Today was dedicated to tracking down architectural details found in old pictures so Mark could snap new pics for a presentation he is making in Vienna next month. Doesn't sound too exciting, but when you are tracking down an abandoned city few know where it is, and then trying to find which door has the inscription 150 years later, it can be a search. Not to mention through ink in huge climb up to the 2,000 year old pirate fortress you stumbled upon. Or stopping in a little cafe in a mountain village for the Turkish version of a beef burrito wrapped in soft bread with a plate of hot peppers and a Pepsi! Or the evening stop in another village hangout to drink tea with the old gents and find who knows the location of a very odd inscription featuring the Thunderbolts of Zeus and a Jewish Menorah!
The first site of the day was an abandoned village of the Byzantine period (AD 400). Here the remains of a church rise over the surrounding fields. 
After the climb up to the fort,the roads lead us further down to an old bridge, then through the woods for a fer piece to a really weird three story house built into the corner of a mountain overhang it appears that animals lived on floor one, living space on 2, and sleeping on 3. You could still see the remains of the upper floors inside.
This site had the first Menorah-thunderbolt set we sought. 
The next village appears to me to have been dedicated to growing vines and making wine. The hills were about 4200 ft elevation and almost every structure had a wine press. 
The next stop was a carving of Athena, also featuring thunderbolts and a star and a menorah. She also had a nice Greek inscription, but was missing her spear and shield. 
Nearby was also a carving of a soldier, likely a sign of a pirate settlement nearby, and sure enough, on the opposite hill, the fortress. A rough climb through the brambles to reach...
We then hit the village, found the wise octogenarian who knew where what we wanted was, finished our tea, and went through the fields, across vast green bean fields, through the brambles, and discovered the inscription and a huge temple converted to a later church and then deserted with the rest of the city at some point.
twelve hours later we arrived back at the hotel, crowed down outside by the beach while the lounge lizard played the keyboard, disco lights flashed, and the children squealed and danced. Now, back in the room, clothes washed and persona showered, and the day is done!
Love to all family...
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