Ephesian Splendor

Here is what I tweeted about my day in Ephesus: Spent the day with the Ephesians touring the ancient city of Ephesus in Turkey. Now I know why some feel it’s their favorite port of call on this cruise.

Our ship docked at 9AM in Izmir, Turkey’s 2nd largest port and 3rd largest city. (I missed the Ephesus tour last year because I caught the evil 1-day stomach virus rampant on the ship.) Cem, our tour guide, was a gracious host to our group of 9 (4 couples and me) who met online. Our driver headed towards Selcuk.

Today we toured Ephesus, founded in the 6000 BC. It is here they say Paul preached to the Ephsesians and where the “virgin” Mary spent her last days. We even visited the famous “House of Mary”, at Bulbul Hill, a shrine where Christians visit on pilgrimages from all other the world. The shrine is simple and rather sweet. Naturally, the shops outside sell more Mary and Catholic souvenirs than one can imagine.

Next, was our tour of Ephesus that showcases some of the best preserved ancient ruins in the Mediterranean-- some say even better than those at Pompeii. As impressive as the site is, only 1/8 has been excavated.

Our comprehensive tour of the ruins lasted roughly 2 hours. We saw the 24,000 seat amphitheatre, the Marble Street, the Agora, the famous library, baths, the brothel and much more. We even arranged for an exclusive visit of the fantastic Terrace Houses, famous for their frescoes and mosaics, reflecting the housing texture and architecture of their time. (we had to pre-reserve this visit and pay an additional fee).

We learned the big amphitheatre holds concerts for greats such as Elton John and Joan Baez.

Lunch was served in a typical Turkish setting and included multiple cold and hot dishes: salads, hummus, tziki, eggplant, pita, lamb, chicken kebabs, chickpeas, rice, fresh fruits, and more. Service was 5* and the meal was the best I have had thus far on the cruise. 2 in our group wanted to explore purchasing a carpet. After a factory tour and demonstration, they felt overwhelmed with the myriad choices and declined to purchase a rug.

Next on our tour was a visit of St John’s Basilica and Castle, The (remains of) Temple of Artemis/Diana (one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world), and the Selcuk Museum that houses an impressive collection of original items from Ephesus and Selcuk.

The weather was perfect, sunny and upper 60s, and there were NO crowds. It must be like an oven here during the summer months.

I was a thoroughly satisfied customer at the end of our tour. We did not even need to rush back to the ship, instead, we took a leisurely ride and arrived 1 hour and 15 minutes before departure. (just enough to shop inside the pier!!)

Again: now I understand why some feel it’s their favorite port of call on this cruise.

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