Kusadasi and Ephesus

I don't know if I had an exam if I'd get of this right, but today was one big history lesson in the flesh ( or stone).

We left the port city of Kusadasi for Ephesus after a yummy breakfast,  trying to make it there before more rainfall.

Now let's see - this was the land of the Amazons and then the Persian Empire took over and then they were beaten by Alexander the Great and it became a Greek Empire and called Anatolia,  soon to be overruled by the Roman Empire who called it Asia Minor. After initial persecution of Christians gave way to acceptance under ? ?  There are 7 of the 12 Apostles who are marked by major sites in Turkey, including St John. And then the Turks arrived from Asia and the Stans in the 1100s. The Ottomans were one of those tribes who dominated

So Ephesus was discovered under the dirt in 1903 and while excavations continue, only 15% has been uncovered. The period of this majestic city is around 300BC to 300AD.

It was a society with a structure. At the top of the hill was Government who worked out taxes and trade. There was local government who dealt with sewerage, hospitals etc.

There was like half amphitheatres with ingresses called vomitatarians, so that people could leave after The News or a Gladiator Fight.

There were communal toilets with underground drainage systems. There were communal baths where diplomacy took place, and a 4 sectioned area for steam and heat at different temperatures, regulated by the spacing of columns under the marble floors.

We saw places where the elite lived in beauty and luxury.

We saw the market places.

And the statues to the Goddess Artemis, Goddess of Fertility and Agriculture. We saw Nike, Hercules and others, who later transferred to be Roman Gods.

The ruins were impressive but the scale was grander, with evidence of multi-storey temples and massive statues that stood high on the hill and out over the harbour.

After a few hours in Ephesus we headed to Sirence, a hill town that specialises in fruit wines. We drank some mulberry juice and explored the town along up and down streets with craftshops on the side.

The hills, mountains and valleys are so abundant with olives, walnuts, mandarins, quinces, mulberries - you name it! The land of plenty and the best food.

On the way back to the Hotel we stop at a weaving co-op where they make Turkish Carpets. We saw how the silk is made. From Silk Cocoons in hot water to the gathering of the threads, to the loom, to the art, to a demonstration, to some raki (Annise) to the Sales. I would have liked to have purchased something and supported the co-op but just couldn't.

Big day - so tired. Almost out of battery.

Chesaycueredam,  thankyou

Goodnight