Turkey - Not Just a Bird With Stuffing and Gravy

Today we docked outside the 5,000 year old city of Ephesus Turkey. Two thousand years ago, Ephesus was a port city of 250,000. Now the silt of the river has pressed it back a few miles.

In 3000 BC, Amazons (women warriors who killed their baby boys) built and named the city. Over the years various other conquerers settled up to Alexander the Great in the 3rd century BC. When Alexander died he gave 1/4 of his empire to each of his 4 generals. One took the Asia Minor territory and set up Ephesus as its capital.

The ruins which had been excavated over the past 100 years, are a magnificent window into the time when the apostle Paul walked the streets of Ephesus. Beginning his ministry in the 1,500 seat amphitheatre, Demitrius the silversmith started a riot to have him arrested.

When Susan and I walked through this same area today, we could understand the concern of Demitrius. Artemis the goddess of love and the temple of Artemis (Diana in Latin) were world famous. People travelled from all corners of the earth to see one of the seven wonders of the world and to worship at her shrine. Like today, the souvenir hawkers kept the economy of the entire city afloat. If Paul were to convince the city to become Christian the tourist based economy could have been bankrupted.

Like Pompeii, Ephesus, domineered by Artemis the goddess of love, seemed to be sex saturated. Pagan statues depicted sexual themes and the largest brothel was accessible from the library through a tunnel. Pointers embeded in the marble roadway directed seamen and tourists to the houses of prostitution.

The magnificent library (pictured to the left) which boasted 120,000 volumes was decorated with statues of goddesses of wisdom, knowledge and virtue. It has been restored with 40 percent actual stonework from the 1st century and 60% recently manufactured parts.

Our visit to Ephesus was well worth the long walk, the blazing heat and the $150.00 we invested. I wish we could have spent a whole day imagining life alongside the great apostle Paul.

Back to the Brilliance of the Sea, for lunch, and then we set out to shop in Kusadasi. This was the highlight of the trip for Susan. Leathers (cheap imitations of name brands), jewelry and carpets are their specialty. We had fun winding up the crowded streets through noisy bazaars and bartering with the very aggressive salesmen. They enjoyed the bargaining as much as the sales. We managed to buy 3 good silk leather jackets for under $400.00. How we're going to carry all this stuff home is anybody's guess.

Susan also wanted a pair of earrings that one lady vendor did not have. She said, "just wait a minute and I'll make them for you." And that she did. We came "home" a few hundred euros lighter, a few shopping pounds heavier and too tired to walk anymore. And besides, the sun had changed to clouds with the promise of rain.

We got back to the ship in time for afternoon coffee and strawberry shortcake. Wish you could have joined us!

Barry