Visit archeological sites that showcase founding events important to Abrahamic religions, learn how Turkish rugs are made, and experience local cuisine! Its all waiting for you in Kusadasi... or this blog post.
Turkey officially marks the third country on our trip through the Mediterranean! Today we got an early start and got on a guided tour through Oceania. Our guide gave us a brief history of the area as we drove to our first stop, the home of the Virgin Mary.
I highly recommend going early on in the day since people from many religious backgrounds flock to the Virgin Mary's home and the greater area called Ephesus. Many religions, particularly Abrahamic religions have roots in Ephesus - if you are familiar with Christianity, the book of Ephesians was essentially a letter the Apostle Paul wrote to the people of Ephesus.
Upon arriving at the Virgin Mary's home, we saw a bronze statue of her and were able to briefly walk through the home (although pictures were prohibited inside). After my quick walk through, I lit a candle and went to the wishing wall where people can write their prayers and wishes on paper and hang them up on the wall. Here there are clean restrooms to use and various gift shops, but there is also a sense of calm ass you approach the river that runs parallel to the site.
All too soon, it was time to get back on the bus and head to Ancient Ephesus. Once we arrived, the first thing I noticed was the heat. If you plan on visiting Ephesus in July, just be aware that it is HOT! There is also basically no shade in the excavated portion of Ancient Ephesus which did not help the situation. Regardless, the site was breathtaking. Such large portions had been excavated and reconstructed so it was easy to get a feel for what the ancient city was like.
Some highlights of the tour included the Temple of Hadrian and the Tetragonos Agora (commercial market). Later in the tour there is a small live action show which features warriors, dancers, and royalty. Towards the gift shop, there were cold towels provided exclusively for Oceania guests - a welcome treat to help escape the heat! Once through the gift shop there is a small shopping center. In Turkey, it is common for shopkeepers to walk up to you and invite you into their store. Don't be alarmed. Although this is uncommon for travelers coming from the US, the people are generally well intentioned, but do always be aware of your surroundings.
Tips for visiting Ancient Ephesus:
Beat the Heat: If you are going to visit Ephesus in the summer, prepare for some hot and humid weather. The excavation sites have little/no shade so remember to bring sunscreen & water, and consider taking a small fan, a sun umbrella, and sunglasses.
Bring your walking Shoes: The stone of Ancient Ephesus has been worn smooth by the years and hundreds of feet, so it is quite slippery in some parts. Be sure to wear shoes with a good grip on the soles and mind your step (especially when going down hill).
Next, we went to a large hotel where we were served a traditional Turkish meal. Much of the food was similar to foods I had tried in Greece and was served family-style as well. Then we spent time at a local museum that highlighted beautiful statues of the goddess Artemis, tombs, and various smaller excavations.
Finally, we were taken to watch a demonstration about the making of Turkish carpets. At first, everything was going quite well. We watched a skilled woman make the carpets and even saw how the silk was spun from the silkworm cocoons, but soon things changed. We were led into a large showroom and all offered drinks. Then the main seller began his speech about the carpets while 3-4 men ran around the room throwing down carpets. By the time he was done, the entire floor was covered in layers of expensive rugs. Timed to coincide with the end of the speech, numerous men came into the showroom and split off to each family on the tour to being selling them rugs individually. The door to exit the showroom was shut and the whole thing was quite aggressive and felt like a bit of a trap to force you to buy their rugs. I left right away since I had an off feeling, and on my way out I noticed that even the main door to exit the building had been shut and upon my leaving was promptly closed again. I was quite unsettled by this experience and although I knew I was safe, it felt like quite the tourist trap. In fact, since we were in a highly touristy area, there were any aggressive sellers that would shout after you and be very pushy. I still highly recommend visiting Kusadasi and Ephesus, but just be aware that in touristy areas it is best to be a bit more guarded if you aren't looking to purchase when walking by stores.
Exhausted from a long day of exploration, I headed back on the boat to have dinner and enjoy a good night of sleep. However, this night, we experienced incredibly strong winds and the ship was rocking quite a bit. We were totally fine but it did take 3 men to tie down our deck chairs because of the wind (I tried to do it by myself at first and felt as though I might be blown overboard). Eventually, I fell asleep and enjoyed the trip to Istanbul!
That was a wild day in Kusadasi but I am so grateful to be able to bring you all along with me! See you tomorrow in Istanbul!
Always,
Paris
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