Turkiye Day 3 - Ephesus

If you have not done so, read the previous related entry here.

The more exciting part of the trip is today as we are going to visit one of the ancient sites of Ephesus. Apparently there were many cities built in close proximity. The one we were visiting was built by the Ephesians. Basically very similar to Greek and later Roman cultures. After waking up to the morning Aegean and a nice breakfast we set off for the sights.

Morning blue on the Aegean


Looks very peaceful


The flying bus is the next big thing after the flying carpet


Ephesus!


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Map of the route and sites (click to see details)


First view, we arrived through the back of the city where the senate is.


Crumbled columns. These columns used to support a wooden roof to block out the sun that shines rather strongly here. The sheltered walkway used to extend all the way to the port!


The City Senate


I forgot what this is.


The Goddess Nike! See the tick? She is the Goddess of Victory.


Food used to be stored around here.


Marble statue, the small block of marble at the bottom-right was to support the statue, otherwise it will topple.


The Gate of Heracles (Hercules). Notice the lion head in his hands. The skin is drapped around him.


This was a fountain. Now, my guide refers to it as: "The worst reconstruction attempt!"


You can stil see some Greek Letters here and there.


Look at the patterns near the top of these columns. Such columns from Ephesus were brought to the Hagia Sophia which I will show later.


I think this was a sort of temple.


In temple, pictures of one of the founding story of Ephesus -- that the Amazons founded it.


In temple, pictures of the other founding story of Ephesus -- a wild boar led a rich and powerful Greek here.


Illustration of Medusa the gorgon. Used to scare thieves away (or other bad stuff).

The toilet. Sitting there is like sitting in a meeting room. This is really a place where they do business (that is probably where the term doing business come about). In the center of the toilet there would be a musician. They will burn fragrance to ward of the smell. Below the holes is a deep channel with running water. In front there is a shallow waterway for washing hands. They will also bring a soft brush to brush their asses.

Close-up of business chair.

Library of Celsius. Was the 2nd largest in the world after the one at Alexandria. There was a brothel opposite the library, one of the biggest in that part of the world. They are still trying to excavate the alleged secret tunnel between the two.

Inside the library. They kept scrolls here not books.


One of the four statues at the entrance


Beautiful patterns on the entrance ceiling


Passing the archway towards the Theater of Ephesus


Theater of Ephesus 25,000 capacity


Nice semi-circle arrangement.


"Backstage", animals or artists will prepare here. The theater was also used for gladiator matches.


The "stage". The Romans added that backdrop to prevent their target audience from getting distracted by the scenery at the back. Theater in Roman times can be a medium for propaganda and brain washing.


Sheltered walkway leading away from the theater.


A short video clip of the theater.


Toilets are a big business in these areas.

That concluded our tour of Ephesus next we moved on to one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World -- the Temple of Artemis. Artemis is the God of city dwellers. It is said that Alexander wanted to destroy it when he came. But the locals told him a story: one night the a fire started in the temple and they knew that Artemis left the temple, this night was the very night that Alexander was born. So they hypothesized that Alexander was born of Artemis. Pleased, Alexander donated large amounts of money to the temple.

The two columns in the foreground are all that is left. The temple was destroyed by fire. A Seljuk castle is in the background. Seljuks were sort of the Ottoman predecessors.


Close-up of pillars. There is a stork's nest on the taller one.


Clearer picture of the Seljuk Castle


The original temple layout.

Next up we proceeded to an important pilgrimage site nearby. The House of Virgin Mary. This is the official place Mary is believed to have resided till the end and is recognized by the Vatican. The house was rebuilt by the Ephesians years after Mary was gone, but carbon dating from the basement showed up to be 1st century.

Entering


Baptism Pit for adults


The house of Virgin Mary


No pictures allowed inside. This was taken from a poster outside. This is what it looks like inside the house.


Nearby there is a water-source believed to be used by Mary. These ribbons held wishes and were dipped in the water source before being hung here.


Some nice flowers nearby

Completing our long visit to the sites of interest in this area we coached to our next destination for our well deserved rest, a hot spring spa hotel near Pamukkale.

View the next related post here.

Return to the trip index here.

Turkiye Day 2 - Bursa

If you have not read the previous related post, read it here.

Today we were going to visit the sights in Bursa. Much less crowded than the 15 million people in Istanbul in addition to the tourists. As mentioned before, Bursa as the first area/state that the Ottomans conquered. Before they did so, their Sultan promised to build 20 mosques once their conquest was done. Well when it was done apparently there was a lack of cash. So the Sultan build their first large mosque with 20 domes instead -- symbolizing the 20 mosques. This was the Grand Mosque.

The Grand Mosque with a minaret


The art on one of the 20 domes


The floor is carpeted like this. Each rectangle demarks one spot for a person to pray in.


This mosque was also a center for Islamic learning.

The fountain inside the Mosque. Regulates the temperature inside. During winter, if it is too cold to do ablution outside they can do it here. The sound of water helps to attain a peaceful atmosphere. The calligraphy on the pillars mark the early Ottoman designs. Instead of expensive mosiac, the mosque was decorated with these painted designs.

Next we visit the nearby silk market called Kozahan. During those times, a big mosque like this is used to position the center of the city where other related buildings will be constructed nearby. Being enterprising, the Ottomans built the silk market right opposite the mosque. In those days, Bursa was the western end of the silk road. Soon the Ottoman Empire will grow and basically monopolize land access to the silk road from Europe.

Silk market


Modern shops in this few hundred year old structure (about 500).


Kozahan is like a square perimeter with a prayer room in the center. The center is also a nice place for tea.


We got bored and went out to the nearby street market to take a look.


These, my guide say, are plums. More like mini-plums to me.


Strange looking vegetable

Up in the mountains in the Bursa region there is a national park called Uludag National Park. It is supposed to be beautiful in winter. Since we are here in late spring we were not supposed to go up. But our local guide took us up anyway for some nice fresh air. We went up via cable car.

The base station


Map of the journey up.


There seems to be some broke-back activity in the mountains...


Reaching the top, some residual snow visible


At the top, 1600+ metres. There is still some ice lying around. The air is fresh with the occasional smell of dog poop.


Peaks in a distance


Someone in my group accidentally destroyed the last surviving snowman. What a shame.

We descended via the same cable car and next we proceed to our lunch place. We were going to have lunch at a place where the Sultan used to feed the poor people. The building has no windows so as not to cause unnecessary embarrassment for anybody.

Lunch place where poor people like us eat.


The interior. In the top right corner is where the Sultan seats. To the left of that used to be a fountain with running water. The running water served as a sound curtain so that the commoners cannot hear the Sultan's discussions.


Poor man's soup


Starter


Main course. The yellow thing the chicken is lying on is not mash potato. It is some concoction made from eggplant, cheese and other things.

After lunch we coached to our next hotel at Kusadasi. It is a place with the lovely view of the Aegean Sea. If we are not careful, we will encounter a thousand Greek ships ready to invade our hotel for their captured queen. Okay, just bullshit, but it is the sea where many large invasions crossed and where the Greeks sailed to to invade Troy.

An interesting sight along the way -- car wash Turkish style! Just before you think that they only do this to old or cheap cars, we they were using the same broom on the BMW a short while later...


Sunset by the Aegean coast

Tomorrow we were going to visit some interesting ancient places since Greek times -- the site of Ephesus, one of the richest cities during the ancient times. The area also has high biblical significance because John and Mary lived nearby where we were going to visit.

See the next related entry here.

Return to the trip index here.