TOUR GUIDE INTERVIEW
Current World Archaeology magazine recently interviewed Peter for their ‘Guiding Lights’ feature. Here’s the interview in which Peter explains why he so enjoys leading archaeological tours in Turkey.
Peter was also interviewed in August 2006 for the Turkish website turizmdebusabah.com you can read the piece here Tours interview Turkish
Peter, you focus on tours across Turkey - if readers could go to only one site in Turkey, which should it be and why?
Gosh, that’s a tough one. I do not have a personal favourite - it is the atmosphere of a place that really does it for me, and the sites in Turkey are so very different: from vast and wondrously preserved cities like Ephesus to tiny places seemingly lost in the middle of nowhere, where one can feel like the first intrepid explorer.
That said, Arykanda, high up on the side of a mountain in Lycia, has it all. It has been dubbed the ‘Turkish Delphi’ because of its location, but unlike the site in Greece you are more than likely to be the only visitors there. There are all the usual trappings of a prosperous ancient city, but it’s the setting that makes it truly stand out. I find the view from the top of the theatre simply heart-stopping.
Which other sites would you urge readers to visit?
For sheer power I would choose Didyma. The oracular temple of Apollo is one of the very biggest Greek temples. It is not a gentle, graceful shrine, quietly echoing former glories, instead it shouts loud its power and prestige. Here as you walk beneath giant columns, or down dark vaulted corridors to the innermost holy of holies, you can still feel the might and influence wielded by the old gods.
The once great ports of Knidos and Phaselis are also incredibly special. One of the great joys of taking tours by gulet is that the sea adds a certain timeless quality. Out sailing on the waves you see the same sights and hear the same sounds as pilgrims, soldiers, and merchants 2,000 years ago. At Knidos and Phaselis you can approach as the ancients did, sailing right into their old harbours and mooring up. I always feel incredibly privileged as we cruise in.
When visiting these places, what do you recommend our readers see or do?
Stand still. Or even better sit down for a while, listen to the sounds, and drink it all in. So many tours seem to cram sites into a relentless timetable until each one becomes simply a blur. Make sure you have time to enjoy the views and soak up the atmosphere.
Your advice please on how people can make the most of going on a tour.
Spend time researching the best tour for you. Make sure the group size is small. I reckon 16 is a very good maximum. Analyse itineraries to make sure they have been thought through in minute detail and aren’t trying to pack in too much. The guide is all important, so find out who will be taking you and what they are like as a communicator.
What sites would you still like to visit outside of Turkey?
I would love to visit the great Roman sites in Algeria and Libya, like Timgad and Leptis Magna. Palmyra and Krak des Chevaliers in Syria are up there at the top of my wish list. For something non-Roman and exotic, Easter Island ranks as one of my biggest must-sees.
So, which do you prefer: documentary making or tour leading?
I love both. I have juggled them simultaneously for the past ten years. I suppose the magic element for me is bringing something to life, whether it is trying to visualise a story for television or conjure up the past from a heap of ruins. If I were pushed I would probably have to plump for tour leading because of its sheer immediacy - standing in an old Roman bath or Greek temple and inspiring a group to let their imagination fly.
In fact, one of my strongest memories is from a visit to the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus. This was once one of the seven wonders of the world, but today virtually nothing survives on site. It requires a giant leap of the imagination to try and see it as it once was. One group I showed around were quite overwhelmed by the place and quite out of the blue burst into applause when I finished talking. One lady thanked me profusely, telling me it was as if I had painted it before her eyes.
That is what I try to do, and when I can get them to see columns soaring upwards, walls clad once again with marble, and to hear the long gone cries and grunts in an ancient gymnasium, then I feel thrilled.
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The quality of the guiding is what makes Peter Sommer Travels really stand out from the crowd. Your enthusiasm for the history of Turkey was infectious, and your knowledge combined with cleverly planned routes through the sites really brought them to life for me.
HA, Tewkesbury, UK
