text:
Marla

Marla is a service town in South Australia situated on the Stuart Highway at the junction with the northern end of the Oodnadatta Track.

Understand
The name "Marla", is derived from the Marla Bore which is located to west of Marla and whose name is reported as being ultimately "a corruption of the Aboriginal marlu - ‘a kangaroo’".

Geoffrey H. Manning, the South Australian historian, reports that the town was proclaimed as a place for "the provision of essential services to travellers crossing the continent" and to act as an administrative centre for the north-west part of the state including the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara lands and the Mintabie Opal Field to the town's west.

The town includes a health centre "Marla Clinic" operated on behalf of the state government by the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, a regional police station and a privately-owned complex called the Marla Travellers Rest which is described as consisting of "roadhouse, hotel and motel, restaurant, service station, supermarket, caravan park and much more." it also is an agent for Australia Post LPO.

Get in
People travelling the Oodnadatta Track will be pleased to be back on sealed road at Marla. People travelling the Stuart Highway between Alice Springs and Adelaide will find Marla a surprisingly developed service centre.

See
There is no development in Marla except for the service centre, which is rather sterile. The Australian outback surrounds the town. Across the highway from the service centre, the Ghan train line stretches as far as the eye can see in each direction.

Do
Take a break, and then keep on driving.

Connect
Only Telstra has coverage in Marla.

Go next
Alice Springs is around 400 km to the north, Coober Pedy around 200 km to the south and Oodnadatta around 200 km down the Oodnadatta track. Keep driving.

title: Marla


text:
Marlborough

There is more than one place called Marlborough:

Australia

 * Marlborough (Queensland) - A town in Queensland.

New Zealand

 * Marlborough (New Zealand) - A region in New Zealand.

United Kingdom

 * Marlborough (England) - A town in Wiltshire.

United States of America

 * Marlborough (Connecticut) - A town in Connecticut.
 * Marlborough (Massachusetts) - A town in Massachusetts.
 * Marlborough (Missouri) - A town in Missouri.
 * Marlborough (New Hampshire) - A town in New Hampshire.
 * Marlborough (New York) - A town in New York.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Marlborough


text:
Marlborough (Massachusetts)

Marlborough, sometimes seen as "Marlboro" is a city in Massachusetts with a population of 42,000 (2020).

By car
Marlboro is served by Interstate 495 and Interstate 290.

By plane
Most people would arrive by Logan International Airport in Boston. General aviation is served by Marlboro Airport (9B1).

Eat
Acapulcos Located near the border of Sudbury and Marlborough on Route 20, there is a great Mexican restaurant named Acapulcos.

Sleep
Additional lodging options can be found a few miles away in the town of Hudson.

title: Marlborough (Massachusetts)


text:
Marlborough (New York)

Marlborough is a town of 8,700 people (2020) in Ulster County, New York state. It is sometimes listed as "Marlboro". This article also covers the nearby hamlet of Milton.

Understand
The town was named after the Duke of Marlborough.

Get in
U.S. Route 9W passes through the eastern part of the town. US Route 44 and NY 55 cross the northwestern corner of the town.

title: Marlborough (New York)


text:
Marlborough (New Zealand)

Marlborough is a region at the north-eastern end of the South Island of New Zealand, chock full of great food to eat and intriguing sights to see. It is renowned for its high sunshine hours, New Zealand's largest wine-growing area, whale and fur seal watching off the Kaikoura Coast and the sunken valleys of the Marlborough Sounds, where most of the world's green-lipped mussels are harvested.

Our visitor region of Marlborough is a relatively natural amalgam of the whole area of the unitary local authority of Marlborough District Council together with the adjacent area of Kaikoura District Council (formally part of the Canterbury Regional Council area) to the south.

Towns

 * – the largest town and transport hub for this region
 * – the green-lipped mussel capital of the world and jumping-off point for the Pelorus Sounds
 * – boat trips, fixed wing and helicopter flights to get up close to humpback whales
 * – the car ferry gateway from Wellington to the whole South Island and the Marlborough Sounds
 * – a rural settlement and link to the western Marlborough Sounds – great bacon!
 * – a satellite town to Blenheim
 * – a small town south of the Awatere river
 * – a small town in the heart of the Flaxbourne District

Other destinations

 * – forested scenic reserve and river swimming
 * – forested scenic reserve and river swimming

Geography
Marlborough-Kaikoura is on the east coast of the South Island. The long Wairau Valley divides Marlborough. To the north are the Richmond Ranges and beyond that the drowned valleys of the Marlborough Sounds. To the south is Kaikoura Flat and then the Kaikoura Ranges and coast. As the prevailing wind is westerly, Marlborough-Kaikoura's climate is hot and dry in summer and generally rather dry all year round.

History
Marlborough-Kaikoura has been settled by Māori for a millennium. Like all parts of Aotearoa (New Zealand), Marlborough-Kaikoura was contested amongst various iwi (tribes). Of those tribes recognized as being in existence today, Marlborough-Kaikoura was a Rangitane, Ngāti Apa, Ngāti Kuia and Ngai Tahu stronghold up until the musket wars of 1806-1845 when invading iwi from Taranaki (Ngāti Toa, Ngāti Rarua, Ngāti Tama, Ngāti Kōata and Te Atiawa) used the musket against the defenders armed only with spears and clubs. While Rangitane, Ngāti Apa, Ngāti Kuia and Ngai Tahu were to a greater or lesser extent routed, it is argued that conquest is only part of the customary land acquisition process and accordingly the defending iwi retained rights to the land. Even the nature of the customary relationships between tribes in boundary areas is disputed with one view being that fixed and determined boundary lines were a Pakeha construct unknown to Māori.

Today all the iwi named above are recognized as having influence in Te Tau Ihu (the top of the South Island). Ngai Tahu is recognized as having a sphere of influence emanating from Kaikoura and points south. Rangitane are recognized as having influence in the Wairau Valley. Ngāti Toa and Ngāti Rarua have shared influence over all of Marlborough-Kaikoura but especially concentrated on Port Underwood. Te Atiawa are recognized as having influence in Queen Charlotte Sound. Ngāti Apa retained influence in Port Gore and towards the West Coast. Ngāti Koata had influence on Rangitoto (D'Urville Is). Ngāti Kuia has influence in the inner Pelorus Sound, with Ngāti Tama having influence closer to Nelson.

The Crown went about purchasing and taking land which they wanted for settlers in the 1850s. Settlement continued apace. The first major industry of the region was flax and remnants of the flax milling industry can be seen on the road between Spring Creek and Rarangi. Until the grape boom in the late 1980s, Marlborough sheep and beef farmers struggled with drought on stony country. The change to the historic province of Marlborough brought by grapes has been substantial.

In 1770, Captain Cook discovered the Kaikoura peninsula, believing it to be an island at first. Early European settlers used Kaikoura as a whaling station and the remains of pots used to render the whale blubber can be seen on the town foreshore.

Following the 1989 local government reforms, the Marlborough District and Kaikoura District fell under the Nelson-Marlborough Regional Council. However three years later the regional council broke up and its functions were delegated to the district councils, becoming unitary authorities. The Kaikoura district however was too small to survive as a unitary authority and was transferred to the Canterbury Region.

The claim brought by Ngai Tahu against the historical actions of the Crown was settled in the late 1990s. The Te Tau Ihu claim was settled in the 2010s.

By ferry

Regular passenger and vehicle ferry services link Wellington in the North Island with Picton. The journey takes around 3.5 hours, with the southern portion of the route travelling through Tory Channel and the upper Queen Charlotte Sound.

By bus
InterCity coaches and smaller shuttle buses run Picton–Christchurch and Picton–Blenheim–Nelson. Nelson Lakes Shuttles specialise in providing transport for trampers, hikers, climbers, mountain bikers and skiers. They run on-demand and scheduled services to St Arnaud, Nelson Lakes National Park, Kahurangi National Park, the Richmond Ranges and tramping destinations further afield.

By train
The Coastal Pacific (formerly TranzCoastal) stops in Blenheim, Picton, Seddon and Kaikoura (where the station is on Whaleway Station Road, presumably named because Whale Watch Kaikoura operate out of the station). A fantastic way to see the Kaikoura coast and Marlborough.

By car
State Highway 1 runs north-south through Marlborough, linking Picton, Blenheim, Seddon and Kaikoura south to Christchurch. State Highway 6 from Nelson runs east from Nelson via Havelock to meet SH 1 at Blenheim. State Highway 63 runs from State Highway 6 at Kawatiri via St Arnaud to SH 6 at Renwick (10 km west of Blenheim), providing a direct route from the West Coast to Marlborough avoiding Nelson.

Get around
Public transport is limited. The main routes through the region are serviced by buses and trains (see above). Blenheim, Picton and Kaikoura have a taxi and shuttle service. Water taxis and scheduled water transport are available from Picton for Queen Charlotte Sound, and Havelock for Pelorus Sound.

See

 * The Marlborough Sounds, an aquatic playground with bird and dolphin watching, kayaking, sailing and walking.
 * Vineyards stretching as far as the eye can see in the Wairau and Awatere Valleys.
 * Lake Grassmere - where seawater is turned into huge piles of salt by the sun and evaporation as well as being a birdwatcher's paradise. Between Seddon and Ward on State Highway 1.
 * Sperm whales
 * Dolphins
 * New Zealand fur seals
 * Wandering albatross
 * The Kaikoura Webcam

Depending on the season you may also see migrating humpback whales, pilot whales, blue whales and southern right whales. Kaikoura often hosts the world's largest dolphin, the orca or killer whale, and is home to the Hector's dolphin, the world's smallest and rarest dolphin. Kaikoura also attracts the largest concentration and variety of seabirds on mainland New Zealand, including 13 species of albatrosses, 14 varieties of petrels and 7 types of shearwaters.

Do

 * The Marlborough Wine Festival is held in February each year. Experience over 200 wines from around 40 wineries and gourmet food. It is NZ's longest running wine and food festival.
 * Garden Marlborough, an annual event running in the last week of October/first week of November showcasesMarlborough's finest gardens.
 * Marlborough-Kaikoura is an outdoors paradise. It can be used as a base for tramping (trekking or rambling) in the Nelson Lakes National Park, the Marlborough Sounds, the Richmond Ranges, the Kaikoura Ranges. One of Marlborough-Kaikoura's secrets is the Sawcut Gorge.
 * Ski Rainbow. 1.3h to the bottom of the access road, Rainbow Skifield is the northern most skifield in the South Island, close to the village of St Arnaud.
 * Surf - reef breaks and point breaks. Two surf shops in Kaikoura plus local surfboard manufacturer Surge Surfboards.
 * Take a fishing trip.
 * Surf - reef breaks and point breaks. Two surf shops in Kaikoura plus local surfboard manufacturer Surge Surfboards.
 * Take a fishing trip.

Eat

 * Most of New Zealand's native greenshell mussels are farmed in the Marlborough Sounds. These mussels with Sauvignon Blanc would be a Marlborough signature match.
 * Fresh crayfish (rock lobster) are on sale at Waipapa Bay Lobsters, 32 km north of Kaikoura. Crays here are always fresh, never frozen. There are outdoor tables where you can eat, or you can have them packed on ice should you want to eat them later in the day. In Maori, kai means "eat" and koura is "crayfish", so Kaikoura is the place to eat crayfish!
 * Blenheim, Picton and Kaikoura have a good range of eateries.

Drink
Marlborough-Kaikoura is New Zealand's largest grape growing region, with the Wairau plains near Blenheim being the home of a number of major wineries. Vineyard tours are a significant attraction. The main varieties of grape grown are Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Rieslings, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir. With the cool climate, constant sunshine and rich soil the region produces world-class Sauvignon Blanc that is sought all over the world. Demand is high and only a limited amount is for export.

Sleep
Blenheim, Picton, Kaikoura and Havelock all have a good range of places to sleep.

Go next

 * Canterbury to the south. From Kaikoura, the inland route through to Hanmer Springs is off the usual tourist trail (the coastal route) and rewards the traveller with mountain views and a soak in the hot springs.
 * Nelson Bays district to the west.

title: Marlborough (New Zealand)


text:
Marlborough Sounds

The Marlborough Sounds are a series of drowned valleys at the northern end of the Marlborough region of the north-eastern tip of New Zealand's South Island.

Understand
The Sounds are a visual feast of the interplay between the land, sea, nature and light and are divided into two main waterways, the Pelorus Sound, with Havelock at its base, and Queen Charlotte Sound, whose main town is Picton. Queen Charlotte Sound is generally seen as the more picturesque, with the Pelorus more remote. The inner Sounds (especially Queen Charlotte Sound) has reasonably extensive residential development. The Pelorus still has areas of untouched native forest, most of which is accessible only by boat.

Get in
Most explorations of the Marlborough Sounds will begin in Picton, Havelock or Rai Valley, all on the southern side of the Marlborough Sounds. Picton is the northernmost point of State Highway 1 in the South Island, the northern terminal of the Tranzcoastal train, and the South Island port for ferries from Wellington. Havelock and Rai Valley are on State Highway 6 between Blenheim and Nelson.

By car
The roads around the Sounds, while offering stunning views, are generally narrow and windy. Do not expect to travel at speeds greater than 60km/h and give yourself plenty of time. Generally there are no loop roads in the Sounds – you come out the same way you went in. Getting petrol can be a problem, especially in the evenings and at weekends. Picton has a 24-hr petrol station (the Shell on High St) and Blenheim has a selection on State Highway 1, which bisects the town. Rai Valley and Havelock have petrol stations that keep reasonable hours. For rental cars in Picton go to http://www.nzrentalcarhire.com http://www.pictonrentalcars.com
 * Just west of the settlement of Rai Valley on State Highway 6 is a turn-off leading to French Pass and Tennyson Inlet. Not long after you leave the state highway you will come to a junction. Taking the left fork the road continues over the Ronga Saddle yielding views of the Croisilles Harbour.  The settlement of Okiwi Bay has petrol at the campground shop.  The road then snakes around Elaine Bay before branching at the head of Admiralty Bay.  The left road takes you to the French Pass settlement riding high on the ridge overlooking Tasman and Admiralty Bays.  Allow 2 hours from the state highway to get to French Pass.  Fuel is available at the French Pass store.  The right road runs around the eastern side of Admiralty Bay overlooking the main Pelorus Sound to Port Ligar and Bulwer.  Allow more than 2 hours to get to Bulwer.
 * Leaving the state highway west of Rai Valley and then taking the right fork leads to Duncan Bay in Tennyson Inlet via the Opouri Saddle, from which are spectacular views. Tennyson Inlet is the end of the Nydia track.
 * 12 km north west of Havelock is Kaiuma Bay Rd, which leads to the beginning of the Nydia track.
 * At the southern end of Havelock is the start of the Queen Charlotte Drive, the scenic route between Havelock and Picton. The road climbs to Cullen Point.  From the carpark at the top there is a short walk which leads to a lookout giving views of Mahau Sound, as well as Kaituna and Pelorus estuaries.  From there the roads runs up to the head of Mahau Sound and then to Linkwater, where petrol can be purchased from the garage.  800 m beyond the garage is the turnoff north to the Keneperu Rd and a further 2 km is the turnoff north to Anakiwa, the start of the Queen Charlotte Track.  Queen Charlotte Drive then follows Queen Charlotte Sound to the Grove, Momorangi Bay and Ngakuta Bay, which has a beach good for a dip.  The road snakes to the port of Shakespeare Bay with a lookout on the eastern side before climbing over the last hill to Picton.  Allow 1 hour for this trip.
 * Kenepuru Rd turns off Queen Charlotte Drive at Linkwater.  This road first climbs and then hugs the side of the Keneperu Sound past Te Mahia resort, Portage (where petrol is available) to the head of the Keneperu Sound.  The road continues up to a saddle where the road forks, the left fork to Anakoha and the right to Titirangi Bay and Endeavour Inlet.  The track to the stop of Mt Stokes leaves from that fork.
 * From Picton, travelling east leads to Waikawa Bay. Beyond the bay the road climbs over to Port Underwood.  It continues to Robin Hood Bay, White's Bay and Rarangi and Blenheim. This route takes 1½ hours.

By bus
Intercity buses and Kahurangi shuttles link Picton, Blenheim, Havelock, Rai Valley and Nelson. From Havelock, there is a Nydia track shuttle to both ends of the Nydia track, Kaiuma Bay and Duncan Bay, Tennyson Inlet.

By boat
Boats are a good way to get around the Sounds. The size of the marinas, especially at Waikawa Bay and Havelock, is testament to that. Cook Strait at the head of the Sounds can be rough. Typically, transport will only take you within one of the Sounds.

See
Dolphins, sea birds, forest from the ridgeline to the sea.

Do

 * Walk or bike the
 * Make your own cheese in the Mahau Sound. Take part in the Mystery of Cheese workshop.
 * Make your own cheese in the Mahau Sound. Take part in the Mystery of Cheese workshop.
 * Make your own cheese in the Mahau Sound. Take part in the Mystery of Cheese workshop.

Eat
The local delicacies are the green-shelled mussel and local salmon. Farmed in large numbers (as well as settling naturally on pretty much any structure placed in the water), the mussel is available at most restaurants, cafes and bars. Picton, Havelock and the Rai Valley have eateries on their respective pages. All the resorts listed under accommodation have restaurants attached.

Drink
All of the resorts have bars worth downing a few in.

Holiday homes
Kiwi families often have holiday homes which are rented out when the owners are absent. If you are staying for more than a couple of nights, or have a large group or a family in need of its own space, a holiday home can be a good option.

Camping and backcountry
There are a large number of Department of Conservation campsites throughout the Sounds, some only accessible by boat or kayak. Some are serviced; others are just a place to pitch a tent with a toilet and running water.

Go next
Enjoy the sun and a sauvignon blanc in Blenheim or the beach and art in Nelson.

title: Marlborough Sounds


text:
Marlinton

Marlinton is a town of 960 people (as of 2019) in West Virginia. It is the county seat of Pocahontas County. Pocahontas County is known locally as the "Birthplace of the Rivers" because the Greenbrier, Cherry, Elk, Cheat, Gauley, Tygart, Williams and Cranberry rivers all originate from the area.

Get in
Marlinton is on US-219, which runs between Elkins and Lewisburg.

Do

 * Roadkill Cook-off, . Part of the Autumn Harvest Festival, held annually in late September. Cooking begins at 11AM, judging at 3PM. A culinary competition in which chefs prepare dishes made from animals that are commonly found on the side of the road: turkey, opossum, squirrel, rabbit, groundhog, bear, deer, boar, elk, moose, rattlesnake, frog and turtle. Dishes are usually given unappetizing names, such as "Turkey Gobble Vomit over Maggots", "Squirrel Scrotum Stew" or "Blood, Rocks and Guts over Snails and Maggots". The cook-off started in 1991 as a joke, in a bid to increase tourism to the area, and although it has drawn criticism for playing on a negative stereotype of Appalachians, the contest attracts cooks from all over. Visitors can sample the results. There's also arts and crafts, an agricultural and homemaking show, mountain music and dancing, and regular food concessions.
 * Roadkill Cook-off, . Part of the Autumn Harvest Festival, held annually in late September. Cooking begins at 11AM, judging at 3PM. A culinary competition in which chefs prepare dishes made from animals that are commonly found on the side of the road: turkey, opossum, squirrel, rabbit, groundhog, bear, deer, boar, elk, moose, rattlesnake, frog and turtle. Dishes are usually given unappetizing names, such as "Turkey Gobble Vomit over Maggots", "Squirrel Scrotum Stew" or "Blood, Rocks and Guts over Snails and Maggots". The cook-off started in 1991 as a joke, in a bid to increase tourism to the area, and although it has drawn criticism for playing on a negative stereotype of Appalachians, the contest attracts cooks from all over. Visitors can sample the results. There's also arts and crafts, an agricultural and homemaking show, mountain music and dancing, and regular food concessions.
 * Roadkill Cook-off, . Part of the Autumn Harvest Festival, held annually in late September. Cooking begins at 11AM, judging at 3PM. A culinary competition in which chefs prepare dishes made from animals that are commonly found on the side of the road: turkey, opossum, squirrel, rabbit, groundhog, bear, deer, boar, elk, moose, rattlesnake, frog and turtle. Dishes are usually given unappetizing names, such as "Turkey Gobble Vomit over Maggots", "Squirrel Scrotum Stew" or "Blood, Rocks and Guts over Snails and Maggots". The cook-off started in 1991 as a joke, in a bid to increase tourism to the area, and although it has drawn criticism for playing on a negative stereotype of Appalachians, the contest attracts cooks from all over. Visitors can sample the results. There's also arts and crafts, an agricultural and homemaking show, mountain music and dancing, and regular food concessions.

Go next

 * Elkins is about 1 hour 15 minutes north on US-219.
 * Lewisburg is about 50 minutes south on US-219.
 * Richwood is about 50 minutes west on WV-39.

title: Marlinton


text:
Mar Lodj

Mar Lodj is a rural community in Central Senegal. It belongs to the district of Fimela, in the Fatick administrative region.

Understand
Mar Lodj (also spelled Mar Lothie) is the name of an island in the Saloum delta, as well as the largest village on the island.

Peacefully protected near the mouth of the Sine-Saloum delta, half a day’s drive and a short pirogue ride from the commotion and noise of Dakar, the island of Mar Lodj is a calm and refreshing sanctuary. The local population, the perennially friendly and laidback Sérères, live in the island’s three villages of Mar Lodj, Mar Soulou, and Mar Fafaco, as well as on the quaint island-within-an-island of Mar Wandié. Mar Lodj, the largest, has a population of about 2000 and is the only village on the island to be predominantly Catholic. Some ten campements and lodges spread along the island’s beaches provide a range of accommodations.

Climate

The travel season in Mar Lodj (and Senegal more generally) corresponds with the dry season, beginning in mid-October and continuing to early-June. This time of year is characterized by relatively little rainfall, lower humidity and milder temperatures. Temperatures range in the mid to high seventies. June through October constitute the wet season and see increased rainfall and rising temperatures, typically peaking in August and September.

Get in
Travel to Mar Lodj can be organized through lodging establishments, by private car or through public transit options. The most common access point for Mar Lodj is the village of Ndangane Sambou; from there, the island is a short pirogue ride away. Wait around for the public shuttle boat (250 FCFA) or hire a private one.

To reach the embarkation village of Ndangane Sambou from Dakar, take the highway N1 south through Mbour and then continue south on the Joal route. After Joal the road changes from asphalt to a red bush-road; the quality of the road after Joal is poor and can become impassable during the rainy season without a 4x4. Follow the signs in Samba Dia directing you to Fimela; continue past Ndangane Campement to the "docks" at Ndangane Sambou.

Alternatively, take N1 (direction Kaolack) through Mbour to the Croisement Ndiosmone (between the towns of Thiadiaye and Tattaguine). Take the Route Ndiosmone-Djoffior-Ndangane south past Ndangane Campement to Ndangane Sambou. The Route Ndiosmone-Djoffior-Ndangane is horribly potholed asphalt; the red bush-road from Joal is preferable during the dry season.

An easy public transportation option exists as well. Catch the Ndangane Sambou mini-bus from the Garage Pompiers in Dakar (1900 FCFA per person + 500 FCFA max per bag). Make sure to arrive at the garage in the morning to be sure to catch the afternoon public shuttle boat once in Ndangane.

Get around
Within Mar Lodj The distance between most of the lodging establishments on Mar Lodj and the village itself is fairly small; it is easy to walk or rent a horse-drawn cart. Taking a horse-drawn cart is the best option to reach the other villages on the island, which are in general farther away.

See
The best way to explore and learn about the Sérères of Mar Lodj is from one of the local guides who aren’t very organized or visible. Your campement should be able to put you in touch with one, or the guides are easy to find at the artisan ateliers where they sell their sand paintings in the village. Any tour of the village of Mar Lodj will include a visit to: Ask to visit the boulangerie, too, where Mbaye uses a giant mud oven to make traditional village bread (it’s delicious and your campement will probably serve it!)
 * the modern Catholic church, with architecture inspired by the shape of a traditional round hut, and its pretty black Madonna statue
 * the Mosque, towering over the town’s central square
 * the Arbres Sacres (holy trees), three different intertwined trees believed to represent the peaceful coexistence of Mar Lodj’s three religions
 * the TamTam telephonique (telephone drum), which was traditionally used to communicate important news (weddings, deaths, emergencies) to other villages on the island
 * the village’s central square, which houses a small daily market and occasional big events like village meetings or the annual wrestling competitions (see below)
 * the Women’s Artisanal Market, on the salt-flat between the village and the campements, providing a venue to buy all your souvenirs for friends back home (be prepared to chat and bargain!)

Horse-and-carriage visits to Mar Soulou, Mar Farfako and Mar Wandie (by pirogue for the latter) are available and can give you a broader understanding of life on Mar Lodj, from the “floating” millet-storage huts to the fishing culture of Mar Wandie.

Traditional wrestling
No visit to Senegal is complete without experiencing the sights and sounds of a traditional wrestling match, known in Sérère as Njom. Although today traditional wrestling is a national phenomenon in Senegal, it is rooted in Sérère tradition. Every Sérère village regularly holds organized tournaments and supports their own local champions. Mar Lodj’s annual wrestling competitions are held during a weekend in January. Each village will have its own 3-day competition; call your accommodations provider for exact dates and special lutte events.

Do

 * Fishing Mar Lodj and the Sine-Saloum delta are famous for the incredible fishing available among the mangrove-lined channels. Fish from the banks or hire a pirogue to take you out into the hidden mangrove channels.
 * Many campements also arrange kayak trips, charette or horse-back tours, nature walks, etc.

Buy
The Grouppe Sassang is an NGO-initiated collection of three small businesses working to empower women in Mar Lodj by creating a small source of revenue in a sustainable manner. MarTex offers beautiful hand-designed and hand-dyed clothing and cloths. Mar Delices offers artisanally produced honey and locally-sourced fruit juices and jams. MarFoods offers whole chickens and dried or pickled shellfish items.

Individual artisans-cum-guides are also popular in Mar Lodj. A number of workshop-huts house their creative sand-art tableaux throughout the village. These artists create scenes of typical Mar Lodj imagery using un-dyed sand with glue made from baobab sap, both found naturally on the island.

The Mar Lodj women's artisanal market is located in an enclosure on the salt flat between the village and the river. Some hotels also offer their own souvenir shops. Souvenirs available for sale include handmade cloth dolls; wooden crafts; bead necklaces or other jewelry (some handmade).

Eat
For those looking for a good meal while on Mar Lodj, each campement has its own restaurant, usually serving up a variation of local fare. Going beyond your own accommodations’ restaurant can add a little variety to your trip. Most places prepare a set meal for the day (no menus here), but will try to accommodate diners’ preferences when possible. Just be sure to call beforehand to check availability as most campements are only staffed and supplied if they are expecting clients (many products have to be transported from the main land in advance). Another option is the free-standing restaurant Black + White Chez Marie, located just off the salt flat to the north of the Women’s Antiquary Market. The advice to call ahead stands for this place as well; the restaurant is rarely open during the off-season or when no clients are expected.

Drink
All hotel restaurants sell a limited selection of wine, beer and spirits. A few general shops ("boutiques") do as well.

Connect
Thomas Amadou Alpha Ba, owner of the campement Le Limboko, is also the vice president of the Association for the Promotion of Tourism in the Sine-Saloum Region and an excellent source of information for visitors, whether at his campement or another. +221 77 429 9908

Go next
Leaving Mar Lodj via public transport Mini-buses leave Ndangane-Sambou every morning for Dakar (1900 FCFA per person + 500 FCFA max per bag). You will have to be flexible on the exact departure time as cars leave when they fill up. For destinations other than Dakar, get off at the Mbour garage and continue your travel from there. Make sure to arrange an early pirogue departure from your campement to arrive in Ndangane-Sambou to catch the morning buses.

Heading to other parts of the Sine Saloum Visits to other parts of the Sine Saloum Delta - including many of its beautiful uninhabited islands (such as Pointe de Sangomar or Isle aux Oiseaux) and the villages further upriver – can be arranged through your accommodations provider. Many pirogues leave for tours from Ndangane-Campement, but will pass through Mar Lodj if arranged by your campement.

title: Mar Lodj


text:
Marlow

There's more than one place called Marlow:

Germany

 * Marlow (Germany) - a town in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

United Kingdom

 * Marlow (England) - a town in Buckinghamshire

United States of America

 * Marlow (New Hampshire) - a town in Cheshire County, New Hampshire
 * Marlow (Oklahoma) - a city in Stephens County, Oklahoma
 * Marlow Heights - in Prince George's County, Maryland

title: Marlow


text:
Marlow (England)

Marlow is an attractive town in the English county of Buckinghamshire. The town is on the bank of the River Thames in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, some 35 miles (55 km) west of London.

The village of Bourne End is a couple of miles along the river.

Understand
Marlow is twinned with Marly-le-roi, near Paris. It also has a special relationship with Budapest due to the Tierney Clarke bridge across the river which is a miniature version of the famous Chain Bridge there. He built four such bridges but only these two survive. The Marlow Bridge is also the only suspension bridge across the River Thames. The town is home to British Olympian Sir Steve Redgrave and holds an annual regatta on the River. It is a very upmarket area, with house prices being extremely expensive, often upward of £750,000 for those close to the river. The nearest villages along the River of suitable walking distance are Bourne End towards Maidenhead, and Hurley towards Oxford. Those looking for a more adventurous walk can walk to Cookham (2 miles) and Maidenhead (4 miles). Henley-on-Thames is a more challenging walk of about 8.5 miles (11 km).

By train
is at the end of a branch line that runs from a junction with the main London Paddington to Reading line at Maidenhead. Train times can be found on the National Rail Planner or by calling 0845-748-4950 from anywhere in the UK.

Bourne End is on the Maidenhead to Marlow line.

By car
The town is about 5 miles south of High Wycombe and 15 miles east of Reading by road.

By bus
To Wycombe and Wooburn Green amongst other places

Get around
All locations in and around town are walkable or drivable.

See

 * There's a paved maze in Higginson Park by the river, which is a mild challenge.
 * There's a paved maze in Higginson Park by the river, which is a mild challenge.
 * There's a paved maze in Higginson Park by the river, which is a mild challenge.

Do
Marlow has a busy and active atmosphere and is packed full of coffee shops and restaurants. These features make it an excellent place for socialising or simply relaxing with a coffee and watching the wealthy (and others) go about their lives. Marlow has a park which borders the river where one can hire a rowing boat, or enjoy the views and wildlife (predominately swans, geese and ducks)from the safety of the benches under the trees!

It is also about an hour's leisurely walk from Bourne End if one follows the river Thames through the adjacent fields. If you are too worn out to want to walk both ways, then the train (Marlow Donkey) is fun for all ages between Marlow and Bourne End. Once in Bourne End train station, there is a connection to Maidenhead via Furze Platt.
 * Hike along the river

Eat

Bourne End has its fair share of Indian restaurants and take-aways.

Drink
There are plenty of cafes in Marlow, including a Costa and a Starbucks. However, there are also other, smaller businesses which do perfectly adequate refreshment! A cafe by the park is also very reasonable, serving warm meals and drinks as well as the usual sandwiches and cakes.

There is a pub called The Firefly near to Bourne End train station. The Firefly also has a 'gig room' at the back where live music is played.

title: Marlow (England)


text:
Marmara

There is more than one place called Marmara, all named after the sea of the same name:

Turkey

 * Marmara Region — a region in northwest Turkey, surrounding the Sea of Marmara:
 * Eastern Marmara within it, with Gebze, İzmit, and Adapazarı its main cities.
 * Southern Marmara, with Bursa its main city.
 * Marmara Islands — an archipelago in the mid-west of the Sea of Marmara.
 * Marmara Island — the largest of the Marmara Islands.
 * Marmara Ereğlisi — a town on the north mainland coast of that sea.

Greece

 * Neos Marmaras ("New Marmara") — a village founded by settlers from Marmara Island.

title: Marmara


text:
Marmara (island)

Marmara Island (Marmara Adası) is the largest of the Marmara Islands in the Southern Marmara Region of Turkey. It's roughly triangular, 15 km east-west and 10 km north-south. The population in 2021 was 10,148, with about 4000 apiece in Marmara town and in Saraylar, with the rest in the coastal villages between.

Understand
Tourism got started here in the 4th century AD, as the nobles of Byzantium found the island an agreeable place for summer villas and pleasure palaces. It was variously called "Proikonnesos" (island of the royal dowry) and "Prinkipo" (island of the aristocracy); but nothing remains of these sybarite resorts except perhaps the name of the village of Saraylar, "palaces", calqued from its Greek original Παλάτια Palatia.

The island is rugged, with the lowland south farming olives and wine grapes; fishing was also a traditional livelihood but the sea has become fished out. The north is forested mountains, rising to 709 meters at Ilyas Tepe. The big industry here has always been marble - marmara in Greek, hence the present name of the island and its surrounding sea. Emperor Diocletian sent heretics to the quarries as slave labour, Hagia Sophia in Istanbul was clad in the island's marble, and today it goes to adorn bathrooms, hotel lobbies and corporate foyers the world over. Although Marmara town remains the main settlement, Saraylar near the quarries has grown into a second town and ferry port.

Get in
IDO ferries for foot passengers normally sail from Istanbul in summer, but they're not running in 2022.

Gestaş car ferry sails twice a day from Erdek. It takes 2-3 hours via Balikli on Paşalimani island and Avşa, also calling at Ekinlik two days a week. The boat is based on Avşa so there's an early morning sailing from there via Marmara to Erdek, and the evening ferry from Erdek heads on there after Marmara. In 2022 the single fare from Erdek is 25 TL, car 65 TL.

May-Aug a Gestaş waterbus for foot-passengers sails from Narlı, the beach resort 15 km northwest of Erdek. There are two sailings a day, so a day-trip is possible.

Marmara RoRo sails several times a day between Erdek and Tekirdağ Barbaros on the far mainland coast. Most bypass the islands, but one per day calls at Marmara town, and two call at Saraylar on the north coast.

is 500 m east of the main town.

is the north coast ferry port.

Get around
Dolmuşes fan out from Marmara town to the other settlements, and connect with the ferries. They're more frequent in summer but run all year as school buses. They run to Çınarlı hourly and three times a day to Gündoğdu. Only one or two per day run out to Topağaç, Asmalı and Saraylar.

Little yellow taxis ply in Marmara (+90 530 799 6110), Çınarlı (+90 535 599 6440), Gündoğdu (+90 535 345 3784) and Saraylar (+90 532 717 8956).

There is no through road along the norh coast, so from Çınarlı to Saraylar you have to wind along the south coast then over the hills.

See

 * is a little harbour village that retains several traditional wooden Greek houses from before the 1923 population exchange. The residents might let you look in for a small donation. Many of their ancestors were deported from Greek Aegean islands as part of that exchange.
 * in a valley called Yana (from Greek γέννα génna, "birth" or by extension "fertile") on the road to Saraylar is a chapel on a Greek cross plan, probably from the 17th century. It was abandoned during the population exchange, and there are few, faint decorations remained in the interior. Bartholomew I of Constantinople, the Ecumenical Patriarch, held a service here in 2013, the first time since its abandonment about a century prior.
 * (Mermer Taş Fabrikası) along the eastern rim of the Minikada cove east of Saraylar is the ruins of a marble processing plant started operations in 1912 — the oldest in Turkey — and abandoned in the 1970s. All of its machinery, now rusting away on site, continued running on steam power until its closure.
 * Marble Museum (Saraylar Açık Hava Müzesi) 500 m west of Saraylar ferry port was a marble quarry in Roman times, and is dotted with unfinished sculptures and funerary monuments that never got to grace a cemetery or forum. Indeed they usually weren't finished here, but shipped out as rough blocks then finely carved on site, a prize example being the Ludovisi Battle sarcophagus now in Rome. The quarry is free, 24 hours. Large quarries remain active in the hills south of town.
 * and nearby Tuna Madencilik look like sinister campsites on satellite maps. No, all those white oblongs aren't tents, but marble slabs awaiting shipment. You may find the approach road closed to non-company traffic, in any case beware of huge oncoming trucks around the next blind corner.
 * is the islet seen to the west. The name means "No Good Island" and it's wiser to accept this than to investigate.

Do

 * Beaches are a series of small coves, mostly pebble. Beware currents.
 * Water sports: you should have gone to Avşa. Shacks and franchises on Marmara have withered since covid, and aren't around in 2022. Check the big beach hotels to see if anything's possible.

Buy

 * Marmara town has Migros by the ferry pier, open daily 08:30-22:00.
 * All the other settlements have small stores.

Eat

 * Marmara town waterfront has Marmara Pide Salonu, Marina Cafe, Pasazula Restoran, Ada Dürüm Kebap Salonu, Birol, Boğaziçi Yakamoz, Üçler, Acente, Taşfırın and Birsen.
 * South beach has Pehlivan Motel and Hasan Baba.
 * Çınarlı has Çınaraltı Cafe Bar, Cadde Lokantasi, Lacivert Fast Food and Doğa Cafe.
 * Gündoğdu has Ocakbaşı Dürüm and Kıvanç Fast Food.
 * Topağaç has Tadım Lahmacun Pide Salonu and Topağaç Merkez Pilajı.
 * Saraylar port has Özmen Ekmek Fırını and Yıldırım Öz Karadeniz Odunlu Ekmek Fırını, the pansiyon strip has Abroz Baraka, Masal and Üç Öz Pide Lahmacun Kebab Salonu.

Drink

 * Most bars are within hotels or restaurants, there aren't free-standing pubs.
 * Wine is made on the island. There are no vineyards you can tour, but ask around for the local product.

Sleep

 * Sunlight Hotel is budget, west on Cumhuriyet Cd.
 * Şato Motel next to Mola gets good reviews.
 * Bellis is a peaceful hotel a block inland from Mermer Beach Hotel.
 * Çınarlı on the coast north of Marmara town has pansiyons but no hotel. You might try Dostlar, İştur, Kalemi, Kadıoğlu or Pamukanne.
 * Topağaç accommodation remained closed in 2022.
 * Saraylar accommodation clusters 500 m east of the ferry port. They include Abroz Apart Otel, Gün Palas and Ozman Apart. By the port is Saray Otel.
 * Çınarlı on the coast north of Marmara town has pansiyons but no hotel. You might try Dostlar, İştur, Kalemi, Kadıoğlu or Pamukanne.
 * Topağaç accommodation remained closed in 2022.
 * Saraylar accommodation clusters 500 m east of the ferry port. They include Abroz Apart Otel, Gün Palas and Ozman Apart. By the port is Saray Otel.
 * Saraylar accommodation clusters 500 m east of the ferry port. They include Abroz Apart Otel, Gün Palas and Ozman Apart. By the port is Saray Otel.

Connect
As of May 2022, you might manage a call in the main town or Çınarlı with Turkcell or Vodafone, but the island has virtually no mobile signal. 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.

Go next

 * Touristy Avşa and sleepy Paşalimanı are the other inhabited Marmara Islands, with daily ferries from Marmara.
 * Erdek is the nearest mainland port. Not much to amuse you here, head east for historic Bursa.
 * Tekirdağ on the mainland north has buses to Istanbul and Edirne.

title: Marmara (island)


text:
Marmara (region)

Marmara Region in northwest Turkey spans between Europe and Asia, with Istanbul the country's largest city at its heart. It's purely a geographical unit - Turkey doesn't have administrative layers between national government and its 80-some city-provinces - and in 2022 had a population of 27,050,405, a third of the national total.

Understand
A great flooded fault line sunders Europe from Asia. The west channel at Gallipoli / Çanakkale is the Dardanelles (classically known as the Hellespont), the north channel through Istanbul is the Bosporus, and between lies the inland Sea of Marmara. Together they connect the Black Sea with the Med, and if you control the channel you get to control a whole lot else. Tremors along this and related fault lines threw up mountains and hurled down cities. Its geothermal heat seared the limestone bedrock into marble - in Greek μάρμαρον (marmaron) - energetically quarried and shaped into noble buildings and statues, and so the Sea and Region of Marmara were named.

This region has been the birthplace of empires and their graveyard. Best known are the Ottomans, who emerged in Söğüt around 1300, moved on to capture Bursa then Edirne then Constantinople / Byzantium, nowadays Istanbul, and dominated the East Med region for 600 years. Their cultural descendants could be dubbed the auto-mans, as beyond city centre is a 100+ km industrial sprawl where everyone is either snarled in traffic, driving furiously, or busy manufacturing more automobiles. You need to get past this to enjoy quiet forests such as Çilingoz Nature Park on the European Black Sea coast, the many beaches, and intriguing old towns where you may be the only tourist. Motorways snake across the terrain and you can drive off from Istanbul airport to reach Gallipoli and Troy in a few hours.

Climate is mostly mild and temperate, with warm, generally sunny summers and chilly, grey and rainy winters, with much variation by altitude and distance from the sea. Hence Marmara Region has both beach resorts and ski resorts. Western visitors are generally familiar with the Mediterranean summer and regard copious draughts of beer as the antidote. They may be taken aback and unprepared for the winter, with brutal "Lodos" winds and snowfall disrupting even major highways. But to be fair, the local highway maintenance crews seem equally unprepared.

Talk
Istanbul has many English-speakers at least in its tourist sector, but elsewhere they may be hard to find. Learn some basic survival Turkish or have a translation app on your phone - preferably both.

By air
Istanbul Airport , in Arnavutköy 40 km northwest of city centre, has excellent international and domestic flight connections, and is Turkey's main port of entry. The city's former main airport "Atatürk" closed in 2019.

The other international airport in Marmara is Sabiha Gökçen  in Asia-side Istanbul, much used by low-cost airlines.

There are regional airports with domestic flights at Çorlu, Bursa and Çanakkale.

By train
A train runs nightly from Sofia in Bulgaria and Bucharest in Romania. The portions combine at the border then run via Edirne to Istanbul. In summer a car train runs from Villach in Austria to Edirne.

High speed YHT trains run to Istanbul from Ankara and Konya via Eskişehir. Buses to Bursa connect with the trains at Eskişehir. For destinations in the east of Turkey, change in Ankara.

By bus
International bus routes withered during covid and have not fully resumed, but in 2023 there are daily buses from Bucharest and Sofia to Istanbul. From Greece travel via Sofia.

Most towns in Turkey have direct daily buses to Istanbul. Bursa also has good connections as it's on the highway to Izmir.

By road
Motorways and equivalent fast highways (many toll) span the region, from Edirne near the western border across Istanbul towards Ankara, southwest down the Gallipoli peninsula to Çanakkale, and south past Bursa towards Izmir.

Ferries no longer sail here from Greece or the Black Sea ports.

Get around

Buses from Istanbul serve all the main towns, so any journey along a radial route is straightforward. For cross-country routes you'll do better with your own vehicle: small villages may be linked only by occasional dolmuş, and it's difficult to find reliable timetables for these, even if they bother with one.

There are no air routes within this region, and the only link on the YHT line is Istanbul to Arifiye, for Adapazarı. That leaves railway users to take the regional trains. These trundle infrequently from Istanbul to Edirne, Çorlu, Uzunköprü and Gebze, and from Bandırma and Eskişehir to Balıkesir, continuing to Izmir.

Ferries cross the Sea of Marmara from Istanbul to Bandırma and Mudanya, across its eastern inlet to Yalova, and across the western reaches between Erdek, the Marmara islands, and Tekirdağ. They also link the Princes' Islands just off Istanbul, cross the Dardanelles although there's nowadays a bridge, and sail to the Aegean islands of Bozcaada and Gökçeada. They're a pleasant way to cross the Bosphorus between Europe- and Asia-side Istanbul, though the metro is quicker.

See

 * Ottoman capitals: Istanbul was only their third. It has a fabulous collection of architecture, but Bursa and Edirne display the earlier part of the story.
 * Bridges and causeways: the Ottomans needed to carry their roads across river valleys that were not deep, but wide and dangerous in spate. They built a series of attractive multi-arched bridges-cum-causeways, some over 1 km long. Many remain in use for light traffic. There are good examples at Dilovası near Gebze, Edirne, Lüleburgaz, and of course at Uzunköprü which means "long bridge".
 * Mosques are the main legacy of early Ottoman times, since they've been maintained against earth tremors and land developers. Istanbul and Edirne have the very best.
 * Külliyesi is a religious complex centred around a mosque. Typically these contained a madressah (seminary), lodge, soup kitchen, hospital and caravanserai, plus a few tombs. Many have been swept away leaving only the mosque, but Gebze has a surprisingly complete example engulfed in a modern city.
 * War Memorials of 1915 for the Allies and the Turks are at the south end of Gallipoli peninsula around Eceabat.
 * Decorative tiles adorn many mosques and palaces. The craft was re-launched in the 17th century and is best seen in İznik, though the finest pieces have gone far away.
 * Weird attractions include Darıca Hobbit Village in Gebze and Seka Park Film Set in İzmit. Dupnisa Cave near Demirköy has thousands upon thousands of bats, and that's not counting the cave you can't enter because it has too many.
 * Istanbul to Izmir is a plexus of long-distance routes across this culturally-rich region.

Do

 * Mount Uludağ is a mountain resort linked by cable-car to Bursa, with hiking trails in summer and skiing in winter.
 * Beaches and resorts in this region are mostly small, catering to domestic tourism: pleasant examples are along the Gulf of Saros, the Marmara island of Avşa, and the Aegean island of Bozcaada. The international resort strip starts further south beyond Izmir.
 * Hot springs bubble up in many areas. The best developed spa zone is in Bursa.

Eat

 * Istanbul is the only city with a cosmopolitan choice.
 * Other towns offer standard Turkish fare, with limited vegetarian choice. They have neither the polyglot mix of west European cities nor an international tourist market, so they lack other cuisines such as Chinese.

Drink

 * Beer, wine and rakı is served in most cafes. There are few free-standing bars outside Istanbul.
 * Wine (mostly red) is grown locally, especially in Şarköy District on the Marmara coast, and on the islands of Avşa and Bozcaada.
 * Rakı is no longer distilled at Tekirdağ, production has moved to the Izmir area, but there's no shortage.

Stay safe

Beware traffic even on back country lanes, and safeguard valuables.

The seas are not tidal, but may have stiff currents and careless boat-drivers.

Go next

 * South is Aegean Turkey, with Izmir the country's third largest city, and top sights including Ephesus, Pergamon and Pamukkale.
 * East is Central Anatolia, with the capital Ankara, old-world Konya, and the fairy chimneys of Cappadocia.
 * Northeast, Black Sea Turkey takes in grubby Zonguldak, beach resort Samsun and faraway Trabzon.
 * West you cross the border, either into Bulgaria or Greece.

title: Marmara (region)


text:
Marmara Ereğlisi

Marmara Ereğlisi (say mar-mah-rah eh-reh-lee-see) is on the Marmara coast in Eastern Thrace, the European part of Turkey. It's the first town west on the coastal highway after you leave the Istanbul metropolis, so it's a weekend resort for the city. This coast has been heavily developed, especially with the BOTAŞ gas terminal 5 km east, where LNG is pumped ashore from tankers and stored then put into the pipeline. In 2019 the Marmara Ereğlisi district had a population of 26,007.

Understand
Marmara Ereğlisi is the historic nucleus of what is nowadays a busy resort and industrial strip. Its peninsula forms a hook that shelters a bay, so it was a good harbour along this exposed coast. It became colonised by Greeks from Samos, who called it Perinthos, and in 340 BC it was strong enough to repulse an attack by Philip II of Macedon. Like the other Hellenistic colonies it became part of the Roman empire, and a regional capital at a time when Byzantium (the future Constantinople then Istanbul) was just a minor fishing village. Coins were minted here - they're a big component of the ancient town's heritage, as the old buildings have suffered centuries of earthquakes. Around 300 AD it was renamed Herakleia, for Hercules, hence Ereğli, but that was a popular name. So this one is specifically the Marmara Ereğlisi, to distinguish it from the one near Konya and the other on the Black Sea coast.

Get in
Metro Turizm buses run from Istabul Bayrampaşa via Silivri, taking 60-90 min to Marmara Ereğlisi, for a fare (as of Sept 2021) of 65 TL. They're at least hourly daytime and every couple of hours overnight. They continue west to Tekirdağ, another 30 min, and some go on to Keşan, the Gallipoli peninsula and Çanakkale. These inter-city buses don't come downtown, but pick up and drop off on the main highway D110 north side of town. It's a one km walk but there are taxis and dolmuses if you're laden. A new bus station is under construction next to D110 but there's no word on when it might open.

Minibuses run frequently to Marmara Ereğlisi from Tekirdağ, Çorlu, and Silivri at the west edge of Istanbul. These do run to - it's not a bus station, just a general scrummage of vehicles beneath the impatient hooves of Atatürk's statue.

By road follow D110/E84. The town is 90 km west of Istanbul and 40 km east of Tekirdağ.

There are no ferries to town. For the Marmara Islands travel via Istanbul.

Get around
Walk in the town, everything's within 1 km. The beach resorts are strung out along the highway but have a good dolmuş service.

See

 * (açık hava müzesi) is the fancy name for a little park scattered with marble columns and sarcophagi from ancient Perinthos. No labelling or explanations, as they naturally assume you've done your homework by reading this page.
 * Perinthos occupied the peninsula to the south and the waterfront area of the present town, and was enclosed by city walls. You'll spot remnants of the walls and their towers, but the difficulty is to distinguish them from other dilapidated bits of masonry. The old structures were pulverised by multiple earthquakes and have been cleared away from the peninsula, but stroll out for the view back to town.
 * : the harbour is sheltered from every wind except northeast. This ancient breakwater, now only visible as a line of rocks, extends from the tip of the peninsula.
 * is on the south coast below the lighthouse. It's overgrown but atmospheric, especially at sundown, so that would have been the obvious time to stage performances.
 * Tumuli are small man-made conical hills or mounds that cover burial chambers, typically from 6000 to 4000 BC. They're dotted around Thrace, especially in the countryside 5 km north of Marmara Ereğlisi, though they're steadily succumbing to agriculture and development. Look out for them across the fields and if they're not fenced off you may be able to approach. A few have been excavated: their finds have gone to museums in Istanbul and elsewhere, with the best studied being Naip tumulus the other side of Tekirdağ.

Do

 * Swimming is okay off town beach, the water isn't polluted. Other sandy beaches line the coast.

Buy

 * Banks: there are three banks with ATMs around the downtown minibus stop, with more north along the street.
 * Supermarket: Carrefour is on Enis Sülün Cd by the waterfront, open daily 08:00-22:00.

Eat

 * The main strip is along the east waterfront, with Şirin Köfte, Bade Bistro, Kapalı Kadınlar Plajı, Yengen Yeri, Mavi Boncuk and Asil Kartal.
 * By the jetty are Ada Balik, Tekin & Esra Balik, Ayazma, Yelken Balık and Reisbey Balık.

Drink

 * Fıstık Gibi 1a by the jetty and Beci Sür Mısır along the waterfront are open 24 hours.
 * Rakı was traditionally made in Tekirdağ. That distillery has moved to Manisa near Izmir but there's still plenty around - Şerefe!
 * Chateau Nuzun is a vineyard in Çeşmeli Köyü to the west.

Sleep

 * As you enter town, you’ll see lots of signs for hotels (otel) and guesthouses (pansiyon). Those on the east seafront are more likely to be open out-of-season. Campsites are some distance out, though along the main highway and dolmus route. It may be possible to wild camp on the south peninsula towards the amphitheatre.

 * Sülün Butik Otel is mid-town next to Nevizade.
 * Istanbul Yildiz Hotel is a budget hotel next to Poyraz.
 * Yeniçiftlik is the next town west along the coast. Lots of accommodation here, and campsites though these weren't open in 2021.
 * Istanbul Yildiz Hotel is a budget hotel next to Poyraz.
 * Yeniçiftlik is the next town west along the coast. Lots of accommodation here, and campsites though these weren't open in 2021.
 * Yeniçiftlik is the next town west along the coast. Lots of accommodation here, and campsites though these weren't open in 2021.

Connect
Marmara Ereğlisi has 4G from all Turkish carriers, which extends along the coastal and main inland highways. As of Sept 2021, 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.

Go next

 * West is Tekirdağ, a large grubby city but with a beach resort strip. Buses for the Gallipoli peninsula stop here.
 * Inland is Çorlu, industrial and with few attractions. Come this way for buses to Istanbul airport, Edirne and the Bulgarian border.
 * Istanbul is the frenetic fascinating city an hour to the east.

title: Marmara Ereğlisi


text:
Marmara Islands

Marmara Islands (Turkish: Marmara Adaları) are an archipelago in the Sea of Marmara in the Southern Marmara Region of Turkey. Several have tourist facilities and marble quarries.

Islands

 * The points on the map indicate each inhabited island's ferry port, which is usually the main settlement.

 * is the largest, with windswept hills to the north and pine forests to the south.
 * is the smallest inhabited island, and has no tourist facilities.
 * is the most popular, with vineyards and sandy beaches.
 * has a few summer houses but no permant residents and no ferry service.
 * is low-lying and rural, with several villages along its convoluted coast.
 * Kapıdağ was the island that quit this archipelago some 2000 years ago. It became attached to the mainland and is now a lozenge-shaped peninsula; see Erdek.

Understand
A series of great geological fault lines traverse this region and are still active. Further south they threw up the mountain chain along the mainland coast, where geothermal hot springs gush from the slopes. The North Anatolian Fault pulled apart the earth's crust 2.5 million years ago to create a basin which flooded to become the Sea of Marmara; in recent times its tremors devastated cities such as Iznik. Mountains born of its ructions are now a group of islands in that sea. The limestone bedrock became seared into marble, in Greek "marmara" and long-prized as building and decorative material. And thus were named the sea and Marmara Islands. The sea was also called Propontis, "fore sea", meaning the one you cross before reaching the Black Sea. The largest island became connected to the mainland and is now the peninsula of Kapıdağ.

The islands (like other places round the Marmara coast) attracted sea-borne Hellenistic settlers, but they were never on the principal trade routes or had major cities, so their antiquities are scanty. Life here was a matter of quarrying marble, Mediterranean small-scale farming such as olive groves, but best of all tourism, which started in the Roman period. Modern tourism is entirely domestic, as the islands are close to Istanbul, and Western hotel chains and tour companies don't feature. Development has been deliberately concentrated on Avşa, which is crowded and raucous in summer. Marmara Island also has tourist facilities. Paşalimani and Ekinlik get day-trippers but are very quiet places once the afternoon ferry takes away the visitors.

Get in
There are no airports, so you take the ferry, usually from Erdek, possibly from Istanbul or Tekirdağ.

is the nearest mainland ferry port. A car ferry makes two or three circuits a day of Paşalimanı, Avşa and Marmara Island.

The direct summer foot-passenger ferry from Istanbul isn't sailing in 2022. Sail instead to Bandırma and get the bus to Erdek.

The car ferry from Tekirdağ usually bypasses the islands and sails non-stop to Erdek, but some sailings call at Marmara Island.

Get around
The main ferry is based at Avşa and makes 2 or 3 daily circuits of the other islands and the mainland port Erdek. So you can get between the islands, and a day-trip is possible from Avşa to Marmara, Paşalimanı and two days a week to Ekinlik.

Marmara and Avşa have dolmuşes and taxis waiting at their ferry ports. Ekinlik is small enough to walk, but bring a bicycle to sleepy Paşalimanı.

See

 * The Roman quarries on Marmara Island are full of unfinished work. Indeed it was usually only rough-hewn here, to be shipped out and finished at its intended destination.
 * Greek heritage: all the islands had large Greek populations until the 1923 population exchanges, so there are old houses and other buildings in variable states of repair. A good example is Asmalı on Marmara Island.

Do

 * Beaches and watersports are best found on Avşa.
 * Cycle round quiet coves for views of the other islands and the sunset.
 * Hills are mostly low and easy hiking, except on Marmara Island where they're more rugged, and you need to stay clear of quarry workings.

Eat

 * Avşa town has a slew of places along the shore, mostly serving fish.
 * On Marmara Island, Marmara town has the main strip, but there's eateries in the other villages.

Drink

 * Most bars are within hotels or restaurants, there aren't free-standing pubs.
 * Wine is made on Marmara Island. There are no vineyards you can tour, but ask around for the local product.

Stay safe
Usual precautions about traffic, safeguarding valuables, sun protection, and water safety - beware drunken idiots on jet-skis, and don't be one of them.

Go next
The ferry returns you to the mainland at either Erdek, Istanbul or Tekirdağ.

title: Marmara Islands


text:
Marmaris

Marmaris is a port and beach resort in Lycia, along the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. (The boundary of the Mediterranean with the Aegean is generally taken as the Datça peninsula just west.) The town straggles south to run into İçmeler, then the road crosses the mountains to Turunç. This extended township had a population of 95,851 in 2020; this more than doubles in tourist season.

Marmaris is part of the administrative province of Muğla. Public services such as local buses may be listed as if based in Muğla, and if your bag is stolen or you have an accident, that is where the police report will site the incident.

Two large peninsulas extend beyond Marmaris, like the claws of a lobster trying to grab a starfish:
 * - Bozburun is south, the stubby bifurcated "crusher claw" of the lobster.
 * - Datça is the 70 km-long narrow peninsula extending west, the "scissor claw".
 * - Symi between the claws is a Greek island.

Understand
In antiquity this place was known as Physkos (Φύσκος to its Hellenistic inhabitants). It has a good natural harbour but is hemmed in by mountains, lacking a hinterland, so it never became a major port. Its hills were quarried for marble, hence "Marmaris", though never on the scale of the Marmara Islands closer to wealthy customers in Constantinople. Its invaders (Persians, Alexander the Great, Crusaders then Ottomans) made sure to keep the castle in good repair, but it was the port where you assembled your fleet and sailed on, rather than storming inland. Süleyman the Magnificent did so in preparation for his 1522 assault on Rhodes, a victory which ensured Ottoman control of the East Mediterranean. Horatio Nelson likewise was here in 1798, and Keith and Abercromby in 1801, before sailing on to eject Napoleon Bonaparte's troops from Egypt and the Levant, and tighten Britain's grip on that region.

In peacetime the town remained a small, sleepy commercial and fishing port. It was flattened by the double earthquake of 1957, with only the castle left standing. From the 1980s tourism developed along the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts of Turkey, and in 1989 Dalaman airport was upgraded. That put Marmaris within a 90 minute coach transfer, hotels were built over every available space, and the present sprawling resort appeared.

By plane
Dalaman airport is 100 km east of Marmaris. Most arrivals are holidaymakers on West European package flights, and are bussed straight to their hotels. Havaş shuttle bus meets domestic flights, which are every couple of hours from Istanbul IST / SAW and from Ankara. This bus takes 90 min from the airport via Dalaman town, Ortaca, Köyceğiz and Gökova, for a fare in 2023 of 110 TL. The airport also has taxis, private transfer companies and car rental.

By bus
Buses from Istanbul take 10-12 hours via Gebze, Izmir and Muğla for a fare in 2023 of 900 TL. Both Pamukkale and Flixbus have buses every two or three hours round the clock, and Metro Turizm run twice a day. At Istanbul, don't be getting aboard that surprisingly cheap quick bus to Marmara Ereğlisi, which will take you to a beach resort but not the one you expected. Buses from Ankara to Marmaris take 12 hours, from Antalya seven, and from Izmir three.

the bus terminal is north edge of town, 3 km from the beachfront. It's reasonably clean and efficient. You need a dolmuş or taxi to get downtown.

By road
From Istanbul follow O-5 and O-7 (toll) south to Izmir, then Highway E87 / D550 through Aydın and Muğla to Akyaka. The last stretch is on D400 into Marmaris.

By boat
Foot-passenger ferries from Rhodes sail April-Oct, taking an hour. Two companies compete on the route, Feribot Lines and Yeşil Marmaris Lines, with similar fares - in 2023 an adult single is €40. They each have a morning and afternoon sailing so a day trip either way is possible most days, giving you six hours on the other side. There's no car ferry or winter service. Travel via Rhodes for Symi, which has no direct ferry from Turkey.

is east side of the marina. Taxis await ferries, but it's only 1 km to walk to the castle and downtown via the harbour footbridge. Vehicles have to go around a much longer route, so the taxi driver will wax lyrical about the hike he's spared you.

With your own boat, Marmaris is a Port of Entry into Turkey, so if you arrive from Greek waters you can clear immigration and customs here. Expect quite some uphills and headwinds if trying to do the check-in without an agent as a middleman (as of 2024, it's probably not even possible).

Get around

 * Old Turkish joke: "How many can you fit in a dolmuş?" - "Mmm, maybe another two . . . "

Dolmuş minibuses are the main way to get around: they ply the city main streets and link the outlying suburbs and villages. You pay a flat fare, which in 2022 within Marmaris was 5 TL (these dolmuşes have a green band across them), and to İçmeler (orange band) was 7 TL.

See

 * The lighthouse south of the castle is just a harbour light, atop a dinky tower that looks like a sentry box.
 * Hafsa Sultan Kervansaray just north of the castle dates from 1545, but it's closed and tumbledown.
 * is the focal point of town, junction of Atatürk Cd along the beachfront with Ulusal Egemenlik Cd through downtown. He looks like he's clinging on to his cap lest the breeze whips it away.
 * is the easiest entry point to Marmaris National Park, a rugged tract of pine forests with hiking trails.
 * is Marmaris' equivalent to the Blue Grotto of Capri, a sea cave flooded by ethereal blue light. It's too narrow for boats to enter; you may be able to swim in, but beware sharp rocks above, alongside and below. It's on the south tip of Cennet Island, with no land access. That hasn't prevented idiots from spray-painting the interior.
 * or Cleopatra Island is in the Gulf of Gökova, reached by boat from Çamlı (off D-400 north of Marmaris) or from Akyaka. Here are the overgrown ruins of Kedrai, with an amphitheatre, sanctuary to Apollo, cistern and city walls. A boardwalk leads through the site and past a small and a large church from the Byzantine era. The cove on the northwest shore is Cleopatra Beach, a gleaming golden strand. This beach is made of ooids, tiny pearl-like limestone spheres, and the Cleopatra legend got started because similar beaches are found in Egypt - Marcus Antonius supposedly imported one such to keep her sweet. But there are several such beaches around Turkey, as well as in the Persian Gulf, Bahamas and elsewhere. The beach material is under strict protection.
 * Orata is the smaller island just north with a few similar ruins.
 * or Cleopatra Island is in the Gulf of Gökova, reached by boat from Çamlı (off D-400 north of Marmaris) or from Akyaka. Here are the overgrown ruins of Kedrai, with an amphitheatre, sanctuary to Apollo, cistern and city walls. A boardwalk leads through the site and past a small and a large church from the Byzantine era. The cove on the northwest shore is Cleopatra Beach, a gleaming golden strand. This beach is made of ooids, tiny pearl-like limestone spheres, and the Cleopatra legend got started because similar beaches are found in Egypt - Marcus Antonius supposedly imported one such to keep her sweet. But there are several such beaches around Turkey, as well as in the Persian Gulf, Bahamas and elsewhere. The beach material is under strict protection.
 * Orata is the smaller island just north with a few similar ruins.

Do

 * The beach is sandy though narrow. The strip west of downtown has free public access.
 * Water parks are Aqua Dream on Fatih Sultan Mehmet Cd, and Marmaris Atlantis on 203rd Sk. Star has closed down.
 * Boat trips circle the bay, usually anti-clockwise via Turunç, Phosphorous Cave, and Cennet island beach.
 * Scuba diving centres include Marmaris, Professional Diving Centre and Deep Diving School, all clustered round the harbour.
 * The amphitheatre is a modern reconstruction. It remains closed in 2023.
 * Jeep safaris explore the Bozburun and Datça peninsulas.
 * Hamams - traditional Turkish baths - are in half-a-dozen locations in town, plus the spa hotels offer their own.

Buy

 * Grand Bazaar is a covered market along 59th Sk, starting 50 m inland from Atatürk's Statue. It's a modern alley, practical rather than scenic, with most vendors open daily 08:00-01:00.
 * Supermarkets: lots of little convenience stores, Migros is the main chain. Somewhat larger is Carrefour on 142nd Sk, open daily 08:00-22:00.
 * Pharmacies cluster along Ulusal Egemenlik Cd the main downtown street, and are dotted along the beach strip.
 * Reptiles is a fitting name for those who try to sell tortoises and other animals to tourists. The poor creatures will die on your way home of course, but that won't spare you a hefty fine for importing endangered species.

Eat

 * Pine honey (çam balı) is a local specialty, from the forests around Marmaris. It's darker and more viscous than regular flower honeys, and has woody, resinous undertones. Check your country's import rules before taking any food product home - many prohibit fresh food including honey.

Mid-range

 * Taj Mahal is in Karacan Plaza midway along the beachfront, open daily 13:00-23:00. Just to ensure the Brits feel at home, there's also a couple of Chinese restaurants here.
 * Taj Mahal is in Karacan Plaza midway along the beachfront, open daily 13:00-23:00. Just to ensure the Brits feel at home, there's also a couple of Chinese restaurants here.
 * Taj Mahal is in Karacan Plaza midway along the beachfront, open daily 13:00-23:00. Just to ensure the Brits feel at home, there's also a couple of Chinese restaurants here.
 * Taj Mahal is in Karacan Plaza midway along the beachfront, open daily 13:00-23:00. Just to ensure the Brits feel at home, there's also a couple of Chinese restaurants here.
 * Taj Mahal is in Karacan Plaza midway along the beachfront, open daily 13:00-23:00. Just to ensure the Brits feel at home, there's also a couple of Chinese restaurants here.
 * Taj Mahal is in Karacan Plaza midway along the beachfront, open daily 13:00-23:00. Just to ensure the Brits feel at home, there's also a couple of Chinese restaurants here.

Splurge
The hotels with the best all-round guest ratings usually offer the best dining and can serve non-residents, see Sleep.

Drink

 * Beachfront, or rather the main street a block back, has a string of pubs, including two Irish. They also stock the standard Turkish and European beers.
 * Bar street is the nickname for Barbaros Cd along the waterfront in the old town. You'll soon figure out why.
 * Vineyard: Asarcık is on the Bozburun Peninsula. Most Turkish wine comes from further north.

Sleep
Rates given here are those quoted for independent travellers, but most visitors are on package deals, effectively paying the same room rate but getting a free return flight from Europe. There are some remarkable bargains but you get what you pay for. Rooms with air-con carry a price premium so consider the season when you'll be visiting. Other common gripes are stiff charges to use the room safe, and for Wifi that is ponderously slow, and samey "all-inclusive" meals that impel you out to the town restaurants.

In theory there are by-laws against playing loud music, but they don't apply to hotels, which crank up the volume to ensure every guest enjoys the thumping beat at 1 am. The thinness of the walls also indicates why earthquakes are so destructive in Turkey.
 * Mehtap Family Hotel is a cheap and cheerful place near the beach strip at 167th Sk 10.
 * Blue Palace is basic budget rooms on 208th Sk behind Club Alize. Everything costs extra.
 * Forum Residence Hotel is a budget place at Kenan Evren Blv 42 opposite Green Nature Diamond Hotel. High charges for a/c, some street noise.
 * Mehtap Family Hotel is a cheap and cheerful place near the beach strip at 167th Sk 10.
 * Blue Palace is basic budget rooms on 208th Sk behind Club Alize. Everything costs extra.
 * Forum Residence Hotel is a budget place at Kenan Evren Blv 42 opposite Green Nature Diamond Hotel. High charges for a/c, some street noise.
 * Blue Palace is basic budget rooms on 208th Sk behind Club Alize. Everything costs extra.
 * Forum Residence Hotel is a budget place at Kenan Evren Blv 42 opposite Green Nature Diamond Hotel. High charges for a/c, some street noise.
 * Forum Residence Hotel is a budget place at Kenan Evren Blv 42 opposite Green Nature Diamond Hotel. High charges for a/c, some street noise.
 * Forum Residence Hotel is a budget place at Kenan Evren Blv 42 opposite Green Nature Diamond Hotel. High charges for a/c, some street noise.
 * Forum Residence Hotel is a budget place at Kenan Evren Blv 42 opposite Green Nature Diamond Hotel. High charges for a/c, some street noise.
 * Forum Residence Hotel is a budget place at Kenan Evren Blv 42 opposite Green Nature Diamond Hotel. High charges for a/c, some street noise.
 * Forum Residence Hotel is a budget place at Kenan Evren Blv 42 opposite Green Nature Diamond Hotel. High charges for a/c, some street noise.
 * Forum Residence Hotel is a budget place at Kenan Evren Blv 42 opposite Green Nature Diamond Hotel. High charges for a/c, some street noise.

Connect
Marmaris and its approach roads have 4G from all Turkish carriers, but coverage is patchy further out on the peninsula. As of June 2023, 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.

Go next

 * Datça is near the end of a long peninsula stretching west, a relaxed alternative to Marmaris.
 * Bozburun is the peninsula south of Marmaris.
 * Akyaka a 30 min drive north has a pebble yet beautiful beach, with pine woods growing right from the coastline, and attractive old buildings.
 * Dalyan is also a popular seaside town close to Marmaris.
 * Muğla the regional capital has an attractive old town.
 * Rhodes the Greek island is reached by a short ferry ride.

title: Marmaris


text:
Marne-la-Vallée

Marne-la-Vallée is a new town east of Paris that is part of the conurbation that surrounds the French capital in Île-de-France. By far the most visited attraction is Disneyland Paris, and although there is not as much to see elsewhere for your average tourist, the commune of Noisy-le-Grand and the Val d'Europe area in particular may be of interest to those looking for quirky postmodern architecture. Tourists can also pay a visit to more traditional sites in the commune of Noisiel.

Understand
See also: Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines

Marne-la-Vallée was one of 5 new towns founded in the mid-1960s to house the overspill population from Paris, with parts of the new town replacing old shantytowns notably in Noisy-le-Grand and Champigny-sur-Marne, the latter having been home to a large number of poor Portuguese immigrants fleeing the Estado Novo regime, as well as expanding around existing historical towns such as Lognes. The new town is better described as a series of ribbon developments along the RER and A4 motorway, and can be divided roughly into four 'sectors': Porte de Paris (I), Val Maubée (II), Val de Bussy (III) and Val d'Europe (IV). These four sectors were constructed roughly in eastward chronological order as the RER A was extended eastwards, first to Noisy-le-Grand in 1977, then to Torcy in 1980, and finally to its current terminus of Marne-la-Vallée Chessy in 1992, in time for the completion of Disneyland Paris the same year. Sectors I and II were therefore mostly constructed in the late 70s and 80s, with the commune of Noisy-le-Grand in particular being home to some eccentric postmodern 80s architecture, while sectors III and IV were mostly developed in the 90s and the early 00s (and in some cases are still growing), with the outermost sector of Val d'Europe in particular notable for its neo-traditionalist style of architecture reminiscent of the New Urbanist school.

The commune of Lognes is nicknamed the 'Dragon City' (Ville du Dragon) and has the highest percentage of people of Asian descent in the whole of France, with around 40% of its residents being of Asian descent, mostly originating from France's former colonies in South-East Asia (ie. Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia). Its residents are also disproportionately young: in 2006 more than 40% of its residents were below the age of 25, perhaps due to the presence of multiple institutions of higher education in the area.

Get in
Marne-la-Vallée can be reached from Paris via car, train, or bus, with the RER serving most of the town. Marne-la-Vallée - Chessy station on the end of the RER is located right in the middle of Disneyland.

Places on the RER :

Places on the RER :

Places on the La Ferté - Milon and Château Thierry branches of Transilien line :

See

Stay safe
The Espaces d'Abraxas estate (aka the place where The Hunger Games was filmed) is a housing estate with a very poor reputation (even the architect responsible for it admitted it failed in its goals, and there have been calls for it to be demolished), and there have been cases of visiting tourists being harassed or even assaulted there. This is partly exacerbated by its design with its little alleyways that foster crime, particularly relating to drug trafficking. Avoid visiting at night or on the weekend when there are few people around, and be discreet about taking pictures. In general you should be wary of standing out too much as tourists, particularly if you are of East Asian appearance.

Go next

 * Meaux, famous for its Brie cheese
 * Provins

title: Marne-la-Vallée


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Marostica

Located in the province of Vicenza, Marostica (Maròstega in Veneto dialect) is famous all over the world for the human chess game it carries out every other year, with personages living in the city public square. The heart of the Marostica is enclosed by its Medieval wall, with both an Upper and Lower castle, and the living chess game square being right at the centre of the town. And the Scaligeri nobles from Verona were the key protagonists of Marostica’s important and still visible past. In addition to its very charming and very lively Medieval atmosphere, Marostica is also famous for the different varieties of cherries which are produced in the area. Local cherries bear the PGI (protected geographical indication) mark and have long been celebrated in local markets, festivals and, of course, culinary tradition.

By train
Marostica has a direct bus connection with Vicenza railway station. Alternatively, a direct bus connection exists with Bassano railway station too. From Bassano: More info is available on Trenitalia's website.
 * Venice is 1h20min ride away
 * Padua is 1h ride away

By plane
Two international airports are nearby:
 * Venice Marco Polo (VCE), 85km, lot of destinations throughout Europe - by train: bus to Venice station, then train to Vicenza or Bassano, then bus
 * Treviso (TSF), 52km, low-cost airport with Ryanair and other carriers - by train: bus to Treviso station, then train to Vicenza, then bus

By car
Marostica is 30km north-east of Vicenza, which can easily be reached through the A4 Milano-Venezia highway (Vicenza Est and Vicenza Ovest exits).

By bus
FTV directly connects Marostica to Bassano (15min) and Vicenza (45min).

On foot
Discovering the town on foot is very easy. The historic centre is not very big, so you can easily go around in the narrow streets. And you can also walk all around its Medieval walls from the Lower up to the Upper Castle, but this is a bit more demanding.

title: Marostica


text:
Marple (Pennsylvania)

Marple is in Delaware County, Pennsylvania (commonly referred to as Delco). Marple is about 11 miles from center city Philadelphia and has a population of more than 23,000.

Understand
Marple was inhabited in 1683 by a group of Quakers who were members of the Society of Friends. The Quakers escaped from England and the religious persecution present there and settled in the land of William Penn’s Holy Experiment. The Holy experiment was an attempt by the Quakers to establish their own community. The community began to grow during the pre-revolutionary period, and while no action took place in Marple during the Revolutionary War, the growth of occupation crafts such as weavers and millers gave way to increased trade. Once the war was over, Marple returned to its farming and agrarian lifestyle.

Population in Marple began to grow rapidly after the Civil War. The Industrial Revolution brought rail transportation through the township making transportation easier around Marple and into Philadelphia. The largest period of development for Marple Township came towards the end of World War II. The improvement of roads, public transportation and the availability of the automobiles made Marple a suburban community.

Nowadays, Marple is a bustling community full of families, great restaurants, tons of shopping experiences nearby, and great attractions. Whether you are more family oriented, a history buff, a foodie or a shopaholic, Marple is a great central town to everything you need. Located 11 miles from Philadelphia and 13 miles from the King of Prussia Mall.

Get in
By car, Marple is most easily accessible from Interstate 476 (The Blue Route) at exit 9-Broomall/Upper Darby at the junction of I-476 and Route 3, known as West Chester Pike. The Septa Public Transportation system hub at 69th Street in Upper Darby is an easy and accessible way to get around Delaware County and surrounding areas. Route 104 on the Septa System will take riders from center city Philadelphia directly into Marple. Also, taking the Market-Frankfurt line from Philadelphia into 69th Street Station will leave you only a short drive away from Marple.

Marple is 17 miles from Philadelphia International Airport, which makes traveling to and from Marple very accessible.

Get around
Getting around Marple is very easy. Driving by car is probably the easiest and most common option. There is an abundance of parking throughout Marple, which makes driving the best option. Most developments are close to stores or shopping centers and sidewalks are present throughout the township, making walking or biking easy as well.

See

 * Thomas Massey House – This home is an American Classic and is on the National Register of Historical Places. It is an old farmhouse from 1686. Once the home of an indentured servant who became a landowner, it is one of the oldest English Quaker homes in all of Pennsylvania.
 * Delaware County Historical Society – founded in 1895, it is the oldest historical society in the county. The mission of the Delaware County historical society is to preserve and present the history of Delaware County and surrounding areas, including restoration of historic structures, historical objects and archival materials.
 * Greek American Society of Greater Philadelphia This great museum is host to a wide range of Greek American history, reflected the strong Greek community in Marple.

Do
The 11 parks in Marple Township are all kept and maintained by the municipal government.

 * Broomall Fields fields for Marple Township Little League.
 * Marple Gardens offers softball fields and basketball courts, playground and picnic areas.
 * Old Marple School Park playground, picnic area, sledding hill and walking trails.
 * South Marple Little League baseball fields, roller rink, tennis courts and snack bar.
 * Veterans Park large playground and walking trails around a large open field along with entertainment gazebo great for photo opportunities.

Buy

 * Lawrence Park Shopping Center on Sproul and Lawrence Roads, LPSC is home to many stores including Barnes & Noble, TJ Maxx, Radio Shack, Home Goods, Hallmark, local florist, Citizens Bank, Acme Supermarkets, Panera Bread, Hair Cuttery, and Nana's Attic Thrift Store.

Eat
Marple is a dry township (no alcohol is sold), but many restaurants allow you to bring your own bottle (BYOB).

 * Soprano’s Deli and Catering 3072 West Chester Pike, Broomall, BYOB, best canolis in town.
 * Country Squire Diner 2560 West Chester Pike, Broomall. Offers great food 24 hours with a delicious bakery.
 * Valentino's Ristorante Italiano  2902 West Chester Pike, Broomall, BYOB with a great selection of Italian cuisine.
 * Mrs Marty's Deli 1991 Sproul Road, Broomall, in Lawrence Park Shopping Center, family run deli/restaurant with great food all day long.
 * Garden China 2047 Sproul Road, Broomall, quick and delicious Chinese restaurant.

Sleep
There are no hotels or motels in Marple but there are many in Springfield, Conshohocken, and outside of Philadelphia.

Go next
Marple is in a great central area between Philadelphia and the rural areas of the western suburbs. It is easily accessible to the farm country of the western suburbs and the city life and attractions of the big city.

 * Media – about 15 minutes from Marple, it offers a great dining and shopping experience in a quaint and adorable town.
 * Brandywine Battle Historic Field– brings to life the largest engagement of the Revolutionary War.
 * Linvilla Orchards– a 300-acre farm dedicated to agriculture, family fun and education. Pick your own fruits and vegetables or visit around holidays for special events.
 * Longwood Gardens – a beautiful garden experience inspiring visitors through design, horticulture and education of the arts.
 * Tyler Arboretum– offers year-round hiking trails, horticulture collections and rare plant specimens, great for families and outdoor enthusiasts.

title: Marple (Pennsylvania)


text:
Marquesas Islands

The Marquesas Islands are an archipelago of about a dozen islands in French Polynesia, most with steep mountains.

Northern Marquesas

 * Nuku Hiva — Mystic Island. The largest island in the Marquesas is known for towering spire-like peaks; secluded, lush valleys; ancient religious sites; fjord-like bays; and waterfalls so high that most of the falling water evaporates as it descends.
 * Ua Pou
 * Ua Huka
 * Uninhabited — Eiao, Hatutu, Motu Iti, Motu Oa, Motu One,

Southern Marquesas

 * Hiva Oa — Paul Gauguin's island. This majestic and historic island is known for its wild, untamed landscape, giant stone tiki, endless and unearthly vistas, and as the final resting place of poet Jacques Brel and artist Paul Gauguin.
 * Fatu Hiva
 * Tahuata
 * Uninhabited — Fatu Huku, Mohotani, Motu Nao, Terihi.

Talk
Most people can speak the Marquesan language and most can speak French. Two thirds speak Marquesan the most at home, and one third speak French the most.

Get in
Getting to and around the Marquesas is a unique experience.

Operating seven days a week, Air Tahiti provides to Nuku Hiva with a 3.5 hr flight from Tahiti. Weekly service is also offered to Nuku Hiva from Bora Bora and Rangiroa. On some days there is a direct flight from Tahiti to Hiva Oa.

The Aranui III is a mixed passenger/cargo vessel that operates between Tahiti and the Marquesas. On its 14-day voyages once or twice a month it visits atolls of Tuamotus and 6 inhabited islands of Marquesas.

Get around
Continuing flights and connect Nuku Hiva to Hiva Oa with several weekly 35-minute flights. Several inter-island vessels are in operation, however they are seldom used by visitors. Always an adventure, travel to and from the airport should be scheduled by your preferred travel professional or by your hotel. Depending on road conditions and the location of your hotel, airport transfers can either be by boat, horse, 4x4 truck.

The Aranui 3, and several inter-island vessels offer service between the primary islands.

Travel around the islands requires planning as well. Although 4x4 rental vehicles are available, it is advisable to hire a guide to negotiate the steep, rugged, and unfamiliar roads occasionally used by herds of wild horses. Around the islands, motorboat rentals offer an enjoyable way to explore the dramatic bays and shoreline.

See

 * Tomb of Paul Gauguin and Jacques Brel.
 * Ancient and sacred sites with petroglyphs.
 * Taaoa Valley Archeological Sites
 * Puamau Stone Sculptures & Tiki

Itineraries
Guided or self-guided itineraries including these and other sites can be reserved or planned by your travel arranger before you travel or at the activities desk of your resort or cruise ship.

Do
For the adventurous visitor, the simple ambience of the Marquesas creates unique experiences.

 * Exploration of the high mountains, remote beaches, hidden waterfalls, and deep forests by a 4x4 safari truck, sailboat, or even on horseback.
 * Discovery of the archaeological sites of stone tiki, ancient dwellings, and petroglyphs.
 * Enchantment from the simple and warm Marquesan people with a history unique among any civilization on earth.
 * Enjoyment of shopping for sculptures in tiny studios and craft centers.
 * Relaxation with the peaceful ambience and delicious cuisine found at the simple, yet elegant lodges set on the hillsides overlooking the bays.

Some of the most popular activities and sites for visitors include:
 * Cultural Centre — The Paul Gauguin Cultural Centre opened in 2003 on the 100th anniversary of Gauguin's death. Located on land bought by Gauguin, the centre's exhibition of reproductions leads the visitor through three sections themed around quotes attributed to the artist: "escaping to reach art", "the right to dare anything in art", and "becoming part of a primitive culture."
 * Archaeological Discovery Safaris — Hidden in the theatre of mountains of the Marquesas is a mother lode of ancient sacred sites including ceremonial complexes, stone temples, and tiki statues. On Nuku Hiva, Taipivai Valley is home to temples and large tiki, while the village of Hatiheu is home to the famous Kamuihei and Hikoku sites known for their petroglyphs and ruins. On Hiva Oa, an immense ceremonial complex in Taaoa Valley has been restored and offers a unique view of the fierce and proud Marquesan heritage.
 * Woodcarving — Famous for intricate woodcarvings, Marquesans apply ancestral designs seen nowhere else on earth. Carved from precious native woods such as rosewood and purplewood, Marquesan bowls, plates, and statues are highly prized the world over. These treasures can be bought throughout the islands directly from the artists at their studios.
 * Adventure Cruising — As if living out a classic South Seas seafaring novel, the most unique way to see the Marquesas is aboard the new Aranui 3 freighter/passenger ship. This working cargo ship is the lifeline to the outside world for the inhabitants of these remote islands. Passengers observe the exchange of supplies, copra, dried coconut, and fruit in addition to exploring each of the islands on guided excursions. The 16-day voyage begins in Papeete and includes 17 ports-of-call in the Marquesas and Tuamotu Islands.
 * 4X4 Safaris into the spectacular valleys and panoramic landscape.
 * Guided hikes into Hakaui Valley and among giant Tiki.
 * Diving in the deep waters with hammerhead, manta rays, and whales.

Eat
There are restaurants on Nuku Hiva and Hiva Oa. The best dining is found at the restaurants at the Nuku Hiva Keikahanui Pearl Lodge and at the Hiva Oa Hanakee Pearl Lodge which features a sweeping panoramic view from every table. These restaurants have creative French dishes influenced by Marquesan fare. An impressive international wine list compliments the ambience while the views overlooking the mountains and bays.

Traditional Marquesan cuisine can also be enjoyed on Nuku Hiva in the villages of Taiohae, Taipivai, and Hatiheu, and on Hiva Oa in Atuona and Puamau.

Sleep
Most accommodation is on the islands of Nuku Hiva and Hiva Oa.

title: Marquesas Islands


text:
Marquette

There is more than one place called Marquette:

United States of America

 * Marquette (Iowa) - A town in northeast Iowa
 * Marquette (Michigan) - A town in Michigan

title: Marquette


text:
Marquette (Iowa)

Marquette is a small town in northeast Iowa. It is of interest to travelers as the jumping-off point for Effigy Mounds National Monument. Another small town, McGregor, is immediately to the south.

title: Marquette (Iowa)