Pergamum

After leaving our hotel we had an 6 hour drive to our next set of ruins at Pergamum.  Along the way the tour company took us to a small village for lunch.  The idea is for them to cook us meals they would cook for their families. When we arrived, we first met the mayor, and were then lead to the square where our hosts were, as well as the rest of the village.  We were  first fed bread fresh out of their outdoor oven. Man was it good.  The old people were having lunch in the town square because there was a baby 14 days old and they have a celbration and introduce the baby to the viilage.  They looked and dressed just as I might have expected. A bit weather beaten, the women were wearing scarves.  The villagers take the tourists into their homes for a meal.  They are told to cook local dishes of the it choice.

The hostesses wear wedding dresses so we can see what they look like.  Our hostesses name was Gushim and she was wonderful.  None of the villagers speak English and we have just managed to sort of learn "hello, thank you, how much is it, good morning and please.  Gushim escorted us to her home.  She opened a metal door that led into the garage and up a flight of stairs to the house.  We all, 7 of us, removed our shoes.  The bathroom was at the top of the stairs and to the right was a outdoor area.  We entered the living room where a long table was set for us.  There were couches on either side of the room so there wasn't much space left for the white plastic chairs we were to sit on.  John and Ruth, Dave and Jill and Shelley were the other guests.  There was a small, older tv, pictures of their only daughter and her son on one wall, a small picture of an ancestor on another and behind us was a picture of Gushim and her husband.  We were seated and she asked Shelley to come to the kitchen with her so Shelley got to help serve a delicious soup.  The dishes and cutlery were their best but corelle type and not much matched.  That didn't matter we felt very welcome.  Gushim is a gracious host.  Thankfully she ate with us so we could follow her lead. We admired her dress which she had made herself and the pictures. Shelley was so good at pantomime and she is a natural actress.  She helped us communicate and had everyone laughing.  After the soup (there was a dish of olives on the table - Turkish people only eat olives at breakfast and sometimes for lunch) we were served fried egg plant -it was soon good, it was followed by tiny rolls of rice and lamb wrapped in grape leaves, then came the deep fried phyllo pastry with cheese in it - every one had a few of those. There was lots of ekmek as well (bread). During lunch the husband came in.  They served their homemade liquor to us.  It came to the table in a plastic water bottle.  Potent stuff, but it tasted pretty good.  Hubby was seated by Roy and gave him a second shot.  Roy wouldn't have more so poor hubby had to drink alone. Before dessert their daughter came.  Proud parents!  She interacted with us too and said good morning in English.  It was afternoon but what the heck!  We had a wonderful time with this family and are so glad the tour company started the program.

We all wondered how to say thank you in a tangible way but Gushim solved the problem gracefully.  She had a tray of scarves that were 25 or 30 lira each.  All the ladies were thrilled with their scarves.  She tied mine on her head the same way she was wearing hers.  I will never remember how to do it.  We all got our pictures taken with the family.  Everyone enjoyed their experience!  It was better than a meal in a 5 star restaurant.  On the way out she showed Roy her kitchen.  It made us all feel like we had experienced the real Turkey. The people in this village are Alive Muslims.   There 12 million of them but they are not recognized by the government.  They are the only Muslims who drink alcohol.   They don't have mosques and their worship is a former of dance.

After this we were off to Pergamum, an ancient medical centre.  The place was vast, with an amphitheater that seated 14,000.  They used it for music therapy to help people with mental disorders.  Patients were sent for treatment from all over the country.  Not everyone received treatment. Patients went through triage before they were admitted. If they felt that you couldn't be cured you didn't get in.  Psychological treatment was used.  Patients, on the day of their treatment walked along a long tunnel.  The tunnel had evenly spaced vents in the ceiling.  As the patient walked priests would whisper, you will be healed through the vents.  At the end of the tunnel was the incubation chamber where they rested before receiving treatment.  Priests would whisper positive things in their ear. The upper floor, where they were treated has not been restored.

Back on the bus to our next hotel in Kusadasi. On the way to the hotel Tolga informed us that the hotel was full and we wouldn't get sea view or hillside view rooms.  It was his surprise for us when everyone got a glorious view of the sea.  The rooms were very nice and the food was beyond good.  Everyone was happy to be there for 2 nights.  Roy got his swim in the Agenan Sea.  It was a lot chiller than it had been in Greece but he managed to stay in for about 15 minutes.

Gallipoli-Dardenelles-Troy

We are getting in late to hotels, and the have dinner around 8, it is getting hard to keep up with our blog.

Today we are leaving Istanbul and heading down to Gallipoli where the Turks and Anzacs fought for 9 months in world War 1. A disasterous campaign for the allies.  Our guide gave us the war perspective from the Turkish point of view. Very interesting different slant on what went on. Like other fields the cost of lives was horrendous.  In one battle, the Turks had 1500 Dead, and another 3000 wounded in a few hours. The battlefield was the size of a tennis court. The irony is that the Turks wanted to join the allies, but the Russians wouldn't hear of it. Looking at the ground, hills and valleys, and hearing the stories gives a deeper appreciation of what these young men faced on both sides. There are memorials for both sides.

 The Turkish people ignored Gallipoli, until just recently.  So many Australians and New Zealanders  were making pilgrimages to the site that the Turkish people started to be interested in their own history.  It doesn't mean as much to us, but it still makes you think about what went on, a day the sacrifices for both sides.

 When we left Gallipoli, we caught a ferry at the narrowest point, and crossed the Dardenelles into Asia.
Because we were fairly early we had time to visit Troy. There have actually been 10 cities built on the same spot. The two most important are #2 and #6. Number 6 is the Troy of Homer, or Hellen Troy. They are lots of ruins, and digs over a wide area. It is  simply amazing.

Walls of Helenes Troy

Our guide explained how to tell the different Troys buy the way the blocks were put together.


 We will probably say this alot, but it was very interesting and exceeded our expectaptions. From Troy we went to our hotel. Six hours of being on a bus made everyone tired. From our hotel we could, do see the castles of Canakkale located at the narrows of the Dardanelle

Turkey day 2

Two bleary-eyed tourist's stumbled down to breakfast.  They may not be able to work air conditioning,  but they do put on a great spread for breakfast. After breakfast we  got onto the bus and set out to Topcappi Palace for our first stop. This was the home of the Rulers of the Ottoman empire starting around 1000 ad. Suleman  the great built the palace after he took Constantiople from the Roman rulers.  Each sultan which followed after Suleman kept adding to it making it bigger and more elegant. This continued until the begining of the decline of the empire, until the place fell into such decay, that everyone moved out. The jewels of the treasury are kept here on display, and they are spectacular. The world's largest diamond is here, and it is the size of a fist. There are four courtyards, the common people were only allowed into the first, high ranking officials would meet in a building in the second to discuss the business of the state.  High ranking ministers could get into the third,  and only family and servants in the fourth.  The harem is now open, but all the furniture has been taken to a museum, so there are only empty rooms.  Also located there is supposedly the stick of Mohammad,  part of the skull and arm bone of John the Baptist,  and the sword of David. We do believe. (or maybe we don't)

Saving in draft until Internet available

Turkey Day1

We were up early to pack.  Since we did most of our packing the night before there wasn't much we had to do. Down for breakfast and back to our room by 8 AM.  Pickup was at 10:15 so we had 2 hours to kill.  It was a long 2 hours. Transfer driver was great and got us to the airport just around 11.  When we che ked in we got a bit of a stàrt, we we I found out our tickets did not include checked baggage.  We had to pony up some money or leave our bags behind.  Then the girl at the baggage check wrote Bay on our tickets,  which we assumed was our departure gate. After lunch we went through the ticket control and stopped to buy a chocolate bar at the duty free. There we were told that we were in the wrong area, and our flight was leaving from the other side of the airport.  We checked the board, and sure enough we were in A3. We still had an hour before boarding so lots of time.  Uneventful 1 hour 35 minuts flight and we were in Istanbul. The rest of the tour was due in about 1 1/2 hours. Their flight was about an hour later than the schedule arrival.  So almost 6 hours waiting I  airport terminal.  Made for  a along day.  Supper was at a very nice restaurant,  except everything we want ted, they were out of.  Back to our room, where the temperature was 25.4 C and climbing.  Called the desk, said they would fix it from there., and should notice the difference in 1 minutes. Half an hour later it was over 25.  Called again, they said they had a computer glitch and would fix it right away, wait 10 minutes.  An hour later it was 26.4.  Called again, and they sent a technician.  He fiddledid with it and said we shold notice a difrench in 15-20 minutes. It was after 11 so we sent bed. It dropped to a freezing get 25.4 by 6:30 in the morning.  Ever have one of those days?  We weren't happy campers our first day I Turkey.

More Istanbul

Roy left us at Topkapi palace.  It was quite an experience.  Fortunately we were there early in the day. After being there for an hour the place was jam packed and we were told that in peak season there would be many, many more tourists.   We saw the sultans robes. I wasn't that impressed, I expected more fancy stitching.  We wandered around during the gardens and areas where the sultans families relaxed, saw the circumcision room.  The was a lot to see.  After Topkapi palace we visited the Hagia  Sophia which means divine wisdom.  It was Constantinople's church, then the Ottomans' made it a mosque and covered the religious symbols. Many have benough uncovered. An awe inspiring place.

Next we went for lunch at the Pudding Shop.  How cool.  The Pudding Shop was a sort of gathering place for young travellers to meet in the  60's.  There was a notice board to tell someone that they were in Istanbul and they were a letter to connect in this way.  It became very famous and we had an expensive lunch there.

After lunch we saw the Hippodrome (where they raced chariots, one of only 3 left in the world) and the Blue Mosque. You must take your shoes off to enter the Mosque and ladies must cover their hair.   The Mosque is not blue on the outside, rather westerners called it that because all the interior walls are covered with blue tiles.    The Turkish people never refer to it as the Blue Mosque, they use the correct name for it.  During prayer time , no visitors are allowed.  Another life experience.

That was a lot for one day.  Everyone was tired but we went to the Grand Bazaar.  Tolga, our guide warned us no to to buy anything.  The prices are highly in there because of the tourists and no Turks shop there.  Then like naughty children we bought something.  It will grace our fridge when we get home!

Back to the hotel.  The room was still hot! After 3 hours of them telling us it wold be cold in 10 minutes and visits from 3 technicians we got moved to a new room.  The bonus was that we got a busIness suite.  Wow!  A huge round bath tub with a TV in the wall above it, separate shower, even 2 makeup mirrors.  A dressing room as big as Kim or David's old rooms with closets all around the walls.  Wall to wall windows in the bedroom/living room, capping make.  We were living high.  The next day Tolga gave us a little lesson on the Turkish culture.  When people smile and are pleasant they take it as a sign of weakness.   We should have put on a stern face and we would have had the new room 3 hours sooner.
I'm done for tonight. Over to Roy
Having trouble with Internet.  Some postings delayed

Athens, October 15

Athens, I think it's October 15th, we leave for Turkey tomorrow so that must be right.
Roy is getting our boarding passes printed, we have just returned from dinner.  A bit disappointing as we planned to dine at the restaurant on the roof of our hotel and look at the Acropolis by night.

It is very stunning when illuminated.  Oh well, when we went up at 5:00 it was quite windy which made it cool so we decided to save the big bucks and eat else where.   We had a good Greek meal and it cost about 1/2 but just didn't have the ambience of the roof.  I am in the lobby as there is no WiFi in the rooms.
We toured the National Archiological museum first thing this morning.  I will let Roy add the details. He took lots of pictures.  It was quite something to see the impliments the used 1000'some of years ago and how they seem to be contempory.  Some are a bit crude but most are done with great skill.  We were there for a couple of hours and then caught the metro for Monistriki Square. We are getting to be pretty good at finding our way around Athens.  After lunch in the square, we walked to  the Ancient Agora.  The Agora was the meeting place and shopping mall in ancient Greece.  It was built destroyed, rebuilt, added on by the Romans, and then destroyed again.  It was another amazing experience.  Google it to learn more.

The Acropolis museum was still on our list but we were tired.  After a quick visit to the Roman forum we returned to the hotel and Skyped the kids.  Not the best time ofor day for them as they are busy getting ready for the day but it sure is good to see them and hear their voices.  We did that on the roof so we could show them the Acropolis but it was too far away.

Over to Roy
Not too much to add.  The National Arcelogical Museum has the largest number of Greek artifacts and art pieces anywhere. It is also well set up for visitors.  The first room is of the Mycenes who conquered and ru led Greece the best over 4000 years ago.   Bits of pottery, bronze tools , and weapons from about 3800-2300 B.C.. Leaching that room and going clockwise the artifacts at in roughly chronological order. The statues go from stiff pole like figures to graceful flumotion motion human figures. When GReece was conquered by the Romans, the Romans felt so culturally inferior the save, and copied a lot of the Greek art. The museum really needs 2 or more visits to really get everything you want out of it.

Athens, October 13

It is odd, the street our hotel is is named 23 October. In a few days the date and street name will match.
Well, yesterday was our last day on Santorini.   We loved it there but it was time to go.  The museum was closed so we were a bit disappointed.   We had GREEK coffee in a cafe overlooking through caldera.  It felt like we were in a movie.  That was so pleasant we had lunch in another restaurant overlooking the Caldera too (both restaurants are about 500 feet up on the cliff over looking the water).  All the patrons were Chinese but us.  They certainly are enjoying travel.  How did Asian people manage before digital cameras and phones?..  The couple across from us took multiple pictures of each other and of their food.  At another table 4 women all had to have the waiter set their phones for wifi.  Another gal had two phones!  They all had expensive lunches.  Guess who shared a meal.  We had plenty to eat.  The Greek salad must have had 3 tomatoes in it.  We are both enjoying stuffed vegetables.
The donkeys! I had to see the donkeys that carry people up the steep and winding stairs to the town.  Of course you could smell them long before you saw them.  I don't think seeing them was high on Roy list but on the way he found ball caps and that was a good thing.
We got back to the hotel and read until our driver came for us. The flight was delayed by 45 minutes.  A normal occurrence according to our driver in Athens.  This having a driver is pretty nice.  You go to the lobby or when you get off a plane, they are waiting for you, and drive you to your destination. Takes a lot of stress out of the trip.  We got our new room at the Melia and went in search of dinner.  We found a happy little street restaurant - the music was upbeat, the food was good, the waiter was a nice boy.  All good.

Our day on Santorini

Wow! What a day!  We were at the bus stop for local buses just before ten and caught the bus for Red Beach and Akrotiri.  Akrotiri was buried by a massive eruption in 1630 B.C.  The people were able to flee the island before the eruption.  The city was buried and preserved in ash (like Pompeii).  The Minoan civilization that lived here were as ancient to the Romans as the Romans are to us. The excavatians  are vast, about 30 building have been excavated.  Tomorrow we will visit the museum of prehistoric Thira and learn more about it.

After our tour of the dig we walked to Red Beach.  It was quite a hike.  Mountain climb more like.  The views were great and the red stone in the rock in the hill (mountain) above the beach was very dramatic.  We got almost there and I chickened out for the last tricky bit.  Roy went down and walked  on the beach.  We should have had bathing suits on  to swim as there was no place to  change.   We stopped at a beach side place for a pizza and then went to White beach.  Red Beach has red sand. White Beach has the white sand and there is a black beach too.  We took off our socks and shoes and went wading. The water was so warm - it sure would have been nice too go for a swim.  Caught the bus back to Fira, walked back to the hotel for our fleece jackets, back to the bus to Oia for the sunset.  Yes, we have been doing a lot of walking.  The streets are uneven stone and hard on your feet and back.   We went to Oia to view the sunset. Oia is the place that is much photographed with it's white washed buildings with blue domes.


  At the far tip you get a 360 degree view and the sunset is spectacular.  You are viewing it with thousands of other people.  Last night we watched an equally spectacular sunset across the street from our hotel with a handful of people.  It was a darn sight easier to get home after too.  We had dinner while we waited for it to be time for the sun to set.  I had biram, a traditional vegetable dish. Yum!  We both had raki - a traditional Greek drink.  Very potent! Our server was very concerned that we'd get drunk.  Drink it slowly, slowly she told us.  Roy said she was pleased that we had liked it and she was probably happy that we weren't drunk.
We missed the first bus back but that was OK as we had seats on the second bus. It is quite a long way on a twisty road.

The gods must be with us

We have not been looking forward to today since we arrived. Today we had to ride the Seajet 2 from Mykonos to Santorini. Everthing we heard about it was bad. A couple we met had been on it a few days before and said everyone threw up.  Lucas, the fellow behind the bar, blessed us with the sign of the cross when he heard. We watched a ship heading for Delos yesterday, and it wasn't a pretty sight as it left the breakwater. It was bucking and heaving and doing corkscrew movement. And to make us more apprehensive we had left the gravol we brought in Athens.  Danelle, after telling us her horror story about traveling on the Seajet 2 told us to make sure we took our gravol. When we told we didn't have ours, she promply offered us some of hers. We took the offer with alacrity.  Anyway, when we got up this morning, low and behold the wind had dropped and the sea looked calm. We took our gravol, and some ginger pills and the voyage was great. No one was sick, even me.  As I thought about it, I came to the conclusion that our good fortune was due to the little vase I bought the day before which depicts the god of harmony. What else could it be?  Santorini is part of what is left of an ancient volcano.  And there sis speculation that this was the Atlantis that fell into the sea. The archeological digs say that they civilization that was here was as ancient to the Romans as the Romans are to us. I will let Linda fill in the rest of the day.
Well, what can I say?  Roy didn't get seasick! I was almost sick worrying about it.  Those *&?×# gravol pills are sitting in our suitcase in Athens. I made sure to buy them before we left home, fat lot of good that did!  Anyway, thanks to Danielle from Ajax,  ON we had the reassurance of some gravol pills.

The hotel in Mykonos was filled with Candians.  There was a large group from Toronto.  Danielle, her husband Lyle and 7 year old son Branson.

The Santorini hotel, El Greco is something else.   A beautiful hotel. There are 5 pools.  None are heated.  We went in the one out side our room for a refreshing dip late this afternoon.  Once you got in it was, yes, it was still cold.

 Earlier we wandered into the town which is about a 10 minute walk.  The walk takes you along the caldera (collapsed volcanic crater) and the view is stunning. We had a bite to eat at Lucky's souvlaki. Lucky himself was behind the counter and engaged us in a philisophical conversation about life but we couldn't follow his broken English. It was entertaining though.  We had a stroll about. Lots of shops and theye are all trying to clear their merchandise for the season so they can pay their rent.   There views are so awesome.

We came back for our swim in the late afternoon and Skype the Berg's.  No we have Skyped both families.  It is so nice to see their faces.  I wish we were better at it, but that would take practice.  After that we went out to the edge of the Caldera across the road from the hotel - holy cow, it may have been the best sunset I've ever seen.

 The deal is that the best sunsets are at Oia at the north end of the island.  If they are better than this one I wI'll be very impressed.  Had dinner at Mamma's, mamma came out and abused some of the guests. She was pretty entertaining too. (2nd Rick Steves suggestion today. Both were good).  Came back to our room, and the man in the next room brought us a bottle of wine. They are leaving in the morning and didn't want to drink it. It's pretty good tasting.
and now to bed.  Bless our family and friends.

Myknos day 3

We are winding down our time on Mykonos.   We leave tomorrow morning for Santorini.  Right now we are relaxing at the pool having a beer before dinner.  Yesterday was a recovery day as we spent time around the hotel reading and relaxing.  I am reading A Tale of Two Cities, and it can be ponderous a at times and Linda is or was reading an English mystery. Anyway yesterday after lunch we walked to the beach.  Suprise supreme almost no one was in the water. I think the temperature would be in the mid 70's.  Lots of people sunbathing though.

Decided that description is the better part of valour and just admired the view.  Walked along the beach to the end, and came back alonthe boardwalk in front of all the restaurants and looked at the menus.  At everyone as soon as we started to look someone came out to sell us on there establishment.  Only thing is that they are closing next week, and they no longer have a lot of things on the menu.  Walked back to the hotel, about 5-10 minutes and sat around the pool.  There isn'the much on Mykonos other than the unique town and the beaches. Oops forgot the wind. People come for the sunshine and beaches. Decided to try the hotel restaurant,  and found it very good and reasonable.  Walked back down to the beach after dinner, a very nice walk, getting a little cool at nights as we needed our fleeces. About 9 o'clock, we heard a bang. Someone at the next beach over was setting off fireworks. They were wonderful, and lasted a long time. We had heard that there was a wedding going on there, so we assumed that was the reason for the display. That beach is here the rich and shameless stay when they are here.

Today we went to the town. Found a  post office!  It was closed.😕  later I went into a small shop to buy postcards we  may frame and hang and the man asked if I wanted stamps. Our postcards to the grandkids may get mailed - if we find a mailbox!
we wandered through lovely areas that we hadn't discovery before.  I admired jewelry in a window.  The earrings 1/2 price were $500. 00.  Walk on.  Everyone had a representative outside their jewelry shop.  We could have bought a lovely necklace half price for $3000.00 or more earrings for only 2500.00.  As Roy said the season is ending and they want to make sales.  We had chicken pitas for lunch at Sam's and bless Sam for having a restroom.😀  There was a different bus driver - we never seem to gett the same one, and back to our room at the top for a nap.  We have been at the pool but now it is time for dinner so farewell for today.