It’s another long entry with again quite a bit of history.
We were picked up in Izmir by our driver and headed off to our lovely hotel La Vista. The remainder of the day was free to enjoy the pool etc. We met our guide Cagri Deniz. (Deniz easy to say) in the morning after a Turkish Breakfast. No cereal, dodgy coffee but plenty of olives and cheese. Deniz had also a 5 year degree the 1st year was just English. Deniz was a short notice replacement as Mehmet had a sick cousin. On our drive to Ephesus he explained that this southern region of Turkey had 4 real seasons with the temperature in summer being 35 to 40. A lot of resorts are busy in summer with 3 S’s Sea, Sex and Sand or could be Sand, Sea and Sun.
Population 100 000 and in summer it increases to closer to 500 000
A lot of newly developed areas have ‘Copy/Paste houses, holiday homes lots of Brits - how surprising. There are so many in some areas they send the power bills out in English.
On our drive we pass a lot of fruit trees quince, peach, orange
Breakfast no butter, asked for butter so took the bread (rolls) not slices and it came back toasted but still no butter!
On the way to Ephesus we stopped at The House of Virgin Mary. So the rumour goes she lived here quite how they know Simon is unsure.
Especially popular with Catholic Sth Americans cruise ship passengers
Another Security scanner pass through to visit The House of Virgin Mary. We walked passed the Wishing Wall which has no relationship with Christianity.
Some places have padlock bridges here it’s a paper wall! Looks like a mass of toilet paper. Very uninspiring.
The House is 6th century and they believe there was an earlier house.
We will let you work how she could have lived in the house. Plenty of people were praying and getting candles for offering. Spring water which they believe is especially good for you. The school children seemed so uninterested in it all except they could get take lots of selfies so show someone!
We then headed down the hill to the upper entry to Ephesus.
Ephesus was a Port City in Aegean Sea. The Sea receded 2000 years ago 6km so now there is no Port.
Again a bag scan on entry. Simon was going on a solo tour with Deniz as the footing was not designed for those with dodgy limbs plus the heat so the driver was going to drive the ladies down to the bottom where they could sit in the shade and look at stalls and possibly Ski.
It was really pleasant 2km walk down which took 2 hours so we walked at a good rate. Stopping only for photos and information for Simon to write in his notebook.
Only 25% of Ephesus is uncovered the rest is still under the dirt. Highlights
First built in the 6th century BC pagan gods. We passed a Council chamber which sat 1400 in Marble seats, the marble was local and the granite imported. It would have had a wooden roof. It was reconstructed in the 1960s.
Marble Pillars made in sections metal used to glue together. Throne room was sacred area of Artemis. Even back then to help everyone’s health they had sewage systems. The sewage ran below the road and had ‘manholes’ which could be lifted to check below. We passed a Snake symbol. The Snake is a symbol of health so possibly indicating a medical centre behind?
We passed the Goddess of victory. Rumour has it that Nike logo based on it.
Roman’s improved building so columns were 1 piece 4th C AD
4 settlements over time, each time the sea moved a new settlement was built. In the 2nd C AD the population would have been 250 000ish
Temple more a monument big imposing entrance but inside small 60% reconstruction 1st C AD. Built to honour emperor.
Very much ‘I am bigger than you ‘ - early Dubai.
Big double column was the Library. No books parchments, scrolls left but inscriptions told them. Reconstruction. Grecko Roman 1st C BC to 4c AD
7c AD empty as people needed a Port.
They had a museum inside a museum - we did not go in.
We visited the Roman Public toilet 1st Century AD. People sat side by side. Men went at certain times and women at different times.
Channel fresh water to clean them selves with sponge. Rumour is that you had to pay. A Ceaser said famously “Money does not stink.”
Carved tiles with explanations of how taxes spent in both Latin and Greek 1C is AD. Big double column was the Library, which was a massive building. No books parchments, scrolls left but inscriptions told them. It is a reconstruction. Grecko Roman 1st C BC to 4C AD
From the 7C AD empty as people needed a Port so they had moved.
A lot of graduation ceremonies are done here. More impressive than the Horncastle Arena in Christchrch. Deniz had his graduation here.
Note top columns shorter and narrower- aesthetic reasons.
Entrance to Agora Greek Forum Roman (market place) ie The Mall Reconstruction not originally next to library. 80 different shops selling all sorts. Sign showing a liquid shop wine or oil. Shops around on all sides. Covered with walkway which was also covered. Central square was a daily market place for fresh food.
Roman round pipe connection for terracotta pipes mainly fresh water. Volcanic ash and limestone powder used to form a seal.
Backstage of theatre animals as well as people theatre 3rdCentury BC. Solid base hence it’s lasted so well.
Tunnel into theatre. The theatre is still used for concerts. While we were their a group got up to do a dance to a modern song. It’s not an amphitheatre as it was not totally round. It did not have a roof.
We then could see the road that went to the Port so the sea was close but they had Earthquakes and the land rose so the sea went. Just like Kaikoura but bigger. The last building was the Gymnasium which was huge photo is just the atrium.
We then found the ladies
and to go skiing.
The Rossini leather shop was a favourite of Myra’s. She wanted a replacement Louis Vuitton bag. Susan ideally wanted a long jacket and Simon was not that fussed. 90 minutes later Simon was a Lamb Leather man and his blue jersey, that he wears to work has been retired. Added bonus Simon got a free pair of Black lace ups. for when he goes out. This went with Simons new age as for the WiFi password at La Vista was based on your year of birth and as Susan & Simon were both 1963 his new year of birth was 1980. Susan was well and truely a cougar!! Leather shopping over it was now 4pm so time for lunch. Turkish meat balls and Kebabs- yummy.
We headed back to La Vista via a drive-by of a 14 Century Mosque and a wee look at the 6 Century Bastille of John. The Kuşadası area has a lot of very small hotels. Back the hotel we had an easy tea by the pool watching the lovely sunsets.
Friday dawned and were heading to Pamukkale.
We drove through Germencik small town with lots of small Tractor shops on the Main Rd and not much else.
As the region is Geothermal there are about 10 Geothermal power stations. Not that great for the soil - too hot - so crops are limited but we did pass fields of wheat. Every town we passed through had Tea houses where the customers we could see were all older men the women must have been far too busy doing the work! Men must be great delegators!
Tree orange fruit inedible- salt petre?
Tunnel houses for Strawberry lots and lots. Also fig, olive, Pomegranate tree. A lot of the crops are exported to Russia. It was a bit like being in Marlborough but instead of looking at grape vines you were looking at plastic houses.
As we got closer Pamukkale which is the Cotton capital so we saw a lot of cotton fields- lots of water like rice fields. Pamukkale was occupied from the 2C BC to 1C AD. We saw Burial tombs (hills) where the persons belongings were also with put with the body hence tomb raiders - Harrison Ford and Raiders of the Lost Tomb! The area was more Roman than Greek and of course Pamukkale had, had an Agorda ( remember The Mall).
The remains of the Theatre was not the first theatre as the first one had been destroyed by, yes an Earthquake. It had been rebuilt nearby.
As the area was Geothermal Pamukkale had Thermal pools and people came from all over for health hence largest cemetery in eastern Rome.
ie The pools and salts did not help everyone. We used a Modern chariot (ie like a golf cart) for our tour as it was hot plus we went up a couple of hills. Saw poppy flowers not fields but clusters of plants. With the days tour over we headed to the Doga Hotel which was modern but very odd features bathroom basin. Huge basin no space or shelf to put toilet bag. No plug in sink. The Bed was very close to a pillar in the room that Simon even found hard to get through. We had a Dinner, bed and breakfast deal. Dinner was a Buffet which was not that appealing.
A couple of Chinese bus tours seemed to love it. Earlier while Simon had had a swim it took over half an hour for ladies cocktails to be made and they were the only customers. Simon had to wear a bathing cap so we have another souvenir! Simon only swam in the ‘normal ‘ pool the hot pool was 40 degrees so too hot and the idea of a Turkish bath did not appeal for his delicate skin.
Saturday
Deniz had left us on Friday night as he had to connect with his own prearranged tour. So our driver, who had very little English took us back to Kuşadası, leaving at 7.30. As the Mortimer’s were soon to be leaving Turkey they had to go to DHL to send back some of the Ski purchases (13kg) to NZ.
Not the easiest task.
In the area lots of watermelon and strawberries grown but of course none at breakfast buffet.
Kuşadası hardware shop
Lazed by pool and dined in at the hotel, Mehmet (Myra’s Turkish guide) came by for a drink. Simon tried a Raki, the local liqueur. Mehmet, Simon discovered after having a scull that he was winding him up. Like Ouzo with an aniseed flavour. Did you know Turkey is the home of yoghurt not Greece. I imagine if we tour Greece we will be told the opposite. The remainder of Saturday was a lazy day by the pool with dinner at the hotel. Sunday was much the same as once we are in Barcelona we are on our own. Simon went for an early morning run and then wrote all about Cappadocia etc.
Thoughts on Turkey:
Fascinating country we can see why Myra and Rose keep coming back. Cappadocia was the highlight, so much to see besides flying in a balloon. We never felt at risk. The sunsets in Cappadocia and Kuşadası were stunning very hard to see in NZ unless you live on the West Coast. The Tourist Guide system is great. You can learn a lot if you want to. The economy seems okay a lot of building. The standard of living is varied certainly not as much as The United Arab Emirates. We passed through a lot of the traditional farmer type settlements. Saw so many Tractor shops only a couple of car yards a rural economy. Istanbul that we saw seemed so different to Cappadocia and Kuşadası. Politically Turkey is having an early election in June.
The current president will probably win but he seems to a bit like Donald a loose cannon. With Syria not that far away who knows. Kuşadası is missing the visits from the North American cruise ships.
Looking forward to some museli in Barcelona
Political summary: We felt safe the whole time during our visit to Turkey. The areas we were which was primarily tourist areas miss the tourists from the USA. The Turkish people did not appear to that happy but that could be just body language as we all know Simon has issues with body language as well as the spoken language at times!
Turkey is to hold ‘snap’ elections on the 24th of June. President Erdogan has bought them forward. He has run Turkey since 2002 and will seek five more years with beefed up powers approved in a referendum last year.
The idea of an early poll was initially proposed by nationalist allies.
Mr Erdogan said in televised speech the country needed the new election to rid it of "the diseases of the old system". So why the rush? Cynics would say President Erdogan is trying to clip the wings of his main rival, Meral Aksener, who formed a new right-wing party just months ago. View points courtesy of
Simons English cousin, Jane who we are meeting, may paint a fuller picture as all media is biased in what they say. He is seems to come from the same mound as Donald! https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/democracy-post/wp/2018/01/13/want-to-see-where-trump-is-taking-america-look-at-turkey-under-erdogan/?noredirect=on
That would have been an unexpected summary.
Photo list to be added prior to printing.
2025-02-12