Horsing around in Troy (and Assos)

What can I say - some titles just write themselves...

Turkey is full of really old places, but Troy is one of the oldest, going back somewhere around 4500 years.  Troy wasn't just one city - archeologists have identified nine cities (actually eight plus one village) that successively occupied this site.

This picture shows the Gallipoli Peninsula to the north on the other side of the Dardanelle Strait, which suggests why this site was so important for trade.

Our guide, who has a degree in archeology and actually worked on this site as an intern, said that it's the largest archeological site in the world.  Part of it is covered to protect it from rain and the intense wind that apparently blows here all the time.  The name actually means "strong winds."

It helps get a sense of how old this place is when you realize that the ancient Roman amphitheater (the "odeon") is from the newest layer!

After leaving Troy, we headed back toward the village where we're staying and had lunch at a little place that specializes in two items Turkish fare - a crepe-like "pancake" filled with feta cheese and herbs and a tiny ravioli-like dumpling filled with meat and covered with a yoghurt and garlic sauce.  I ordered one and Lynden ordered the other so we could try both - they were great!

Then we worked it off by trekking up the very steep hill to the ruins of Assos - where Aristotle lived and taught.  Having studied Aristototle's Poetics and other works, I was a bit blown away to be at the actual spot where he might have written these.

There's very little left of ancient Assos, since later inhabitants of the area plundered the site to use the marble stones and lead mortar for their own building materials.  There is a great view across to the legendary island of Lesbos, though.

Here we are at the top, soaking in the wisdom of Aristotle!