Blogs from Aphrodisias, Aegean, Turkey, Middle East

“Remember you are dust and unto dust you shall return.” With these words, we begin our annual Lenten journey. These words echoed in my head today as we walked through acres and acres of broken sarcophagi this morning in Hierapolis. Thousands, if not millions were buried here because they came to this “sacred city” with the unfulfilled desire to be healed in the thermal springs. The wealthy were buried in large tombs and ornate sarcophagi with the hopes that they would be remembered and honored forever. Yet, there is nothing left of their earthly body except the remnants of their tombs. The magnificence of Hierapolis and Aphrodaesis (population as high as 300,000 during Roman times) in the 1st few centuries can only be imagined by the magnitude of the ruins they have left behind. As the ... read more

Efesus  Today we had to be up nice and early to try and get to Ephesus before the crowds. I'd have to say it didn't really work - I think everyone else had the same idea! Our hotel shuttled us to the upper gate (the main entrance is the lower gate) where there were already quite few coaches and minibuses. Apparently about 100,000 people visit daily at the moment. While it was painfully crowded at times, there were also lulls, and it was really good when the crowd cleared and I could get a picture that wasn't full of people! We bought our tickets and also hired an audio guide. We made our way around the tour groups and started to check out the various sights of Efes, of which there are many! It is a whole ... read more

I know this is a travel blog, but I am not entirely comfortable with it simply being a list of places visited and sites seen. Really, the best part of travel are the things that happen along the way to those sites or simply absorbing the day to day life of the place you have immersed yourself in. So on that note, let me start this entry with some thoughts on our experiences/impressions of Turkey so far. The people we have come into contact with are passionately proud of their country and its history, and are anxious to share this passion. A passing comment on the beauty of the countryside generated a heartfelt thanks in response from a beaming citizen. It is also a very family-oriented society that loooves children, and one that looks out for ... read more

From the Temple of Artemis to the Temple of Aphrodisias. Just a short drive from Ephesus , this ancient site was merely a stopover on our way to Pamukkale. Dedicated to the Goddess of love, Aphrodite, this Roman city southwest of the cotton castle is set in a glorious plain. Almost begging for attention, this destination was hardly expected to be a sacred site for historians and art lovers. All too often, the travel brochures on Turkey cite the ruins of Ephesus, the wondrous travertine pools of Pamukkale or the surreal landscape of Cappadocia. I admit I have not even come across any reading materials regarding Aphrodisias, its temple ruins nor its School and Museum of Sculpture. Excavations here begun only in 1961, so the ruins are still "refreshingly uncommercialized" and undisturbed by "re-assemblies" or reconstructions. ... read more

11. mars Ünye-Karsiköy På søndag var det grått oppholdsvær og medvind. Formiddagsetappen førte oss tıl Çarşamba i ganske godt tempo på god vei. Underveis passerte vi flere av områdets typiske hasselplantasjer (nøtter og kirsebær er blant de viktigste jordbruksproduktene herfra). Både hassel, gullbusk og enkelte modige kirsebærtrær blomstrer allerede, halvannen måned før artsfrendene hjemme. Etter en temmelig god kebab (hei til Pondus!) snudde vi ryggen mot Svartehavet og fulgte et regulert vassdrag innover i landet. Veien ble merkbart dårligere vedlikeholdt og mindre sykkelbar. En kjapp stopp i Ayvacik for å fylle vannlagrene ble litt mindre kjapp enn planlagt, siden vi ble vennlig beordret innendørs for å drikke te og varme oss på en sinnrik varmluftsvedovn som hevet inneklimaet til badstulignende forhold. Veien videre mot Amasya, som vi håpet å rekke neste dag, to... read more