Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Hello, after a really l-o-n-g day!

To catch up yesterday: We went to Vanilla Lounge last night for dinner, based on Tripadvisor reviews – and they were right! We both had goat cheese salads for starters, and pizza for main. R’s pizza had prosciutto and cheese; mine had spiced beef (something like chorizo) and onion – both excellent! Then back to the hotel and early to bed, as we had a 5 a.m. wake up call. On the road by 6 a.m. after last showers in our amazing shower compartment. We have really grown fond of Atalya, which is surprising after the way we started into town – will definitely consider going back someday!

The reason that we were on the road so early is that Atalya is the closest we will get to the archeological site of Catalhoyuk, which means a long driving day, but an incredible site to see! We have both read a wonderful book about the digging that has been going on there for the last 10+ years or so, and really wanted to see it! The community discovered there had been building one house on top of another over something like 8,800 years – just incredible; it is estimated to be one of the oldest communities discovered to date. It seems that when the inhabitants of one house got tired of it or too large for the house, they would burn it down and build anew on top of the old space – as well as bury their dead beneath their floors, which might be another reason to build up. Additionally, the doors to the houses are in the roof, and access to other houses in the community was all via roofs, which they used like sidewalks, with houses built very close together. What space there might have been between or behind houses was used instead as pens for their animals or as garbage piles! Huh! How ‘bout that?!

Emmy I managed to lock up again during the first hour of so of driving – fortunately, R pulled Emmy II out of the glove box, and voila, we had GPS again! Can’t imagine what is causing Em such difficulty; R says he is going to send her in to Garmin for a checkup when we get home. SO glad we have a back-up!

The drive itself was amazing; back over the mountains. At some point it felt that we were driving through the foothills of Colorado, with the Rockies in the background. At other times, it was like we were driving through the verdant fields of Iowa or Oklahoma! We are so overwhelmed by the scenery here!

At any rate, it did take us a while to get to Catalhoyuk. The directions I had off the web proved to be unworkable – turn right at the modern mosque in the center of town? One first has to FIND the center of town! At any rate, last night, Robert had found the site on Google Earth, and as we are driving through the hinterlands, wondering where on earth we are, and where the site might be, we saw in the distance what looked like two large awnings – which from last night’s search, is the spot! So, we changed route, headed in that direction, and voila, there it was!! SO exciting! The protocol is to ring for the guard who lives on site, and he will show you around.

First we went through their small museum that is attached to the main “dig house” where the archeologists live during the season – basically June, July and August; of course, the hottest time of year! The “real” finds are in the Ankara Museum (which we will see later in the month), but the replicas were wonderful in themselves, and really helped to explain parts of the dig. From there we went into their "model house" -- a reconstruction of what archeologists think the houses looked like. Then we walked up the hill to the big South Shelter – so hard to believe that we are looking at the actual site! From there, to the North Shelter, where we were able to see actual painted hand prints on a plaster wall from thousands and thousands of years ago! Unreal!

Back on the road, and the car turned toward Mersin, where we’ve got a swanky Hilton Hotel reserved for the night. Along the way, we drove through the valley of the Gosku River (once known as the Saleph), which has cut a spectacular canyon down through the limestone mountains. Arrived at the hotel about 6 p.m. We used points to get a suite, and it’s really, truly lovely! We’re on the 10th floor, and have two separate balconies overlooking the ocean! It is really nice to go mainstream every once in a while – especially after such a long driving day! Changed clothes and went downstairs to have dinner on the terrace. No pictures; I had spaghetti and R had a steak – nothing exciting, but some very basic comfort food!

So! Tomorrow we’re on to Sanliurfa and on the trail of Gobekli Tepe … more later!
Much love,
m
xxx