One site I wished I’d had the time to visit was “Yilankale castle” (castle of snakes) in the province of Adana, southern Turkey. We all passed it on our way to Iraq or Syria. It just seemed to conjure up in my mind exactly how a crusader castle should look like. Oh well, never get there now.
rondavies:
One site I wished I’d had the time to visit was “Yilankale castle” (castle of snakes) in the province of Adana, southern Turkey. We all passed it on our way to Iraq or Syria. It just seemed to conjure up in my mind exactly how a crusader castle should look like. Oh well, never get there now.
I remember that one Ron, wasn’t it the back drop for one of the scenes from Destination Doha ■■?
Interesting point that was made earlier, I some times went to see places on my own and most of the time it was pretty strange being there on my own, not having any one to wander about with.
I often wondered what Balkalour ( Russian space centre ) was like, but the constant buzzing of MIG’s in the area made us feel like we were being watched…
I used to pass Smurf Land twice a week… somewhere near Nancy if I remember… Never really tempted !!!.. But I was told that the Laughing Cow dairy was doing tours… That was round about Besancon…
Jeff…
Jeff…
Milton Keynes.
Suedehead:
Milton Keynes.
Very good!
That ‘laughing cow’ has made you say that, hasn’t it!
John.
John West:
Suedehead:
Milton Keynes.Very good!
That ‘laughing cow’ has made you say that, hasn’t it!
John.
What me and the missus get up,has got frec all to do with you matey boy.
rondavies:
One site I wished I’d had the time to visit was “Yilankale castle” (castle of snakes) in the province of Adana, southern Turkey. We all passed it on our way to Iraq or Syria. It just seemed to conjure up in my mind exactly how a crusader castle should look like. Oh well, never get there now.
I found that crusader castle a bit of a lure too. One day I hired a car in Adana and went to have a look. While I was at it I explored Iskenderun, Antakya and the little back-road down to Yayladagi and the Syrian border. A policeman stopped me and demanded that I take an old man, his grandson and baby goat back to the next town with me (can’t remember now which town it was). All in a day’s work, eh! Robert 
One of the things that I noticed later on in life was how naïve I was when I was younger. Most of the time I was just so wrapped that I was actually driving a truck to all those interesting places… Sort of like having a full time payed holiday for a long time… Back then was always running on my own, I didn’t have a CB, so I passed a lot of places on the way and just stared at them through the window as I drove past at 90kph, not knowing what they were called or any of there history… So I just to make it up my self… probably not very accurate… There was no Google or internet back then either, so you couldn’t just look it up either…I used to buy a lot of good maps… Still have them and at night I would try and find place that I had passed along the way or might drive past in the following days… More often than not it would just be a losing glance through the trees or on top of a hill… getting the load of/on, ferries, border crossing, etc usually took priority… But the biggest thing was… I’d be back next week/ month… so I’d have more time and have a look round then.
I did manage to have a look round Elin Donnan Castle, on the way to Skye… National Trust places were usually fine to park as most of them had good coach parking areas… Neolithic stone circles were usually a bit more rural and parking for a wagon and drag had to be a bit more inventive…
I got into trouble in the south of France when I tried to see a big Castle ( the one where Merlin was shot near the Spanish border ) seemingly they weren’t to keen to have 6 axle fridges interacting in their scenic topography…
Jeff…
Possibly the nicest decision I ever made in an effort to avoid missing the opportunity to see a world-class site, was to make a slight detour in Greece to visit Delphi. Coming over Amfissa mountain I had rung ahead to book a ferry and the only sailing I could get left me with the best part of a day free. So I cut across the mountain - a bit tight with an artic, I have to say - and parked up in Delphi on a beautiful early spring day. The place of full of blossom and hardly a tourist in sight. It was bliss! I even had lunch there. Pics below. Robert
You can just spot my lorry below (top right hand corner!).
robert1952:
Possibly the nicest decision I ever made in an effort to avoid missing the opportunity to see a world-class site, was to make a slight detour in Greece to visit Delphi. Coming over Amfissa mountain I had rung ahead to book a ferry and the only sailing I could get left me with the best part of a day free. So I cut across the mountain - a bit tight with an artic, I have to say - and parked up in Delphi on a beautiful early spring day. The place of full of blossom and hardly a tourist in sight. It was bliss! I even had lunch there. Pics below.
Definitely a case of ‘The Oracle visiting Delphi’!
John
In 2003 I was sent to D,nyepropetrovsk in the Ukraine to teach a gang of locals how to build our harvesting machines. We were promised an area to use in the then defunct “Space City” an ex top secret installation disguised as a block of skyscrapers. Once there we were fobbed off with a scruffy shed in a derelict dock area 18 Km from our hotel. It was 15 below outside and 10 degrees C below inside with an earth floor and single phase welders.
I still dream about Space City. Jim
bullitt:
The Atomium in Brussels, Coliseum in Rome, Tower of Pisa, The Rock of Gib.
The days (1970) when you could take a lorry into Rome, park up, and spend 4 hours at the Coliseum.
It was also the period when week-ended you dropped the trailer and used the unit to go explore the area, places of interest, or visit the beach, etc…fat chance to-day I would think.
Always wanted to visit Oradour-sur-Glane, the village where the Germans massacred 640+ villagers in one of the worse atrocities in WW2. Never managed it in the truck, but have been there twice since we moved here…very emotional place…
Fergie that reminds me of the first time I did the sights of London buck house and the tower it was in a Scammell highwayman as we could not move a wide load on Saturdays so we had the day off on pay ( this was 67 before you had to have a day off ) and Eric Humberstone took me up the Mall and all around the sights as we had to be out of the digs after breakfast so the highwayman became a private tourist bus for the day 
probably not able to do it nowadays 
most likely end up in the tower.
I did go to London on a works trip in 1960 but I spent most of the day in the Imperial War Museum and the evening in Soho just looking round of course then the train home around midnight 
cheers Johnnie
Fergie47:
bullitt:
The Atomium in Brussels, Coliseum in Rome, Tower of Pisa, The Rock of Gib.The days (1970) when you could take a lorry into Rome, park up, and spend 4 hours at the Coliseum.
It was also the period when week-ended you dropped the trailer and used the unit to go explore the area, places of interest, or visit the beach, etc…fat chance to-day I would think.Always wanted to visit Oradour-sur-Glane, the village where the Germans massacred 640+ villagers in one of the worse atrocities in WW2. Never managed it in the truck, but have been there twice since we moved here…very emotional place…
When I cleared customs in Rome it was just around the corner from the Coliseum.
I always wanted to have a look at the pig van that sat at the side of the Auto Strada near Parma 80’s 90’s … Truth be told I wanted to buy it… Every time I went that way I always said to my self " I’ll stop on the way back "
Jeff…
sammyopisite:
Fergie that reminds me of the first time I did the sights of London buck house and the tower it was in a Scammell highwayman as we could not move a wide load on Saturdays so we had the day off on pay ( this was 67 before you had to have a day off
I did go to London on a works trip in 1960 but I spent most of the day in the Imperial War Museum and the evening in Soho just looking round of course then the train home around midnight
cheers Johnnie
One From the Archive Jonnie T Allen Houses of Parliament Circa 1952 Cheers Chris
Is that ex Bewick 8 pot Guy Fergie ? No probably not it wouldnt get that far must be a ■■■■■■■ !
bestbooties:
When I cleared customs in Rome it was just around the corner from the Coliseum.
Cleared there many times, think it was called the Magazine de Generalli (sp) as you said, next to the Coliseum. 
Dan Punchard:
Is that ex Bewick 8 pot Guy Fergie ? No probably not it wouldnt get that far must be a ■■■■■■■ !
A whole 180hp ■■■■■■■ @ 32 ton…never broke down once … No sleeper ( Hotels ) no power steering, no radio…no rush…
sammyopisite:
Fergie that reminds me of the first time I did the sights of London buck house and the tower it was in a Scammell highwayman as we could not move a wide load on Saturdays so we had the day off on pay ( this was 67 before you had to have a day off
I did go to London on a works trip in 1960 but I spent most of the day in the Imperial War Museum and the evening in Soho just looking round of course then the train home around midnight
cheers Johnnie
John…if you could, make the job work for you eh…and why not.
Jelliot:
I always wanted to have a look at the pig van that sat at the side of the Auto Strada near Parma 80’s 90’s … Truth be told I wanted to buy it… Every time I went that way I always said to my self " I’ll stop on the way back "Jeff…
This one Jeff ■■?
Fergie47:
bestbooties:
Cleared there many times, think it was called the Magazine de Generalli (sp) as you said, next to the Coliseum.I went in there a few times , on the first occasion I nearly demolished the gate post ,I should have gone past it ,to the top of the road ,turned around and come in from the other side of the road.
Is that pig on the Fiat still there ?
Oh Yeh I think that’s it… You could see it from the Autostrada near Parma, on the left going south and the right going north. If that’s not it, it would have done me just fine… I could still see my self going to and from work in that one though… Might have to make one my self…
Jeff…