Day 2 Journal: Antalya
Saturday 10/1/05
We got up about 8 a.m. this morning, got ready, and went down to a good Turkish breakfast. Then we went to Perge and Aspendos with a driver and car we hired from the pension. We ended up spending about 2 hours in Perge and taking many pictures. We spent about an hour in Aspendos. It was amazing how the people built such extensive buildings, some places had very detailed architecture.
–Ang
Ang really liked the breakfast: fruit, sliced tomatoes, cucumber, a boiled egg, and tea. Quite nice. Our driver didn’t speak much English, but he was happy and courteous. We played with our Turkish as we traveled. The Perge site wouldn’t take a credit card so we had to use USD (US dollars), which cost more, we think.
The site was interesting. Lots of tour buses considering we could not get a tour. Aspendos was mostly an amphitheater. Other structures were not preserved well. Ang got frustrated with me because I didn’t want to take a picture of these statues that were sitting behind a modern stage they were setting up for a concert. I took the picture.
We came back to the pension for a nap. About 4:30 p.m., we headed out again looking for the museum where they keep the statues from Perge (Purr-gay). We never made it. An hour of walking and looking in shops and we found someone who could show us where to buy alcohol for our stove. We also bought post cards and a soda. Ang liked that Diet Coke was called Coke Light. We used Hadrian’s Gate as a point of reference and circled a while. When we finally decided to get on the train to the Museum (Muze) we were too late. Thankfully a shopkeeper told us it was closed. Back to the panysion for directions then back to the train to go to the Muze stop anyway to get seafood at a restaurant nearby. We chose a place almost at random. They had their fish in a cooler out front.
The waiter seemed nice, but talked us into too much food. Salad, appetizers, and two fish with heads still attached. Later we had a 145 Lira bill ($112). With tip it cost 170 Lira to get out of there. They would not take a credit card (even though I asked) and I had to leave with a waiter to walk two blocks to an ATM to get money.
Ang was in tears as we walked to the taxi stop to go to the panysion. Too much money on food! Live and Learn. 6 Lira for the taxi, and we are back safe. Its 1:30 and we are going to shower and bed.
– Jeff
