- 3/26/2006
Up scary early to speed through the deserted streets of Istanbul. On our way across the Golden Horn, we saw the pre-dawn crescent moon and Venus hanging
in the sky above the New Mosque (18th Century). By sunrise, we were going through amazing security at the airport to fly to Antalya, down on the
Mediterranean coast. We're now deep into Anatolia, in the same country but on a different continent (Asia, of course) and experiencing a whole new type of
weather - blue skies! The sunshine and warmth restored our joie de vivre. Drove to the harbor and marina area, relaxed and walked around the old town. Saw
an old small mosque with individual hand-woven prayer mats and a little minaret. Orange trees. The remains of a Sufi hamam (Turkish bath) and Ruya's
detailed explanation of the whirling dervishes. Went into the main town area for lunch; Antalya has wider streets and seems more provincial, though it's a
city of a million souls. Here we saw our first evidence that there was an eclipse coming: a boy selling eclipse glasses in the street.
In the afternoon went to the Roman remains at Perge: a large hippodrome (think Ben Hur), giant gate towers from the Hellenistic era (3rd Century BC), colonnaded
streets, and a fairly well preserved Roman agora. We then drove along the coast to the Gypsophila resort, which was to be our base of operations for the
next few days. A typical seaside resort hotel, full of 800 Germans and 6 Americans; pools, a sauna area, little three-story blocks of rooms painted in
nice colors. We explored the place, saying "Guten Abend" a great deal; walked across the pebbly beach to stick hands and feet into the Mediterranean, and
checked out the pool and hamam area. In the evening we got together for a big buffet dinner and wine with a very quiet Ruya, who would probably rather
have been in Ankara this evening, accepting her award at the Film Festival ceremony.
