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Posts tagged ‘troy’

Venice to Turkey 20

Day 20, Troy, May 23

Today we’re on the bus at 7:30 AM. We leave Izmir on our way to Troy. Only about 110 km or one and a half hours. The architecture in Izmir is modern. And like most cities in the world, it doesn’t escape graffitti!

We head into the countryside and suddenly a warning alert goes off in the bus. It turns out to be a driver alert that announces our driver needs a mandatory day off. Akmed cannot work 7 days in a row by Turkish law. We do have a second driver on board so all is well.

W arrive in Bergama, Asklepion around 9:30 AM. The weather is mostly cloudy. Temperature is 20C (68F). Parchment Paper was created here. Books were also first created here.

Architecture is 70s era. The farmland is rustic. We visit Pagamon (or Bergama) ruins and marvel at more ancient artifacts including a sacred fountain. Then we are on the bus for 2 hours to our lunch stop.

We stop at Yasa for lunch and I have a Turkish pizza. It is delicious! I also like to photograph police cars around the world as most of them are quite different. Even tunnels through the mountains have a uniqueness to them.

We are heading through the Canakkale (pronounced kaan-a-kaal-E) province of Turkiye (the official spelling of Turkey). About two hours after lunch, we arrive in Troy, about 30 km from the city of Canakkale. The city of Troy is very interesting. It’s not even close to the stories I heard as a child or in school. There are approximately eleven layers of Troy, seven plus layers of the city, having been built upon itself many times. There are several discovered Amphora vessels that presumably held wine at one time. Earthquakes and fires involved destroyed the city several times also. The movie is totally a Hollywood creation. The story of the horse is sketchy at best, even though they have a horse there for tourist purposes.

We walk quite a ways around the old city checking out the ruins. Some sensitive ruins have had a roof built over them during excavations. I photographed a lot of the signs for myself and others interested to read later. The roman numerals following the name Troy indicate the layer of the city it’s referring to.

Our guide, Oz, is well versed with everything Turkiye and educates us about everything we see. The history of Troy is fascinating. As you can see it is the season of red poppies.

Now we drive to our hotel, the Park Ytun Hotel.

Dinner tonight is okay, basically unremarkable.

Venice to Turkey 18

Day 18, Pamukkale, May 21

We arise early and have breakfast and get on the bus by 6:30 AM. It’s a long drive today to Pamukkale (pronounced paam-oo-kaal-ey. Thank goodness for professional bus drivers. It’s raining and miserable for most of our morning ride. There are a few fun views out of the bus windows!

The weather clears and we stop at a unique mosque, Sultanhani Belediyesi, with living quarters that we can visit. The marble walls and carvings are immense and beautiful! Rug collections on display are everything from pristine to ragged and torn.

Several different rooms with signs describing them in English. Very helpful. Who knew that a ‘harem’ was a room in which to sleep and pray? Or that a ‘living room’ was a Council Chamber? ‘Bread’ is a scent? A ‘bath’ serves a Social Function? Very interesting philosophies!

A cafe outside the mosque depicts the ‘Fairy Castles’ sells potato chips that you recognize but read the packaging.

Back on the bus for another few hours. The weather is clearer and we pass through attractive countryside. We stop for lunch for one hour and get back on the road. The steps down to the restrooms are quite interesting.

An hour later we come to a stop again. This time it is for a crane on the road ahead removing the wreckage of a two truck crash. We are backed up for most of an hour and we get out of the bus and stretch our legs. We are near the front of the traffic and we watch the crane do its work. As we get underway again, we see that one of the accident vehicles caught fire and burned.

So I don’t know what time we were scheduled to arrive but we can add an hour to that. There is something magical about stormy skies where the sun shines through occasionally! We stop for the mandatory driver’s rest in Dinar for 45 minutes. We have 90 minutes left to ride. So we have been on the bus from 6:30 AM to 5:30 PM with only a few stops and one traffic delay. We will stay in Pamukkale tonight.

Goat farmers herd their flock along the roads. We drive through Karai and limestone deposits.

We next visit these thermal limestone and travertine pools in Hierapolis. They are fed by 35C (95F) mineral rich springs! It is about a half mile hike in to the pools. We even get to wade into them without our socks and shoes. The water is warm and we have to be careful for it is slippery.

Elee is feeling somewhat more adventurous and wants to wade into the deeper pools in the distance. I opt to get out and walk on the boardwalk above them. It starts to rain and Elee comes back out but not before getting soaked.

We try to take shelter under the trees above the boardwalk but we are not very successful. The rain lasts about a half hour and we are drenched by the time it stops.

The rain has lent a mystical aura to the sky and the light and our cameras love it! This is truly a miraculous place in the world! The rain stops and we walk the half mile to the bus, a few pounds heavier with water!

After visiting this UNESCO site, we drive a short distance to the Adampira Spa Hotel where we will spend the night. Dinner is a huge buffet with some very good food and, as always, fabulous soup!

We retire to our room and get chargers plugged in. Showers will happen tonight to save sleep time in the morning. After being up early the last two days, we will get to sleep in to the late hour of 6 AM!