We left Ismir at 8 this morning. For some reason Ellie and my alarm did not go off so we woke up just 10 mins before leaving. We missed breakfast, but fortunately we didn't keep the bus waiting for very long.
The first stop on today's adventure was Aphrodisias. The city of beauty. Before this city was excavated, people were literally living among the ruins. Old roman columns were used to support houses, and some of the old stone tombs were being employed as wine presses. A photographer visiting the area decided to document this novelty and sent the pictures to New York University. Then the excavations began. Now Aphrodisias is a remarkable site, perhaps the most beautiful site we've seen so far.
For lunch we stopped at a local place that our guide assures us is the best in the area. It was great. They served a traditional Turkish salad (like a Greek salad, but without feta and with a lot of parsley) and we used olive oil and pomegranate vinegar as salad dressing. I had Turkish pizza (or "pida") for lunch, and I like it far better than American pizza. They fold the pizza over so it's a boat shape and put lamb meat, onions, tomatoes, and cheese on top.
Second stop of the day was the site of Laodicea. In scripture we remember it as the lukewarm city, but today it seemed very warm. This site is really interesting because it is still under excavation; archeologists were working as we walked around. In the streets of Laodicea we could see ruts where the old chariot wheels would have gone. The archeologists have discovered a temple, but they do not yet know what god the temple was dedicated to. They have also discovered some public baths. Perhaps this is where the lukewarm reference comes from? From the theatre in Laodicea we could see our last stop in the distance. From there it looked like a large glob of white among the mountains. It reminded me of a glacier, though it did seem to be a little bit too white.
The last site of the day was Hierapolis. After visiting the site I wonder why I haven't heard of Hierapolis before now! The site was beyond amazing, I'm not really sure where to begin. The view was incredible, you could see for miles around the valley below. The "white stuff in the distance" turned out to be calcium deposit. This site was a natural hot spring, and there were pools of warm water we could wade in. When staring from the pools into the horizon the pools seem endless.
I loved the story about the discovery of Aphrodisias! What if one day we stumble upon some ancient city!
ReplyDeleteWhat makes me sad though is that the villagers lost their home. I'm assuming they had to move out so the excavations could occur. I would be so devastated if someone told me I had to move because it was located on a historical site.
Well Linh, they were probably paid for the land. Plus the site draws in tourism which helps the local economy. All in all, I think the site was probably good for the people.
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