October 5, 2022 - Wednesday - Troy and Izmir
Today’s first stop is Troy. We have probably heard the story of how invaders tricked their way into Troy by hiding in a wooden horse left outside the city gate as a gift. When it was w heeled inside they waited until before to exit and attack the unsuspecting town. At least we have heard if we are old enough and were taught history.
We were anticipating a wooden horse replica in a sideshow type environment. What a wonderful surprise we had. The wooden horse replica was there, but it stood by itself near the entrance to the excavated city of Troy. This dig is extensive and reveals much about the size and diversity of the city. This was our first exposure to archeological discoveries on this tour and it was impressive. Alice and I spent considerable time exploring this splendid site. Only after that did we return to view the horse. When we hear Troy now, we think of the wonderful city that was Troy.
Moving on from Troy we found that there was another ruin to be viewed today.
After our lunch stop the coach proceeded to the city of Pergamon where we visited the ancient Esclepion Medical Centre. On our way Saba explained that this site was an early medical facility. We envisioned it as a form of hospital. It was so much more than that. It was a large complex. There was an acropolis on a remote hill, treatment rooms for mental disorders, an altar for sacrifices, and fountains and statuary. There was even a tunnel from one treatment area to another.
There was an inscription that read Death has no place here. Our first thought was that the treatment was so successful that nobody died. Wrong. Prospective patients were screened and those likely to die were not admitted.
From there we drove to our hotel in Izmir. We stayed two nights in this beautiful resort city. This evening our dinner was in the hotel.
1 comment:
Pat, did your guide tell you why they had a theatre on the site. We just visited Epidaurus on the Peloponnese Peninsula when we were in Athens. The ancient Greeks felt that attending theatre helped your mental health.
Great commentary and photos. Just discovered they can be enlarged!
Post a Comment