Today we are off to Bergama and the ancient city of Pergamom. We rode the city ESHOT 606 bus to the main autogar and hopped on an eight lira bus to Bergama's city center, approximately 90km north of Izmir. The main autogar in Bergama is about 5 km from the city center, but not to worry, there are plenty of tour guides and taxi's if you'd like to pay for a ride, or you can take the free shuttle service. Just follow the locals.
Today's weather was not on our side. Our first stop in Bergama, a local shop for some umbrella's. Then we headed through town, into narrow allies and had to ask a local for directions. She was happy to lead us to where the road ended and the goat trail began. As it was pouring down rain this women wishes us well and I'm sure she thinks we are a bit crazy. We thanked her and bid her iyi gunlar and continued up the path. Our destination is on the top of the mountain about 5km north of the city of Bergama. We were heading to the upper Acropolis and capital of the Kingdom of Pergamon, Hellenistic period, 281–133 BC. This is were parchment paper was invented. Its library was a wedding gift from Mark Antony to Cleopatra with its 200,000 volumes. Its theater is the steepest seating in the ancient world with a seating capacity of 10,000. This place is huge. We follow the goats. The path we took is not the recommended or even a suggested route to approach the city but it was the way we choose on rainy day. 
We strolled up the goat path as the rain cleared. We came to a bramble fence. We crossed the fence and approached a stone house and notice a shepherd walking along the ridge. We walk up to meet him by to an ancient stone arch. He pointed us in the right direction toward the Acropolis. Up the left ridge to the barbed wire fence to a spot in the fence where we could easily pass.
As we were following his suggestions we met another shepherd who came clear across the valley to meet us. Talk about too many shepherds in a flock! He proceeded to tell us that was not the way and insisted we went another way. He told us to follow the other bluff along the thicket, to a large rock. Walk around the rock to the right and under the pine tree there is a hole in the barbed wire fence. Mind you we have no language to communicate to either one of these guys but with enough body language and maps drawn in the mud, and shouting...no problem.
So off we went, and sure enough they were both right! We found the big rock and under the pine was the hole in the fence. Then we were walking up the road and sure enough there is the other hole in the fence, suggested by shepherd no.1. Note to self..when lost in the woods, ask a shepherd, they know their territory and are happy to help.
By the time we finally reached the Acropolis we were in a thick fog. Then the rain picked up and when we heard the thunder we decided this is not the best place to be walking with umbrellas. We left without seeing much of the huge city. Leaving sight seeing for another day we warmed up with a cup of tea and a taxi back down to Bergama for hot soup and dry socks.
Before we left Bergama the rain let up. We walked over to see the the "Red Basilica" complex, or Kızıl Avlu on the Selinus River. A second century temple to the popular Egyptian god Serapisthe. It was then converted to a Byzantine church in the 4th century. Most of it was destroyed in 717 AD but today a small mosque makes its home in one of the original towers. As the rain started again we popped in to a local pension for Turkish coffee and a warm up by the wood stove before headed back to Izmir.
All and all we had a great day. We will meet the Akropol again.... some sunny day!
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