More Roman history

Jules takes me to the best places, exploring the close by and far away in UK terms. Not quite the same as in Aussie terms with the traffic making many short journeys a long term adventure, dodging the parking spots on highways, heading down very narrow lanes through bucolic countryside, stopping for a quiet one at a country pub and enjoying the lovely old homes along the way all part of the adventure. 

Our Sunday drive took us to nearby Silchester and the Roman town of Calleva Atrebatum, an historically important town for over 400 years. The site was originally settled in the Iron Age and the Roman's resettled there in the first century BC prior to the major Roman settlement of England. Unlike similar settlements in places like Turkey and Jordan, there is very little left of Calleva Atrebatum, just the flint and mortar filling from inside the wall. 

We had quite a discussion about that and came to a few possible conclusions. The building materials were very different. There was not easy access to marble or granite columns and large blocks of stone, more likely flint and clay and whatever stones the region had locally were the best materials available. The weather is very different, a wetter and harsher climate than the Middle East so preservation may have been more difficult. The settlements may not have been intended to be permanent, quite likely intended as stopping places for the Roman army rather than the prosperous towns they became. The local folks may have reused the materials to build new structures and strengthen old ones, as we do today when materials are already at hand. I've done no research on this, just some Sunday surmises about peoples long gone who left their mark on the land, the language and the culture of this place.

We wandered along the pathways, something I love to do here, and climbed up onto the wall enjoying the view and the sunshine. It was a beautiful day here on Sunday. The walk around the area where the town was is about 2.5ks. As always there was a lovely village church along the way. St Mary the Virgin Church has been dated back to the early 12th century and is sited just outside the walls of the Roman town. The layout and size of St Mary's suggest it may have been built atop a square Romano-Celtic temple, probably in an area of the Roman city already set aside for religious buildings. 

I love to wander in old churches, not just because they are old, more because they all have stories. Stories of the people interred or honored there, of the community in which they once lived and the lives they led. One visible story here is of Eleanor Baynard, daughter of Sir John Bluet (d. 1306), lord of Silchester manor. Eleanor's effigy is an example of mid to late 14th-century workmanship, in what is known as the Westminster School style. I'm not sure if Eleanor is interred there as the writing on the effigy and surrounding floor slates was faint. Thanks for the info Britain Express, the link to their site is above. 

I've always loved history, and herstory too of course. The places I travel have inadvertently led me to exploring Roman history in many countries. Having read widely about Roman/Saxon/Norman history in the UK, and visiting many sites here, I'm adding to my understanding of how peoples settled new lands. A cycle repeating itself throughout history as we travel and find treasures, in whatever guise they come to us. I'm always learning and keen to know more and would love to join a dig exploring the hidden histories one day soon. 

There are some ghosts in the pics below, not real one but ones where my lens cover broke and caused some interesting refractions. I suspect it broke in Antalya that day I got lost and hot and flustered and dropped my phone. 

The town map

Part of the original wall 

St Mary's Church

Eleanor 

Perge

A small post script following on from my last entry. I had an excuse to go to London on Thursday, one I took the train to Waterloo then the tube to Liverpool St Station to meet Ingrid. Ingrid is a person I connected with through a mutual friend and we'd not actually met in person until Thursday. We had talked via video calls so I knew what she looked like. We wandered to Borough Market via the Tower and surrounds. Once again the market was too packed to enjoy so we caught the tube back across the river to Shoreditch, an area I'd not really explored. The Dishoom Shoreditch restaurant was the best, lovely food washed down with a Kingfisher. By the time we got there we were well in need of a cold one. A lovely day of connection and wandering and the odd pic. 

Back to Perge or Perga. As I shared earlier, the Antalya Archaeological Museum was a treat. Exploring the maps of the area and where the artifacts were found, alongside the stories of the people and their lives. Best of all was the gallery of statues from Perge, friend Hadrian and his contemporaries, realistically portrayed in white marble. There's also information about where the statues were found, helpful for our visit. By the time we had explored the museum we were very keen to get to Perge. Enter AirBnb experiences where we found our lovely guide Onder who's knowledge of, and passion for, this amazing place brought history to life. I love how last minute things are so often the very best of experiences. 

The ancient city of Perge contains some of the most beautiful Hellenistic and Roman Ruins in Turkey. Perge is rich with history as Alexander the Great once strode through its gates, and the Apostle Paul preached there on his missionary journeys. We wandered in the searing heat checking out the massive theatre first. Third only to Ephesus and Aizanoi and built in the traditional Greco-Roman style, the theater could probably seat around 12,000 people. Standing in the middle looking up at the terraces you could almost hear the cheering crowds as they enjoyed the entertainments offered. Not in this case the gruesome kind, more likely plays and shows because of the way the theatre was built and the type of stage. 

Heading into this ancient city through the gates we wandered along colonnaded streets with columns of granite and marble towering above and mosaics underfoot. The mosaics were mostly protected by matting, with some places less likely to be damaged open to view. Perge was a very prosperous place and a market for the surrounding areas as well as the travelers passing through. Spaces for shops can still be seen lining the streets. Some even have signs indicating what they might have sold, like the fish shop with the carved stone images. Did I mention it was hot? Shade was not too plentiful so we found a spot next to one of the gates and the remains of a fountain to take a break. The place looked quite familiar then I realized it was where many of the museum statues had come from. 

Onder regaled us with stories from this place. Stories of peace, wealth, how the city sustained itself with artesian water and the people who both lived here and traveled through. Shutting my eyes I could hear the horses, the chatter of commerce, the odd chariot and the roars of the people watching in both the theatre and the stadium (similar to Circus Maximus). Best of all there were very few people visiting when we did so it was quiet enough to feel the atmosphere. Did I mention it was hot? Maybe that's why, sensible folks visit at more sensible times of day! 

When you're in Antalya look up Onder either on Get your Guide or AirBnb experiences. He also shares other places in this beautiful part of the country with traveling folks so check out what else he does. You won't be disappointed. 

Emperor Hadrian - Antalya Archeological Museum

Nymphaion from the period of the Emperor Hadrian. From the statue laying on a base, the water flows directly below the statue into the channel running in the colonnaded street north to south.

Colonnaded street with granite columns, many re stood on new plinths 

 

Some complete with cap stones

An area of mosaic being restored

The city baths showing the heating and cooling system

London let me count the ways....

I fell in love with London on my first ever visit. An impromptu visit when Lisa asked us to come and see her. I suspect she was a little homesick having not long arrived and we were in Calais with a rental car wondering what next. We is my now ex husband and I, on our 'we're really too broke to do this trip' adventure to Europe in 2004. We were on the tightest budget, one that saw us camping in odd spots while following the Tour de France and eating cheap with our small camping stove. Wine rule was if it's over 3 Euro its a no - that worked most of the time! 

It was the best trip. One where we woke one morning to find ourselves in the midst of a Gypsy encampment. I did wonder why the women in the loos seemed to know each other and looked a bit oddly at me, and why the water was so cold. The kids on the other hand enjoyed the novelty I was and we made friends, which of course led to the mums knowing I was okay. So many stories from that time untold here, pre blogging and no proper camera. 

So, Calais. The ferry was not too expensive so off we headed with no accommodation prebooked, an esky full of camping stuff, a tent, two packs and whatever else we could carry. Two grubby hobos. The customs guys on one side were okay, pleased I suspect to be handing us over to the UK. The UK ones had 20 questions, 19.5 of which we couldn't answer. A very last minute plan, and no we don't know where we're staying in England. That big place called London might have a bed or two? 

I expected the journey to be longer, it wasn't and soon we were in Dover. There was a bus to the station, it  cost 2 pound. We didn't have 2 pound. We didn't have 2 Euro not that it counted. And there was nowhere to get said 2 pound. A lovely young American man spotted us our fare and we were off to the station to get the train to London, which I think took longer than the ferry journey. Still loaded up with camping stuff and looking more and more like we were heading to Hyde Park to set up our tent. 

Arriving in Paddington later in the evening saw us wandering and wondering where we'd stay. We asked a friendly looking person. Did I say we still looked like grubby hobos? Turns out he was Scottish and laughed at our dilemmas, thinking typical bloody kiwis I suspect. He pointed us to a cheaper part of town and we found a dodgy room in a place with a shower in the room and a loo down the corridor. Interesting place really. 

The next day dawned hot and sunny and off we went to see the sights and have lunch with Lisa. Wow, all of the places I'd seen and read about over the years, from the historic times and the Romans to the current times right there. It was so exciting. I couldn't get enough. The Tower was out of our budget, it was that or food, so we wandered around it and walked over the bridge and along the South Bank. As I said I fell in love with London those days. We had a picnic lunch in Hyde Park with Lisa, bought from a shop more fancy than we'd been to before. 

That was the start. My next visit was in 2010 then as often as possible since. And it never gets old. Now it's just a short train ride away and I get to wander when I please. It was my birthday wish to go to the British Museum and Greenwich. What a treat of a day with lots of wandering, eating, Pimms on the Thames, sightseeing and people watching. I've also caught up with Jenny from the Cayman days, Kate my niece and Kate from those Al Ain days there. Finding new spots to eat and drink, soaking in the pub culture.  

Some of the other visits have been included in previous posts so here's a couple of pics from my happy birthday to me trip where Jules gave me a treat of a day out in my favorite city. And 22,647 steps, also typical of my London wanders! 

So why did this post evolve? I was writing about our time in Antalya and my brain side tracked to comparing the British Museum to the Antalya Archeological Museum. While it was smaller the one in Antalya was much better laid out, showing the pieces that actually came from the area rather then ones taken from the places they belong. I don't have too much of an opinion on that, except that human remains should not be disturbed. Plus when we were there we discovered a place called Perge and I found links with my favorite book Birds without wings which I knew was set in the Antalya region. Perge had been discovered before of course. We decided we would visit, booking an Airbnb experience for the next day. The next post is about Perge.

HBD to me! Pimms all round 

Greenwich from halfway up

View from the top - Quite a haul up that hill!

Love a good ship in a bottle

Greenwich

Big Ben unwrapped at last!

The next adventures

Phew that's the cruise posts taken care of and I can move to the next adventure. With so many adventures in between like the weekend of seafood eating at Seafest Weymouth, the stop at Westminster on the way home and various day trips exploring close by. And the very biggest, most exciting and wonderful of news, the arrival of number 7 grandbaby. Raphael is a fellow Leo, like his next up cousin Lily, and he's delightful. I can't wait to meet him, I'm booked to head south again for November so will get plenty of cuddles very soon. 

The next big adventure was a trip to Turkey. It's been 19 years since I was last there, far too long really. I loved my trip in 2004 when I got to stay with Di in Istanbul and travel through the country to the south. I celebrated my birthday that year in a cave hotel eating the best cake and drinking raki with white cheese and watermelon with the hotel owner. All arranged by the lovely Hayden, a wandering kiwi in Istanbul. It was the very best trip. 

This time it was Antalya, a different spot from where I'd been before. I was so excited when we landed, late so needing to get to the apartment in the city quickly. We stayed right at the start of the local shopping district, a short wander from the sea and the touristy areas. I much prefer to stay a bit local, eating at local restaurants and spending money in local shops. Like the Migros under the apartment, the supplier of the essentials and chocolate. The first day we wandered to the old city, found the best seafood restaurant and people watched while acclimatizing to the heat. The food was delicious. Very fresh fish washed down with a cold Efs. 

Emperor Hadrian was very busy while he reigned and I've been to many places he touched. Like here where there's a gate named in his honor. A very old gate set within the very old city walls. The worn flagstones under the gate were slippery so I kept to the rough stones as I looked for the best places to capture this amazing place. It was really hot so the nearby cafe was a good spot to rest and cool down, joined by the cutest kitten who appreciated time on my knee and the largest dog who lay next to us. 

Kangal dogs are a large, powerful, heavy-boned dog, whose size and proportions have developed naturally as a result of its continued use in Turkey as a guardian against predators. They are gorgeous although I did see a few tourists shy away from the particularly large one who befriended us. The wandering animals are treated with respect, well cared for and loved. We enjoyed the company of many of them as they received a pat and wandered with us. The restaurants welcome the animals and feed them on table scraps. 

We booked an outing on a boat the next day, exploring the coast and a swim seemed easiest from a boat. Well, what an adventure that was! One where a few people had to be rescued, the last a woman who had floated off on a very strong current. Luckily there were passengers who could swim and knew how to rescue someone. The poor crew were at a loss and, despite moving the boat closer to the woman, the ropes were too short to reach her. She was exhausted when she finally got back on board, and a bit sheepish. I'd been in the water twice and the tide was so strong I decided to abandon the swim as I know I'm not a strong swimmer. It was lovely being in the warmish sea again, I've missed that. 

One thing I love about Turkey is the freshness of the food and that evening dining at a local kebab restaurant I tucked into the very best salads and dips while my companion enjoyed a kebab with all the trimmings, and chai lots of chai. A couple of days of wandering in the heat left me looking for other transport options like the tram for the next day's wander to the beach via the museum. 

Hadrian's Gate

Amazing detail under the arches

I did visit for a look - so tempting!

Beautiful day out on the water

A boat is safe in the harbor. But this is not the purpose of a boat
Paulo Coelho

Cruising - The final stop

The final stop was Seward. We were all packed up, breakfasted and off the ship early. What to do until our train journey to Anchorage set off? There's an aquarium with puffins and other sea life so that's where we wandered. The puffins were such clowns and seemed to enjoy playing up to the cameras. The sea lions were being fed and the other fish swimming around happily. It was a small place and the work they do preserving sea life and informing people about sea life was evident. I often find places like this are there to inform and preserve and many of their captive animals are one who would not survive back in the wild. 

Seward had good coffee and food and we wandered over to the library once we were done to enjoy the warmth with a good book. The train was going later so there was a lot of time to kill. Shopping in the local supermarket to stock up for the journey I realized just how expensive it was in this isolated place. The train journey was very scenic and I got to enjoy the company of a couple of women who belong to a Facebook group I'm on - Solo travelling women. We had a great catch up. 

Anchorage, well our first night was eventful. We were late arriving and when we arrived at our room there was a strong smell of smoke and other substances. A knock on the door was answered with a 'just a minute' and out came a young man in a fug of smoky smells. He looked as surprised to see us as we were to see him! It seems he was told the room was empty and he was able to sleep there. You see he was one of the many homeless in Anchorage. Down to reception and a new room, one in which one of the beds had been slept in. We remade it with clean sheets. 

Morning came around too quickly, it was very late when we arrived, and the girls left me on my own as they headed off to the airport and back to Australia and New Zealand. I must confess I felt more than a bit lonely so got up and headed out for a wander and breakfast. The helpful staff gave me a suggestion, it was packed with over an hour to wait so I wandered to a less busy place. There was a four table with a couple seated at it so I asked politely to join them. We had a lovely chat, turns out she was a recently retired teacher. Then three fishermen joined me and a lively discussion about fishing from Seward ensued as endless coffee was added to my cup. Okay and much needed coffee too. 

Almost time for the airport, just a few souvenirs to buy. The people in Anchorage were so helpful pointing me to the free airport shuttle so off I went. Next stop Vancouver late at night, and an interesting AirBnb. At least it was warmer there!

Puffin fun!

Glaciers everywhere

A scenic journey