Izmir

We are back on the motor coach and heading for the port city of Izmir after spending the night in Çanakkale. As we head south from the Dardanelles we climb into the mountains.



After a couple of hours of traveling we make our first rest stop after leaving Çanakkale.



While stretching my legs at the rest area I noticed one of the refueling pumps was LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas). The price of gasoline is very high in Turkey and almost all of the service stations provide LPG which is about 60% of the cost of gasoline.



Refueling a car with LPG.



Rest area display.



Back on the motor coach and we continue south. The steep mountains have opened into wide valleys and we pass several large produce farms.



Large fields of sunflowers which will be used to make cooking oil.



Our next stop is the city of Bergama which is located near the ancient city of  Pergamon.



At the site of ancient Pergamon we visited the Asclepion, one of the most outstanding healing centers of the ancient world. The marble street bordered by columns, was once an active market street, with shops lining both sides of the street.



Pergamon's library on the Acropolis (on the hill in the background) was the second best in the ancient Greek civilization.




The main entrance to the ancient medical center.  Treatments included mud baths, the use of herbs, ointments and sometimes snakes.



The large theater of the Asclepion, in front of which are several stone-framed sacred pools.



A fire prevention sign at the Asclepion.



After our visit to Bergama and Pergamon we were back on the motor coach heading for Izmir. As we passed through the countryside, farm tractors were more common than cars.



A roadside stand, out side of Izmir, selling flower pots.



Entering the modern city of Izmir.







Izmir is a major port city and has a seaside walkway close to our hotel.



One of the many carriage rides along the walkway.



Vendors of all types can be found along the walkway. This vendor had rabbits, but we never did find out if they were trained or for sale.




Sunset along the walkway.





Our visit to Izmir is complete and as we leave the city and head for the Pamukkale hot springs we pass a large sculpture of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the first President and founder of the Republic of Turkey