Ephesus

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Selcuk is a huge agricultural town, so breakfast today was all about fruit: honeydew melon, cherries, apples, apricots, you name it. On the way out to Ephesus this morning we drove right through all of the farms. The hotel offers free transportation out to the site, and I got to know the driver pretty well - he owns a carpet and tile store right next to the hotel.

Ephesus is an absolutely massive ancient town. It has some of the best and most important ruins around, and you can really get a feel for life some 2500 years ago. It's most famous for the Library of Celsus, which has an incredible two-story facade still intact. Ephesus is also such an important place because this is where Christianity took hold and actually began to spread. It has the first ever church dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and all of the early Church counsels of the 5th Century AD met here and decided the most important ideas of what Christianity is, and what it isn't. Peter, the first Pope, preached here, as did Paul.

It took about 4 hours to walk through all of the ruins, and afterwards I came back to the hotel and relaxed on its great rooftop terrace. The storks on the poles were feeding their babies while I was sitting there. A little gross, especially since I was eating, but I got used to it. I learned from a guy at the hotel that they come here from Africa for the summer, and then fly back in winter. Wow! Later in the day the hotel drove me up to see the Virgin Mary's house. It's said that Mary moved here 4 or so years after the Crucifiction, and lived out the rest of her life. St. John helped her move and had the house built for her. If you haven't realized it yet, Ephesus is a very holy place for a lot of people, including Muslims.

Ended the day with a delicious lamb stew, which I normally wouldn't have tried but the waiter said it was the best dish at the place, so I went for it. It was very good. Had some pistachio ice cream for dessert.

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Photos

Some of the Ruins
To the right is the Temple of Domitian, and to the left the Pollio Fountain

Curetes Street
The cool thing about Ephesus is that you walk across the same stones 2500 year old people walked down. Alexander the Great probably walked down the same street!

View towards Celsus Library
The Library is all the way down the street.

Celsus Library
What's so unique is that two levels of the facade have survived.

Another of Celsus Library
I just like this photo.

Great Theatre
Gladiators once fought here.

Chuch of the Virgin Mary
This is the ruined altar.

Virgin Mary's House
Most every Pope of the last century has been here at some point in time.

Mary's Home
She's said to be buried somewhere around, if you believe that's possible.