Ephesus, the Healing Waters and Aphrodite

Having fun in Hierapolis

     We could have stayed in Canakkale another day or so, but it was time to move on.  We spent most of Tuesday doing the 6 hour drive between there and Selcuk, which is the home of the Ephesus ruins, the most important archeological site in Turkey.  The drive was effortless, except at the very end when Waze took us way out of our way, and led us to some obscure apartment building.  All we could say was, WTF!  Our room in Selcuk had tasteful decoration, again was on the small side, but we liked it.  Unfortunately no refrigerator or electric tea pot to heat our morning coffee water, but hey, we survived.  The streets were narrow and quiet, and a large tree shaded the outside breakfast area. 

Library of Celsus, Ephesus

 

     We spent three days visiting ancient ruins, some of which date back to 3,000 BC.  They were all unique, so we never got the feeling we were looking at the same thing twice.  Again, rather than try and describe them, Cynthia’s photos can tell a better story.  We spent an entire day at Ephesus, which definitely lives up to its exalted reputation.  The crowds were heavy, but that was expected.  The site is so large that one can always find quiet spots.  What was difficult to find was shade.  There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and the sun, though not the temperature, was full force. 

The People in Ephesus

Ephesus became even more dramatic after visiting the museum in Selcuk.  The museum is extremely impressive and just the right size.  The eyes definitely do not glaze over.  A few things stand out.  Marble, marble, marble.  Apparently it came from mines nearby, but there is just so much of it.  Sculptures, walls, streets.  The amount of marble artifacts are mind boggling.  Hundreds, if not thousands, of columns that you would think would be in museums are just lying about. 

 

Fallen Columns, Ephesus

All in a Row, Ephesus

     Sculpture totally stands out.  Some of the sculptures and ceramics date back to the 7th century BC.  The Romans, in particular, loved their sculpture and hundreds of them have been excavated.  They were not all in one piece, in fact rarely so, and it so impressive to see how pieces were put back together to make a whole again.  It was often like a jigsaw puzzle.  Some of the sculptures we saw were massive, especially during the Roman period.  Even though we are talking a long period of time, I am still totally impressed with the volume of creations.  And it is reported that only about 1/3 of Ephesus has been uncovered, with many of the new discoveries uncovered for the first time in the 20th century. 

Female Figure, Ephesus Museum

Group Sculpture, Ephesus Museum

Large Scale Aphrodite, Ephesus Museum

The next day we visited Priene and Didyma.  In ways these experiences were richer than the time spent at Ephesus.  Priene is like a poor cousin of Ephesus (the admission fee of $1.25 vs $20 tells a lot), yet we really liked it.  One can wander anywhere they want, shade is easy to find, and we had the place almost entirely to ourselves.  Our rental car made that possible, as large tour groups, which are common at Ephesus, don’t go there.  

Cynthia at Priene

     Didyma, the Temple of Apollo, is small, but again we were impressed with the magnitude of detail and scale that went into the building of the city.  Again, few visitors.  The theaters, both in Ephesus and Priene, are of particular interest.  They are well preserved and show that societies that lived there took an interest in art and performance.  It wasn’t hard to let one’s imagination fly.  

Didyma

An interesting aside is that all three of the archeological sites we visited used to be on the Aegean Sea, and were critically located as sea ports.  Today there is no water in sight.  The silt from the Caystrus River eventually turned the sea into farm land.  From Priene, which has a high elevation, we could see the sea off in the distance.  It took, however, a forty five minute drive to reach the water.  The process took a couple of thousand years, but still. 

This used to be the Aegean Sea!

Selcuk itself has its charm.  Were it not for the ruins I am sure it would be a sleepy farming town.  A large part of the town, which is small, is pedestrian only, so it made wandering the sidewalks a pleasure.  We found a restaurant we liked, and another that was so-so.  Selcuk didn’t have the interest of Canakkale, but being land locked doesn’t help.  

Cynthia had a hard time saying goodbye to the cats that either lived at our hotel, or were frequent visitors, but after four nights it was time to move on.  We drove inland for about 3-1/2 hours to reach the town of Pamukkale.  The last part of the drive has you wondering where you are going.  The road is almost a two track, no traffic, and nothing but fields are in sight.  Then, off in the distance, you see this mass of white.  Now neither Cynthia nor I were sure of what the Travertines of Pamukkale were, and when I saw them from a distance I was not exactly blown away.  Well, over the course of the next couple of days our impression took a big turn upwards.  For one it is a World Heritage site, a distinction that does not come easy.  Let’s start with the name Pamukkale.  Pamuk is cotton in Turkish, and Kale is castle.  So, the cotton castle.  Actually it is calcite.  Looking at it from our hotel balcony (we scored a prime room in Pamukkale, $68 a night) it looks like a mountain side that had a good snow fall the night before.  Except not really.  Again, I think you need to look at Cynthia’s photos to get a better idea.  

The Travertines from our hotel room balcony.

I have to say that our day of exploration of the Travertines was one of the more bizarre travel experiences I have had.  First off, to protect the calcite surface, one must go barefoot.  The few security personnel that were present made sure of it.  Now back in the barefoot hippy days this might have been a piece of cake.  But not for the soft feet of two people in their seventies.  

Detail of the Travertines, Pamukkale

     Actually most of the surface was smooth, and not too jagged, but there were places where walking was just not easy.  Plus you are going up a mountain!  At the same time mineral rich waters are coming down the mountain, from a spring way above, giving your feet a nice soaking much of the time.  There are pools along the way, and standing in the healing waters up to your ankles is a popular thing to do.

Healing waters for sore, tired feet!

     The contrast in women’s clothing can’t go without mention.  We saw young women in thong bathing suits you would expect to see on the beaches of Southern France, and others dressed

in black burkas head to toe. 

Walking up the Travertines, Pamukkale

     Some of the photo ops we witnessed were totally bizarre.  Strike a pose was the name of the game.  It all, however, seemed to be in total harmony. 

Strike a pose!

     It took about 1-1/2 hours of slow, careful walking to reach the upper most portion, stopping often for those photo ops, though in contrast to others, rarely of ourselves.  By the time we reached the top I was never happier to put my shoes back on!!

Travertine Pool

Though clearly the healing waters of the Travertines are extremely popular with current day Turks, the ruins of Hierapolis show that has been the case for centuries.  The ruins sit at the top and behind the Travertines.  The city, founded in 190 BC, is elaborate and expansive.  The location is no doubt due to the Travertines and its healing waters.  The ruins are impressive and the theatre is an absolute knock out.  We have now seen four or five theaters and this one takes the proverbial cake. 

Hierapolis Theater

Actor Holding Mask, Hierapolis Museum

After a long day we read the book and decided to take a stroll to the North Gate.  Along the way we were treated with the ruins of the latrine, which are highlighted in several of the sites we have seen.  The views were great because one is up on the mountain, but the road to the gate is long.  Too long.  We starting to get freaked that if we couldn’t find a shuttle (here called dolmus) back down to Pamukkale we were in big trouble.  Finally I stuck my thumb out and we got a ride to the gate.  No dolmus, but $10 later we were back at the hotel.

Hierapolis

Our last day in Pamukkale was taken with visits to two more cities, one about a 1/2 hour away (Laodicea) and the other (Afrodisias) another hour.  It is just astounding the work that has gone into excavating and rebuilding these wonders.  There is so much.  In Afrodisias they have uncovered more than 700 sarcophagi (in layman’s terms caskets) all with incredible and intricate carvings.  

Sarcophagus, Afrodisias

     The museum here was amazing.  Hundreds of larger than life sculptures, mostly of the Gods and the men that pay for them.  Interesting that many of the men are nude.  With the women a breast may be exposed.  Cynthia commented that it is amazing these made it past the first Christians when they came around, as they certainly did.  

      What seems to be a theme is that most of these cities were founded before the Romans, and they weren’t too shabby.  But when the Romans came the cities took on a new vibrance and grandeur.  The amount of sculpture, the size of the buildings, the planned layouts of the cities.  Just spectacular.

Temple of Aphrodite at Afrodisias

A word about the museums that accompany most of the ruins.  They are so well done.  The layouts, the lighting, the exhibits are all exceedingly professional.  Turkey should be proud.

Museum at Afrodisias

After three nights here in Pamukkale, it is time to hit the road once again.  We are headed back to the sea, though this time it is the Mediterranean, and we both love what water can do for a place.  Again, thank you so much for reading and we’ll be back before you know it.    

Hot Air Balloon over the Travertines

 

Wars and Antiquity

The Beautiful Aegean Sea!

     There was slight anxiety as we left our Istanbul hotel to pick up the rental car. In the end, it did go smoothly. We are driving a Peugeot with about 150,000 km on it, so we are not talking spanking new. The price seemed right, but that will be determined when we complete the rental. As we made our way the 300 plus km to Canakkale, we marveled at the excellent condition of the roads. Light traffic, state of the art highways, and not a pothole in sight. 

     Tourists go to Canakkale (pronounced Chanakkale with the accent on the le) to see the the 1/2 mystical, half reality, ancient city of Troy; and the First World War battlefields of Gallipoli. We were surprised, however, to find the city of Canakkale itself totally charming. Its location is critical to this part of the world, sitting at the mouth of the Dardanelles Strait. But more on that when telling a brief tale of the Gallipoli Battle of the First World War. Canakkale has quite the happening scene. Along the waterfront is a walkway that is both charming and vibrant. People are definitely out and about. There is even the giant wooden Trojan Horse, made famous in Homer’s Odyssey. No it is not the original, but it is the original horse used in the 2004 Brad Pitt movie, Troy. That’s something anyway. We found a restaurant we really loved, right on the water, that had a variety of fish dishes, and, of course, Efes beer. 

"Trojan Horse", Canakkale

     As has happened on many of our ventures, we stumbled onto a cultural festival that was in full swing. We caught three bands and an amazing display of living statues. The band that seemed to be the most popular was, what we think, a cover band doing Turkish rock n roll songs from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. The large crowd loved it and seemed to know every word. I’ll let Cynthia’s photo’s show the originality and creative nature of the living statues. 

Living Statues, Canakkale Cultural Festival

Living Statue, Canakkale Cultural Festival

     For sure the highlight of the Troy experience was the museum. Or rather the almost 4,000 years that it explores. I will confess my ignorance in not knowing that active civilizations were thriving between 3,000 and 2,000 BC. This precedes the height of the Egyptian civilization which had its height about 1,500 BC. A lot of what is displayed are ceramics, but there is a captivating display of gold jewelry from 2,400 BC and a ton of information given in both Turkish and English. 

Troy Museum 

Troy Museum

     One human story stands out. A man named Heinrich Schliemann got permission to dig at the site in the mid 19th century. It turned out he wasn’t an archeologist, but somewhat of a gold digger. He was German, but went to the States when he heard of the California 49ers. He established a bank where he exchanged gold and cash. He was accused of giving short weights. He subsequently left the States in haste, the first sign he was not on the up and up. Schliemann was obsessed with Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, and wanted to find the true city of Troy. Upon discovering the site, with the help of an acquaintance, he went a long way towards ruining many irreplaceable artifacts by using dynamite to unearth the treasures more quickly. He tried to buy the land that Troy was on as there was a law in place that said anything found on one’s land belonged to the land owner. He got outmaneuvered on that one by the Ottoman government, who found out about his intention and bought the land before Schliemann could. Still, he smuggled a lot of antiquities out of the country, sold them, and they still reside in many European countries, as well as Russia. To this day he is somewhat of a vile figure here in Turkey. 

Gold Necklace and Earrings, 2,400 BC - Troy

     Archeologists have found that Troy is not just one city, but layer after layer has been uncovered. Over the course of some 2,500 years there were nine separate civilizations established. As mentioned, the museum is fascinating, the actual site not so much. There is little left of it and it resembles an abandoned rock pile. This seemed odd to both Cynthia and I given the treasures that were unearthed there. 

Crates of Pot Shards, Troy Archeological Site

     I had never heard of the Battlefields of Gallipoli. In Turkey it is famous, as it was a moment (actually almost a year) of glory for the Ottoman Empire in a war they eventually lost. As mentioned, Canakkale sits at the beginning of the Dardanelles Strait. The Allied powers desperately wanted to capture Istanbul as it was the key to having a supply route between Russia and England and France, who made up the Allied Forces. Winston Churchill was the First Lord of the British Admiralty, and there are records that show as he approached the Dardanelles Strait he sent a message to London saying they would be in Istanbul in two weeks. Amazing that he survived that stupidity. They launched a large naval attack in March,1915 only to be surprised and rebuffed. Then in April they did a major landing, seemingly having total dominance in terms of numbers and fire power. Incredibly the Ottomans, mostly Muslim, held out and it turned into bloody trench warfare. In December, 1915 the allies retreated to their ships. This was after some 130,000 soldiers died. As with so much in war, what a fucking waste. 

Gallipoli Cemetery

     We started the day at the Canakkale Epic Promotion Center which was quite the trip. One takes a tour where hi-tech 3D simulation equipment takes you on a tour of the battles. The floor moves, the sound is staggering, and you come out with definite knowledge of how the battle unfolded. The presentation definitely comes from the perspective of the Ottomans, which is no surprise. 

     The cemeteries on Gallipoli are numerous and sobering. Still, as we drove around the beautiful peninsula with astounding views of the Aegean Sea, we were glad we came. 

Gallipoli Cemetery on the Shores of the Aegean Sea

     Side note time. We are using Google Translate a lot. The people involved in tourism often speak English, but outside of that, not so much. We use our phone, speak into it in English, and out it comes in Turkish. It has saved our ass a few times. —— Cats. They are everywhere, and I mean everywhere. Few of them have owners. It reminds us of Santa Cruz, except instead of dogs, it is cats. For the most part they leave people alone and they don’t bark. Cynthia is definitely getting her cat fix!!!! 

Cat and Statue, Ephesus

     We were driving out of Istanbul and I saw a police car with a policeman standing there staring at us, complete with flashing light. Kind of scared me, and definitely got my attention. Wrong. It was a plywood replica of a police car complete with flashing light. What a hoot! We have seen many of them and it brings a smile every time. Not, however, the first time. —— The breakfasts at the three hotels we have stayed in so far are amazing. Great variety leads the way. Fruit, olives, bread, cheese, and omelettes if one wants them. The coffee scene can be lacking, but we brought Starbucks instant which actually is pretty damn good. Perhaps not up to the standards of our own Paxanax Primo, but good nonetheless. 

     Cynthia made the comment, “Being a tourist is hard work, but somebody has to do it.” That is not entirely a smart ass comment. We have been walking at least 10,000 steps a day, peaking out at some 18,000 one day in Istanbul. It can truly be exhausting. Tons of stairs, uneven surfaces, and path surprises galore can make it challenging. Add to that trying to figure out where you are, and where you are going. I am glad to report that Cynthia and I are still up to the task and having a blast doing it. As always, thanks for reading and another blog will come along soon.

Inscription on Grave Stone, Gallipoli

Vibrant Istanbul

      

Suleymaniye Mosque
Istanbul

     As always, the time warp becomes real when heading East making the big leap across the Atlantic.  One basically loses a day.  As we approached Frankfurt, Germany, we saw the sun peak over the horizon announcing the new day.  Ah yes, the Frankfurt airport.  God forbid one isn’t nimble afoot as stairs await at every turn.  From the minute one exits the plane, until you take the stairs down to get on the packed bus that takes you to the tarmac.  It sounds as though I am complaining, and maybe I am.  

     We arrived at the gigantic Istanbul Airport at two in the afternoon.  They did stamp our passport, but entry was seamless.  We had sprung for a private shuttle from the airport to our hotel in the historical Sultanahmet area of Istanbul.  Smooth sailing until we got into the narrow streets of the old city that were never meant for cars.  We ended up bailing from the car and walking the last couple of blocks.  Our hotel is well appointed and the location is good.  The room is small, which is OK, other than Cynthia and I struggle to find a surface for our stuff, and we are traveling light.  The neighborhood is a bit of a hoot.  Or maybe I should say boot.  We are in the middle of the shoe district.  Literally hundreds of shoe stores.  Everything for the foot one could imagine.  Kind of catchy at first, but the shoes come in boxes and, once emptied, the boxes fill the sidewalks.  One does a criss-cross pattern to get down the street.  Frankly, it kind of ruins the wha of the neighborhood, as Istanbul is a very clean city.     

Shoes, shoes, shoes!
Istanbul

Our good friend from Guatemala, Pat Torpie, arrived in Istanbul the same day we did.  We are doing things together while in in the city, then will go our own way the rest of the trip.  The three of us hired a guide for the first afternoon in order to get familiar with the city’s geography.  Well, make that the Sultanahmet area.  The city is huge, and it would take weeks, if not months, to explore the variety it has to offer.  Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and he took us to several of the most famous places that Istanbul has to offer, but also locations we never would have found on our own.   To begin with we went to the sites the city is most famous for.  That would be the Blue Mosque, the Aya Sofya and the Grand Bazaar.  From the outside one can imagine the majesty of the Blue Mosque, but on the inside it is quite disappointing.  Not the Mosque’s fault.  It is undergoing restoration and the scaffolding and other construction paraphernalia make it impossible to really get a feeling for the interior.  Despite this, it is still packed with tourists.  Construction was supposed to be completed in three years, but they are now well into year four, and it is reported another year is needed.  Good for the Blue Mosque, too bad for those who want to experience it. 

The Blue Mosque
Istanbul

     The Aya Sofya had large crowds as well, but one could still embrace the grandeur of what is now a mosque.   Our first day guide told us no one takes anything historical serious unless it is at least a thousand years old.  Well, the Aya Sofya was completed in 537 AD, on the backs of 10,000 workers, so it definitely passes the test.  The Aya Sofya has a complicated past as it was first built as a Greek Orthodox Church, then with a regime change a mosque, then a museum, then in a controversial decision was converted back into a mosque in 2020.  As will be the pattern in these blogs, rather than try and describe what we are witnessing, I will let Cynthia’s photographs give a much more compelling and realistic vision into what we are seeing.

Aya Sofya (Hagia Sofia) - Interior
Istanbul

     A little aside.  We noticed several large well fed dogs on the main mall near The Blue Mosque.  They all had tags in their ears.  Trivia, but a curiosity nonetheless.  We asked around and found out that they are ownerless dogs, but the city has neutered them and given them their shots, and then tagged them so everyone knows.  They look very healthy as apparently the city feeds them as well.  From what we witnessed they do a lot of hanging.  Now there is a dog's life!  Again, in the animal department there are cats everywhere.  Cynthia, being a serious cat lover, is thrilled.

Tagged and Good to Go!

     Make no mistake, Istanbul is a thriving city.  Added to the 15,000,000 residents, it is a tourist Mecca.  The old city, Sultanahmet, is packed with tourists, but we have found that if one leaves that immediate area there is still an abundance of people, but they are definitely locals.  The women’s styles are all over the place.  From black head-to-toe burkas, to stylish clothing one would see in Europe.  Though the country is definitely Muslim, there seems to be a definite freedom of expression.  The people watching is fascinating as variety is in abundance.

Women's Bazaar
Istanbul

     The days are so full.  Yesterday we began the day visiting the Basilica Cistern.  Incredibly, it was built in 532 AD.  Originally it was the water source for the Grand Palace, but was abandoned and not rediscovered until 1535.  It’s a huge underground cavern originally capable of holding 21,000,000 gallons of water.   There are 336 columns that provide it structure and one walks around the entire place on an elevated platform with the water right below.  There is a bit of light show going on to add to the bizarre atmosphere.  We both loved it. 

Basilica Cistern
Istanbul

    Then it was off to the Bosphorus Strait.  Now this large body of water, which seems like a river, literally divides Europe from Asia.  The locals, in fact, refer to the Eastern part of the city as the Asian side.  It connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara.  Just for those geography buffs, the Sea of Marmara connects to the Aegean Sea, which in turn connects to the Mediterranean.  Though perhaps not the highlight of the trip so far, it was still good to get out on the water, with the sea breeze blowing, and see the palaces and mansions that line the shore.  If one were rolling in dough, regardless of what century, this was obviously the place to be.  We did learn a lesson with this journey.  We were on the Hop on Hop Off ferry where one can get off, look around, and catch the next one as it comes along.  Well, we came to what we thought was our final stop, many were getting off, and we just followed.  I looked around and commented that nothing looked familiar.  Cynthia immediately said, “Oh  my God, we got caught in herd mentality.”  Wrong stop.  We had to cool our heals, in an area we knew nothing about, for an hour until the next boat came along.  Not a big deal, but we travel independently so as not to get caught in the follow-the-leader mentality. 

Dolmabahce Palace - 1843
Istanbul

     Not that you are concerned, but just to let you know Cynthia and I are eating well.  The few restaurants we have been to have incredible variety.  Every kind of kebob one can imagine.  Last night I had a sword fish kebob that was delicious.  Cynthia has become a fan of Adana kabap (Turkish name for kebob) which is a mixture of lamb and beef, with a touch of spice.  One can also satisfy their desire for pizza, though here it is called pide, and the crust is pita bread.  Actually different from the pizza we know both in look and taste.  And then we have become very familiar with Efus, the local go-to beer.  Frankly not a great beer, but it hits the spot nonetheless.

Sweets anyone?

     As most of you know I politically lean very far to the left.  The reason I mention this is that today we visited the Topkapi Palace.  It was the headquarters of the Ottoman Empire between the 15th and 19th centuries.  Lonely Planet describes it as the domain of “Libidinous sultans, ambitious courtiers, beautiful concubines and scheming eunuchs.”  If the majority could live like this, maybe, but the sultans lived in luxury unheard of by the masses.  Now I realize that is still the case, but somehow this seemed even more egregious.  Who the hell needs three hundred concubines?  Sounds exhausting.  The upside is that now these domains of the rulers are open for public inspection and they are, indeed, spectacular.  If hadn’t been for a super wealthy royal elite, we would never have these incredible works of art, which many of the palace rooms indeed are.  A couple of asides in regard to the Topkapi Palace.  The eunuchs were powerful within the palace in that they were the protectors, and also the money watchers.  They were almost exclusively black.  Most of the concubines were captured slaves who were then trained to be concubines.  Skills to be learned included Turkish culture and language, music, the art of make-up, music and writing.  It apparently took a lot to please the Sultan!  In fighting among the concubines was apparently not rare and there were even tales of murder.  

Iznik Tile, Harem, Topaki Palace
Istanbul

     Our final Istanbul destination, until our return at the end of the trip, was the Grand Bazaar.  Established in 1461, apparently by a sultan that loved shopping, it is truly the heart of Old Istanbul.  The entire Bazaar is covered, which given its size, is an accomplishment in itself.  There are lanes winding everywhere, big and small.  And today they were are all packed.  I can’t overemphasize how large this market place is.  Getting lost, as we definitely did, is just part of the experience.  At the end Cynthia and I were just going, "How the Hell does one get out of here!!   Even if one doesn’t want to shop, and we didn’t, there are teases everywhere.  I expected the shop owners to leap into our paths trying to entice us with their wares, but thankfully this was rare.  We did find shops that intrigued us, but we escaped with a pair of earrings for Cynthia and a thumb ring for me.  I want to emphasize that this is not predominantly a tourist thing.  Most of the hordes of people were Turkish.  They clearly love their Grand Bazaar.

The Grand Bazaar
Istanbul

     The tourist industry in Turkey seems to be alive and well, supplying some 11% of the GNP prior to the pandemic.  This has been apparent in almost all of the places we have visited.  The good news is that the city is vast, and therefore it is possible to find places that are away from the madding crowd.  Speaking of the pandemic, for those of us still concerned with getting covid, Istanbul would be a tough place to be.  Masks are not seen, crowds are everywhere, and I personally don’t know how prevalent covid is here.  Cynthia and I are hoping for the best.  The day before we left I got an omicron booster, and Cynthia is boosted as well.  I guess it is time to live life and trust in the covid Gods.  Whatever that means!                       

     Luckily the weather has been perfect, so the heat has not been oppressive.  If extreme heat had been added to the mix it would have been rough.  At the end of each day we are exhausted, though upbeat.  Tomorrow morning we pick up a rental car and leave the metropolis of Istanbul.  A fascinating city for sure, one that has more to offer than can be digested in the 4-1/2 days we have been here.  As always, thanks for reading and we will be back soon!!

Hookah Pipes