Otopark of Sorrows

Finding places in cities to park a 7 meter rig--just a standard Sprinter, really--is not always easy. Particularly when one can not read the language, know where he/she is, exactly, nor where he/she wants to go, exactly. Thus, after wandering Ankara's usual medieval warren of small streets, markets, etc., for half an hour, knowing we were close to the citadel and thus close to the museum, we finally parked, probably illegally, on a busy street, and I reconned on foot. ("Probably illegally" along with a dozen or so others). A couple blocks past the bus station, I found an otopark, a carpark as they say in the UK of GB, and upon inquiring, and some rudimentary sign language, ascertained that, yes, we could park there; not only that but that we could stay overnight, for a mere 10YTL (7 bucks). Right under the citadel. Ground zero again. Fenced and guarded, and not particularly noisy. As it turned out, the otopark adjoined the city's auto/truck impoundment place, where you go to redeem your car when it has been towed. Thus, the Otopark of Sorrows. OK, I have been reading too much Louis Bernieres.

Right under the citadel; but right next to the police station,

which is always good if you can't find a monastery

Turkish tow trucks are scary; they place four

straps on your tires, then lift your entire

vehicle up in the air and carry it to the pound,

depositing it back on the ground there; I hope

they would balk at a 4 ton vehicle

The citadel, from the Otopark of Sorrows

Across the road from the otopark, up the canyon; can you

count all 47 satellite dishes?