Roamin' with the Nomads

We moved far inland today, up to around 8000 ft. The gorgeous hills were lit by the sunshine as only a few scattered clouds ran over the green hills. The temperature was a cool 72 or so and the sun bright and wind brisk. We left the main road and moved carefully with our little brand new Hyundai Accent (a diesel, Anya) across dry riverbeds and rocky roads, sometimes getting out to toss larger stone off the road and make sure there car would clear the path. 

We arrived at the site of a Byzantine city spread across the hills of grass where nomads were keeping their flocks of goats for the Summer. They come from 40 miles down the valley and will return there in there Fall. Today, the two little old ladies left in camp were washing clothes at the mouth of the ancient cave from which a fresh clear spring still flows down a stone cut trough carved out during the Roman period or earlier. We did go all the way back to the source, but the smoke from the fires keep it rather hazy inside. 

We visited several large buildings looking for inscriptions but found none. One person did find an old bead, but claimed he would rather have found the young woman who once wore it. 

We drove back toward the coastal hills, stopping once for tea (mandatory for Mustafa),

then winding down through fields to another series of roman tomb carvings of soldiers. We crossed through several fields of beans, managing at the last moment to skirt the chained dogs on two 50 yard zip lines on either end of the field to keep people from pilfering the green beans! We ultimately reached the tomb area, then climbed a mountain in search of another Mustafa had seen 15 years earlier. It had recently been vandalized, but was unique for featuring a woman (with child in her arms?) along with the soldier. Back down the path we started a goat exodus as the ran from us in great haste. 

We got back to the hotel after dropping Mustafa at home, enjoyed our dinner out near the boardwalk as the sun set on the Turkish fort in the bay. Chocolate pudding is better in a great setting.