Well, well, internet again. Not too much of that when camping.

I really like Turkey -the people, the landscape, the food- but what mostly makes me happy is that it's not cold. Mind you, it's not warm either, but even when camping I'm doing OK. That's what I was mostly worried about before leaving, not that I would get kidnapped, mugged or raped, but that I would be freezing to death in my tent, wearing thermals and all. It might change when we venture further inland but it's quite OK for now. Icelanders, having a knack for making long words, would call this síðermabolaveður or long-sleeved shirt weather, weaklings like me would consider this flíspeysuveður (fleece coat weather). Enough about the weather, on to other things.

I am know in a town called (there the azzar goes again) Selçuk, close to Ephesus, on the Aegean coast. Ephesus is the best preserved classical city in the eastern Mediterranian and is very impressive, even though most of my knowledge of the Roman Empire comes from the Asterix books and my knowledge of the area before that is non existing (no cartoons about that, you see). The library in Ephesus was built in the year 135 AD and was rivalled only by the one in Alexandria, Egypt. Here Cybele was worshipped, with time she became Artemis and when the Romans took over Artemis became Diana and Ephesus became the Roman provincial capital and quickly acquired a sizable Christian congregation. Supposedly this is where the Virgin Mary retired in her old age and St. Paul and St. John were seen wandering the streets of Ephesus.

So, this is how I learn my history. Maybe I should have paid more attention in school.

Yesterday I visited Troy, soon I'll be visiting Olympos and then we head inland to Cappadocia. After a week or so I'll be in Syria. I don't know when I can use the internet again, so even if there are no new entries in a week it does not mean I've been bombed, only that I've been camping. I do highly appreciate getting emails and text messages (yes, I use the phone as an alarm clock and there's network connection here). I was very happy when I checked my emails earlier and had loads of emails, but over a half of them are word-of-the-day emails, in English and Spanish. And when I turned on my phone yesterday I had three new messages (yay!), but one from Vodaphone in Greece and another one from TelSim in Turkey (so, at the moment I'm covered not by one but three networks!). So, feel free to drop me a line, but I'm not promising anything in return (except gratitude).

But now I'm off, a BBQ is waiting for me (I will not loose weight while in Turkey, that's for sure!).

P.s. Brian, I have finally learnt the difference of Doric, Ionic and Corinthian columns. I always for got to look it up, but now I know. Did have to come to Turkey for it though.

P.s.s. David, have you taught those Texans to enjoy peanut butter properly yet? You know it's not perfect without the sound effects!