Troy and Pergamum to Izmir
Trip Start
May 17, 2006
1
7
16
Trip End
Jun 01, 2006
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Izmir,
Turkey
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
By 9am we are bouncing down the road towards the ancient city of Troy-at least the place dug up by a German, Heinrich Schliemann, who went on a quest for the legendary city of Troy in the late 1800's. He dug very clumsily, destroying much in his path, but did uncover the ruins of an ancient city that was built upon itself at least nine different times, according to archaeologists. Some think that the city built at the seventh level was the city of Priam, destroyed in about 1260 BC. Others argue it was an older level. Whatever is true may never be known, but it is interesting to wander around these ruins for an hour and imagine what the cities must have been like that were built on this spot.
A longish drive finds us at Bergama, site of the ancient city of Pergamum. Lunch is at the "Brother's Restaurant" and is a fantastic buffet. I fall in love with the eggplant and spinach dishes and return for seconds.
We tour the ruins of the Aesclepion, a hospital dedicated to Aesclepios, the god of Medicine. It was much more than a hospital in fact, as it contained a theatre and places for all manner of sensual pleasures. It might well have been the world's first complete health spa!
I give the clients the option of visiting the Acropolis at Pergamum, high on a hill overlooking the Aesclepion, but we are all quite hot and tired after being out in the blazing sun, and opt to proceed on to our hotel. We arrive at the Crown Plaza in Izmir about 6pm, and are agog at how lovely it is. Several clients race right to the spa as soon as we get checked in, and they rave about the various thermal pools and the room dedicated to aromatherapy.
I meet with the owner of a gay tour company based in Izmir. He is kind enough to come out to meet me, so I spend a few minutes looking at his products and getting to know him. He assures me that there is very little gay nightlife in Izmir, which news confirms my clients in their decision to simply stay in for the evening, enjoying the hotel's 20th floor bar and 19th floor restaurant.
I enjoy an octopus salad for starters, and a sea bass with spinach main course. The inexorable gaining of weight continues, but at least at this restaurant we do not get more food than we order! I'm back in my room, blogging at midnight. This is the first hotel where I have had to pay for the internet connection. Wireless is available for no charge in the lobby, but I'd rather sit here in my bathrobe and use an Ethernet cable connection for US$13.
