Ephesus and More

We had a lovely evening last night - we all went out for dinner as a group with our guide and driver. It really is a great bunch this time. Stopped at a Nirgile bar on the way home for a couple of drinks and a smoke (vanilla this time).

We started our day today with a guided tour of Ephesus. My head was spinning a bit after the introductory lecture about the history, but once we got going I settled in. The guide offered a lot of knowledge about the area and its history.
The ruins are really fantastic and offer a good glimpse of what life must have been like during Roman times here. It was particularly impressive when we walked over the hill and got a view down the road to the library. Also of epic proportions was the theatre which seats about 24,000 and is absolutely massive. Although not its primary purpose, it was also used as an arena and we could view the tunnels where the lions were led out to feed on Christians. The only downside is that the site was absolutely packed. I can't imagine what it must be like during high season and at the peak of the day.

After Ephesus, we came back to town, grabbed some lunch and then a few of us hopped a taxi to view the home of the Virgin Mary who is supposed to have moved here with John after the crucifixion and lived out her life. They have made a shrine of her home which is a pilgrimage site for many Christians. It wasn't overly impressive and we were actually more impressed by the drive than the destination. We got great views of Selcuk, Ephesus and the Mediterranean from the hilltop.

We got the taxi driver to drop us at St. John's Church which is now just the remains of the 6th century basilica. The ruins are beautiful and hint at what an incredible building it must have been. St. John's tomb is in the church.

This was followed by a visit to the Ephesus museum which was full of beautiful artifacts, statuary and frescoes from the city. It also provided a lot of information about the site.

We're now having a quick rest and then heading out to a small traditional Turkish village for some wine-tasting and dinner. Must run as I have to change and clean up.