From Trabzon, we sailed via Tirebolu, Giresun, and Fatsa to Samsun, a large city of 500,000 people. The coastline continues to be heavily built up with a population which seems to be increasing at an amazing rate. While here, we traveled 150 km inland through rich agricultural country to Amasya, a fascinating city straddling a river in a narrow gorge surrounded by high rocky mountains, and dominated by an ancient fortress built atop the highest peak. The city, which has a history dating back to the bronze age, was one of the most beautiful we have seen, with old ottoman houses lining the river banks, interesting bridges, and rock tombs carved into the mountain sides. It apparently occupies a strategically important location as there have been many battles fought for its possession over all those centuries. We are now ready to continue our journey west toward Istanbul.
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