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The Place - Uludag-Bursa, Turkey Many of you will be used to thinking of Turkey as a place to go for a summer holiday, and may be surprised to discover that it is a mountainous country, with plenty of scope for very good skiing! Our flights will take us to Istanbul, and we will then face a five or six hour transfer by bus to the race resort. It is a fascinating trip, starting with a glimpse of the minarets of Istanbul and then crossing the toll bridge over the Bosphorus (which takes us out of Europe and into Asia). Later on during the journey, we have to cross the Sea of Marmara on a car ferry. This is where we really start to realise that we are in a very different country from the ones we are used to skiing in. We are invited to sample the delights of Turkish apple tea for the first time! After leaving the coastal area round the Sea of Marmara (and getting a chance to see some of the devastation caused by the earthquakes of 1999), we very soon begin the long steep climb up to our final destination. Uludag is set high in the mountains above the very eastern city of Bursa, and is a lovely resort. It has an extensive ski area with varied terrain served by a good network of chairlifts and T-bars. There are plenty of mountain restaurants and cafes, many of them quite unusual. One is an old mountain-top fortress that has been converted to its current use as a cafe - it is round, with hugely thick walls, a central fireplace, and with rugs and cushions and low tables to gather round. Because all the National Teams stay in the same hotel at the foot of the pistes, organisation within the resort is very easy. After the races, we hope that it will again be possible to spend 24 hours in Istanbul, where we may get a chance to visit the Blue Mosque, the wonderful underground water 'palace' known as the Basilica Cistern, and try our hand at bargaining in the Covered Bazaar! Move to The Race or Uludag 2006 |
