Day 4 - Assos, Bergama, İzmir

05.19.2011

Personal:

Our first stop was the Temple of Athena on the top of the mountain that our hotel/resort was on. This was unfortunately the only ruins we were able to climb on for some interesting pictures. The small road leading up to the Temple was covered with souvenir markets. I thought I had lost my wallet this morning, but false alarm. It always happens at least once. Our tour guide, Tosun, severely doubted it was stolen due to the friendly nature of the Turks and our current environment.

After Assos we drove to Bergama, which was needless to say the start of the most interesting 24 hours of the trip. Lunch was a the Hotel Berksoy, which was where one of the rotary clubs meet. We saw several things including a Roman Temple dedicated to the Egyptian Gods, which was the first Roman ting built with red bricks. Also in Bergama we saw heavy street campaigns for the Kemalists, CHP, MHP, DP, and some AKP.

 

The Asklepion Acropolis was our next big stop just up the road. Here someone wanted to make a lot of money buy building a gondola to carry us up the mountain, which saved our stomachs but receives much criticism for juxtaposing modern technology with ancient ruins. Once we reached the acropolis we could see (and hear) a thunderstorm brewing in the valley. We (attempted) to withhold the photo-shoot and just listen to Tosun in order to go through the outdoor museum fast, and luckily made it down the gondola safely without any lightning striking and before the rain hit.

We then drove to another ruin site, which is adjacent to a heavily guarded military zone. (I really want to know what’s behind that fence.) Of course the storm would hit just as we begin the tour. Several of us took this opportunity to run and play in the rain without slipping on the marble and mud, which was a blast. Bad idea to be cold and wet on the bus driving to İzmir, though.

That night some of the students decided to explore the city while others stayed back at the hotel. We were playing UNO in one of the rooms when it felt like someone jumped on the bed. We all looked at each other to criticize the other for the movement, and then realized we were on the 6^th floor during an earthquake! It only last that one jolt, though. We ran down all the stairs and out of the hotel to find no one else had reacted to the shock. I guess earthquakes are a daily occurrence in Turkey? Since then I have felt several tremors and sea-like movements in the hotels, particularly on the higher floors. I hear Istanbul is waiting for a “big one” just like California.

Research:

Greek Temples face east.

Churches and Mosques enter from the West

In Mosques, the morning light is sacred.

Today is a national holiday celebrating Atatürk landing in Sampson, Anatolia/Asia Minor.

Dempkrat Parti (DP)

Heavy campaigning in Bergama, but for mostly the minority parties. Interesting. Technically the urban areas should vote more CHP and for the Kemalists, but with greater populations and an infiltrating traditional class, AKP is projected to win about 46% of the vote. 

(unfortunately I didn't get the memo for the funny picture haha)