Kirklareli and Edirne

This week I am in Kirklareli and Edirne to visit ETA Dara. I took Ismail Ayaz Bus from Eskisheir to Istanbul (about 4 hrs) because apparently no bus line goes direct to Kirklareli, and not many go there at all. From Istanbul, I took Metro Bus line (about another 3 hrs).

Kirklareli is a small town very near the Bulgarian and Greek borders. It apparently used to be called "40 churches." Dara showed me a shambles of a very old synagogue in the very old Jewish quarter. I could not get a photo of it. We walked around town a lot and had some good meals. I stayed at Akkus Kaya Hotel at Turist Yolu No 1. Very small room with a cold wind whipping through the windows all night - a big windy, rainy time. Dara is at Kirklareli Kavakli campus, small and remote from town in an area that reminds me of driving through the midwest - lots of farms and crops - buguday and grapes mostly.