Postcards from the Past: Turkey

Where East Meets West

When and Where:           08/2012 – Kusadasi, Ephesus

45th Country Visited; 2nd Asian Country Visited

Interesting Facts:

·        Turkey is one of two countries that straddle Asia and Europe; the other is Russia.

·        Istanbul is the only city in the world that is on two continents. 

·        Liechtenstein is one of the few countries in the world without an airport.

 Back in 2012, Aaron and I took a Holyland cruise which included a stop in Kusadasi (Ephesus) Turkey. 

Upon arrival in Kusadasi, I was pleasantly surprised.  Despite being a Muslim country, western influences were evident in the beach areas.  Women were wearing bikinis on the beach and alcohol was flowing at the watering holes.  It turns out many Europeans have second (beach) homes here and it appeared more European than Asian or Middle Eastern.  The beach itself was pristine and filled with sun worshippers enjoying this quaint but bustling port city.

 The focus of our trip was to see Ephesus, an ancient Greek settlement that dates back to the 11th century BC.  Over the centuries, Ephesus survived multiple attacks and changed hands many times between conquerors.  Today, as A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the ruins are an important archaeological site and Christian pilgrimage destination.   

 Our first stop on the tour was to an ancient stone home atop a hill in Ephesus.  The home, which was owned by St. John, is thought to be the spot where the Virgin Mary died.  The tiny home with tight living quarters was reconfigured into a modest chapel.  The shrine’s preserved stones and construction date back to the Apostolic Age and are consistent with other preserved buildings from that time.   Ephesus also has Biblical relevance as St. Paul wrote letters to the Ephesians in Rome which were incorporated into the Bible. 

 Next, we visited the ancient ruins of Ephesus.  As we arrived, it began to drizzle and the marble walkways became slick.  I grabbed Aaron by the hand to ensure he wouldn’t fall.  Instead, I fell and smashed my camera rendering it inoperable.  Fortunately, I had a backup.  The ruins were prestigious.  The Classical Roman era architecture was most prevalent in ancient Ephesus. We walked around the famous Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian, and the ancient Roman Amphitheater, which was similar to the Coliseum in Rome.  Many of these structures were still in the process of being excavated.  These structures were built between the 1st century BC to the 4 century AD.  Walking through the ruins was surreal.  I got the sense of what it felt like to live back in this ancient civilization.  Ephesus under Roman rule was an advanced society, credited with inventing public toilets.  The high standard of living at that time, and the sea access made it a valuable trading port over the centuries.  Our trip to Ephesus was part of a larger journey which also included visits to Greece, Israel and Egypt.  To date, this vacation was my most fascinating and adventurous vacation.  I look forward to making it to Istanbul one day.

Home / Shrine Where the Virgin Mary passed away

The ancient city of Ephesus

Ancient Roman Amphitheater, Ephesus

The beach in Kusadasi





 

 


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