I am planning nine days in Istanbul and the med coast, possibly around Selcuk, in early May. I wonder if some of you Turkophiles could provide any insights to the following questions:-
1. I shall be arriving four days after the Gallipoli commemorations therefore it is likely that there may be some accommodation issues; can anyone recommend any hotel/guesthouses circa the $20 a night range which are not already listed in the LP/Roughguides (am I breaking any taboos here suggesting there is life outside the guide books! Will my TT account be deleted?)? Is pre booked accom a necessity in the week after ANZAC day, or do they bugger off pretty sharply after the ceremony?
2. Does anyone have any experience on the ferry /train to Izimir (Istanbul-Bandirma-Izimir)? The LP guide implies that the train section is a bit crap but doesn’t give details (is it dirty? Slow? Unreliable? Is there a smooth connection?). Alternatively is there a night bus to Izimir from Istanbul?
3. I am heading to Selcuk as it seems to have a good mix of tourist attractions (near a beach/ruins of Ephesus/an occasional glance at normal Turkish life). Is it worth me coming all the way south for Ephesus, or are the more northerly ruins such as Pergamum or Troy just as good, with other stuff to do nearby (I would say that I am reasonably keen on ruins and the historical stuff)?
4. Can anyone recommend any good birdwatching areas in the general north Med coastal area? Or any good day hikes/treks?
5. Carpets: I know it’s like asking how long a piece of string is, but does anyone have any general guidelines as to the prices for the various levels of quality? If you regard that as a moronic question then how about telling me what the seller’s starting price was, what your starting price was, and what the final price was (and how big the carpet was?)

Cheers peeps
Michael

DEFINITELY go to Ephesus, it's quite extensive and well-worth the time and effort. It's considered one of the most important sites in the Mediterranean area. I also loved Troy but it pales in comparison, is more primitive and not anywhere near as large or complete a site, more like a few walls and piles of rubble and stone here and there. Did you know that Homer's "Troy" is actually the 6th or 9th (can't remember which) city built on that same spot out of the rubble of the one that came before? That was news to me. I still loved it, though, gave me a feeling of being right in the middle of some important world history.

Things die down soon after Anzac Day so you shouldn't have any problem finding a room. I stayed in Canakkale, near Troy, and just walked around and asked until I found something in my price range.

About carpets-the Turks love to show off their knowledge of carpets and will invite you in for some tea or coffee and to have a look at their wares. Take advantage of this to ask questions and get an idea of what's being sold. Do this in more than one shop and by the time you're ready to buy something you'll know enough to make a good choice. Knots per square centimeter/inch are a determining factor, source of dyes, style of design, region of origin and age all play a part in the pricing. Of course they will tell you that the dyes are all natural, but unless it's very old and expensive that will probably not be true. Aniline dyes are very common.

There are two distinct types of carpets, one with pile like a normal carpet and a kilim, which is woven more like a tapestry with no cut pile--like a big needlepoint.

What they will sell a carpet for is whatever they can get out of you. NEVER pay more than half the original asking price, and pay less if you can. If you find one you really like take your time. Don't try to bargain all at once, take a day or two if you have the time. Have fun with it. They will respect you for it. When they give you a price act disappointed and say that you can't afford anything anywhere near that amount. They will ask you to name your price. Hesitate and say that you don't want to insult them with how much you can spend. They will press you for an answer. Whatever they are asking cut it by 75%, in other words if they want $4000 tell them you can only afford $1000. They will scoff and make noises like that's way too low (but it probably isn't). Apologize and say, "I told you I can't afford what you ask." They will ask you for another price. Hold fast, don't give away your best price yet. Just say you could probably increase by a couple of hundred dollars but no more. They will then counter with another offer. This will go on and on over the course of your negotiations until you reach the price you are really willing to pay. When you get to a couple of hundred below that point tell them that's your final offer, even though it really isn't, and ask, "do we have a deal?" and offer a handshake to seal the bargain. If they still refuse tell them thank you but you can't spend anythng more because you have other things to buy and you have to save your money for them. Get up to leave. They might counter with another offer at that time. If it's not to your liking say you need to go think about it for awhile. Return sometime later and make your real final offer, telling them that you've decided that you're willing to pay that amount more but absolutely no more. If they don't meet your price then it's up to you whether or not to pay more if you really want to.

You're under no obligation to pay their price. I suggest that you do this in more than one shop at the same time. One of them will go for your price and you'll end up with something you can enjoy at a reasonable price. I bought a carpet for $1200 that was appraised for $3200 when I got back home. The original asking price was $2800 and I started out by offering $750. By the time I agreed on $1200 we were great friends and everyone was happy. Good Luck!

Michael

I guess I might be too late with this, as we're already in early May, but you can do worse than Selcuk for birding.

There's a ruined aqueduct through the centre of town that has nesting White Storks (lots). St. John's Basilica has Syrian Woodpecker. Plenty of common Mediterranean species in the area. The nearby Menderes delta and Karine Golu have pelicans, flamingoes, etc.

We have a trip report on avengerpenguins.com for our Turkish trip in 2001. You might find some of it useful.