Garden in May

We have been back about a week, and it has taken that long to plant tomatoes, peppers, beans, celery, and cucumbers from our local CSA, Rushton Farm. In addition, the weeds from two weeks of rain and no attention were rampant. Things are now back in order, and looking good (it seems the addition of calcium, sulfur, alfalfa meal, and boron are working). So far we've harvested lettuce, spinich, scallions, and celery. Love these summer salads!

Abandoned city

About 1915 to 1920, both the Turks and Greeks had a bloodbath of ethnic cleansing including mass murder, mass rape, evacuation of whole villiages, and deportations. On our last day, we visited an abandoned Greek city from that period. Spooky ...

The old and the new

Today we saw more old ruins at Xanthos, Letoon, and Patara; one of the world's top 10beaches, and a stunning display of agriculture (literally miles of hooped greenhouses - the most intensive farming we have ever seen). Then we returned for a special treat: a Turkish bath. This was a good day, but we are ready to be back home.

P.S.: this blog is being finished in PA, because of "technical difficulties" in Fethiye and Istanbul

People's faces

We have had a great experience with the Turkish people. Here are some of the faces from today in Fethiye.

Malaria and marsh grass

Yesterday we travelled from Bodrum to Fithiye, stopping off at a 6th century B.C. Caunian ruin near Dalyan. The city changed from Caunian to Greek to Roman over the years and was abandoned several times due to malaria, finally in 800 A.D. The reed delta near the city was where the memorable "leech" scenes of the movie the African Queen were filmed. We looked for giant loggerhead turtles that can live to 400 years, but they did not cooperation.

P.S.: this blog is a day late due to computer "technical difficulties."

Bodrum - beauty by the sea

Today we were in Bodrum, a seaside town of all white houses overlooking a perfect harbor with a small penninsula towered by a 6th century castle. Our hotel outdoor dining room has a perfect view, our balcony also has a perfect view (except for the concertina wire at the top of the fence below us - oh well, nothing is perfect). We sailed a gullet today for a quiet day of relaxation.

Ephesus

Ephesus - wow! This is an impressive city, built from 2000 B.C. to the Grecian period about 1000 B.C., to the Roman period about 100 B.C. to 200 A.D., and then destroyed by two massive earthquakes between 500 and 800 A.D.

It paid to be a leader back then - a "senate" of 140 men ruled a city of 350,000. The leaders lived large - probably not so bad for the stone carvers and other artisans, but brutal for the slaves and commoners.

People

The people of Turkey have been really friendly. Here are faces from today's trip.

Flowers

The Turkish people love flowers - they sell them in cities and towns, everywhere. Here are some of today's views.

Pergamon - old stones, beautiful flowers, wonderful people

Today, we went to Pergamon, an early Greek and Roman town, and to Ascelpion, a hopital/healing center dating from 300 B.C. There was so much to see, we'll do three blogs - one each for stones, flowers, and people.

Stones

The Acropolis at Pergamon was unearthed by German archeologists, who now have the temple of Zeus in a museum in Berlin (the Brits and French were not the only ones who backed the truck up to ancient ruins). The hospital/spa at Ascelpion is a few clicks away, and is also well preserved. The "medical" column shows two snakes drinking from a pitcher of milk, the sign commemorating Galen's understanding of snake bite antidotes.

Ismir - big and bustling

Today we flew to Ismir, a city on the Mediterranean Sea with a population of about 4 million people. Now we can better see why they say Turkey is a secular state. Ismir looks lots like Nice, France. Pictures are from the gardens at our swissotel (very nice) and the streets of Ismir. Tomorrow we go south to Ephesus.

Land of hobbits

Today we travelled around Cappadocia, a landscape like we've never seen before. Then we went underground and saw cities from the sixth century like we've never seen before(eight layers of underground rooms and passageways over a square mile, housing thousands of people!). It was a most unusual setting.

Tomorrow we head to Ismir and Ephesus, which are also supposed to be very special.

Pics today include both above and below ground shots. Above are better.