In the morning we set off and in less than ten minutes we were already in Göynük. We parked right in the centre of the village and, like proper professional explorers, we started by heading uphill. Because, obviously, if there is a hill, you climb it. It’s the law.

First stop: the Victory Tower, Zafer Kulesi. It’s right at the top, watching over the village like a sheepdog but without moving. We walked up the slope and, I must say, it was worth it. Views of the whole of Göynük, with its roofs, its little houses and that peaceful air that makes you want to stay for a while doing absolutely nothing... something we are quite good at.

The tower is curious—made of wood, tall and narrow, as if someone had stretched it from the top. It’s not medieval or anything like that; they built it at the beginning of the 20th century to celebrate victories of the Ottoman Empire. Basically, a tower with a “we’ve won and we’re celebrating with a good view” spirit.

We headed back down and started wandering the streets. The village is very pleasant, with well-kept Ottoman houses, clean streets and that atmosphere of a place where nothing happens... but in a good way. We really liked the hammam and mosque area, with a small square in a park that looked like it was taken straight out of a “quiet life” catalogue. Everything was very pretty, no stress, no rush. That’s how it should be.

We went back to the car and headed towards Mudurnu. An hour of winding roads and landscapes that make Dad Edu drive happily while I look out the window as if I understand something. And before arriving... that thing appeared.

Burj Al Babas.

From afar it already looks strange. A bunch of identical little castles, one next to the other, as if someone had played too much copy-and-paste. All fenced off, with a guard at the gate, who is clearly there to keep out curious types, adventurers... and probably dogs with too many questions.

We continued to Mudurnu, refuelled and then looked for a place to stop. We found a great one on the other side of the hill overlooking the Burj Al Babas valley. We ate in the camper and then it was time for an excursion: climbing the hill. And from the top... a spectacle.

Burj Al Babas is basically a city of small castles, over seven hundred in total, all the same, all packed together. The idea was to build a luxury complex, but the project was left half-finished and now it looks more like an abandoned set from a weird movie. Some are finished, others are half-done... and all have that air of “this didn’t go as planned”.

Dad Edu took out the drone to film. And that’s when the scale of the place really hit home. The drone flew 800 metres away and you still couldn't see the end of it. Honestly, bigger than a puppy's enthusiasm when it hears the word “ball”. And that’s saying something.

Plus, it was windy, so flying it wasn't that easy. I was down below, supervising. If it falls, I’ll recover it... well, I’ll try.

Afterwards, we went back to the camper and spent a quiet afternoon. Perfect spot: no wind, sheltered and with a view. There was a family having a picnic, but they left before sunset and left the place almost all to ourselves. A few more cars arrived later, but they stayed far away. No bother at all. Everything was calm.

So, we’re sleeping here. On one side, total tranquillity. On the other, a ghost town full of identical castles. I don't know whose idea it was, but honestly... stranger than a cat asking to play fetch.