Ephesus... the Drive to Turkey

3 June 2017, Saturday: Today we decide to re-direct our route and visit Pergamon at Bergama, approximately 20 kilometres north from where we are. We arrive around 12pm and explore the Pergamon Akropolis till around 2.30pm in the hot Turkish sun. Some would consider it suicidal to walk during the warmest part of the day (the 6 farts agree!). Hot, sweaty and exhausted we stop in town afterwards for a well-deserved ice-cream and cold drink. We then push ahead to gain ground and stop just before 6pm at a large enclosed picnic area next to the beach at Ahmetbeyli. We have a disturbed night. In Turkey the picnics seem to start at 10pm and fade out around 4am. Since the dogs, mosquitoes and mosques are not on a picnic, they seem to continue right through the night. Turkish picnics are most definitely very different from our South African picnics.

4 June 2017, Sunday: We are all up and ready at 9.30am in anticipation for what we came to Turkey for… Ephesus!!! We arrive at 10am and while waiting in the queue, we notice a Museum and Archaeological Site Pass advertised which allows entry into various sites valid for 7 days. After weighing the pros and cons, we decide to buy this Pass which costs 75 Turkish Lira each. The entrance fee into Ephesus is 40 TL each, but we enter with our newly acquired Pass. Once inside we explore the Old City of Ephesus. The Harbour of Ephesus, the Great Theatre, the Celsus Library and the public latrines are just a few to mention. Inside the old city is also a complex of excavated Terrace Houses that would have cost an additional 20 TL if it wasn’t for our pass. It is very interesting to see how the people decorated their houses with painted walls and mosaic tiled floors. Ephesus is definitely worth the visit.

We exit the Old City of Ephesus at 2.20pm and drive the 2 kilometres into Selҫuk to visit the Museum, St. John Basilica and Ayasuluk Castle, of which we all have free entry with our pass. Afterwards we walk around town in search of something to eat to complement our ice-creams. In the meantime, Dad decides to buy a Turkish simcard. With our bellies full of Yarim Ekmek Et Dӧner (sandwich) and our phone back in action we head back to Merzy and set off at 6pm to a beach at Pamucak. Emile, Dad and I go for a swim to cool off. We all shower to wash off the sweat of the day. At midnight we are all fast asleep when a Turkish guy wakes us and tells us to move our vehicle, as where we have parked is slightly dangerous (in his opinion). What was that about Turkish picnic times?

Our last dip before leaving Denizkӧy

Mummy's been 'adopted'. We named him Klaus

Trajaneum at Pergamon - Bergama

Close up 

Mummy's 3 girls making the picture even prettier

Timer on duty - Pergamon at Bergama

Sanctuary of Trajan - The foundations of the temple consist of 5 adjacent chambers in three rows which are over-vaulted with dressed stones

Looking back from the other side 

The Theater with the Ionischer Temple (bottom right) - Pergamon at Bergama

The Theater and Theater Terrace

Old City of Ephesus - Looking across the Theatre Gymnasium towards the Great Theatre

Bird's eye view

Tetragonos Agora - The Commercial Market

The Celsus Library - the most well-known monument in Ephesus

Trying to spice up the ruins

The aediculated architecture of the impressive facade

The South Gate of the Agora

Detail of the facade

Public latrine - the seats were arranged around 3 sides of the open colonnaded courtyard; fresh water flowed in the channel in front of the seats for cleaning

Oh, so much fun... even Daddy's still smiling

The Nymphaeum Traiani

The Temple of Domitian

Smaller version of the Theater. The Bouleuteterion housed the meetings of the council as well as musical performances and contests

Looking down the Curetes Street - Running through the valley depression between the 2 city mountains, this 210 metre long steep main boulevard was prestigiously equipped with porticoes and marble paving

Say hello to our little friend!

Easy peasy for our Granny... she LOVES puzzles!

Reconstructed Terrace Houses

An over-view of the houses

Painted walls

Mosaic tiled floors

The Church of Mary

Baptistery

Doorway inside the Church of Mary

Entering St. John Basilica

Interior of the Basilica

That's a baptistery, not a pool!

St. John Basilica located south of Ayasuluk Hill was built by Emperor Justinian in the 6th century AD as the biggest religious structure of its time

St. John Basilica in its former glory

The Citadel which is on the highest point of the Ayasuluk Hill, to the north of St. John Basilica, is like a crown over Selҫuk

The Inner Castle

There are 5 Turkish Period cisterns at the Inner Castle. These 2 are located near the East Gate

Basilica turned into a Cistern - It is believed that St. John prayed and wrote his gospel here

Basilica Cistern - View from the back

Interior of Basilica Cistern

2 Smaller Cisterns located near the West Gate

Castle Mosque

Isa Bey Mosque

St. John Basilica with the Citadel in the background

Statue of Resting Soldier at Ephesus Museum

Head and arm of Emperor Domitian (baby face :p)

Frieze of the Temple of Hadrian

Helping mister 'Dӧner' getting our Yarim Ekmek Et Dӧner ready

Sun setting at Pamucak beach

#Turkey