Going to Konya

Brand new prison, built in the European Union design, Turkey is doing everything they can too please the Union in hopes they'll let them join. Each time we stopped, our driver and his assistant would wash the bus, the drivers are very proud of their buses.

Next is the local farmers taking the cut tree branches home for kindling, notice the open motor in the front of the little truck. Next Don & Geralynn finally found their beloved Citibank machine, but guess what? "Out of Order" they went back the next morning and it was working, success at last!

Don & Geralynn find the Citi Bank ATM and it's out of order! to see more photo's go to: http://picasaweb.google.com/lowdivideroad/turkeylocalscenes

Pamukkale More Pictures

Couldn't resist more pictues of this great spot.

Pampukalle Thermal Hot Springs

These formations were caused by the calcium deposits from the water very much like at Yellow Stone National Park, not as many as Yellow Stone but just as beautiful. The people are very proud of the park here and work hard to perserve it. Years ago there were hotels right at the edge of the pools, but UNESCO stepped in and said you have a world heritage site and it needs to be perserved. So all the hotels were removed all the roads removed and it is very natural now. The amazing part is that right beind the area about 200 yards is this huge city called Hieropolis, it is an ancient city too. Roman ruins everywhere. You can walk among the ruins. I will post those pictures next. Enjoy the hot springs, it was a cool day, but we did go in the thermal pool at our hotel that evening and it felt very refreshing. I needed it after all the walking during the day. Each day is like a new adventure, I was totally unaware of how awesome Turkey was going to be. To see more pictures go to my picasa album; http://picasaweb.google.com/lowdivideroad/pamukkalehotsprings

Don & Geralynn sharing a quiet moment by our taxi. before we started walking. This was actually at Mary's house.


Walking down to the Epheus library at the far end, where all the people are standiing.

To see more photos go to http://picasaweb.google.com/lowdivideroad/epephus

Epeheus

What an amazing day this was. We rented the cab and set off on our own with Rick Steeves guide book which gave us all the info we needed. The couple from Argentina went with us, she's a Dr. and he's in Finance. Very nice couple, they left Argentina during the revolution and came to Charlotte, NC. Very fun and interesting to talk with. But back to our day. The ruins at Epeheus are spread out all over. It is amazing how advanced the Romans were in that day. The Italians have worked very hard at helping the Turkish people to restore the site. I will have to down load more pictures from picasa. Sorry for the incovience.

Hopefully the site beelow will work for more pictures.

http://picasaweb.google.com/lowdivideroad/Ephesus3

Mary's Last Home

This morning we hired a cab with another couple and the five of us set off for Ephesus. As we drove there the taxi driver asked if we wanted to stop at the last home of Mary, so of course we said yes. So off we went to the very top of a very steep hill.
The story is that in Jesus's last days he told one of his disciples to look after Mary. The disciple felt it unsafe for Mary, so he spirited her away to Turkey to live out the rest of hers days in this small home above Ephesus.

KorMar hotel in Kusadasi

This hotel had one of the most beautiful views from my balcony, so it deserves it's own post. But it had lousy internet coverage. Beds were good, and amazingly all the food has been good too. (PS Guard tower was at a military base we passed on our drive that day.) Side note all Turkish young men must serve two years in the military, regardless of education or wealth or age, no geting out of it. America could use alittle of this too.