What a day! 3 Museums and 1 Site!

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Hello!

Note here:  Last night, as we got ready for bed, we realized that we didn’t have any blankets!  There were very light bed coverings (which didn’t actually cover the whole bed!) and that was it!  So, R called down and asked for a blanket…didn’t come, didn’t come…and he called again, and apparently this time he reached someone who knew what he was talking about!  Then, about 10 minutes later, a knock at the door and a nice and heavy duvet – YEA!!  Warmth!  I don’t care how warm/cold it is, I still want a blanket over me at night!

Our day started fairly early, as we wanted to get to as many places as possible today, so down to breakfast at 7 a.m.  The usual fare, but this time included both yellow and chocolate cakes … to which I added a frosting of Nutella, and they were wonderful!  (I’m sure the waiter thought I was crazy…but I am!)  

Aksaray Museum building

Stealth Hittite Stele

Hittite era Pithoi

Then outside and to our first stop, the Aksaray Museum.  It opened at 8:30 and we were the first (and only!) ones there – in fact, we were a few minutes early, but they very graciously opened the museum up.  The BIG problem is that they don’t allow photographs AT ALL!  And there were some things that I REALLY wanted photographs…  (As it was, Robert did do one “stealth” photo of a Hittite orthostat…just don’t tell anybody!)  At any rate, this was a first rate museum – beautiful new building, lovely layout – the lighting kept turning off and on, but that was because of the motion sensors…grrrr…and absolutely stellar displays!  (Have to admit that it is taking a bit of time to readjust my thinking – away from the Hittites and on to the neo and chalcolithic civilizations.)

I have read several books (several times!) about the site known as Catal Hoyuk.  We visited there two years ago, and are heading that way again this week.  One of the things discussed at length was the role played by obsidian, the black volcanic glassy rock, in the culture.  Apparently, as it was needed to make cutting surfaces – knives, arrow heads, etc. the possession of a “core” of obsidian was essential to each family group.  They would actually bury the core in the floor of the kitchen area, and excavate it when new things were needed.  They would then use hard stone to literally “flake” off the obsidian until the desired sharpness was reached.  The museum had an amazing collection of obsidian points, as well as a pile of real obsidian flakes!  I’d always had a problem visualizing how this worked, and this exhibit was absolutely amazing!

We spent a fair amount of time at the museum, which was concerning as we weren’t sure how much we would now be able to get done…so on to the first site, Acemhoyuk. 

Acemhoyek - much is still covered up

Acemhoyuk is located, literally, in the center of a small town.  There are, in normal Turkish manner, brown archeological signs to the actual site, that stop cold about 5 miles away…VERY frustrating to say the least!  However, as Robert pointed out, drive toward the ONLY mound in sight, and that should be the place – and it was!  Parked the car and headed out to look.  Actually, not too much to see as the site is very well covered in most areas, but it was interesting to walk around.  As Robert pointed out, there were pottery shards all over the ground, and it was SO difficult NOT to pick up a few.  But, the Turks look very poorly on any illegal transportation of their artifacts, and it’s certainly not worth going to jail, however far-fetched it might seem.  

Stopped briefly at the hotel on our way to Nevsehir.  Note hotel on the hill!

Our lovely hotel on the hill!

Examples of Hittite metal work

More Hittite  metal work

Back into the car and on to Nevsehir for museum #2.  Well…we drove into the city – Robert remembered it from buying new windshield wipers for our car two years ago!  And followed Emmy to where she said the museum was.  Couldn’t exactly spot it, but figured that it was somewhere in the area.  So, we parked the car on a back street and headed out to find the museum.  First stop was the police station, as we were walking past – and we gathered that we had turned the wrong way, and need to head back past the parked car and down the street.  So…we did…and still couldn’t find it in the distance indicated by the police officer.  Asked again … this time, the man pointed still further down the street, and around the corner.  Walked that way, and voila, an actual “MUZE” sign!  Progress!  Finding the front door of the museum was another quest, though, as it was up a flight of stairs.  I had read in one book or website that the museum was open from 8:30 a.m. – Noon and then 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.  And of course, it was now something like 12:25 p.m.  However, we walked in the door of the museum now known as the “Stealth Museum” and were greeted by a very pleasant guard.  And if they were supposed to be closed, that didn’t seem to be a problem!  He actually went in front of us and turned on the lights!  Well…not only was the stealth museum difficult to find, but honestly?  The collection was terrible!  We found very little of interest – a few Hittite remains, and a few chalcolithic things, but that was it!  Very, very disappointing!

By this time, it was almost 1 p.m. and we were definitely in need of lunch. 

Picture of Gorme

Me at the Meeting Point for lunch!

Robert had the brilliant idea of returning to Goreme, where we have stayed in the past and visited yesterday, to find food, as it was only about 8 km away.  Lovely drive (except the part of following two tour buses…) and we parked near the Otogar (bus station).  It occurred to me that we did have Lonely Planet with us, so we looked up their recommendations on where to eat.  They suggested the “Meeting Point” which was just down the block so we went there.  It is an interesting place!  The kitchen where the food is prepared is actually on the street level. 

R sampling the "local" Efes

My spinach and cheese Turkish quesadilla

R's fried vegetables!

However, to eat, you go up a flight of fairly rickety stairs and into a very nice small dining room, with open windows on both sides.  Robert ordered “fried vegetables” and I ordered a spinach and cheese on Turkish bread sandwich, which turned out to be a form of quesadilla, which was great!!  Robert’s fried veggies were interesting – eggplant, zucchini, green pepper and carrots, generously interspersed with French fries, and covered with a spiced yogurt sauce!  It was surprising, but Robert enjoyed it!  Then a quick stop for a Magnum Classic in the park, before our last museum, Nigde, about 80 km.

Got to Nigde with no problem, (lovely small university city), but again, we couldn’t actually SEE the museum, even though we thought we could identify things in their garden…we couldn’t find the front door! 

Obsidian "cores"

Obsidian blades

Asked at a local building, and were told it was around the block – and at the same time, a man with a child about 5 or 6 asked if we were heading to the museum, and said that we should follow them, as that was where they were going too!  So, around the block – do NOT know what is up with Emmy and her museum finding! [Emmy works from the Turkish maps and, as is said in the computing business, “Garbage in, garbage out.” – R] – to the best museum of the lot!  A fabulous collection, intelligently presented with excellent English translations – AND we could take photos!!  Yippee!  They had some wonderful Hittite inscriptions and orthostats, and their recreation of a typical “house” at Acemhoyuk was terrific!  We really felt we had saved the best for last!!

Pots found at Acemhoyek site!

My old friend, Teshub!

Stunning chalcolithic pot

Another chalcolithic pot!

Yet another Hittite Lion!

Me and orthostats in the garden!

Then, back in the car, as it was now getting late; back to the hotel about 6 p.m.  No problems getting back to the hotel, but in total, we were out and about for 10 hours today, and we’re now heading down for dinner so that I can get to bed as early as possible!

More later!

m

PS - Dinner -- we both started with lentil soup, which was good, but not quite as good as yesterday's vegetable soup.  Then, R had "shrimp pan" which was cocktail shrimp with peppers and onions, and I had chicken pounded flat with a cheese and mushroom sauce; it was great!