The ship sailed into the harbor at Kusadasi early this morning and docked at the end of the pier. From the point of view of the view from our veranda, the ship was docked in the ideal place: we look out over the harbor, Pigeon Island, the high hill with the statue of Ataturk above it, instead of at other ships and docks. From the point of view of not wanting to walk half a mile to get into port, we are in the worst place possible. We have to walk to the other end and back again to get off the docks.
I had an excursion to Ephesus in the morning. The excursion I was on included a tour of the Terrace Houses (which is an extra cost option when you buy your tickets to Ephesus, but I heartily recommend it). Ephesus is about a half hour bus ride from Kusadasi, through some very pretty countryside. On the way to Ephesus the guide explained its history as a major seaport on the Mediterranean about 3000 years ago, and how silting from the river Meander, which slowly twisted its way through the area, carrying great loads of silt, caused it to lose its access to the sea. Ephesus is now four miles inland. The river Meander gave us the word meander, which describes the way the river flowed, slowly and in a twisty, winding path.
 
When we got to Ephesus, it was obvious from the first that we were in an ongoing archaeological project on a great scale (note the giant crane in the picture). Some places were in the process of being restored; other locations are holding areas for columns or other parts that haven't been restored or used to restore yet. Sort of a Home Depot look. There is so much here, and it covers such a large area, that it is kind of overwhelming. Most of the tourists were progressing down the main street of Ephesus towards the Library of Celsus, which is its crown jewel, as the Treasury is the crown jewel at Petra. There are several smaller temples on the way, which the guide explained were mostly a tax dodge in the Roman era: if a town had temples dedicated to the Emperor, it paid lower taxes.  There was also a small detour to view the ancient public toilets, which people (mainly men) like to have their picture taken while they sit on them.
Our tour also detoured through the Terrace Houses on the way to the Library. These are a set of ancient condominiums built into the side of a hill, and they are giving major new insights into the way (rich) people lived 3000 years ago in Ephesus. These houses have fairly large rooms, lots of marble floors and walls, and beautiful frescoes and mosaics. A path through the houses has been set up with glass floors on metal frames, giving a wonderful view of individual rooms, and (at the top) a great overview of the entire area, including the work areas where people are re- assembling various finds. Walking fifteen or twenty feet in the air on see-through floors is a bit scary, but I got used to it, because the rooms are just so impressive.
The Library of Celsus, when we finally got to it, was truly impressive. It is mainly the front of the ancient building, with a large room behind, and parts of other buildings more or less attached. We continued slowly on our way out of Ephesus, with more ruins in the process of being restored to look at. The amphitheatre was used to hold concerts until recently, according to our guide. It still can be used, but not for rock concerts, because the volume was weakening the structures and causing deterioration, making it unsafe.
On the way out, I saw a sign advertising "Genuine Fake Watches" that so amused me I took a picture of it. I was told later by a friend who had been to Ephesus before that the sign has been there for at least ten years.
Of course, like all tours in Greece or Turkey (or Morocco), this tour ended in a carpet showroom, where we were offered drinks and a sweet pastry, and shown dozens of carpets, some truly beautiful, but all expensive. I had been told these carpet salesmen could fold a 10X14 foot carpet into a suitcase, and I believe it, having seen them demonstrate their ability to fold these carpets up into very small sizes. I did not buy a carpet; although there were several I would have liked, each one would have cost about the same as a year at college for one of the grandchildren (or another cruise for us).
That night David and I went to Ephesus for a concert at the Library of Celsus.  Holland America had made special arrangements with the Turkish Department of Tourism to hold this concert for us that night. The site was lighted, there was a full moon, hors d'ouevres and wine were served, the String Orchestra from Izmir played classical music, and the acoustics were marvelous. It was truly an enchanted evening, and certainly the highlight of the entire trip.