A Pleasant Surprise in Turkey

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For whatever reason our expectations were low for our shore excursion in this port. Once our tour started we were quickly impressed and in the mood to learn more about Turkey and the ancient history that is preserved here. Our first stop was Perge which reminded us of Pompeii. The oldest ruins here date back to 1500-1000 BC, but most everything that is seen now comes from the Roman period built in the 4th century AD. History books refer to Perge as an important place where Alexander the Great stopped to resupply for his quest to defeat the Persians. Perge diplomatically avoided destruction by giving up their gold, horses, and men to support Alexander and his victory over the Persians. We also learned that Paul and Barnabas visited Perge. Very cool. The Roman gate along with the baths, agora, shops, and market place were easy to make out and impressive to see. Even more impressive was our second stop at the Roman Theatre of Aspendos. Set against the Taurus Mtns, this theatre was built in the 2nd century AD during the reign of Marcus Aurelius. The theatre is so incredibly well preserved that it is still in use for performances today. Our drive back included more info on present day Turkey and Antalya (education, terrain, economy, vegetation, and use of solar power/sun barrels for hot water). The afternoon and evening onboard included tea, excercise, worship, dinner, and a nice show called "American Pie". My daughter also wrote me a very nice Father's Day card. Tomorrow we get to walk on the same earth that Christ Jesus walked on. Amazing. What a blessed and rare opportunity.

We bargained for 3 Turkish bowls and then reboarded our bus for our second stop.

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