Sizma Han Ayvalik

... nkıng ıt ıts a lıttle tıny cup of really sweet apple tea that you add extra sugar to and ıts such a rush but hurts your teeth.

When we went back to the hut I was doıng some packıng up and next mınute notıced that the goat was poppıng ıts head through our door probably lookıng for ıts goat coat whıch ıs Ians bed cover now! It had escaped ımagıne the ...

... 305;t of land rıght next to the beach. A man came out to meet us shakıng hands wıth the taxı drıver and the englısh teacher who also taught hıs son badly lol. In the garden there where 3 goats a rabbıt and 2 mean lookıng dogs we agreed a prıce 18 englısh pounds a nıght for the both of us and thats that thıs ıs now where we are stayıng ıts too funny for words but really suprısıngly clean and the ...

Why are we leaving gorgeous Ayvalik, our stunning guesthouse and lovely friends to go and see ruins I wonder as Tania harries me off to the bus stop.

Two hours later and having checked into a hotel where the owner admits "I am Gobi" (yep really) we trek uphill solidly for the next hour and it's 35 degrees plus. Perhaps this should be called schlepping to Asclepion.

However, the place was genuinely stunning and it ...

... few days playing cards with our fellow guests - Paul, Sally, Sam and Eleanor - hi guys and hope he rest of your trip was less strenous than that climb to Ephesus!

The weather was truly toasty which made the fact that the sea was icy a rather unexpected surprise. We'd taken a boat trip to explore some of the small islands lying off the coast and at the first swim stop we were itching to cool off in the beautifully clear blue waters - and ...

... maze like structure is well preserved and at points you can view down hallways with maybe a dozen arches stretching probably fifty meters creating a powerful effect. This place must have been quite a site in its pre-ruin form. This is even more applicable to the large forum type area that is supported by these hallways. While many of the columns have been stolen or borrowed for other projects, there are enough of the fifty foot high columns left to give ...

... You could tell that the translator was skipping some things when it came to translating these young guys comments. I wasnt too bothered. They were just jealous however I shouldnt have said I was travelling for a year. I normally dont tell locals this. The afternoon was filled with a lot of dancing and singing on the boat. There was a belly dancing contest which was done in very good taste. If this was back home, we would have our women participating in wet T-shirt contests. Something ...

... of their success over a series of beers in the "No Problem". We have really enjoyed their company and have promised to return in order to take them fishing on Tiercel and add to the legend. Bergama - Ancient Pergamon. On Monday we looked at the weather forecast and saw that it was going to be windy until Thursday so decided to hire a car and head for Bergama and it's many and diverse ancient ruins. The drive took about 3 hours. On arrival we took ages to find ...

... the dancing. I think we will....we have this guy meeting us at the bus station and kind of paving the way a bit for us...although we don't have a place to stay yet. We wrote the Turkish Cultural Center in NYC and they sent us his way and hopefully that connection will make a crazy scene a little more navigable. We'll see...in one more hour we'll be there...meantime everybody in this cartoon looks alike...I can't even tell which is Rumi at this point.... .

The theater of the ancient Pergamum acropolis ('high city') is visible from Bergama, the modern day continuation of Pergamum. We stopped in Bergama for lunch before visiting the acropolis. We also saw the ruins of the Temple of Isis mingled among modern buildings. This site has more info on the ...

... helpful lady who made a couple of phone calls and found me a place. Its an odd sort of set up but then it is an old renovated house in the old part of time. The owner and his wife are very nice. He more artisan and she an artist. He was brought up in Germany, an ex hippy who has travelled widely. He speaks excellent English and very keen to help in any way he can. My first move was to have a haircut and shave then shower and get my clothes to the ...