From Pamukkale to Selcuk

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The best things to say about the ride today are
1. No mishaps
2. We made it to Selcuk
We checked in at the Homeros, a really nice and friendly place on the hill. Had tea, ate gozleme (a sort of pancake). We are going to be here for a few days, some day trips planned, some on the bike and maybe some on the dolmus.

We had a little wander around town, looked at some places. This is the area we are thinking of retiring to in a few years. We ended up at the old Artemis temple, it is a really peaceful place. It is partly flooded at present, home to terrapins and geese. It is also a great place to get a view of Selcuk over time, the column of the temple, to the right the basilica of St John, he was here many years ago, so was Mary and others, to the right and just below the basilica is the old Ottoman mosque. To the left of the column is the Ottoman fortress and below that the modern mosque.

I was pleased to see that the water had come back. I wrote my project about that site and it did feature the flooding that we had seen on previous (early summer) visits and the dryness last September. I didn't actually see any frogs today but have no doubt they are there and the turtles certainly survived the dry season.

Oh, and storks, nesting, There is a nest on the column but it is hard to make out. There are various other nests around town, some on the pillars of the old aqueduct others on any vertical structure.

Nearly all of the new housing here is flats. There are some older houses but few have any sort of garden. I think a choice may have to be made between a detached house with a bit of garden and actually living in Selcuk. Though the little cottage with a bit of garden is not really a Turkish concept, or so it seems.

Of note, last Thursday in the early afternoon we crossed the Dardanelles, this Thursday in the early afternoon we arrived in Selcuk. Maybe some things are meant to be.

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Photos

Ashley
Taken in Pamukkale a couple of days back. He says 'in thought'', Hilary says 'In a bar with beer'

Silly birds
Which some people call storks.

Comments

[monah]

:)
Wow, it looks like you're having a fab time.Stunning scenery...... Very envious ! Thanks for the updates.....