OR, HOW MUCH MORE IS UNDER THE GROUND TO BE DISCOVERED IN TURKIYE?

START OF THE ROAD TRIP.

A road trip was in order. I’d had crushing news about another setback on the house front and then the internet went down for two days, not just at my lovely fish restaurant but all over the area. I’d tried going to my pals at the top of the mountain but although my phone worked my laptop didn’t! My frustration and malaise meant that I was openly crying by the evening with all my “family” uneasily clucking around making me feel a bit better but worse at the same time. This wouldn’t do at all. It was time for a change. It was time for a road trip.

That night I hastily packed my small rucksack and told them I was shooting off in the morning for three days. By eight o’clock the next morning I was walking away down the hill the two km to the main road to hail a minibus. I was on the move heading to Selcuk and the information I needed to take the connections to hit Miletus and maybe even on to the lake and the ancient Herakleia. I would see, I already had my travel head on.

The walk was very pleasant and soothed my injured soul and the minibus wait was painless at that time in the morning. My old neighbour was already at the stop on the opposite side of the road going off to Tire and I pondered if she’d walked down from the village making it a fair old trot for an old, if not ancient old bird. Her minibus shouted over to me that mine would arrive in five minutes. That’s how caring the system is here, I love their system in Turkiye.

Upon arriving and acertaining the Ihree buses I would need I nipped up to my coisins apartment unannounced due to my lack of WiFi to let him know my sorry story about the problems with my house and that I was going on an archaeological road trip to take my mind off things. Suddenly my plans altered. He and two of his sons would come with if I was prepared to wait until the next day. I was happy with that as I was already running late as I had done a bit of work at his using his internet. I was back at the Boomerang guest house before I knew it.

MILETUS

A good source of info is found at: The Turkish Archaeological News

Upon arriving the next day I was gratified to see the amphitheatre directly in front of us. Sadly I was woefully uninformed about the site so going around was a matter of gleaning info from the rather sad and vague info on their boards. I had to just take photos of what was written to put it all in context.

Top Tip: Research a bit for this remarkable site as there is little even in the museum to clarify its very long and complex history. Seeing that the sea has receded from it and then different fluvial deposits have occured, a vast amount is still underground or in a poor state of excavation. This is why I have concentrated on the less visited areas and the evidence that hasn’t been destroyed by previous digs and repairs that don’t really allow you to grasp the various stages of its long history. There isn’t much to be seen in the form of art work en situ so it is more for the love of archaeology and the fact this was the birthplace of mathematician Thales and two famous philosophers, Anaxagoras and Anaximander.

From WiKi: :”Miletus was an ancient Greek city located on the western coast of Anatolia, near the mouth of the Maeander River in ancient Ionia.¹² Its ruins are located near the modern village of Balat in Aydn Province, Turkey. Before the Persian rule that started in the 6th century BC, Miletus was considered among the greatest and wealthiest of Greek cities.¹ The site was inhabited since the Bronze age and was first mentioned in Hittite records as Millawanda”.

What started as a small Bronze age settlement developed into a mighty city and herein lies the problem. Not only were things added to but also reused for totally different structures. Earthquakes and an ever shifting sea-line meant other invaders with different styles and belief systems recycled large stones thus degrading older ones for the confusion that seems to be there. Indeed silt has covered even the larger buildings lower sections and it feels everywhere you look there are random pieces in random places.

Although I witnessed an archaeological dig near the Capito Baths (the huge frontal is sadly another stolen artefact residing in the Berlin Museum), I could see the massive amount of work there and the conundrum of what will merit the scant funding usage? Where do you really begin on this massive four harbour settlement? How do you sensitively unravel the different eras various monumental works? I saw a totally different ancient brown rock was used and later marble added to the top and no indication as to what was what.

Then there’s the unexplained knobs on one of the oldest stone strictures, a mausoleum, with its very snug fitting rocks that are found in other parts of the world. All manner of inconsistencies including the lower wall of the theatre.

I only felt comfortable with the Capito baths that hadn’t been tampered with and were a pleasure to go to as the tourists seem to be disinterested to go even slightly off the beaten path. The very scratchy weeds discouraged even me the intrepid explorer to wander to far in to those more exciting treasure troves wearing on my flipflops on that rather difficult terrain. Also at this time of year the snakes ain’t gone to bed yet so there’s an added danger of a bite in thicker foliage. I still loved it and will further unravel it piece by piece but seeing as the scholars can’t even agree on most of the secrets of this massive site I think it’s fair to say you can use your imagination and just love the madness of it all.

Of course the way things had been going for me recently my bloody phone ran out of battery and my iPad is refusing to download the paltry number of photos from the small and poor museum there before it also died. Que sera sera.

The main claim to fame of Miletus is the famed Thales and anyone interested in philosophy will know about him. A useful link is: https://iep.utm.edu/thales/ which is the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, I quote from this interesting introduction below.

Thales of Miletus (c. 620 B.C.E.—c. 546 B.C.E.)

“The ancient Greek philosopher Thales was born in Miletus in Greek Ionia. Aristotle, the major source for Thales’s philosophy and science, identified Thales as the first person to investigate the basic principles, the question of the originating substances of matter and, therefore, as the founder of the school of natural philosophy. Thales was interested in almost everything, investigating almost all areas of knowledge, philosophy, history, science, mathematics, engineering, geography, and politics. He proposed theories to explain many of the events of nature, the primary substance, the support of the earth, and the cause of change. Thales was much involved in the problems of astronomy and provided a number of explanations of cosmological events which traditionally involved supernatural entities. His questioning approach to the understanding of heavenly phenomena was the beginning of Greek astronomy. Thales’ hypotheses were new and bold, and in freeing phenomena from godly intervention, he paved the way towards scientific endeavor. He founded the Milesian school of natural philosophy, developed the scientific method, and initiated the first Western enlightenment. Many anecdotes are closely connected to Thales’ investigations of the cosmos. When considered in association with his hypotheses they take on added meaning and are most enlightening. Thales was highly esteemed in ancient times, and a letter cited by Diogenes Laertius, and purporting to be from Anaximenes to Pythagoras, advised that all our discourse should begin with a reference to Thales (D.L. II.4).”

I haven’t had time to delve into this huge section of history but I will. As I write this the winds are high here and my precious beer blew over so I’m calling it a day on further research.

ONTO LAKE BAFA.

Of course there was a screw up getting to a place the others had opted for rather than going on further. We were all tired and drained and ended up on the track from hell more suited to a four wheel drive than our poor rental. Finally however we got onto the coastal road and opted for a very pretty restaurant overlooking the lake and finally we could chill and eat. Fishing boats bobbing up and down on the clear slightly pongy water, a heron perched on a flat rock in the water gazing listlessly about, fish galore and even some kind of water snake was sighted twice. I saw a big fat eel surface glossily before returning to the depths but nobody else saw it so it was discounted by the others. Sometimes not having your camera is a real pain.

The food arrived and was excellent if pricey and I actually loved this bonus experience although the others seemed less enthusiastic. I even looked at a pension to stay over and minibus it back but it was too many notes. I will go back however as this place had a mad gym, spar boxing, fishing, scuba and even Mexican food. Chickens and geese ran amongst the very lovely cabins and it felt my kinda place. However counting the pennies is too important at this stage so back to Selcuk it was.

SELCUK, SIRINGE, THUNDERSTORMS AND TOO MUCH WINE.

The next day I had a message from my cousin that his middle son had just called saying he’d achieved a monumental feat of running up athe mountain to the village of Siringe. A champions breakfast was called for to congratulate his 8km run done in just under forty mins. This was up a very sharp gradient most of the way and much harassment by dogs was also involved but he did it! Amazing stuff.

Now Siringe is a very pretty historical village that is known for its wine among other things so we did what we had to, we drank some local very lovely wine. We spoke in an animated way and had some more. This is what led to a lack of discipline later as I bought a bottle to take away as well as a couple of very pretty crystal necklaces.

We got back and polished off my bottle in the courtyard of my pension and the chaps went off and I retired to watch some crap in my room and thought that was that. Until I got the call. Drinks up the road. Fatal. They came over and we walked up to my mates bar which is very atmospheric and lovely, but it also involves drinking too much just because you can. A lively conversation ensued and a dog jumping all over us on the little banquette seats and general mayhem followed especially due to a sudden downpour that had been threatening for a while. Cushions were taken in and then I decided I’d make tracks as my flipflops had broken during the day and I was walking around barefoot like a grubby tramp. I only went next door to another place I know and have a quick one there and listened to a bit of music then staggered home in the pouring rain. I arrived back like a drowned drunken dirty rat and plonked myself into bed.

Wow I felt rough the next day but still managed to get up early and go buy footwear and go to the bank and return with a minibus to Siringe to buy more crystals. My road trip was actually going to formula. A big burger when I returned and then I realised I just didn’t feel up to going onto Izmir so emailed my mate at the museum to warn her that I’d be turning up later. Also I contacted my lovely Irem to say I’d be back. I had after all been away the three days I’d told everyone and I’d licked my wounds and was ready to be back into the fray. I would I go back to my garden, and I would show everyone I was not done yet!

Of course when I remet Elif from the museum it was hugs and kisses and all was well with the world of positive energy. Then I got back from the short time in Tire (I’m seeing the archaeologist on Monday) and hugs and kisses here so my energy is now fully restored. I am back from the dead. I am ready to fight the good fight. My road trip has done its job. I am now Rebecca again. I will never be broken!

OVER AND OUT FROM A REFRESHED OLD BIRD.