Missing You!

Oh me oh my!! SORRY! I got side tracked - did a little trip to Kamloops, Halloween and Christmas - I seem to have left you all hanging. After our monumental trip back in time - the next day came early. We were picked up at Villa Konak at 7:00 a.m. for a trip to Pamukkale - meaning "cotton castle" in Turkish. When we were planning our trip to Turkey all the books and brochures had pictures of wonderful scenes with white? - could be snow? sand? what?

The trip from Kusadasi to Pamukale took over 3 hours. As mentioned before Kusadasi is on the coast and Pamukale is in the hills. We passed through cotton fields, orchards of olives and pomegranite. Our sense were bombarded with the colours of fields orange flowers. We passed through a few cities and small villages. One village we were told was a "bottle village" - they put bottles on the roofs of houses where there were single girls looking to marry. Men who were wanting to marry had to break the bottle to claim the right to marry the girl. We arrived at Pamukale around 11:00.

This beautiful place has been visited by tourists for thousands of years. Hot springs have been flowing down the hillside depositing calcite that creates the fabulous travertines and terraces. At the end of the 2nd century B.C. the dynasty of the Attalids, the kings of Pergamon, established the thermal spa of Hierapolis. The largest cemetary in the world is here - as people would come from all over to bath in these waters believing them to have healing powers.

We had a short tour of the ruins of the baths, temples and other Greek monuments and then spent the rest of the day walking in the warm waters of this marvel.

After spending the afternoon in the sun and the warm soft water we went for a wonderful late lunch. It was a buffet but they offered local wine yummy.

It was a long day all in all and when we got back to The Villa Konak we were greeted by our host who presented us with a bottle of wine and 3 glasses. We sat on the deck by the pool to savour the wine, the day and each others thoughts.

Back in Time

Our time machine, a white tour van, took us back in time today. Our first stop was to the Isa Bey Mosque. This is one of the oldest mosques in Turkey - building completed in 1375 AD. They are still using it for worship. I found it fascinating that the architect "recycled" pieces from older buildings in the construction.

These three column heads are examples of "recycling" - each is from a different period.

Back in our time machine for  Ephesus. Ephesus was built as a port. It's shear size is impressive. It was built by the Greeks and later inhabited by the Romans. We wandered through the streets of this ancient site seeing the Roman bath houses, the Celsus Library, the Temple of Hadrian, the Trajan Fountain and the Great Theatre.

Originally shops lined the marble street (above)

The Celsus Library (below) was built in 117 A.D.

Below is the smaller of the two theatres - it servers as a place for meetings of the Senate and as as an Odeum - a concert hall for performances. Contruction was in the 2nd century AD.

The Great Theatre below is located on the slope of Panayir Hill, opposite the Harbor Street, and easily seen when entering from the south entrance to Ephesus. It is the largest in Anatolia and has the capacity of 25,000 seats. The theatre was used not only for concerts and plays, but also for religious, political and philosophical discussions and for gladiator and animal fights.

Harbour Street - leading down to the harbour. A gymnasium and baths were along side this street.

Back in our time machine and we are off up the Aladag mountain to the House of the Virgin Mary.This place of pilgrimage is visited by thousands of tourists every year by people of all faiths. We could feel peace and tranquility of this holy place. Only muffled voices could be heard as people filed through the building that is said to be the house of the Virgin Mary.

Leaving wishes on the Wishing Wall

Finally the time machine landed back in our century - we did the carpet tour - which I have told you about BUT we also went to a leather outlet for a fashion show. This was the end of a very HOT day - we were tired. We were offered tea and lead into a dark theatre with a fashion runway. Music with a beat started and the models came out with beautiful leather jackets on and then they requested participation and took three of our group away - Tracy - oh she was not impressed but as she was one of the three chosen she went along with it. I must say the jackets were fabulous and the leather was so soft. It was tempting but they were very expensive. Oh so beautiful.

Kuşadasi

I just want to share some pictures and stories about our time in the city of Kuşadasi. Kuşadasi is a resort area on the Aegean Sea. Cruise ships galore are coming and going from the harbour. The streets coming up from the harbour are lined with shops and restaurants.

Our first night in Kuşadasi, we head down from our hotel and are accosted by people wanting you to come into their restaurant, or buy something. We succumbed to one invite. Their plea was appealing - my family runs this restaurant, these are my brothers, my mother and my father. And besides he had the most incredible blue eyes - whoa! Immediately we are served a cold beer in a frosty glass and we settled in to review the menu. Lots good food and lots laughter, a gift of dessert and a knitted woolen mitten and we were on our way.

We strolled along looking at the shops. We also wanted to purchase a phone card - finally we found a place where they would help us use the card. Here we are, trusting people that we are, following this man into a back lane - but we did get to where there were some phones. We made our call and as we promised for his help, we went back to the shop. We looked at the beautiful things - and after much bullying on the shop keepers part I walked out with a silk scarf for a lot less than he wanted for it (thanks to Tracy) but a lot more than I wanted to pay - actually I didn't even want it.

Not where we ate but couldn't resist the picture - yes we are in Turkey. Efes Beer is the main beer in Turkey and it is quite good.

Sunset on the main pedestrian street near the harbour. Our second night in Kuşadasi we had dinner here. Wonderful waiter who really quizzed us about having second beer (they are not big drinkers of alcohol in Turkey especially women). This wonderful waiter saved us from over paying too and even when we left a large tip he questioned us. How very nice.

This bronze statue is of the world famous jazz trumpeter, Muvaffak (Maffy) Falay, born in Kuşadasi. He has played with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie and the Quincy Jones Orchestra and toured in Europe, North and South America.

Marina with Pigeon Island in the background. The island was used for military purposes during the Ottoman Era and before, as the island was strategic for securing the shores or preventing attacks from the sea. The Byzantine castle standing on the rocks was said to be used against pirates and is known as "Pirate Castle".

Okay now this is got to be something you don't see everyday.

People have asked me "why Turkey?" well, partially because it is there and looked so beautiful and partially because Tracy loves Pomegranates and they grow here. Her dream - to pick a pomegranate - this one is not quite ripe and not exactly on the road - we had to go into an empty lot at night, with a flashlight to pick this.

 

There, my feet have been in the Aegean Sea. Those feet have now been in the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean, and now the Aegean Sea. There are a few oceans left yet. I may have to put them on my bucket list. But I might stop at the Arctic or the Antarctic. You never know.

From Here to There and Every Where

We loved our time in Göreme - so many good memories and so many pictures, but there is more to see and our next adventure is just around the corner or at least a plane ride away. At the designated time someone arrived at our hotel to take us to Kayseri to catch a plane to Kuşadasi. Okay there were three of us and three suitcases and three carry-on pieces and we get a small red car?

It takes these two fellows a few tries to get the luggage in the trunk, some anxious, tense moments and we are on our way. Kayseri is about 1 - 1-1/2 hours away. The day is beautiful, we pass farms, orchards of olives and pomegranates, fields of corn, sunflowers. In the distance we see mountains - extinct volcanoes - one of which is the home of a ski resort. The landscape is dry and I was amazed at the thought of skiing but was assured by our driver that they do indeed get snow.

As we approach Kayseri, off in the distance is an area full of large low buildings which we are told are factories - furniture, clothing, car parts, food processing. There are a lot of new high rise apartments - housing for the factory workers.  

 

I have no pictures to show you of the airport in Kayseri so I will describe it best I can. We are dropped off. As soon as we get inside we have to go through security - okay - but we see people with water bottles? but okay. We get inside and all signs are in Turkish. We match the name of the airline on our vouchers to the signs and we get checked through and a boarding pass. We go through security again then we wait at a gate. Lots of announcements in Turkish but we get the idea that perhaps we are boarding now - so we just follow the crowd and trust that we are getting on the right plane. Off we go and about an hour later we are in Izmir. Again no signs in English but the pictures of baggage and arrows are there so we follow them and the other travellers. We get our luggage and exit to find someone waiting with a sign that says our name. Good to go. We head out to Kuşadasi.

 

We leave the city of Izmir. The trip is beautiful - but still desert like. We start up into the hills and pass by Ephesus and the home of the Virgin Mary in the distance. Then we see the ocean - the Aegean Sea. 

 

The city of  Kuşadasi is on the hillside around a large harbour. We drive by large hotels, apartments, shopping areas - up hills and down and around and around through narrow, cobblestone streets until we finally get to our hotel - Villa Konak. It is a small hotel. The people that greet us make us feel like we are long lost relatives and welcome us in.

 

Notice the Evil Eye on the chimney of this brick oven
they truly are everywhere.

We left as soon as we settled into our room to explore Kuşadasi but I think I will leave you with this for another post.