Troy and Mt. Ida

Well shucks, there really was a city called Troy and we visited it today. However first we drove to the highest peak in the region for some free time and lunch.

Mt. Ida is mythologically the place where Zeus watched the Trojan war. Today it is a sleepy village called Evciler. We stopped here for an hour and walked the streets watching them slaughter animals. The meat is then shared with family and neighbors. During our visit many people shook our hands and offered a greeting. Some gave us apples in honor of the holiday. Children were dressed in their best clothes and receiving money and tokens from elders. It was a great opportunity to experience local village life and participate in some of their customs.

We returned down the hill for lunch and then headed for the town of Intepe and the site of ancient Troy.

The daughter of the local renowned author on the site was our guide. By the time we finished our tour we had a much, much better understanding of the nine cities of Troy, one built on top of the other. It was a GREAT tour and really very interesting!

We ended our day with several hours of free time at the hotel walking the forest floor and the sea coast. And...watching American TV.

A very fun day! Tomorrow we visit the archeological museum for Troy and the battlefields of Gallipoli.