6: Whispering on the stage in Perge at the port of Antalya

 November 4: 🚢 Antalya, Turkey

Shore Excursion: The Ancient Ruins of Perge & Aspendos

Cocktail deliberations

A little bit of a slower start this morning because we didn't need to report for excursion muster until 9.15. Suffering from three square meal a day overload, we opted to stay in the room and revert to our normal Daisy Hill routine of a fruit and coffee breakfast.

It was a great plan, until @Mac had a disagreement with the coffee machine. The first cup for me was delivered with a flourish.  Growing in confidence he turned his back on the second cup while it was brewing, so that he could slide open the balcony door - and oh dear, oopsie and SPLOOSH - the mug leapt off the machine and onto the floor. Made an effort to mop up but ended up leaving an apologetic note for @Mary Joy and @Eddie  in the hope that they could save the day. And as an aside - the coffee was actually very palatable.

Oh dear!

Meanwhile, @LoRi out did themselves with their morning foray. Found themselves at La Veranda for omelettes and a morning heart starter Sangria. Mind you, this was offset by a morning pounding in the gym on the treadmill. They are displaying definite stamina.

Breakfast heart starters for @LoRi

All ashore

Same seamless transition to the shore excursion after muster - to be directed and greeted warmly ashore once again by the Regent team and our tour leaders. Usually (and again today), we are four of about 20 in a full-size coach and are transported in comfort to the site of the day. @Anil was the A+ host today (he had flown in from Istanbul as a privately contracted guide to revisit Antalya after a 9-year absence) and yes, it was a visit to another site of Roman civilization and ruins at Perge for more stories of the Greeks, Romans and Turks.

With over 300 archaeological sites, Turkey is "spoiled for choice" and I did like @Anil's comment that if you have "time" you can go from site to site and investigate the "best of the best" and cobble all the elements together to give a more complete picture of these ancient civilisations. If only we had the time and resources to visit the best of the best over these 300 sites. Dream on.

@Anil's commentary once again added bits of information that helped to gel and expand the history of the ancient times that we are gleaning over consecutive days of learning. Quite magical to think that we are walking the same paths that were taken by the Apostle Paul as he preached on his missionary journeys and that we shared the gated entry to the city once taken by Alexander the Great.

Perge (assisted by @Anil) revealed its splendour to us - the expansive Roman baths. the long colonnaded streets, the towering defence towers constructed by the Greeks, the slave markets and the agora, the basilica, the Roman gates, and the entrance taken by Hadrian, the archways, aqueducts and fountains, the acropolis, statues and carvings and mosaic flooring. Interestingly, according to @Anil, the mosaics had been "re covered yp" because visitors were helping themselves to the small tiles.

Exploring the past and the present with @Anil

And most impressive of all were two well preserved "entertainment" sites of the day - the stadium and the theatre. 

As we popped out through the arched tunnel, onto the floor of the stadium, we literally "gasped" out loud "wow. " This horseshoe stadium is billed as the biggest in Asia Minor and could seat 12 000 people. Although impressively "intact" there are still thousands of jumbled pieces waiting to be replaced in its reconstruction.

So many pieces still to go

The Aspendos Theatre was the second entertainment site, and it is arguably one of the best-preserved Roman Theatres in the world with its towering stage backdrop standing at its original height. The row upon row of curved seating towered above us - the seats were cool even in the blaze of the warm sun, vip seating featured back rests and both water and sound were intentionally channelled by curved and carved stones. @Mac and @Richard took to the lofty heights of the open arches which adorned the top of the theatre, and we were able to test the acoustics. Even with the buzz of hundreds of other tourists, @Loraine and I were able to lift our chins towards them high above and "converse" - we could speak and hear each other! Really amazing. We even let out a couple of "coo-ees" and were answered from various corners of the theatre by other Aussies on site.

Still in use today

Loved @Anil's stories that suggested that at times the water channels were intentionally "flooded" to make a stage area filled with water that mimicked the ocean - and sea battles were re-enacted as entertainment. We smiled thinking that this was perhaps the forerunner of some of the Cirque du Soleil shows that we have seen in the modern day.

Marvelling at the linguistic acumen of our guides - @Anil effortlessly jumped from speaking Turkish to our coach driver, English to the majority on board and then to German for a couple in the group. Didn't miss a beat. We did smile at some of the "lost in translation" phrases or words that appeared - we loved each time he said "that and this" rather than "this and that." If only we could speak 10 words of another language! Language lazy Australians here!

The commentary at the sites was accompanied by wide ranging info-dumps on the 50-minute bus journey each way. @Anil took us through the geography and weather and painted an idyllic picture of current life in Antalya, where you can ski in the morning and then dip into the warmth of the ocean warmed by the sun in the afternoon. Highlighted the landmarks, the produce of the countryside (he was ever so excited by the white puffs of cotton that remained scattered across the fields after the recently harvested crop), the industry, the life of the people in the apartments with their "basement" dwellers, the busyness of the airport, the importance of tourism and of course the politics. Shared his recent experience of the growing number of Russian refugees taking up residence - the proliferation of young men in the 20-to-35-year age group who are now arriving in this tourist town.

 @Anil also read a poem to round out the trip - entitled "Moments - if I could live my life again" (included below) and it was a perfect reflective ending to another incredible day ashore picking through the ruins of days gone by.

The eating continues

With the self-inflicted "go slow" for breakfast we definitely were keen to top up and refuel for a late lunch in La Veranda. Managed to find lots to fill the plates and enjoyed our hot and cold choices in the warmth of the late afternoon sun re-living and re-telling some of the stories we had heard today - and of course, consulting with Dr Google to expand on the details or to confirm some of the claims.

We were going to repeat the game session but opted instead to congregate in our stateroom so that @Mac could showcase his new coffee making skills (he brewed up a storm without a hitch) and we  paired the coffee with a generous serve of our Melbourne Cup sweep spoils - love those Darrel Lea Mint Balls and our Caramello Koalas.

And before we knew it, it was time to spruce up for cocktails in a comfortable  corner tucked away adjacent to the Pool Bar followed by dinner at the Sette Mari at La Veranda. 

This little annexed setting was an unexpected treat that combined indoor and outdoor dining options (overhead heating provided.) Loved the Italian inspired restaurant and note to self - next time we will definitely eat on the deck outside. Such a clever little annex - it was a combination of "help yourself to salads and extras" and then a table service full menu choice option all prefaced with a delicious, shared plate experience of appetisers. As the time approached 7 pm it was PACKED. 

Best of all, and the first time in any of the dining venues,  at one stage, we got to use the beautiful, restaurant specific plates. The expansive domed white plate with the well in the middle that was used to serve the pasta in was so beautiful I think it somehow even enhanced the taste of the food. All so very special.

Want to keep this setting a secret!

My goodness, the presentation of the seafood stew brought the second collective gasp of "wow" for the day from the group. A large dipped and curved white boat shaped server, with combination of lobster, scallops, prawns and mussels was nestled in the bottom by a subtle sauce and then creatively topped by two wonderful, crunchy oil infused cuts of bread. There was a tiny, teeny moment when you held off because you didn't want to disturb the artistry of the presentation - but it was only a nano second, because we did dip in and took on the challenge of being the "hunter" and wrangled our way, not so elegantly, through the deshelling of the seafood offerings. Again, all so very special.

Loved the presentation

Moseyed on down to the Coffee Connection with intentions of taking the additional 20 steps into the theatre to laugh our way through the comedy show but instead found ourselves deeply fascinated by the time zone changes and the tangled history of Cyprus - our destination for tomorrow. We have subscribed to alerts from the Australian Government SmartTraveller site and today received warnings about both Cyprus and Egypt. Found ourselves just wrapped up in the comfort and seclusion of the lounge, sipping Irish Coffee and hot chocolate and each sharing something from our search results about tomorrow's destination. We must have looked like a bunch of antisocial nerds with our heads in technology - but it was really a productive conversation corner.

Safer to ask an e pert to make it - definitely less mess

And that's a wrap for another day - "apparently" its Friday and both @Loraine and @Mac haven't even given that vital insert from the Friday paper at home a passing thought.

Ship Insights:

Concierge Stateroom Bathroom

double sinks, cakes of soap, bath and hair products, power outlet, folded toilet paper, convenient shower handle access, infinite control of water temp, shaving footrest and non-slip mat, overhead rain shower and hose spray, handrails, over bath shower, clothesline, bath faucet

expansive area, full length bath with overhead shower, tissues and bin options, full length mirror, hair dryer, telephone, outside light control, bedside blue switch for nightie bathroom access

A poem shared by our tour guide @Anil which did seem to resonate strongly -

Jorge Luis Borges – Moments If I Could Live My Life Again or by Don Herold or Nadine Stairs - Spanish original: InstantesArgentine literature

"Moments If I Could Live My Life Again"

I could live my life again.

Next time,

I would try to make more mistakes.

 

I would not try to be so perfect,

I would relax more.

I would be sillier than I have been.

I would take fewer things seriously.

 

I would be less fastidious.

Accept more risks,

I would take more trips,

Contemplate more evenings,

Climb more mountains,

and swim more rivers…

 

I would go to more places where I have not been,

Eat more ice cream and fewer beans.

I would have more real problems

and less imaginary ones.

 

I was one of those people who lived

sensibly and meticulously every minute of their life.

Of course I have had moments of happiness.

 

But if I could go back in time, I would try to

have good moments only,

and not waste precious time.

 

I was someone who never went

anywhere without a thermometer,

a hot water bag,

an umbrella and a parachute.

 

If I could live again,

I would travel more frivolously.

If I could live again,

I would begin to walk barefoot

at the beginning of the spring

and I would continue to do so until the end of autumn.

 

I would ride more merry-go-rounds,

I would contemplate more evenings

and I would play with more children.

If I could have another life ahead.

 

But I am 85 years old you see,

and I know that I am dying.

…

Weather: 24 and first clouds we have seen gathered across mountains

Steps: 14 374

#RegentSevenSeasExplorer #RegentSevenSeas #RegentCruise