Kusadasi, Turkey--A Visit To Ephesus

Roman Bath 

 It is always a gamble to revisit a place that you've been before especially if the visit was outstanding. It could be a disappointment. Back in 2012 we made a port stop in Kusadasi and opted to take the excursion to Ephesus. It was an amazing experience. We had a Muslim guide who took us through the scriptures that applied to Paul's visit there and told us what life would have been like in those days.

Today we revisited the ancient city with a Greek Orthodox guide who seemed more impressed with the fact that we were going to be some of the last tourists to walk on the marble roads than he was with anything else. It was a bit disheartening not to have a similar commentary as our first visit but still amazing to see the ruins again and the continuing work of restoration. 

While the marble roadway may be difficult at times to navigate, it's smooth and slippery on inclines and broken pieces can cause a problem, it will soon be covered with a boardwalk of sorts that was already a bit treacherous as well on the portion we walked. The planks are a bit warped and boards stick up. On either surface, you have to keep an eye on where you're walking and stop if you want to look at something rather than look while you walk.

So, okay, I was impressed with the fact that we were still walking on marble slabs that were thousands of years old. Each marble piece was labeled with initials that identified the craftsmen who had quarried the marble so that if a piece needed to be replaced, it could come from the same quarry and have the same color. 

Nike

We passed some ruins, archways, of a Roman bath and a pile of ceramic pipes that had been used to channel water throughout the city. One was still visible in the wall of a structure, maybe part of the bath.

An interesting fact that I remembered from our previous visit and was reminded of by this guide was that ancient Ephesus actually sat at the water's edge. Over the years however, silt was deposited from the river that fed into the sea and eventually the harbor that ships came into was too shallow for them. 

Our guide today said that the bay became a swamp and the city of Ephesus fell victim to malaria. In those days, they thought it was just bad air but eventually they moved the city to where the modern city of Ephesus, Selcuk, now stands. The old bay that is now filled in is useless for farming probably because of the high salt content in the soil.

Bay of Ephesus now filled in

There were several places our guide stopped to point things out. One was the temple of Hadrian with the image of Medusa above the entrance.

Another stop was in front of the stone relief that shows the winged Nike, the goddess of victory. He made several references to Nike shoes to induce a few chuckles.

There is a place as you descend the street to the iconic library of Ephesus where the street narrows. Not only did it stop horses and chariots from going down the hill at breakneck speed, it also created quite a crowded passageway for the pedestrians of today to navigate. Back in Roman times, our guide said, the area in front of the library was pedestrian, no chariots and horses.

Medusa

The library of Ephesus was built between 114 and 117 BC by Roman Senator Tiberius Julius Celsus Polemaemanus and held 12,000 scrolls. It was quite impressive in its day and today it is impressive for the monumental job archeologists did in restoring it. It is said that the senator was buried beneath the library so it is also a mausoleum of sorts.

Across from the library are the remains of what was a nightclub or brothel or both. A tunnel was discovered leading from the library to the nightclub and there is a marking on one of the marble slabs nearby that is a footprint, a heart and a woman, They think it advertised the tunnel.

Library

By the way, there is still a lot of restoration and digging going on in Ephesus. We witnessed a group of men shoveling and dusting an area that was being uncovered and on our way out, our guide said the parking lot where all the buses were would soon be closed for excavation as they uncovered more of the ancient city.

There are two theaters in Ephesus. We passed the smaller one near the entrance but the large one that is mentioned in Acts where Paul addressed the crowd is near the exit. It is huge but the acoustics are so good that some of the modern day singers who have held concerts there have not used their amplifiers. Probably a good idea especially if they were rock bands. We were warned about climbing up the rows of seats as some of the stones were coming loose. Can't imagine what vibrations from an amplified bass would do to it.

Theater

It was nice to revisit the ancient city but I missed the commentary of our first guide who connected it to Paul and John and even Mary, who is said to have lived out her last days on a hillside not far away. I remember him drawing in the dust the symbol that the Christians used to identify safe places. It was the Greek letters of Jesus' name placed on top of each other and it formed a wheel of sorts. Those were some of the things I missed today as we listened to this guide.

The thing that had not changed though was the eagerness of the vendors who now have a nice covered area with stalls for their merchandise. In 2012 there were just makeshift displays of merchandise and a dirt pathway under some trees where tourists passed through to get to their buses. There is even a restaurant there now for snacks and sandwiches. 

And as we walked past the vendors, I tugged on Bob's arm. "Look it's still there." 

Hanging on the front of one of the vendors stalls was the sign that had made us laugh the last time. Only back then it hung from a tree branch. It is truth in advertising. "Genuine Fake Watches." 

Kusadasi, Turkey

 There have been frequent stops for us in Kusadasi. Our first stop had us visiting Ephesus which is amazing enough to want to see again. When we went to book the excursion, it was already filled for this day in the city so we booked it for the next time we stop in the second segment of this cruise. The next time in Kusadasi, we had just walked into town and out to see a fort that sits at the end of a walkway which extends into the harbor. This time would be very special though. We were meeting friends for a real Turkish breakfast.

Our friends who also spend their winters in Key Largo spend part of their year in Turkey. They have lived all over the world and traveled much of it and we enjoy swapping stories. When they discovered we were going to be in Kusadasi on our cruise, they insisted we would have to meet and spend some time together. Little did we know that they lived two hours away.

Our meeting place was a hotel that was about twenty minutes walk from our ship. It was out of the traffic and chaos of the pier. We arrived a bit early and settled in at the small cafe that I believe was a part of the hotel. I love Turkish tea and ordered a cup. Bob ordered a cup of coffee and we sat watching the traffic go by and enjoying our beautiful morning as well as our beverages. 

Before long, we spotted our friends and they waved from the car as they pulled over a bit down the street to park. We paid for our tea and coffee (which was only $4.20 USD) and before long we were off to a restaurant in the countryside that they had found for a real Turkish breakfast which was really a Turkish brunch. As they explained, on a Sunday people did not eat before eleven in the morning. 

And that was only the beginning
of the food!

The ride through the countryside was fun. Out of the city the road became a more narrow two lane and wove around hillsides and past what looked like olive orchards and some farmland. We were truly out in the countryside.

The restaurant was about a half hour drive which gave us a little time to start catching up on the time we'd been apart. Suddenly we were there. Just a few spots where cars were parked off the road. We parked and were immediately greeted by the man who owns the restaurant. Now, this was not a building. This was a garden with trellised spots that had tables. It was also part of a farm so we were greeted as well by a rooster and hen. It was the perfect setting though to be able to eat and visit without a lot of people bustling around like in the city.

The owner led us to a spot that was already set for the four of us and not long after we sat down, the food began appearing and appearing and appearing. The table was so full, we ended up with a pan set on another table beside us. Most of what was there, I didn't know the name of and wouldn't remember when I was told but there were all sorts of jams (I loved the fig) and olives and fresh vegetables that included homegrown tomatoes and cucumbers. One dish was a tomato and egg combination. Another pan was fried eggs. Another pan was sliced sausage that was flavorful and just a little spicy. 

But oh, the bread! They set a big basket of it right next to me. It was too hard to resist and I didn't. Between that and the fig jam I was in heaven. Other vegetables were set down that had been grilled and served with a dollop of yogurt. There was so much I'm not sure I even got around to tasting everything.

The Turkish tea is just that. It is grown in Turkey. They brew it in a double pot. The top pot is more like a syrup and then it is diluted with hot water from the lower pot to your liking. It is a good tea. A much different flavor than the usual English breakfast tea.

As our friends explained, breakfast on Sunday was to be enjoyed slowly and with good conversation. We did both and three hours passed without us noticing the time. It is three hours we will cherish the memory of for a long time to come. 

By the time we were through, we had met everyone in the family, the wife, the son and daughter, the sister. It was truly a family affair.

On our way out, we stopped to thank them again for all the food and service and I suddenly noticed the wood fired oven that the bread was being cooked in. Wow. 

The temperature was climbing as we drove back into the city and our friends dropped us off closer to the pier so we didn't have to walk in the heat. They were on their way to the airport about an hour away to pick up a family member who was coming to visit. We said goodbye quickly in the car since the area was heavily trafficked and we walked back to the ship feeling the goodness of a great meal and great friends and an opportunity to see another side of Turkey away from the tourists.

Through My Lens - Kusadasi, Turkey

Olives

Port of Call - Kusadasi, Turkey

Our last port of call for our Black Sea cruise was Kusadasi, Turkey, actually at the eastern end of the Mediterranean on the Aegean Sea. This would be our second time to visit the port city whose major attraction is the ancient ruins of Ephesus. We opted not to do the excursion to Ephesus choosing instead to wander through the city a bit and take in the local atmosphere. We had a wonderful time!

The port area is full of shops so matter which way you turn. We started out going to our right and wandered a bit through what our map said was the Orient Bazaar. Back in front of the pier, we passed the large Hotel Caravanserail built by Okuz Mehmet Pasha in 1618. At first I thought it was some kind of fortress but actually a caravanserail is a large structure capable of accommodating a large number of travelers, their animals and goods. We peeked into the courtyard. It looked very sophisticated and sans any camels or mules.
 
On the other side of the hotel was a pedestrian area that led back into the depths of another bazaar area with lots of shops and restaurants. At each stop in Turkey, we had noticed men, mostly shopkeepers, passing through the street with a

silver tray suspended on three chains that attached to a handle. On the tray was always a small glass of Turkish tea and some small delicacy. Bob decided he wanted to try the Turkish tea so we stopped at a corner cafe and ordered a Turkish tea for him and an apple tea for me. They came in small glasses with a pinwheel cookie on the side that had melty chocolate in the middle. My tea was almost like warm apple cider and Bob's was more a stronger black tea but both were very enjoyable. I was tempted to ask for seconds on the apple tea.

Knowing we had a birthday celebration to attend immediately upon our return home, we went shopping for an appropriate gift. We were drawn to some ornately designed tea kettles that were copper with inlaid mosaics adding a decorative touch. In one of the shops, we interrupted the shopkeeper's breakfast with our entrance but he was happy to instruct us on how precious the copper was and how his were not fakes. We decided on a little covered jar as the kettles were out of our price range and he didn't appear to be bringing it anywhere near what we would agree to pay. We gave him the Turkish lira, two bills, and he immediately dropped them on the floor explaining that we were his first customers and this would bring him good luck for the day. The he picked them up and brushed his cheeks with the money and thanked us for the business adding, "You know we are not barbarians. . .well, except for when the Ottomans were."

We bid him a good day and went our way, a smile on our faces. Those are the encounters that make a trip memorable.

Our mission accomplished, we started back for the ship. In the small square before the pier and next to the big hotel, we paused to wonder at several birdhouses that were there for the pigeons of the city. We would learn later that they were a symbol of sorts for the city.

After lunch on the Lido deck, we decided to venture out again and visit Pigeon Island which sit out in the middle of the harbor to the west of the pier. There is a long walkway that has been built to it and it didn't look too terribly far to walk. Our information said it was a rookery for marine birds although we didn't notice many once we were there and walking around.

On Pigeon Island there is a large structure called the Pirate Castle which was used in it's day to fight against the pirates. It's past also included the use by the Ottomans for military defense. Further research revealed that the island actually lent its name to the city. Originally the island was called Kusadasi which means Bird Island. Once the city took the name, the island became Pigeon Island. I think that tidbit might explain why the pigeons were given housing in the port.

The island had trails that led through and around the castle and had lovely olive trees as well as what I would call prayer trees. We've seen this in places before--the home of St. Mary, a temple in Japan, and now here. I don't know why the trees in this certain area had bits of paper tied to them but I'm guessing it was some kind of prayer or wish attached to each one. In other places, we learned that when the paper finally eroded away, the wish/prayer would be granted.

Olive trees dotted the park area with their small lacy foliage giving shade to the paths. The trees are always fascinating to me perhaps because of their scriptural connections.

We took our time going back to the ship. The temperature had climbed and we didn't want to overheat. Four large cruise ships gleamed in the harbor. I thought of all those people crowding into Ephesus and decided I was glad we'd spent our time exploring on our own and getting to meet some of the people of Kusadasi.