So friggin excited!!! Before we get to Troy...a bit about the travel to get here. As previously mentioned, We were caught in a bit of a rain storm yesterday (people must really think I'm a loon, as I was laughing jubilantly at the whole affair) saw a couple of girls on a mo-ped, the one on the back was holding the umbrella open, awesome....but priceless goes to the guy speed walking down the street with a hand clutched desperately over his breast pocket to protect his ciggys...no hat mind you and he was getting soaked, but he could smoke! (when he got where he was going I presume) the day started out quite lovely, so as we were headed to the bathes, and then to shop, I was wearing shorts, a shirt, and had my sweatshirt in my smaller backpack for the plane...I had originally intended to change into my capris prior to getting to the airport...however, though I found the rain fun(ny) to watch, had about 0 intention of walking the 15 minutes (each way) up the hill and back to get my change of clothes...yeah, traveling inland in a Muslim country in shorts (in high sing song voice again) awwwkkkward. And not high on my "recommended" list. Plus, it's cold, planes are always cold, and these were no exception. Nothing too dramatic, just a few more intense (I refer to them as "whore of babylon") stares than normal..and believe me, being stared at, picked up on, and borderline harassed, is par for the course. (and men wonder why women are bitchy: you passed complimentary, and into obnoxious about 70 fuckin' "no thank you's" earlier) travel tip numero UNO: get yourself a wedding band, or a burka, or both. The no flights out of Chanakkale until 2 days post when we intend to leave is all coming together now, as is the no direct flight (getting here started with a car ride at 6pm, and we got to the hotel past midnight.) this airport qualifies as one of the smallest I've ever seen, (perspective, I've been my share of municple airports) Another early morning, thankfully though the tour's done by noon(ish). Sadly, Troy was discovered by a treasure hunter, not an archeologist, so the majority of what was discovered was knocked down, dug out and pillaged, and as of WWII, the jewelry etc, is now in Russia (and they refuse to date to return it, lame) there are actually 9 versions of Troy, the one of Homers poem (the horse, Achilles, Helen etc) is believed to be that of 6 &7. Six is of the correct time period, has a well thought out city pan, and seems to have dwellings outside the city walls. 7, is a hodgepodge and everyone is now in the city walls. Lots of very large amphora (clay storage containers) are found in the floors of this city, as if the residents were prepared for (or going through) a siege. The area's prone to earthquakes, hence the multiple cities built on each other. Every 100 years or so, an earthquake decimates the area. It's abandoned (sometimes the inhabitants die during the quake. The buildings are covered by soil...and then a new group decides to build again (long pauses between city building here, we're talking hills covering the previous dwellings...not always the case as some of the walls are built atop the prior foundation, but in many cases, 100s of years passed between 1 city being built to the next. So many years and cities in fact, that the area is now a hill. It was once a harbor town. The water has receded, the earth is still very furtive, and the river described in Homers poems are still of the same name and flowing as described. Though the story of Helen sounds romantic, let's face it...this thing went on for a decade...I'm sure a dudes attention would have been dissuaded in this time. As are all wars, this was about power and position. Troy was in a veer strategical point of the Dardanelles, and as during this time period, sailors needed to wait for the right winds, he who controlled the area, controlled the money. So the Turks had it, and the Greeks wanted it...(sounds a bit familiar,hey?) according to the archeologists who now are exploring the cite, there's easily 125 years worth of excavations to be done....hopefully we take care of ourselves and the planet long enough to get to it all...in the mean time, the actual horse remains a mystery. No one is really sure if it was created as a battering ram, a device to trick the Turks (as described) some other type of war tool, or is simply a thing of myth and legend. We do know, the city itself was very real. The walls were in fact very decorative, and it seems the war did happen. The rest....
Quotes:
"Time! the corrector when our judgments err." ~Lord Byron
"Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you." ~Carl Sandburg
"Time is a figure eight, at its center the city of Deja Vu." ~Robert Brault
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