Days 118-119, Rhodes, Greece and Day of Rest

Tuesday, October 7, 2014, Day of Rest

We are once again in Marmaris, Turkey after a day excursion yesterday to Rhodes, Greece.  Our plan today.....nothing...except a little laundry and lounging by the pool.  We leave again tomorrow morning, so we have a little travel planning to do as well.

Monday, October 8, 2014, Day 188 - Ancient Rhodes - A DETOUR TO GREECE

Rhodes is a Greek Island only an hour away on a fast ferry 18 kilometers southwest of Turkey, and 460 kilometers southeast of Athens.   Our plan was to visit the ruins of the Acropolis of Monte Smith and Apollo Temple on the Agean Sea side of the island and explore the UNESCO World Heritage site of the old walled city.

We arrived early enough at 10:00 am to accomplish our plan, but were thwarted by a long wait through passport control.  The ferry held several hundred people, most from the EU but about as many from Turkey, USA, Canada, and none EU countries.  There were three windows, 2 for EU, 1 for non-EU.  Once the EU folks were processed, the other windows opened for the rest of us.  By the time we got out of the terminal it was 11:45!  Ouch!  Our ferry would return to Mararmis at 4:30 and if the check in back to Turkey requiring Visa proof was anything like the check-out then we should return about 3:30, leaving less than 4 hours for exploration. Unfortunateley, we had to shave off a part of the plan.

Deciding to just explore the walled city of Rhodes, we set off, enjoying one of the most beautiful old cities in the world.  Many and different civilizations have all left their mark on the island.  "The imposing Medieval Castle, through which the life of the old City unfolds, the Byzantine temples, the Knights' buildings, the stone paved streets, the mosques, the Jewish synagogue, the orthodox churches, the squares, traditional shops, all come together with their different cultures and civilizations, forming a complex mosaic." Tourist Brochure

Rhodes Town is the Knights Capital.  The grand master's palace is starkly grand and beautiful with high arched ceilings, massive stone hearths, courtyard, and well preserved floor mosaics.

The streets of Rhodes are made of flat sided river rocks, but set in the sand tightly sideways, making walking a bit difficult.

Narrow alleys with buttressed arches keep the buildings from toppling during earthquakes.  All of it is intriguing and picturesque.

The town is a busy sea port, a crossroads between the Mediterranean, Aegean, and the coasts of the Middle East.  The water is clear blue green and the coastline spectacular.

The Mythical Sirens Called this Boat on the Rocks

 Our day, albeit short, was an appetizer for more, and we will definitely need to return here in the future, for more relaxation....maybe on a boat!

All is Well with Worrall Travel R's by the pool in Marmaris, Turkey.

Day 117, Lycian Tombs in Dalyan

Day 117, October 5, 2014

Today was a relaxed sightseeing day.  After breakfast, we drove  a little over an hour away from our home base to the tourist village of Dalyan which is a river delta port.  High on one side of the port are some Lycian Tombs.  This is what we came to see.  Built in 2-1 century BCE these tombs were for the rich, the kings, the families that believed this would be their send-off to a higher plane.  The limestone cliffs provided basis for these carved tombs.  The ones we saw were inaccessible for exploration, but the views were great.

We whiled away the afternoon sitting in a riverside cafe, watching tourist boats, taking pictures, eating lunch, drinking pomegranate juice, and researching our next travel options.  We learned yesterday that there was a large scale compromise somewhere of MasterCard information, not ours specifically.  Unfortunately, this means that we will be receiving a new card that will need to be activated, and the old one turned off in the next 20 days!  Ugh!  We hate this as we have no address to which the new card can be sent.  Fortunately, we have other means of credit and cash, but such an inconvenience.  Now we are more  or less forced to make some of our travel arrangements farther in advance than we would have liked..  Grrrrr!.

Anyway, here is a link to the Lycian caves, if you are interested: http://www.lycianturkey.com/lycian_tombs.htm

Tomorrow, we are taking a high speed ferry to the Greek Island of Rhodes for the day. 

All is well with the Worrall Travel R's in Marmaris, Turkey.

Ephesus, Turkey, Days 115-116

Friday, October 4, Day 115

We spent our day exploring the area of modern day Selcuk which is the main city that incorporates the ancient ruins of Ephesus, the House of Mary,

 the Seven Sleepers, and the ancient rural town of Sirince, known for its sweet wines.  Upon recommendation from a woman who lives in Turkey, but is an American citizen from Kansas City, we visited Sirince first

Cats are everywhere in Turkey.  This one had intriguing eyes.

House of Mary, and the Seven Sleepers

early in the day, saving Ephesus until later in the day after allor most of the cruise tour groups had departed.

Ephesus of course was the highlight.  

The ruins are interesting, particularly the library building

and the Terrace Houses which are a Unesco World Heritage Site.  The excavation of these homes with mosaics, frescos, fountains, baths, and the subsequent restoration efforts are very impressive.

The entire terrace area of multiple homes is covered and protected.

Friday evening was the eve of the Muslim celebration of sacrifice, where families select an animal from their lambs, goats, and cows  and ritually slit the animal's throat slit to remember those who have died.  Seems a like an odd way to remember the dead.  Traditionally, the families are not supposed to eat the meat of the sacrificed animal, but to give it to the poor and to their neighbors.  One Turk told us that about 1/6 of the animal is given to the poor, the rest to neighbors who reciprocate, leaving about 5/6 of the meat for feasting in the ensuing 4 days of the celebration.  Families gather in homes to feast, leaving the streets cleared and the few open businesses quiet.

Tonight there is celebrating in the park near us.  As the crowd noise dies down, we can hear the terrified bleating of sheep and goats, who can undoubtedly smell old blood on the ground from previous sacrifice.  I wear ear plugs to bed to drown out the sorrowful noise.  Tomorrow, we will eat no meat in tribute to these animals.

Saturday, October 5, Day 116

We awake early.  There is still some bleating.  We hear voices in song,  Then all is quiet.  We do not want to go to the park.  One of our fellow houseguests did, and was sorry he did so.  Our host Alibaba and his family have been most kind and we enjoyed our stay here, but it is time to move on, and by 10:00 am, we are in the car driving south to Marmaris.

Marmaris is where we would have had Worrall Wind shipped.  It is bittersweet to arrive here by car than by boat.  The area reminds us much of tropical Mexico with the hills that descend to beaches and a blue green sea.  We arrive around lunch, and enjoy the beautiful marina area and drive through the hill side.  We check in to our AirBnB about 7:00, and spend an interesting evening with our Turkish hosts.  We will be here for 4 nights.

Tomorrow we are off for a day trip to Daylan, more Lycian tombs carved into the cliffside.

All is well with the Worrall Travel R's in Marmaris Turkey

Days 113-114, Pergamon, Bergama, Turkey

Wednesday, October 1, 2014, Day 113, Ancient Pergamom

Today, we are in modern day Bergama, originally the ancient city of Pergamon; The name means science, book, love, the respect to human being and natural laws. Very enlightened even for today when there are many who yearn for medieval, biblical laws, disregarding science, pesky facts, and human and natural laws.

"Five different cities, each of them mounted onto the other, five different periods, different cultures.  Some remained standing for 300 year, some 200 years until burnt or ruined during the earthquakes or wars, but always to the same place and continued to live for thousands of years on the remains of the previous one.

These cities in five layers, located at an overlooking point of the Bakircay Plain, at the ned of the northwest of Anatolia, for almost 2500 years, is none other than Pergamon..." Tourist brochure, Minister of Tourism

This is a large city with the main ancient ruins of the Asklepion (the first health center of the world and named after the mythological God of Health Asklepion); the Red Hall; and the Acropolis high on the cliffs.  What existed here, depicted in models and paintings, must have been both beautiful and sophisticated.

Ancient Statues...Hmmm! 

Healing Tunnel with Babbling Water

Theater where drama, music, art healed the spirit

The Asklepion was both a mental and physical hospital where patients were healed with herbs, sport, fitness, theater, music, art, and inspirations.  The physician Galinos (Galen) whose teachings and books were used by physicians until the renaissance (1700s) was born in Pergamom.  Some of the firsts of Pergamom are:

First parchment paper (made of leather)
First treatment with inspiration (psychotherapy)
First big hospital (Administered by Galen)
First three phases of education (elementary, secondary, and high school)
First medicine with opium
First Christian church
First medical-science pharmacy
First engineering, trigonometry, with the method of the "u" pipe

It is awesome to walk here amongst the ruins of these places of firsts.

The Red Hall is like the Asklepion in that it is in the valley below the Acropolis and the Altar of Zeus.  The impressive Red Hall is currently under reconstruction or arrested decay, not sure which.  It has been an Egyptian temple, public hall, catholic basilica, mosque and synagog.  It is a massive as a ruin, and was supposedly much larger in ancient times.

The most stunning ruins are the acropolis, theater, and the Altar of Zeus (now on display at museum in Berlin).

We walk through a residential area of Bergama partway up the hill

Not sure what the parking fee is for this vehicle.

take a cable car to the top

and spend a sunny morning on the wind swept mountain exploring the ruins of a city that once looked like this as visualized by one artist.

More Ancient Relics

One of the main accomplishments of the Roman era here, is the bringing of water up to the top of this mountain to serve all of the people who came and lived here.  Through a syphon system of pipes from a mountainous water source higher than the acropolis, the closed aqueduct undulated over lower mountains and valleys and pushed up to the top during in the early years of the second century AD.  It traveled about 35 miles and was constructed of over 240,000 sections of terra cotta and lead pipe! Sophisticated engineering.

Part of the closed aqueduct bringing water to Pergamom

Another engineering feat, is the foundational base of the huge temple of Trojan.  There was not enough flat space on the side of the mountain for the altar to be built.  The Romans built arched vaults and massive buttressed retaining walls along the cliffside to create the temple's foundation. They still stand firm today.

In addition to sightseeing, we also needed to do some shopping, having run out of dental floss.  We had previously looked for floss unsuccessfully in small grocery markets.  As we walked through the main street we came across a small pharmacy.  We found the floss we needed, and the pharmacist, a man about our age, was curious about us as independent travelers from America.  Not many independent American travelers come through Bergama.  Because his English and our Turkish were weak, communication was difficult.  Another customer turned out to be an English teacher, and he proceeded to translate and then became a participant in the conversation.  By this time, the pharmacist has invited us behind the counter to sit, and we are graciously brought tea and coffee.

During the course of the conversation, another Turkish man walks in the shop and on his chest he has a little Turkish flag pin.  We have been looking for one to add to Russ's hat collection of country pins.
We inquire where he got his pin.  Within minutes, we are escorted to another shop, a jewelry shop, where a very expensive silver lapel pin is presented.  The pharmacist's brother and translator explain that it is more expensive than we wish to pay.  The jeweler, searches through a little dish and pulls out a souvenir pin which he gifts to Russ with a big smile and refuses to take any money at all.  Very sweet.  This little exchange, and the making of new friends here in Bergama has been a high point equal to or higher than seeing the ruins.  It is the human relationships that make traveling so rich and rewarding.

Day 114, October 2, 2014. Thursday

We drove south today and are now in Selcuk, just on the margin of the old city of Ephesus.  Our bedroom is in Alibaba's guest house.  It is a large room with Turkish carpets, a king size bed, and a gentle breeze billows out the drapes that are shading us from a brillliant sun and sky.

We arrived her about 2:00 this afternoon and are taking a bit of a rest before walking through town and finding dinner.  Tomorrow, we will explore the ruins of Ephesus.

All is well with the Worrall Travel R's on the threshold of Ephesus.

Ancient Ruins in Turkey, Days 110-112

September 28, 29, 30

The Mediterranean coast flanks us on the southeast as we travel east along winding roads through groves of olive trees. Along the way we stop at ancient ruin sites, some still actively being excavated to de-layer the plateau upon plateau of ancient civilizations. In Alexandria, Troy, we see evidence of the forum, waterways, cistens, pipes and trenches for plumbing, and arched frameworks for Roman baths.

We see the ruins of temples to Apollo and Athena, and ancient cities such as Assos where it is said that Aristotle visited. Assos is situated high on a cliffside overlooking the sea. The Roman road of large flat pavers stretches toward Alexandria, Troa. The Temple of Athena reigns over all. The foundation of the temple has been revealed and a few of the original columns have been reserected. Many of the early Greek columns were repurposed by the Romans to hold up cisterns, such as the one we visited in Istanbul. Much has been taken away, so that it is unlikely it can ever be reassembled with the ruins remaining. Nevertheless, the few columns stand tall and stark against sky and sea. The offshore winds whistle through the ruins and whispers of the past. The sunsets here are magnificent.

The Agora (administrative buildings), gymnasium (sports arena), private homes, theater, and road of tombs and harbor, terraced down from the temple. There are few tourists here at this time of the year, so much of the time we are alone with the ruins and our imaginations of what life had been here BC and BCE during its golden age when all of these ruins. It is grand.

We left our Doga, guesthouse, in Assos. Our rock house was white washed on the inside and detailed in periwinkle blues. Our hosts were welcoming and anxious to please, filling the breakfast table with fresh vegetables, breads, jams, eggs, crackers, and coffee. We ate one meal in the old city and another along the the side of the Roman Harbor. It is ccommon here to start with starters. vegetables such as roasted eggplant in yogurt, tomato, or olive oil. We have found that picking out 4-6 starters with bread and wine is an abundant meal without need for a main course.

Today, we are once again heading east as we make our way along the coast to Izmir, Ephesos and Rhodes. We will spending the next two nights in Bergama, where yes, we will see more ruins.

All is well with the Worrall Travel R's amongst the ancient ruins in Turkey.

Days 108-109, September 26-27, Galipoli, Canakkale, and Troy

The Real and Legendary Ruins of Troy

Friday, September 26.  Day 108 - Happy Birthday my sweet Russ!

When I woke up this morning, I killed a few mosquitoes filled with blood.  Until I looked in the mirror, I wondered who the victim was....well apparently me.  I suffered from at least 5 bites on my nose, forehead, and cheeks, and another one on my thumb.  Funny, I can see the red, little bumps, but with the exception of the one on my thumb, the bites are not itchy. 

After a quick breakfast and cleanup, we locked the door and left the key with a neighbor who was very sweet and would not let us leave with out a kiss on each cheek, and sack of beautiful home grown tomatoes and sweet green peppers.  The day is grey and overcast as we head south.  Originally, we were going to take the coastal road along the blue Marmara Sea, but as it started raining, we opted for the freeway all the way to Galipoli, near Eceabat where we would catch the ferry across the Dardanelles to Canakkale.

Gelibolu was the site of a terrible battle during World War I between the ANZAC (Australia, New Zealand Army Crop), Brits, and French against the Turks who were fighting with the Germans.  Both sides fought valiantly, but both sides suffered extreme casualties of approximately 57,000 each and eventually, the Turks won the battle when the ANZACS retreated.  The Ottomans had 107,000 injured, and the Allies had 123,500 wounded.  Eventually, the Ottoman Empire would be defeated, but not at this battle.  There is a memorial simulation museum to both sides of this conflict.  Many Kiwis, Aussies, Brits, French, and Turks come here to commemorate their dead, and honor the valor of their soldiers.  War is so sad.  As Plato said, "Only the dead have seen the end of war."  We never seem to learn.

Late in the afternoon, we took the ferry over to Canakkale.  It was so miserable and wet, we never even got out of the car on 30 minute ride across the Dardanelle.  By 5:00 we had checked into our AirBnB, a modern, clean, stylish, three bedroom flat that we share with two other guests.  The owners live upstairs on the third floor.  Meris and Fatima are a lovely couple that just got married this weekend.  Upon learning that it was Russ's birthday, they invited us up to their flat for Turkish coffee, chocolate, and fruit.  We exchanged a few gifts. It was a delightful time.

Saturday, September 27, Day 109.  Trojan Horse and Troy!

Rain, rain, rain, but despite the rain, we ventured out to the ruins of Troy about 16 miles east of Canakkle.  With our audio guide, camera, umbrellas and rain gear we spent a couple of hours wandering around the ruins.  Troy over thousands of years has been built layer upon layer.  Homer's Troy and the Trojan horse are on Plateau number VI, with five or more civilizations buried underneath.  Plateau number VII is the Greeks, and VIII are the Romans.  Such a lot of history.  There undoubtedly was a Troy, and battles fought creating the rubble and foundations for the next civilization.  Homer's stories of the legendary Odysseus, Iliad, Helen of Troy and the Trojan Horse are a combination of legend and Homer's imagination.

In the evening, Meric and Fatima, invited us to an art exhibition.  The theme was basically the futility and madness of wars.  It was well done and interesting.  The rain is letting up and tomorrow looks like it will be a better day as we head to Assos.

All is well with the Worrall Travel Rs in Canakkale, Turkey.