Heading North......

8/9.06.2013

Round Izmir, 3rd. largest city and the least likely to attract from what we saw of the ring road. More industrialised than any other part of Turkey we have seen....huge port and oil refineries, more poor high rise tenements and the usual manic traffic.
Weather v.hot, 35°. Still travelling with mckj and a bit of an atmosphere developing re ONBF which we are ignoring....they were the ones who changed the arrangements without a word and so we do our own thing now .. stopped at roadside stalls trying to find oranges without luck as we now appear to be in peach country ( and the ubiquitous watermelons which are served at every meal) so bought peaches. Nice campsite, at Bergama, usual challenging showers. Night enlivened by Turkish wedding in garden of site restaurant around swimming pool. All the ladies stood gawping and were eventually invited to join the women.....no alcohol or food, 400+ guests
but trays of very nice Turkish delight

were sent round. Today trip to Pergammon and most interesting tour of remains including cable car to top of mountain to see acropolis..... once was 2nd biggest library i in world next to Alexandria......Cleopatra got jealous and had it burnt down destroying 350,000 scrolls and putting an embargo on papyrus. So they invented parchment from goatskin and invented books and rebuilt the library. Fascinating stuff this.