Turkey - Summer’s End - September 2004

In early September, we finally headed south.  We had enjoyed the Ayvalik area so much; it had begun to feel like home.  But the end of the summer was calling, and we felt we needed to get a move on. 

Coupled with that, Ann had a small medical scare, which turned out to be no problem at all, but that we wanted to get checked out at the excellent private clinic in Marmaris. 

So south we went.  This is the direction that should be terrific in the late summer in the Med, and in fact it was.  We had a screaming run down to Bademli, the beautiful tropics-like anchorage where we’d stopped on the way north.  We were the only boat there, and it was quite beautiful.  The wind blew all night, though, at some 25 knots.  So while it’s quite a safe anchorage, with its shallow depths and a sandy reef keeping the north waves to a minimum, it was not a restful night, and we left at dawn the next morning.

Entry Portico of the magnificent site of Afrodisias

That second day was another screamer, bringing us into the municipal Ceşme harbour in the late afternoon.   We decided to spend a couple of days enjoying that small town again while we waited for a break in the wind.  Even though the wind was to be mostly in our direction, Khios Channel, between Ceşme and the Greek Island of Khios, has a justifiable reputation for strong winds and short, sharp seas, and we needed to head into it for a short while before rounding the “corner” and continuing on south. 

Our break came 2 days later, and we had a pleasant 75-mile day down to Kuşadası.  We met up with Ted and Trish on Rhumbline, with whom we made a 1-day trek to the ancient site of Afrodesias.

frodisias is one of the most beautiful historic sites in Turkey.  The city’s name stems from the Greek name for the goddess of love, Aphrodite, called Venus by the Romans.  Known for many things, she was (according to the Lonely Planet for Turkey) the complete goddess of fertility, fornication and fun. 

Excavations have proved that the Afrodisias acropolis isn’t a natural hill but a prehistoric mound built up by successive settlements beginning in the Early Bronze Age (2800 – 2200 BC).  From the 8th century BC, its famous temple was a favorite goal of pilgrims, and the city prospered.  But under the Byzantines the city changed substantially: the steamy Temple of Aphrodite was transformed into a chaste Christian church, and ancient buildings were pulled down to provide building stones for defensive walls (circa AD 350).

The town was attacked by Tamerlane on his Anatolian rampage in 1402, and never recovered.  The village of Geyre sprang up on the site sometime later.  In 1956 an earthquake devastated the village, which was rebuilt to the west at its present location, allowing easier excavation of the site.  The pleasant plaza in front of the museum was the main square of pre-1956 Geyre. 

French and Italian archaeologists carried out preliminary explorations of Afrodisias early in the 20th century.  After the 1956 earthquake, U.S. and Turkish archaeologists began to resurrect the city.  They found a surprisingly well-preserved stadium, odeum and theatre.  From 1961 to 1990 Professor Kenan T. Erim, a Turk on staff at New York University directed work at the site.  After his death, Professor Erim was buried at the site to which he had dedicated the last 30 years of his life.

(Excerpted from the Lonely Planet)

Still intent on getting to Marmaris quickly, we departed the next day for Aspat, near Bodrum, with plans to continue the following day to Keçi Buku.  Well, we got to Aspat, and who should motor in at sunset but some good friends on an Italian boat, My Dream.  We met Ivana and Renato last year in one of the northern bays of Güllük Korfezi, and though we only spent a couple of days with them at that time, we’d got on well, and they had promised to bring us a genuine Italian tortellini maker.  We had, of course, forgotten about this, but as they motored into Aspat at full throttle, there was Renato standing on the bow shouting “Toucan Tango - we have been looking for you - we have your tortellini maker!” 

So, of course, we had to stay another day and visit with them.  Friendships are curious and precious things in this life of ours: we meet as strangers, we become friends, we part, we lose touch, we meet again, and it’s like we never were apart.  How often this happens, and how fortunate we are. 

Entry portico of Afrodisias Statuary around museum Grave of Professor Kenan Erim Ruins around South Agora
 
Stadium that seated 30,000 Theatre that seated 7,000 Excavation in progress