Troy
Trip Start
May 21, 2008
1
36
39
Trip End
Jul 01, 2008
Canakkale,
Turkish Aegean Coast,
Turkey
Friday, June 27, 2008
The excavations here started back in 1871, fuelled by the dreams of a German man. The site is now UNESCO listed. I wanted to go back in time and just see and feel how it really was. Imagination is needed to visualise what the ruins had been. So old and yet so involved. Oh Kylie you would have just loved this. I took many photos for you.
Every time we came around a corner we saw something else, such history they have only uncovered 10% of the supposed area. They don't bother much if they find roman stuff, they reckon there are enough roman relics and they don't need any more. It was found utilising the descriptions from Homer's "The Iliad" describing the surrounding landscapes
One entrance to walled city
. Mythology and ancient history mixed to make it so fascinating. Of course - quite touristy with done up Trojan horses for the visitors to have their photos taken with.They have uncovered foundations dating back 5000 years; there are many levels to Troy, each built on over the centuries. So far they have uncovered 9 periods of settlement. Our guide was an historian who had written books regarding Troy and Gallipoli. It is on a high vantage point, so you could see how they could have control of the land and the sea. Unfortunately a lot of the relics and tiles have been stolen, probably in museums all over the world, in particular Russia.
We had a free afternoon then in Canakkale, but not a lot to do. I don't think the tour company organises this part well, many were disgruntled they had to wait till the afternoon to travel back to Istanbul. Of course they showed us movies of Gallipoli, that we have seen many times over. Back on the little boat to Ecebat, and bus back to Istanbul. Long day, not back to hotel till nearly midnight, no rocking to get to sleep tonight.
