Trip Teaser - Turkey

Ephesus, Turkey
"The first thing I can recall about this morning was sitting by the pool, eating breakfast, and hearing C ask 'Where are we eating breakfast today?'. Before I could answer, she said 'Off the coast of Turkey.' How cool is that?!?" The trip was full of experiences like this; one moment we were happily going about our business and the next we were awestruck having seen some thing else amazing. Our drive from the harbor to Ephesus took us past an IKEA, some ancient nomadic herders (they actually looked about 45, but you get the idea), several hilltop castles, and ultimately to the alleged, and believed, final home of Mary, yes t-h-e Mary.

After God's son's mother's house we went down the hill to what's left of the ancient city of Ephesus. Little did we know that we were near the location of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Temple of Artemis. Ephesus was immediately different than Rome or Athens, "when we entered the gate we could feel like we were walking into this once elaborate and enormous city...The main street was largely intact as it moseyed down the hill. You could see where steps had once led to neighborhoods and houses, and almost picture what it might have looked like. We saw a meeting place/small theater...a temple of Hadrian...and one of the world's greatest libraries at the bottom of the hill. The facade was intact having been rebuilt over time. It was fantastic and at one point so spectacular that it even made Cleopatra jealous when she visited during her lifetime." Yes we were walking the steps of Cleopatra, only she probably rode downhill in a gold chariot on the shoulders of 10 Hugh Jackman look-a-likes.
The public restrooms were genius and knowing that these people had heating, central cooling in buildings, indoor hot and cold running water, and other advanced technologies kind of makes one wonder what have we been doing for the last two-thousand years? We really aren't much more advanced, we only think we are.
"Another highly interesting part of this site was a well preserved section of of road, perhaps a floor or a sidewalk that was completely covered in colored mosaic tiles. I couldn't help but think about the vanity that was totally ingrained in this culture to make something this beautiful. There was only one reason to ever construct something that wondrous, because you could!"
The ruins were jaw-dropping and to think only 15% of this city of 2.4 million people has actually been excavated! "After seeing so many ruins this is hard to imagine, but the surrounding hills are covered with remnants of walls creeping towards the sunlight...there is nothing like this in our part of the world."


The last stop for us in Turkey was a hand-made carpet making school, where yes we bought a rug. It was a great experience and perhaps the most fun we have ever had attempting to buy something. In the end Turkey gets an A+, we both can't wait to go back!