Urgent Report - Latest on D & M's Real Busy Day

 Beach - Pamucak Beach, reached by dolmus (large passenger van). Long stretch of sand,  swimmers. Main achievement: walking along one stretch, looking at some random boats, walking back. Lunch - at Pamucak Beach. Main achievement: 2 plates chips, beer, lemonade. Drinks - back at the ranch. Main achievement: beer, wine, sunset. Dinner - out. Main achievement: spicy lentil soup, grilled eggplant in yoghurt, chickpea salad, stuffed mushrooms with cheese, stuffed eggplant, brown beans, plump grilled chicken, baclava, honey-dew melon, beer, wine, stork photos..

 Today is market day, the first one we've managed to time correctly. Photo ops and then some more crusiy time wandering, gathering energy for our 4 hour bus trip tomorrow. Playing heavily on our minds is trying to find an apartment - we've had several deals fall through. Basically when we return we have to move and, now not much more than 1 week out, there's nothing to go to! Breakfast each day consist of emails and phone calls and research on where we might live. It's been a thing....

Storks, Travel Advice & How to Do Nothing and Enjoy It

 There's quite a lot to see in Selcuk, but it doesn't take too long to see it. Ephesus Museum, with much of the spectacular 'art' taken from the ancient city, is closed for 6 months, timed perfectly for the tourist season.

 Instead, we go stork hunting. Over the course of the day, we learn that the town builds large metal bases on the tops of ancient columns and the Roman aqueduct for the birds to build their nests. Hatching occurs in March and so right now the nests are full of nearly fully-grown birds. Quite impressive. The birds are often tagged and we are told get injections for their good health. When the nests get cramped, the male is told to leave. Nothing new there. Obviously we look like keen bird watchers - one hotel owner invites us up to the terrace, where Mary takes her special photo (see below).

 Many many photos later, it's into town for a walk around the aqueduct and find a money machine and have some lunch. All duly achieved.

 Whilst having lunch, we meet a couple of Pennsylvania, fresh off the bus from Greece and looking more than a little unsure of where to next. We talking to Tim and his wonderful partner beginning with 'A' and (David thinks) ending in 'ine'. Funny thing is, we spent hours chatting with these guys in several places and only introduced ourselves when we said goodnight and goodbye! We help them plan their travel - they are moving fast, covering many of the places we have been but in less than a week. T is a teacher but has been doing some voluntary work for non-profit groups in Calcutta and Cambodia recently. A works with the deaf in the US as an interpreter/teacher. .

 We also meet a German/Australian couple running a travel agency in town and chat with them for a while. They've got lots of good advice and hook us up with someone in Istanbul who may be able to get us into an 'authentic' dervish performance and maybe find a real saz shop. Just nice to talk to people about random things, really, and feeling like you have nothing in particular to do than what you are doing right now.

 While T and A go to Ephesus, we clean up the sights around town - St John's Basilica and the hilltop castle, Isa Bey Mosque and the Artemis Temple (once one of the 7 wonders of the world, now reduced to a single column. That's history for ya!)

Today is gonna be real busy, it's stressing us out thinking about it: 1. Beach. 2. lunch. 3. Drinks. 4. Dinner This travel is hard work, eh?

And while we have all of this wonderful, luxurious time to play with, we both consider the delights of slow travel: -Spending 45 minutes talking about the restaurant trade with Mustafa -Spending 5 hours in ruined cities with the birds for company when really it could have been easily done in half the time -Doing nothing but read a book in Egidir and eat a Magnum on a terrace beside a lake as big as Taupo -Discovering the mysteries and delights of double-knot vool-on-vool village carpets -Taking a day to walk 10-14km along a canyon valley shaded by trees and with a stream running alongside, most of it completely alone -Going back to the same places, where you are recognised and greeted like long lost friends. Seeing places in different kinds of light and shade. -Sitting and watching people go about their business but having no business of your own! -And much much more!

Selcuk

And so to Selcuk, for 4 nights. We are going to slow the train down even more with a 4 day stay. We're at the Australia New Zealand Guesthouse, a well known backpackers place with friendly owners and a rambling set of rooms and terraces over 3-4 levels. We've got the 'honeymoon suite' with 'jacuzzi' (it's a bit bigger with a bath) for about 50 bucks a night. Good value for Turkey and a great place to chill.

 After a cruise through town to book tickets and eat eggplant, we're off to the ruins of Ephesus, along with every other tourist in this part of the world. This is Turkey's biggest tourist attraction other than Sultanahmet in Istanbul. The library and terrace houses are amazing, but overall we are a little unimpressed after seeing Aphrodisias. Perhaps the crowds, maybe the unsympathetic restorations in some places, maybe we've just been a bit spoiled. However, still good to do.

Aphrodisias

Our planned trip nearly didn't happen. They needed 5, we were only 2, so we chartered the whole vehicle and offered free trips to anyone we could find (not many, if any, tourists in town. The lucky winners were 2 South Korean kids who had just got off a 9 hour bus-ride from Goreme and were considering eating something when David came a-calling!)

 So, at triple the price, we go to the best ruined city Mary has seen in this hemisphere. Really hard to get to, but well worth it. Superb theatre and stadium and some amazing gateways that easily rival Ephesus, which is much better known. Again, hardly anyone else around. In its heyday the city was famous for its sculpture school and exported pieces all over the Roman empire. The museum was packed full of impressive pieces.

 The last week has been a series of 2-night stands. We now head for Selcuk for 4 nights, then a little fishing village near the island of lesbians and then its back to Istanbul for a couple of nights and we're home.

Pamukkale

And so the the white terraces of Pamukkale. Stunningly beautiful, like nothing you've seen. Shoes must be removed, and so we walk barefoot across white calcite formations with water running down. Every so often a pool of water. David was here 25 years ago when this was a sealed road and he stayed in a hotel at the top. Since gaining World Heritage status, all the hotels have been removed and the road integrated back into the natural pool system. As best I understand it, springs at the top of the hill lose their carbon dioxide as they flow downhill, leaving deposits of white calcium carbonate, which builds up in steps. In the late afternoon sun, the deposits and pools are spectacular! 

And to top it off, so to speak, there is a substantial ruined Roman city of Hierapolis. We spend a couple of hours looking around - especially at the large restored theatre (impressive) and an isolated Martyrion of St Philip with 8 arches and crosses high up above the city. We've just about got it all to ourselves. Wonderful day.