Ephesus

Leaving Rhodes was quite easy - we just barely squeaked by with enough cash for the port taxes - I had 25.00 Euros cash left in my pocket and the taxes were 12.00 Euros per person.  Once we were on the ferry to Marmaris, Turkey, it only took a little over an hour to cross.  Turkish visa, $60.00 USD per person, (a little steep considering this is a flying visit, but we have to pay it nevertheless) and then through passport control.  Once through the passport check we found our driver easily and loaded into the minivan for the 3 hour drive to Kusadasi.  This was a tiring trip, particularly since it was after 7:00 pm by the time we cleared customs.  We also stopped along the way for a  bite to eat.

At Kallithea Spa, Rhodes - pebble mosaic paving typical in Dodacanese  This site is famous for many movies that have been filmed in area, including Zorba the Greek and Guns of Navaronne.

Today we visited Ephesus, which is a huge site, only partially excavated.  In fact, they estimate that they have only excavated approxiately 20% of the site so far.  I hadn't realized before today that many of the impressive structures were not actually excavated intact, but have been constructed using materials found on site.  In cases like this, I always wonder how accurate the representations are.

Ephesus

Stewart finds another kitten

Multi-seater public latrines

Piping system inside the Terrace houses

It is a very beautiful site, however, and and the library of Celsus is a very imposing, impressive feature.  We were in a small group for our tour, only 13 people all together, and our tour was not scheduled to include a visit to the so-called terrace houses.  One woman in our group was incensed to find they were not included in the tour, as she had particularly come to Ephesus to see them.  She was like a dog at a bone, and would not give up harassing the poor tour guide until he said we could visit it for an additional 15.00 Turkish Lire per person.  (The Lire is a little more than half a dollar, so this was about 8.00 or 9.00 extra each.)  I did feel sorry for our poor guide, being harassed, but once we got inside, I was very grateful that she had been so insistent.  These houses were well worth the visit.  They have been excavated largely intact, many with beautiful marble surfaces on some of the walls, lovely mosaics on the floors, and some truly beautiful frescoes on some of the walls.  Many of the houses showed multiple levels, and it was easier to get a feel for what these houses must have actually looked like.  Truly stunning!

Mosaic floor - perspective weird because I had to photograph upside down

Frescoes - same house as lion mosaic

As above

Library of Celsus

Immediately beside library

Stewart is not feeling well again.  He has a sore throat, a cough and is very tired.  He just wants to to home.  Another expensive trip to the pharmacy to find him some cough drops, which are not actually helping all that much.

Rug knotting - I even tried a bit. This is worked in silk. 

Small finished rug - very fine gauge.

The video shows winding/spinning the silk off of the cocoons.  The filaments are so fine you can't see them in the video, but you can see the wheel behind, winding off the spun thread.