Ephesus, as in the Bible epistle to the Ephesians, is a city near Kusadasi, Turkey, and I should like to go back very much. It's on the Asia side of Turkey and completely tourist friendly. I liked it better than Mykonos and Pompeii (what?!).
We began the tour with a visit (no obligation to buy! cough, cough) to a rug shop. Almost though persuadest me to spend a lot on a rug. It's actually pretty cool even for a sales pitch and you get apple tea so win, win, win.
And on to Ephesus!
This is the huge amazing amphitheater made extra amazing because Paul once preached here. He was run out of the city because he spoke against the goddess Diana and hurt the local idol economy.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand, and having done all, to stand.
Ephesians 6:12-13
This is the place of excreting. It was a community affair and a place to conduct business is addition to the obvious. The idea was that blood flow and idea flow would be better if it was all... flowing. You just put your toga around for modesty and continuous flow of water ran underneath.
Ephesus was once a sea port but not it's a few miles inland. It was abandoned and destroyed because of earth quakes and the receding shore line. Most of it remains under the hills. The ruins, in my opinion, are still very well preserved. It's large and lovely. You can be much more hands on with everything and there were fewer people there than at Pompeii.
This is Library of Celsus, built to house 12,000 scrolls and Celsus' body and completed in 120 A.D.
We had free time to walk around, and avoid the bazaar (I definitely don't like being hustled), so I learned that I can't do jumping photos with a skirt. In the meantime, I enjoyed the Turkish flag behind me.
We spent time at a regular mall (no hustling) people watching. The city is calm, beautiful, and people are nice enough to have learned English so I can be snobby and all that. I'd like to live in Ireland and vacation in Kusadasi and Ephesus.
