On to Sardis...

Tumi and I drove to Sardis from Kusadasi on Sunday December 5...(I drove:)

The drive was beautiful...first to Izmir, which is a LARGE city...

a population of about 3.5 million people...

We drove through on our way to Sardis, and it was impossible not to notice

how dense the brick and mortar...

Still, it is surrounded by

beautiful mountains...







The drive was interesting in regard to the difference between

the city and the country...in and around the smaller villages we encountered on the way,

it seemed that agriculture reigns...

In those rural areas, I saw something new...to me anyway...

I saw speeding cars, trudging tractors, lollagaging sheep herders and pedestrians

all sharing the two lane highways...sometimes the car's speeds exceeded 140kmph or

around 80+ MPH...while of the above was happening...

It was some sort of beautiful ballet...no stress...just flowing movement...

Soon...(an hour or so...) we arrived at our hotel in Salihli, which is adjacent to Sardis...

The hotel was impressive...

and reasonable rates

Perhaps it is because it is off season...

Checking in, I explained the mission at

hand...to see ancient Sardis...did they have a guide

Who might help me to focus on 600 BC? Vedat Ordu, the desk manager suddenly showed

a smile of great pleasure...he turned and reached for a small book and brought it forth...

The title: "Sardes" (One of the many spellings of Sardis)...as I glanced through it, although

it was written in Turkish, I could see that it covered most, if not all of the areas I have studied 

about this place for many years...the author, Mustafa Ucar, would be our guide the next day...

When we went up to the room...this is what I saw outside the window...

The mountain on the right is Hyde (pronounced 'heethay')

at the top of which Crœsus' palace resided...










I couldn't wait...I left Tumi to rest in the room and headed 

for the destination I have had pictured in my mind for so long...

Sardis...Sardes...Sart...

I guess if begins with SAR...whatever...

Then I saw it up close...

Oh my...in the foreground 

are Roman ruins...(latecomers...)

Then...180º across was the 'Little Tmolus', where Æsop was to have jumped to his death...well, that's what Crœsus thought...

To see these mountains in person was overwhelming...my heart hadn't beat so fast 

since Mynet Marks 'doubles' skated with me at the Culver City Rollerdrome...

This is where it happened...

my arm around her waist..

my hands trembling...

We looked good though...oops

this isn't us...what did I do 

with that Picture?

No...that's not it....that's the book I was reading...

(under the covers with a flashlight)

How did my dream get in this blog?

Where DID I put that picture?

Oh here it is!

Where was I? 

Oh yeah! Crœsus...Sardis...Well, as I said...just seeing where Crœsus lived and reigned...

I decided to go back to the hotel and wait for the morrow when I would have a proper guide...

When I arrived back in the room...there was Tumi looking out at Mount Hyde (Heethay)...

I guess the sights sort of got to her too...

Tomorrow...Mustafa fills my senses with the information I have sought...

Meanwhile,

I am happy to declare that ÆSOP approved the adding of one of his fables to this blog:

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Fable of the Week

A STAG overpowered by heat came to a spring to drink.  

Seeing his own shadow reflected in the water, 

he greatly admired the size and variety of his horns, 

but felt angry with himself for having such slender and weak feet.  

While he was thus contemplating himself, 

a Lion appeared at the pool and crouched to spring upon him. 

The Stag immediately took to flight, and exerting his utmost speed, 

as long as the plain was smooth and open kept himself easily at a safe distance from the Lion.  

But entering a wood he became entangled by his horns, 

and the Lion quickly came up to him and caught him.  

When too late, he thus reproached himself:  

"Woe is me! How I have deceived myself! 

These feet which would have saved me I despised, 

and I gloried in these antlers which have proved my destruction."