After the amphitheatre we walked to some of the lower parts of the site to see some of the construction including some really nice arches. We then made our way to the upper most parts to take in the views. It started to get quite hot and we were trying to drink water to stay hydrated but it was hard with the bright sun. We didn't mind because it was so interesting seeing the history in person.
We were having a bit of a long driving day but KT found a place to stop for lunch and explore the ancient city of Pergamon. It ended up being a fantastic stop as the ruins and location were absolutely spectacular. We of course had to stop to pat the kitties but then we really enjoyed exploring this very well preserved site. The view was so good and we were free to walk around the entire site. There were hardly any people there so we could really enjoy it. The amphitheatre was definitely one of the more spectacular parts of the site and it was incredible to see how steep it was. Watching a performance there would have been quite the experience, even now it would be amazing.
We stopped in the city of Küçukkuyu for the night. It was just a random beachside town that was convenient but we ended up really liking it. There were cats just outside our hotel which were really friendly and enjoyed playing with the girls. Since it was a pleasant evening we decided to walk along the waterfront to a restaurant on the beach. The town turned out to be a popular holiday destination for Turks and nothing was in English, but the food was fantastic and quite cheap. The next morning we had breakfast at a place just around the corner from the hotel and the menemen was fantastic. Actually all of the breakfast plates were generous and good. Set us up for a good day of exploring.
We got to see some of the original mud bricks which were used in some of the early settlements. They are protected from the elements and we were certainly glad to see them. As we were walking around a tour group caught up with us and the girls were asked to pose for a few photographs. We thought it was funny and the other tourists loved it. It was also interesting to see some of the original clay pipes that were excavated and how they fit together. Pretty impressive that they survived so long, modern pipes would certainly not last that long.
As we headed south along the Turkish coast we stopped at what is believed to be the site of Troy. We were glad to have stopped to see Troja with the multiple layers of ruins built one on top of the other. The location makes sense as the city stood on top of a hill overlooking quite a large space and would have provided quite a defensive advantage. The Trojan horse replica that was there had burned down and work was underway to rebuild it, but we didn't mind. We still had fun exploring and imagining what the city would have been like in its heyday.
We drove back to Eceabat and straight on to the car ferry. It was super convenient and we ended up having lunch on the short ferry ride. It was one of the best if not the best grilled cheese sandwich we've had. We also had Turkish tea which made for a very pleasant crossing of the straights to Canakkale.
