February 18

This morning we left the hotel at 8:30. On the mornings when we travel, like today, we have to have our suitcases packed and in the lobby before we go to breakfast, so that they can load the bus as we eat. My suitcase is getting very heavy. With all my books, which I transfer to my suitcase when we travel by bus, and the various items I have purchased so far, my suitcase must weigh well over 50 pounds. Gulin says that the Turkish flights don’t really enforce the weight restrictions, so hopefully I won’t have to carry all my books in my carry-on, otherwise, it’s a very heavy backpack on the flight to Istanbul in 3 days.
But, back to today. We had a two hour bus ride to Aphrodisias. One of the distinguishing features about this city is its stadium, which held about 30,000 people. Constructed in the 1st or 2nd century CE, this stadium held gladiatorial contests, and athletic competitions. So of course, we had to have a competition of our own. Four boys and three girls raced the length of the stadium – Krentz offered the winner a free beer at lunch. It was neck-n-neck for the guys, but Trent won in the end. Sarabeth won for the girls. The weird thing was the when they all walked back to get their stuff, Trent lay down on the stadium seats and wouldn’t get up. He was smiling and all, but when we started to leave that end, he still wouldn’t move, and then when we actually left the stadium, he had only just started walking, and then lay down again. Rob went to go see if he were alright. Apparently, he has really low blood pressure and sometimes intense physical activity makes him woosy (as does giving blood). I think the free beer, though certainly a motivation, may not have been prize enough in the long run. He caught up to us at the Temple of Aphrodite.
This city was favored by the Roman emperors for a few reasons. It was in a great location, being at the intersection of three trade routes. It had also decided to support the Romans instead of a local leader who was pushing for a revolt against Roman rule. The most significant reason, arguably, that it was so important was because Julius Caesar traced his lineage back to Venus and Aphrodite and heavily favored this city. Caesar was very popular among the people and the subsequent emperors tried to align themselves with Caesar, including favoring what Caesar favored.
This city was home to a renowned sculpture school, which contributed much to the beautiful Sebastion, a sanctuary space and urban thoroughfare. This structure had three levels, with Doric, Ionic, and then Corinthian columns. Each level had a different theme, varying from depictions of Roman emperors, mythological images, the great heroes, and personifications of conquered cities. The friezes and sculptures were moved to the museum on site, but a replica is currently underway.
After the site and the museum, we went to lunch at a local restaurant. One of the staff members played a guitar-looking instrument while a parrot perched on the neck of the instrument. It was a little strange, but it made for a cool picture.
After lunch, we stopped at the hot springs in Hierapolis. I had just woken up. Because of time constraints, we cut out Hierapolis from the schedule, so I wasn’t expecting another stop. I guess the bus made good time, however, so we were able to spend about 45 mins there, before the site closed at 4:30. We didn’t have time to visit the ancient city, but we did have a chance to take a great look from the bottom, and then take the bus up to the top. It’s a little difficult to explain what I mean, but I’ll try. The hot springs on the side of the mountain here leave a calcium deposit when they release the water. This calcium has built up over time and has run down the mountain, leaving a snow white façade. It looks like ice covers the mountain. It’s incredibly beautiful. I was still a bit out of it when we first got off the bus – apparently, I fell asleep hard. I was able to appreciate better the beauty of this hot springs when we reached the top. Here, the water is blue-ish when it pools up. We got to take our socks and shoes off and wade in ankle-deep into the water. It was warm! Slippery too. Fortunately, no one wiped out.
The hotel was just 15 mins away from the hot springs. It is a nice place. We’re a little bummed that we will only be spending one night. The beds are comfortable and the shower has good pressure! A delicious dinner was also included. It’s the first buffet that has been satisfying for w while now. There were plenty of options, and a lot of fruit at the dessert table. The boys got three plates of food. It’s crazy how they can pack away food. They are like bears, loading up in case they never eat again, apparently. You’d think they were hibernating for the next 3 months.
Tomorrow we head to Sagalassos, if there isn’t snow in the ground. If there is snow, we will go back to Hierapolis to see the ancient city.