Ephesus caldarium

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Who said hot?! The ancient Romans that’s who!! Yeah, so they decided to build this city in a basic oven. Well, at least if you’re 10 or 13, it basically feels like you’re dying because it’s SO hot that even though you come from Sydney, one crappy summer, and you’ve forgotten how to do heat. And basically, you’re about to die. Seriously.

Lucky your mother has predicted what an absolute torture chamber this has inflicted on your life and scheduled a morning by the pool, splashing and relaxing. That, and the guide wasn’t available until 3.00 after all the cruise ship passengers had left. But let’s go with caring and accommodating.

The day kicked off the most spectacular Turkish breakfast at the hotel which then required some slothing by the pool, and splashing. And agonising over the temperature, whether we were actually going to get in, or just wonder and suppose and generally be full of 13 year old angst. A quick bite for lunch and another swim (less angst this time, due to time constraints) before we headed to Ephesus.

We met our guide Yesra at the South Gate (so we were walking downhill). We had an introduction to the founding of Ephesus and the Amazonian women before the Romans came along. First stop was the odeon, where we learnt about the vomitarium, of great interest to Beeb. Past the hospital and pharmacy, with their symbols carved on the columns outside, past the nymphaium, ensuring water was always supplied for the nymphs, lest they get angry and create an earthquake.

Next stop was a sculpture of Trajan standing on a globe, depicting his greatness as the king of the world, but also proving that the Romans knew that the world was round.

The public toilets are always a highlight, thinking of all the blokes there, having a crap and pondering life, all the while getting a vinegar sponge up the butt to clean it. Let’s hope the urge strikes early in the morning.

Extra excavations that hadn’t been completed on our last visit were the terrace houses, mercifully covered from the sun. They were amazing - a series of two storey townhouses, some absolutely huge, all with central courtyards in the Roman style. Some really interesting details - graffiti drawn by kids depicting a gladiator on one wall, some amazing mosaics, beautifully preserved frescos and, on the last house on the street, some erotic art, maybe the local ‘red light’ establishment?!

Onto the library, which was as stunning as we had remembered. Slightly more peppered with Insta models this time, but no less fascinating. Also interesting to hear a theory on why the Roman advances in engineering and public sanitation (water pipes bringing fresh water the the houses, as well as waste being taken away by a sewerage system and ‘flushing’ mechanism) was basically ‘forgotten’ until relatively recently - that in the post-Christianity period, libraries and all associated knowledge was burned and lost. Amazing to think what might have been.

Last stop was the theatre, seating 25,000 at 10% of the city’s capacity. By then, we both had to agree with the girls that they really had chosen an oven as a location and the only sensible solution was a slushie/ice cream in the shade.

Back to the hotel for another restorative swim, and some second-hand gin from some other Aussies staying at the hotel. Some delicious pide (disappointing lack of cat interaction) for dinner before a very well deserved sleep!

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