Day 12: On the road again. Kusadasi to Canakale via Izmir and Pergamon

The day dawned in shades of pink across the crystal blue waters of Kusadasi. It was an early start after a late night of chatting to family and blogging, but on the road again we were, this time to Izmir, formerly known as Smyrna, and Pergamon now known as Bergama. Our first stop was to be the Church of St Polycarp in Smyrna. Polycarp was a 2^nd century bishop who was martyred for his faith. Unfortunately the church of St Polycarp appeared to be closed and even Eminence’s considerable influence could not budge the woman in charge! So it was around the corner, almost literally to the Santa Maria da Giorgio Church to have Mass. Now in a Muslim country, what are the chances of their being another catholic church literally around the corner. It was a lovely church, featuring extensive mosaic work on the sanctuary and side walls. After Mass it was off again for an hour or so to a roadside Bay Bayan stop where we encountered yet another bus load of Australian tourists. 

Next stop Pergamum, one of the seven churches of Revelation where we saw the Red Basilica or the Red Hall or even the Red Temple, which is actually one in the same thing.  This site is somewhere where the early church of Pergamum was established, but the site that we saw was actually an Egyptian temple, probably to the god Isis. It was appropriated in the 5^th Century as a Christian church, but it is poor repair. A wander around the site revealed interesting remnants from Jewish and Muslim burial places with tombstones featuring Hebrew text, and turbans to indicate male Muslims. On the hillside above the basilica was evidence of fortifications, amphitheatre and another marble temple. It was an interesting site but not much to look at after the overwhelming stimulation of Ephesus yesterday. 

Back on the road for a very very long drive to Canakale… over 4 hours in total. The countryside is interesting in that it reflects very traditional practice and suggests a rather impoverished community in comparison to the commercial hubbub of the cities with their factory outlets. We saw a tractor heading along the road with dad on the tractor, mum holding on behind and 3 kids sitting on top of the hay bales in the trailer out back. We also drove though rolling hills, dotted with mosques and small farm houses and shepherds wandering along the roadside with stick in hand, herding their sheep. There was also a lot of sleeping to be done. Not long before we arrived Aret suggested that we stop at a supermarket.. you should have seen the busload of retail deprived Aussies jump at the opportunity to stock up on snacks for our long day at Gallipoli on Wednesday. It was like walking into a Walmart, except that we couldn’t tell where anything was because we couldn’t read the signs. Maybe we looked like contestants on the amazing race as we bolted around the place looking for tissues and muesli bars. 

Then on the outskirts of Canakale we drove down a hill with water on the left side of the bus and Aret told us that we were looking across the Dardanelles toward Gallipoli. I got goose bumps at the thought.. and then we arrived in a tiny settlement just outside the town where our hotel is located to discover that we have a waterfront location on the Dardanelles, looking at the hills of Gallipoli. Wow!  Steve, Paul, Anne, Joe Dermott and I went for a walk and found an army base. Heading beyond that we came across a monument to a Turkish ship that was sunk by mines in the strait on March 18 1915… so real! Watching the sun set and the red sky at dinner was beautiful and then the moon and Jupiter rose and against a dusk blue sky. I cannot wait until the dawn Service on Wednesday. Sorry there is not more in the way of pictures tonight... internet is impossibly slow. ;)