Dardanelles

Today was a free day, so Ron and I spent most of our time reading, although I also took the opportunity to update this journal. The highlight of the day was passing through the Dardanelles and trying to spot Rhoeteum. Unfortunately I did not check its location before I left--and it really didn't occur to me that I would be passing by on the cruise--and consequently all I could do was guess. I missed the Achilleon at the entrance to the Dardanelles entirely. I remembered that Rhoeteum was above the Achilleon, nearer to Çanekkale, and the city itself was easy to identify, but there was nothing to indicate where Rhoeteum was. I did get a very good picture of Cape Nara, the site of ancient Abydos (left), and was unhappy to see that there seemed to be jeeps and heavy equipment at the top. I do have a sense now of what Troy and the surrounding terrain look like. Homer, by the way, was correct in calling it "windy." On a hill above Çanekkale there was a long line of windmills generating energy. Meanwhile, the gusts were so fresh on the ship that I occasionally had a hard time keeping the camera steady.