Week 5 Baalbeck to Samos

Monday 8th February

We turned right a little way before Beirut and headed inland into much tougher country with deep rocky valleys and steep climbs. The final approach to Baalbek is along a wide valley with snow topped mountains rising in the distance on either side. The name Baalbek written in Arabic on the signposts looks like a two masted ship. 

The city was known to the Greeks as Heliopolis, City of the Sun, and the temple complex is a reflection of its importance in those times: it is breathtaking. For all the conflict that Lebanon has know over the centuries, and particularly over the last fifty years or so, the temples dedicated to Venus, Mercury and Jupiter as well as Bacchus, have remained undisturbed. The temple columns soar overhead, broad ceremonial stairways sweep up to monumental porticos and massive doorways have fine carvings still as sharp as they must have appeared to the Roman pilgrims who came to worship here. Built with brute force and muscle power and built to last with huge stones of unimaginable weight.

'This is a single stone, taller than me,' marvels Terry, standing with a hand on the pediment of a column.

'How did they do it? How did they move these stones? Even a modern crane wouldn't be up to this.'

'How many of our 21st century buildings will still be standing in two thousand years' time?'

Or will inspire this much awe?

As our ferry from Tripoli was not going to wait for us and the next wasn't due until Wednesday, we climbed out of the valley and  dropped back down to the coast through deep green valleys dotted with villages. The nearer to Tripoli we came, the more modern and groomed these became but the landscape remained timelessly dramatic.

Before boarding we took the opportunity to have one last, delicious Lebanese meal in Tripoli. The ferry crew greeted us with complete indifference, we found our cabins and sailed away into the night, passing the panhandle of Cyprus along the way. 

Tuesday 9th 

Waking up in Mersin we turned left and followed the coast, whenever possible diverting off the D400 dual carriageway to follow quieter roads and explore the villages and towns along the way. We made good progress and stopped for the night at the broad beach of Anamur.

'Is that Cyprus?' We stare out to sea at the outline of a coast. 

'Could be, it's only about five miles away.'

Wednesday 10th

Susie suggested an alternative route to take this morning so we turned inland to follow the Lycean Way from its starting point near Antalya almost to Fethiye. The track was rugged and traffic free, the views across the hills and the sea magnificent; we strode along, covering the ground in no time. 

We came to Marmaris. Even out of season, this is a brash, noisy place.

'Rhodes is only an hour away,' came a wistful suggestion. However, a quick check at the harbour master's office showed that ferries are few and far between at this time of year so it will have to wait for another time.

We were not deprived, however, of a Crusader castle, since St Peter's Castle at Bodrum, our next stop, was built by the Knights Hospitalier of the Order of St John, with the familiar St John's cross as their emblem. This was their mainland staging post on the way to Rhodes and was, apparently, begun in 1404 under the watchful eye of a German knight and architect glorying in the name of Heinrich Schlegelholt. The Turkish government has put the castle to use as an underwater archeology museum so we spend a happy couple of hours travelling back in time.

Thursday 11th

Bodrum airport, as we skirt it in the morning sunshine, seems like an alien beast crouching by the bay, belonging to a different world.

'Do you know that the sound of aircraft taking off and landing at airports near the sea can be heard by marine life miles away?' 

The morality of flying keeps us in heated discussion as we walk up a road, lined with olive trees, towards the mountains. As we climb, the slopes around us are covered in dense forest, wilder terrain than we've met for a while, and the air is cooler.

'17C, we can't complain.'

'I wonder what the weather's like in UB?' 

'Colder than this!'

Our route returns to the coast at Azbük in time for lunch on the seafront. The map shows another busy D road between here and Kusadasi but there are plenty of country roads on either side so, although it makes us zigzag from one side to the other, we are able to walk free from heavy traffic.

'Ephesus isn't far from here, it's only a little way north of Kusadasi.'

'Is it worth the detour?'

'UNESCO world heritage sight: the Temple of Venus is one of the seven wonders of the world.' 

We make the detour and yes, it is definitely worth it. 

In the theatre we sit where the citizens held a meeting to decide to expel the Apostle Paul from the city. It seems Christianity was threatening to drive the silversmiths out of business because they could no longer sell their tiny figures of Artemis to the pilgrims who flocked to worship at her temple. The facade of the library still stands despite earthquake, wind and fire, the tomb of Cleopatra's sister is just along the street. The houses of rich burgers were decorated with beautiful mosaic floors and frescoes. Mary Magdalen is buried here as well as St John and in the long grass are the remains of the tomb of St Luke. Ephesus has been a place of pilgrimage for Greeks, Romans, Muslims and Christians so we were glad that we went there too.

Friday 12th

After a comfortable night in Kusadasi we went down to the harbour to enquire about a ferry to Samos. They are not too frequent at this time of year but it was pleasant to wander around the harbour while we waited. It is only a short hop across to the island and it is nice to find ourselves so easily in Greece. We discover, however, that we have missed this morning's ferry to Piraeus and that the next is not due until Tuesday. 

No-one seems all that disappointed.