Friday 27th November – Bergama – “33 Renault 12s and counting”

A sunny start didn’t do much for the shower’s water temperature – solar heating really doesn’t get the job done in the mornings this time of year, but a cold shower certainly wakes you up.

We’d decided to have a bit of a lie in and take it easy as we were only doing local sightseeing today, visiting the acropolis, asclepion (medical centre) and Red Basilica of ancient Roman Pergamum, which are dotted around the modern market town of Bergama.

We witnessed our first Kurban Bayrami sacrifice in the campsite as we prepared breakfast, closely followed by our second as the two sheep we had seen last night were quickly and expertly killed and butchered.  As the animals were destined for the dinner table we weren’t put off our cereals and juice.

The streets were quiet as we drove up to the acropolis, only to find the gates at the bottom of the hill shut.  The old man standing nearby pointed at his watch to say that the gates would be open at 1200, in about 40 minutes.  We were mulling over what to do when a young girl, who was watching the family sheep being skinned whilst hanging from a tree (as you do), gestured that we could park down here and walk up, which is what we did.

After a steep half hour walk we arrived at the top, having passed a group of six young Germans also on their way up on foot.  Nobody had turned up to open the ticket booth so Anne asked the only stall holder around and he said that because of the festival the site wasn’t opening until 1300.  Anne muttered something unrepeatable but I got a coffee and we killed an hour reading in the sun.  The man also brought us some tea free of charge to placate Anne (which didn’t work as she hates tea, but I enjoyed it). SPOT

At 1300 there was still no sign of the place being opened, but the man said that we and the other people waiting could hop over the fence and go in for free.

The Temple of Trajan

and the vertigo inducing 10000 seat theatre were the most impressive remains,

but the site was extensive, continuing down the hillside to the so called Middle City with its agora and large gymnasium.

We exited through the old city walls right next to where we parked the Land Rover, which, as Matt would say, was “sweet” as had we been able to drive to the top we would have had a long walk back up.

A quick wander around the asclepion

and the Red Basilica (a giant 2nd century AD temple to Egyptian gods) completed our tour around Pergamum in the late afternoon sun.

In the 10 miles we had driven today I counted 33 Renault 12s – when was the last time you saw a Renault 12 on UK roads? I cannot remember either – probably some time in the late 80s.