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Published: October 9th 2008
So, after the small diversions in Greece we made it to Turkey!
Ephesus
Our first stop was the ruins of Ephesus. Ephesus has an amazing history - it was founded in the 7th century BC by a cult who worshiped a fertility goddess (Girl Power!). It became famous when the Romans took over, and it kept a woman as its goddess embodied by Artemis (goddess of fertility and hunting). Later, under the influence of the Christians, Maria became the central figure here. At its peak the population surpassed 200,000. Unfortunately it isn't terribly well preserved, but what is left is beautiful.
Pamukkale
We also went to Pamukkale, which is a geological wonder. There are thick white layers of limestone cascading down the mountain slope and resembles a frozen waterfall.
Istanbul
Istanbul is a fascinating combination of ancient structures & traditions and a new, hip population (16M!).
On our first day we went to the Blue Mosque, which is Istanbul's oldest and most traditional mosque and I got to try out wearing a head scarf (not my style). We also visited the Hagia Sofia, which is absolultely beautiful & has a fascinating history. It was built about 500
Ephesus
Great TheaterAD as a Christian church. About 1,000 years later the Ottomans invaded and it was converted to a Mosque. All of the Christian icons were then painted over. In the 1930s it became a museum and it is gradually being restored to its original state. Unfortunately the building isn't terribly stable, but Florian did his part to keep it upright - check it out!
The next day we visited the Topkapi palace which was the seat of the Sultans from 1453 till the Republic was formed in the 1920s. It is most famous for the Harem, which is well, where the Sultans had their fun.... I told Florian not to get any ideas.... Later in the day we walked through the ultra-modern Beyoglu district. It is the cool part of town with shops like Benetton and most of the ladies don't wear headscarves. A very different scene!
Cappadocia
Our last stop in Turkey was Cappadocia, which is another geological wonder. When we arrived, we felt like we had landed on the moon. The landscape was formed through volcanic eruptions and erosion. Early Christians carved their homes and churches into the remaining oddly-shaped rock formations. They even carved an
Ephesus
Great Theater eight-story underground city, which they inhabited to get away from bad guys.
So, next update is from Syria. Stay tuned!!!
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Aunt Joan
non-member comment
It's like being there . . .
Your commentary and photos give us the opportunity to feel as though we, too, are touring! Danke!