It's All Fun and Games Until Someone Needs An Eyepatch - A Dec TR Complete 8/31

[GoofyFan1515]

I usually don't do great on TSMM either, although I typically score in the six digits range. Pat, on the other hand, has that one down pat (no pun intended) and stomps me typically. I actually squeezed out one win against her, but I think she took it personally and has come back from that one defeat with a vengeance..............

I do make up for it on Buzz Lightyear though.............

We eventually walked the short distance over to the theatre that hosts the Frozen Singalong show. Oh my gosh, this show was so funny!!! We had no idea what to expect from this going in and it ended up being a highlight of the trip. The "historians" that host the show were fabulous and had us laughing the whole time. They were spot on and interacted really well with the crowd. At one point they made a joke and Erich yelled out "I get it!". They laughed and pointed him out. So funny!

Yes, this is a really great show that we enjoyed more than I expected also!

We checked out of our hotel and asked the clerk to call us a taxi.

Okay...........you're a taxi!

The room was lovely and recently renovated.



Dad and Alek would have to share the main bed and I had a cot set up by the window.

And towel animals to boot! I don't recognize any of them, so I guess they most all be local species.

Our private patio/courtyard

What a beautiful view. I can just imagine spending time sitting out there and relaxing!

Back in Assos we stopped to check out the Ottoman Bridge where I ended up falling, luckily I did not damage my camera.

I didn't realize falling could be a hereditary trait! Hopefully you didn't damage anything else either!

Dad decided that since I am a klutz that he was going to move the beautiful blue glass cups that were on the table near me to the bedside table next to Alek. Well... Alek had some night terrors that night and in his sleep threw his pillow off the bed hitting the table knocking it to the ground shattering the glass... It woke us all up and scared us mightily! We regretted having to tell Ece in the morning that we broke something else...

Didn't realize breaking glass could be a sibling trait either............. It's good that Ece took it all so well.

More wonderful pictures and history lessons for those of us who are less versed on this part of the world! I have really enjoyed it so far!

YIKES...........looks like you posted yet another update while I was reading and commenting. That has to be record time for me to be behind again so quickly!!!

 

[tazdev3225]

I loved the Osborne Lights and was so looking forward to my grandkids seeing them one day. Sadly only the oldest grandson got that honor. I am hoping when we go next year we will find some fun for them in the other exhibits. I was in Disney in September and it was so sad seeing them going up knowing that I would miss the final year.

 

[Steppesister]

Gorgeous, gorgeous photos from your Turkey trip. That really brings back many fond memories of our trip there. We didn't see nearly as much as you did as we were only there a few days, but you really captured the beauty of that country. Memories for a lifetime, Lessa!

I am sad I will never get to see the lights. Something I just never got to do as I've not ever been at Christmas. But all of your photos are really nice. So glad you had a great evening out at them.

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Okay...........you're a taxi!

Actually, I do feel like a taxi sometimes as Alek doesn't drive so I am always shuttling him around when we do things together. Used to be worse when Alek and Erich both lived at home and I was driving them to and from work all the time.

I didn't realize falling could be a hereditary trait! Hopefully you didn't damage anything else either!

Just wait for it Falling is actually my speciality most of the time. I am constantly falling, tripping, bumping into things.

Didn't realize breaking glass could be a sibling trait either............. It's good that Ece took it all so well.

I loved the Osborne Lights and was so looking forward to my grandkids seeing them one day. Sadly only the oldest grandson got that honor. I am hoping when we go next year we will find some fun for them in the other exhibits. I was in Disney in September and it was so sad seeing them going up knowing that I would miss the final year.

I'm sure that you will all find something festive that you will enjoy!

Gorgeous, gorgeous photos from your Turkey trip. That really brings back many fond memories of our trip there. We didn't see nearly as much as you did as we were only there a few days, but you really captured the beauty of that country. Memories for a lifetime, Lessa!

Where did you go in Turkey when you visited?

I loved Turkey and I hope that I will get to return at some point in the future. But in the meantime so many other places to visit and explore!

I am sad I will never get to see the lights. Something I just never got to do as I've not ever been at Christmas. But all of your photos are really nice. So glad you had a great evening out at them.

It is sad that they are gone. I wonder if a new holiday event will be introduced once all the construction is complete?

 

[englishrose47]

Glad you liked Frozen !! It was not what I expected but was AWESOME!!!

 

[Steppesister]

Where did you go in Turkey when you visited?

We spent most of our time in Gallipoli and Istanbul. Every single place we ate or visited was clean and so serene. I'd go back in a heartbeat.

I loved Turkey and I hope that I will get to return at some point in the future. But in the meantime so many other places to visit and explore!

And you are so right. I want to visit Southern Italy and France, Greece, Prague, and my HUGEST bucket list place is West Africa. Senegal being at the very top of that list.

It is sad that they are gone. I wonder if a new holiday event will be introduced once all the construction is complete?

I would hope so! I'd even heard of rumors that they may bring back the Lights to somewhere else in the future.

 

[DonnaBeeGood]

.

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

I want to visit Southern Italy and France, Greece, Prague, and my HUGEST bucket list place is West Africa.

Most of those spots are on my list as well!

Southern Italy is great, especially as a large part of it is off the typical tourist route. Last year I spent a week in Puglia (the heel of the boot) where my stepfamily is from and I loved it, great places to see and you get a feel of "authentic" Italy and not just the places visited by hordes of tourists.

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Love the recap of the Osborne lights - I was lucky to see them once with DD18 and once on my own so that I could take my time and soak them in. I do hope that Disney finds a place for them in the future.

I enjoyed the lights but wish I had been able to see them a year or so earlier so that there would not have been the crazy crowds that were a result of it being the last year for them...

 

[OregonMomToWDW]

Caught up again. Loving the Turkey trip report. Beautiful photos.

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

I had this update typed up earlier today before seeing the news... Unfortunately, today there was a suicide bombing at the airport in Istanbul. I find it revolting that we live in a world where this type of violence exists. I feel deeply for all of those impacted whether they are the direct victims or the people of Turkey who will now suffer from even further economic losses as a result of yet again another terror attack. That being said I will continue to remember the beautiful country that I visited and all the lovely people that I met and I hope that people will keep them in their thoughts.

Turkey - April 18

We woke up early after our interrupted night's sleep due to Alek's night terrors and glass shattering. We were sadly checking out from the lovely Ece's wonderful B&B. Ece had breakfast laid out for us at an outdoor table near the pool. Once again it was delicious and this time I took a picture as I loved the plates and the cheese board which featured a little wooden mouse, so cute!





After breakfast Dad and Alek walked over to a store to get some bottled water for the day while I packed up the car and settled the bill with Ece.

A shepherd was herding their sheep past our room as I was bringing our bags out.



Ece showed me the Bank of Turkey website and told me that I should check it when paying any bills to make sure that I was being charged the correct exchange rate. She also was interested to find out more about the area of Canada where my Dad is from so I wrote down some places for her to look up (Kelowna, Banff, Vancouver). I thanked her for being a wonderful hostess and once Dad and Alek came back we were off. As we drove away Ece and her helper threw water at the back of the car, they told us this was a Turkish tradition meant to bring good luck on journeys.

With the help of the GPS we made our way to the town of Bergama. We were visiting the ruins of the ancient city of Pergamon. This was an ancient Greek and then Roman city.

The main ruins for the city are located on the acropolis at the top of a very high hill. There is a cable car that takes you up the hill to the acropolis. This was a fun ride in and of itself.

When we entered the site there was a model that showed what the city would have looked like once upon a time.



One of the well-known features of Pergamon is its theatre built into the hillside. It is the steepest of the known ancient theatres and could seat 10,000 people.



We took the covered ancient staircase down into the theatre.



We decided to test out the acoustics so Dad and I took a seat at the top and Alek made his way down to the bottom. We were able to hear him clear as a bell.

That black speck is Alek



Alek then jogged his way back to the top, Dad and I thought that he was crazy.

We sat for awhile in the theatre appreciating where we were and that we had the place to ourselves. At one point a guy walked by who looked like he worked the site and said to us that "It is a privilege being a tourist in Turkey right now". This was in reference to the low tourist numbers due to fear leading to empty tourist sites. This is very true, if we had visited Turkey a few years ago there is no way that we would have been able to sit in that ancient theatre for as long as we did completely undisturbed by other tourists.

After the theatre we made our way towards the Temple of Trajan. We started off exploring that area in the lower level.









The Temple of Trajan from the south



On the north side of the acropolis we had a great view of the countryside



At this point Dad's camera started acting up. It kept saying there was a lens error or a card error and then it just stopped working. Good thing I had my camera! It was also good that there was nobody else around to hear Dad's swearing as he tried to fix his camera!






Alek and I found a shady spot under a tree while Dad fiddled with his camera trying to fix it and then while we checked out the temple.

This picture will give you an idea of the scale of the place. That blue speck at the corner of the temple is my Dad.



We had seen all there was to see on the Upper acropolis so we started to make our way down the hill to see the rest of the ruins. Did I mention yet how hot it was? Well it was HOT!!! I felt like I was melting.

A shady spot!

This was a small gymnasium with coloured marble walls.



Looking down at the hillside with ruins of the city



About halfway down the hill we found a building housing mosaics that were very well preserved.

















There were a few site workers in this building who started a conversation with us asking us where we were from.We told them Canada and I don't think they believed us as they said "Oh, not America?". They asked us about our travels and our plan for visiting Pergamon. We told them that we planned to visit the whole site continuing down the hill. They told us that the lower gate was locked and that we would have to hop the fence to get out... I get the impression that not many people actually walk down the hill to see the whole site. Most probably stick with the main attractions of the theatre and Temple of Trajan and then take the cable car back down.

They told us that one part of the fence was lower and easier to hop than the other areas. We thanked them for their advise and continued on.

Looking down at the ruins of the large gymnasium and the lower acropolis.





Continued in next post

 

[tazdev3225]

I have been away from the tv and internet all day, one of the nice things about the summer. I finally got on and saw the news. Part of me is worried about going overseas and part of me has always said you can get hit by a bus crossing the street. I don't want to let the terrorist win by giving in to my slight fear but the thought is there.

That breakfast spread looked really good. The views from your next stop are amazing. I only have one or two stops on my trip that offers some time to explore but I am hoping to accomplish quite a bit in that time.

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

When we got to the bottom of the hill and the end of the ruins we were faced with the fence. We looked for a building with a blue door as we were told the lower part of the fence would be near there. Sure enough it was lower in that spot and he were able to scramble over. We then had to find our way back to our car that was parked at the cable car station. That took about 15 minutes. We did see these beautiful horses along the way.



Back at the car we blasted the air conditioning and guzzled down a bunch of water. What a relief!

We still had things to see in Bergama so we drove back into the town and stopped at our next site, The Red Hall, Temple of the Egyptian Gods. This temple dates back to when the area was controlled by the Romans and shows how vast and diverse the Roman Empire was at the height of its power.





We saw them at work restoring the ancient statues



After that we drove a few minutes to the Asclepion which was the ancient worlds most famous medical centre. It was a sanctuary dedicated to the Greek God Asclepius, the god of medicine. Also honoured here was his daughter Hygiea. People would travel great distances to come here seeking cures for their ailments.



We all cleansed our hands in the waters from the Sacred Spring. I also ran the water all along my badly sun burned arms. I don't know about its healing powers but it sure felt refreshing!





When people traveled here they would spend the night sleeping in the tunnels and incubation chambers. They believed that the god would come to them in their dreams and tell them how they would be healed.





Looking at the acropolis in the distance where we had spent most of the day.





It was now time to climb back into the car and drive approximately three hours south to our home for the next five nights, the Hotel Bella in Selcuk. I had chosen this town as it is just minutes away from Ephesus and was in a good location to do day trips to other areas of interest.

When we got to the hotel the owner was waiting for us and helped us bring our luggage in. He then said that he had received a call from Ece at the Assos Alarga, she wanted to know where we had left the keys to our room... My heart dropped, I hadn't turned the keys in! They were still sitting in my purse!! I felt like such an idiot and I felt so badly for inconveniencing Ece. Luckily our new hotel arranged to have the keys sent up to her and she received them the next day. This service cost me a mere $3. I did contact Ece and apologize profusely for my mistake and she was so nice about it! In fact, Ece kept in touch with us throughout our trip. She expressed interest in the places we had been and gave advise on restaurants etc. She also offered to help with any translations etc that we might need during our visit. This was outstanding service as we were not even guests at her hotel anymore and we had been such a nuisance!

Back to the Hotel Bella. The owner showed us up to our room and then left us to get settled and said that when we were ready he would like to meet with us on the rooftop terrace for complimentary tea and an orientation to the area.

The room was small but suited our purposes. None of us had to share a bed as there were three singles, score! There were also towel animals on the bed!



We went up to the rooftop terrace and admired it decorations and views. The terrace had many beautiful tiles on display and had a great view of the Selcuk fortress lit up for the night.









We had a nice chat with the owner about the area and our plans for the next few days. We told him we were planning on driving out to Pamukkale the next day and he arranged for our breakfast to be served 30 minutes early so we could get an early start to the day. That was very nice of him! I also greatly enjoyed the apple tea we were served! Delicious!!

We decided to order dinner at the hotel restaurant that night as it was late and we were ready to sleep after our long and tiring day.

Luckily no night terrors that night!

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Caught up again. Loving the Turkey trip report. Beautiful photos.

Thank you, I enjoy reliving the memories and sharing them with everybody and not many know about what a great country it is!

I have been away from the tv and internet all day, one of the nice things about the summer. I finally got on and saw the news. Part of me is worried about going overseas and part of me has always said you can get hit by a bus crossing the street. I don't want to let the terrorist win by giving in to my slight fear but the thought is there.

That is my attitude as well. We didn't let terrorist threats stop our traveling but it was in our minds while we were there.

 

[cajunfan]

I thought of you last night when I heard the bombing news yesterday. It does make me sad that more people will not visit this beautiful country because of it! That Ece is the bomb!

 

[OregonMomToWDW]

It was really amazing that I had just caught up and read about your trip to Turkey and Istanbul and then a few hours later the news about the bombing happened. Just tragic.

Loved the update. I am learning so much! Thank you.

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

I thought of you last night when I heard the bombing news yesterday. It does make me sad that more people will not visit this beautiful country because of it! That Ece is the bomb!

It is really sad from many perspectives. Sad that people will not experience all the great things Turkey has to offer. Sad that the economy is getting hit so hard. Sad that many people and families are likely going to lose their livelihood due to this drop in tourism. Sad that people are dying. Sad that there is so much hate in the world.


Eve really was wonderful. If anybody I know ever decided to visit Turkey I will be recommending a visit to Assos and stay at Ece's fabulous B&B.

It was really amazing that I had just caught up and read about your trip to Turkey and Istanbul and then a few hours later the news about the bombing happened. Just tragic.

Loved the update. I am learning so much! Thank you.

It was awful news. Alek and I watched the live reporting on CNN. So scary and sad.

 

[englishrose47]

Those mosaics were incredible !! How awful about the suicide bomber !! My thoughts and prayers go to all who suffered the trajedy !!

 

[hokieinpa]

I thought of your trip shortly after hearing of the tragedy in Istanbul. How very awful for the families and everyone in Turkey.

It sounds like quite the adventure exploring. I'm learning so much reading this report! Beautiful views all around and it sounds like excellent service from the proprietors you encountered, especially Ece!

We found the Osborne Lights to be overwhelming crowded as well. Just a wall of people wherever you went. I loved the lights but I think the overall experience would have been more enjoyable with a little more personal space!

 

[Steppesister]

Your pictures and adventures continue to be unbelievably beautiful. What and outstanding trip you got to experience. I'm glad you able to have the keys couriered back to Ece- she seemed like such a nice, nice lady. HAHA, I'd visit just to meet her!

I"m afraid the repeated terrorist attacks may indeed cut into the tourism there. Makes me incredibly sad. They've done such a fantastic job at building it up and to see it be hurt by selfish, misguided people makes me so angry.