2006.05.04_Bergama

After Pergamon, our taxi took us to the Red Basilica in Bergama. Originally a temple for the Egyptian god Serapis, the basilica was later converted into a Christian church in the Byzantine era. The brick structure itself is massive and red in colour. Nothing is left in the interior but we could still sense its grandeur from the remains of archways and massive masonry walls. We stayed for roughly half an hour. We had a quick bite of meat pancakes in an eatery. The town was pretty laid back, with donkeys passing by from time to time, and skillful artisans sewing carpets at shopfronts along the main road. We ventured further up the hill behind Bergama, passed by a military base, to the ruins of Asclepion. Asclepion was a medical complex in Roman times. We could still recognize the theatre, market, and homes in the ruins. After a full day of sightseeing, we headed back to Izmir and then to Selcuk, where we planned to spend the night.

We arrived at Selcuk at around 21:00. At the station, a guy named Michael approached us to sell bus tickets. At last, he convinced us to purchase the tickets to Pammukale for the day after tomorrow. The van from Homerous Pension finally arrived and took us to the beautifully decorated guesthouse. Unique furniture in every room and common area, and friendly staff throughout the establishment, including our host Oya.

2006.05.04_Pergamon

At 09:00 we arrived at the bus station of Izmir, and immediately, we hopped onto a bus to Bergama, the town where the famous Classical ruined city of Pergamon lies. We hired a taxi from Bergama's otogar (bus station) to the ruins. I was quite excited about seeing the ruined city of Pergamon, largely due to my 2003 visit of Berlin's Pergamon Museum, where Pergamon's high altar is restored and displayed in a majestic way. The site of the Acropolis pretty much in ruins, with a few notable structures, including the Trajaneum (where a headless marble statue in Roman armor stood in a courtyard). The most impressive structure in Pergamon is the Greek theatre, claiming to be the steepest theatre in the ancient world. At the theatre's lower end, we stopped by the Temple of Dionysus, paying a little respect to the God of pleasure and wine, before leaving the Acropolis.