As I said in my last blog (written this morning) today was our day to explore Antalya. What a beautiful, bustling, holiday, port city. Our bus delivered us to the Antalya Museum which holds one of the most beautiful museum displays I have ever seen. There are rooms of magnificent Greek and Roman sculptures brought from the ruins of digs in the area. It was stunning to walk into room after room of incredible sculptures. There is also a moving display of Christian artifacts from the 6th century. There are many more artifacts that were found in that discovery but they were taken out of the country and are in a museum in washington DC. Needless to say, that display notes that discussions continue to try and get them back to their home in Turkey.
After a delightful morning in the museum, and the required time in the museum shop finding treasures to take home, we headed to the downtown area where we were dropped off by the Harbour. Several of us ate a relaxing lunch together in an open air market while others found a delicious lunch down by the waterfront.
Lunch was followed by a couple of hours strolling the market and the harbour where more bargains were found and turkish ice cream was enjoyed. We got back to the hotel around 4 pm which gave us time to either rest, or, as many did, sit by the salt water pool or walk down to the seashore in front of our hotel. The water is cold but several brave souls went for a swim (NOT me!!).
Tonight will be dinner at the delicious buffet offered by the hotel and then tomorrow we will be up and on the bus for an 8:30 departure to Pamukkale by way of Aphrodisias. Pamukkale was known as Laodicea and is one of the seven churches mentioned in the Book of Revelation.
