of the Turkish State Railway

 George Pullman 
He was an innovative entrepreneur who had an extremely uncomfortable overnight train ride
 from Buffalo to Westfield New York

Business Idea
It caused him to realize the opportunity of a vast market for comfortable railcar service,
 so 25 years later he had factories in the United States and Europe 

The Pullman Company & The Pioneer
 This was the ultimate in sleeping cars with hand finished woodwork, silver trimmed fixtures
 and so on at a cost of $20,000 per car

Abraham Lincoln
The Pioneer was used as a funeral train for the assassinated President and carried his body during the final leg of the journey from Chicago to Springfield
This gained national attention which helped launch the brands success

The Pullman Early History
The company became the single largest employer of African Americans in the country after the Civil War by hiring them to be porters 
Besides the steady wages plus tips, it allowed them to travel widely which contributed significantly to the growth of the black middle class
 It added to all that knowledge plus learning by experiencing different parts of America

The Strike of 1894
When the owner decided to cut workers wages but not the rent in his company built towns during the depression, this led to a massive nationwide strike
This eventually started  the creation of the federal holiday; Labor Day

Innovations
Introduced the enclosed vestibule, which was an accordion-like covered walkway between cars to be used even at high speeds
Improved lighting and heating systems plus "paper" wheels for a smoother and quieter ride

Private Cars
Custom built that featured amenities like open fireplaces, marble baths and gold-plated fixtures costing in todays dollars over 1 million
 

The Steam Locomotive
It revolutionized travel as it broke down barriers of distance

From the first journey in Wales in 1804 up to todays heritage or tourist lines
 like the famous Hogwarts Express ( Harry Potter films)
It  has invoked many fond memories of how we humans have evolved with transportation which allowed us to discover the world that we live in

Early Train History 
The manufacturing years of the steam locomotives located here range from 1891-1951
 With the oldest one built was by the Robert Stephenson Company of England
( first corporation in the world that was created to specifically build railway engines)

Interpretation
TCDD is an abbreviation for The State Railways of the
 Republic of Turkey

Numbers
A) #3 the number of driving axles
 B) second #3 is the total number of axles in the engines
 C) #55 the engine serial number

Anniversary
TCDD celebrated a 150 years recently with its I-Zmir to Aydin line of 1856.

During That Time
Countries of England and Germany arranged licenses with the Turkish Government for
 railway construction 
Even today the line is in use with an upgrade for modern commuter use

Metal Tires
Locomotive wheels are mounted by being heated until it expands, then fitted onto the wheel
 and allowed to cool
Then it shrinks into place, creating a tight grip

Train Line
A total of 8600 kms (5300 miles) of rail was laid during the Ottoman Empire
between 1856 - 1922

Early Tracks
Were originally iron-reinforced wooden "wagonways" as horses pulled carts on them 
Then when trains took over and because of the weight of Steam Locomotives, the rails had
to be improved 
 Thus since the 1870s the track has been made of steel 

All Aboard
There are no guides for this tour, so do your research before heading here
 But Bonus
 You are allowed to climb inside (using the engine ladders) to enter the railcars, cabs and so on

Velocity Restrictions
The maximum speed for these locomotives was 190kms (120 mph) but it was never this fast as the railroad line was not designed for this  

Rusty Gold
I know a few car collectors that would pay big money for this patina 😃

 Coaling Tower
 This replaced (in the early years) the shoveling by hand method 
These stations were first built in Britain in 1847
 At first from wood, then steel or reinforced concrete which also used
 the gravity fed system

 Golden Age of Steam 

Fun Facts

A) Fastest; the steam locomotive  LNER Class A4 Mallard

 which reached 203km (126 mph) in 1938

B) Giants of the Rails; the Union Pacific "Big Boy" weighed a massive

 545,000kgs (1.2 million pounds) 

C) First to 160km (100mph); the Flying Scotsman in 1934

D) Pulling Power; into todays times, a modern freight train can haul the same amount

 of goods as over 300 trucks

Terry Travels B&W Photos #4

#TerryTravelsBWPhotos4

 The Australian Outback.
 Staying at a Hobby Farm (60,000 of them) that are required to be between 50-100 acres to qualify
 Once there as a paying guest you will launch yourself into the local culture
 and perhaps even working the farm

My fondest memory of my stay was how the night sky was so black, with no light pollution from any manmade artificial illumination  

Stockholm Sweden
 A photo of a street light you ask 😂
Well some history;
In 1749 the government asked property owners to keep their lanterns lit during the dark months
 from dusk to midnight
As with its northern latitude, the area gets an average of 6-7 hours of daylight
 which they call a polar night

 Marseille France 
Over one hundred neighborhoods to explore 

My Favorites
 A) Le Panier; which is the oldest area with its open air museum
and steep narrow streets
B) Rue d Aubagne; the cities multiculturalism section featuring the North African shops
 and its traditional eateries
C) Montee des Accoules; showing off its colorful facades and street art

 Stockholm Sweden
Markings have been around since cave art were being used as communication
Then the ancient Greeks and Romans used symbols on stone and with another example,
 in 1389 the King of England required ale sellers to have signs
 so inspectors could find them

Well this restaurant was recommended to me, so the signage did work 😀

Trinity Church in Boston Massachusetts
It has been designated as one of ten most important buildings in America and was completed in 1877 
Tours are available 

York Redoubt Nova Scotia
Was built in 1793, which was part of the Halifax (Canada) Defense Complex
 (Georges Island, Fort McNab, Citadel Fort and Prince of Wales Tower)
 It was to protect the entrance of the harbor and did so for over three hundred years 

 Venice Italy
As i get to explore some of the 150 canals here

 Back during the founding of Venice in the 5th Century
 It was a large lagoon with several small marshy islands separated by natural channels, so these waterways were made more wider and deeper
(3-4 meters 10-15 feet) during the expansion of the city

Trujillo Spain
Not photoshopped and when i asked around no one knew of the purpose of this giant bolt
But i have always said; when you are different.....different finds you jajajjaja

Eastern Canada
The concept of a maze dates back with the ancient Greeks and Romans
using them as rituals, not just a puzzle

Now they are used for Halloween plus other fun themes
 with the largest over 65 acres here in Quebec 

Slovenia
Checking out the mortar lines for any hidden messages
 left behind by the bricklayers 

 Casablanca 
Thinking out loud how long it took the Moroccan artisans and craftsmen
to complete this mosaic tilework set of stairs

Madrid
Found this music store with the cities love of Rock/Indie, Flamenco,
Jazz and Chotis genres

Artwork
Did this piece as i was sitting in a cafe in Eastern Europe

Prague Czech Republic
The Romans (as per usual) engineered sophisticated pressurized fountains back then, up to present day with the use of electricity for complex shows with lights, music and choreographed water jets

 The first drinking version was patented in 1916, after the inventor noticed children
 sharing a dirty cup

Toledo Spain
Heading inside for a meal (Spanish Paella) that includes saffron
It is the worlds most expensive spice, which fortunately this areas climate is ideal for growing 

Santorini Greece & the Fira to Oia hike

#FiraOiaHikeSantorini

As my travel blog is about tips on where to visit and saving money doing so
(Case in Point) i see that this hike was listed at $140.00 PP in small groups.

 Now my fellow travelers, you can do this on your own for 2 Euros
 (bus fare on the return to your starting point)
 All i ask from you is to wear proper footwear (you will see why with my photos) bring water, snacks, sunscreen and a hat

 

Roman Cobblestone Roads
Although we are in Greece it was their rivals who came up with the concept, as many have heard the saying "all roads lead to Rome" and indeed it did, after they constructed
400,000 kms (250,000 miles) of a highway network

Our Route
 We start our hike on their creation, but soon it will become loose gravel and dirt
as we trek towards Oia

Nature At Work
Now as we walk around the caldera you realize the massiveness of the volcanic eruption that occurred here 3500 years ago (which today gives us these amazing views) 
 As it was one of the largest explosions in recorded history that created a tsunami that wiped out the Minoan civilization on the island of Crete 200kms or 125 miles away
   
Only One
Today Santorini boasts the only inhabited caldera in the world,
with the villages of Fira and Oia

Before Tourism
 Santorini was a major trading hub that brought visiting and local vendors to the markets that featured crafted pottery, woven textiles, wines, spices plus herbs

Today
 The island is world famous for its iconic whitewashed, cube shaped houses
and with the blue domed churches plus the very popular Red / Black Beaches
 (sand with pebbles of various shades because of the volcanic activity in the area)  

 Dome Shaped Buildings
 Basically it was built this way for the low cost, as they were sometimes dug partially or entirely
into the volcanic rock
Then its design was to have a narrow, dome covered facades
with the windows that would bring in the natural light and its warmth

Cave Houses
This part of the trail had some fencing up, so i assume its private property and with what the locals
told me about these famous structures
 In the beginning there were a necessity as it was for the poorer residents
to escape the sun, winds and pirates

Moving Forward
 After the devastating 1956 earthquake, these dwellings have been repurposed into some of the
 islands most sought after accommodations

Legend of Atlantis
With the Minoan eruption resulting in the collapse of the island center, many people believe it inspired the Greek philosopher Plato and the legend of that lost city

Jules Verne
The famous author was also inspired by the volcanos activity here during a visit,
which he wrote about in his books 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and The Mysterious Island

 Aegean Sea
View from the caldera (from Latin caldaria meaning cooking pot)
 
   Its Meaning
 Its a large depression formed when a volcano erupts then collapses, so basically when the magma chamber empties it leaves no support for the walls thus fills
 up with water

Walking on History
Some challenging parts of the hike but also notice the black rocks, these are older volcanic stones from past eruptions being put to good use as you keep on trekking

 Fira
 Capital of Santorini with an amazing photo as we keep walking to our goal 

 Its History
 It first started out as a settlement in the late 18th century, eventually coming under the rule of the
Turks (with their strength of the military)
At this time that was a good thing as then they did not have to worry
about the pirate raids of their island

Vendors
Along your hike you will find some merchants setup selling water, fruit, sunscreen etc
But again please bring these essentials yourself , as these pop-up stands are not
consistent plus expensive 

Whitewash
The main reason most buildings are done with this mixture (made by mixing lime, water plus sea salt)  the color is a reflector of heat, so it works perfectly to keep the dwellings cool and fresh

 The Capel of the Assumption of the Virgin
 The last climb before Oia, yay! 

 Oia 😃
Because of the island volcanic soil (which is rich in minerals) it has created some exceptional wines, after a few glasses i agree👌

Expensive Homes
As i look at many of the two-story houses, i am told they were originally owned by wealthy shipowners This is a reminder of the areas maritime past and today they are priced into the millions

KeyTip
Its a pedestrian only area with its narrow streets, add in the big crowds
  around sunset and it gets to be shoulder to shoulder craziness
 So be very careful of your valuables

Toponym
The local government was looking for a more elegant name, so they chose Oia 
(Doric dialect meaning far)
As the village at this time in history was a long distance from all the
 other settlements 

World Free Runners
Red Bull Art of Motion used the backdrop of this village, which created a dramatic and
photogenic scene for their competitions

History of Colors
The whitewashed walls and the blue domes of Santorini was not always this way
It was right-wing military regime (1967-1974) who imposed that all the buildings be painted
in this color scheme
This was to inspire patriotism and attract more tourists

Today
As you can see some structures are changing it up to stand out from the rest, which ironically was the intended purpose from the beginning

The 588 Karavolades Stairs
Originally built in the 18th Century, it was to serve as a direct connection between
 the Port and Town

Rules
A) Please remember that the donkeys get the right of way
B) The cobbled steps are not all even so the footing is off
C) Be aware on the dung 😅

KeyTip
 Or as you can see in the distance the Cable Car is available for 6 Euros for adults
 and 3 Euros for children to avoid the climb or descent