While in Canakkale we have stayed in a hotel right on the Dardanelles and have seen two magnificent sunsets.

Sunset over the Dardanelles at Canakkale

We now head off south for Kusadasi and along the way one of our main stops is at Troy were Peter O’Toole held off Brad Pitt and the Spartans for nearly 10 years before the poor old Trojans fell for the big horse trick. Now seriously Troy is an interesting place. As an archaeological site it has seen better times and is currently undergoing renovation work on the facilities and the trails around the site. If you like a 10th Troy is being built on top off the previous 9 habitations. The Trojan Horse Troy is believed to be the 6th Troy.   Troy is now inland someway,  its port silted up and it has become a fertile plain, below the site of the old city.                                                                 

The much renovated Trojan Horse at Troy

Along the way we have had two industrial facility tours checking out a Turkish Carpet complex and a Leather Coat factory. Really interesting stops these were as we were convinced of the regional authenticity and originality of a whole range of carpets and leather coats. Hmmmm

A  highlight was the stopover at Ephesus and it was surely the best Roman excavation we have come across. Simply mind-blowing in its size. Much of the site has been reconstructed like a jig saw puzzle because of earthquake damage. The Library complex is particularly impressive.           

The Library at Ephesus

In Kusadasi we are in the Charisma Hotel overlooking the Aegean Sea with Samos, a Greek Island just across the bay.

Looking out from our room at Charisma Hotel, Aegean on the left and pool on the right.

Not a bad camping ground this, great beach front. Allthego has had a dive into the Aegean. The top 10 centimeters nice and warm, below that well it was just cold stuff. The hotel pool then  called me…………….and that is where I must leave you dear readers for the time being.