Return to Istanbul

Last day! We take a last look at the view from our room at the Marine Hotel in Kusadasi and board the van for an hour's drive to Izmir where we catch a Turkish Airlines flight back to the pulsing metropolis of Istanbul. Although Murat is clearly not feeling his best this morning, he efficiently shepherds his little flock through check in and security, taking care as always to point out the location of the WC.  As Vicky points out, no one has ever been more considerate of our bladders. However busy the schedule, WC breaks are always a well-timed part of the itinerary; nothing to scoff at considering the amount of tea and delicious fruit juices we consume - not to mention beer and wine too. The flight is only an hour, but we are still served a cheese and tomato sandwich, with olives, a beverage and some cake. While waiting for take off, we are offered chocolates. Impressive! Shades of Porter Airlines. Take that Air Canada and all you other North American regional airlines that make you PAY for a paltry packaged snack.

A van is waiting at the airport to take us to the Q Inn Hotel; the one in Sirkeci, the Old City, where we expected to stay the first time. The view from our room window is very back street urban. Turkish music and sounds from friendly chatter pour into our 1st Floor window. I love it. We are somehow very happy to be in Istanbul again, with all its hubbub and vibrant street life. There are a couple of things left on our agenda before we depart, so we hurry out to the Grand Bazaar - but oh, no, its Friday and the bazaar is closed.

No worries, we still have the Spice Market on the list - but it's closed too! Ah, Friday, the major prayer day in the Muslim week. At least there is lots of activity and stalls open in alleys around the Spice Market, busy with local shoppers. We take the opportunity to have one last glass of fresh crushed pomegranate juice.

And then it dawns on us, we still have to pick up our carpets. What if they close early on Friday? We scurry along busy streets to the Iznik Fine Art Gallery where Orham and his partner welcome us like old friends. Even though Orham is packed and ready to go on a trip, we are treated to tea and genial conversation. I know this is just good business, but it's nice to be treated with such charm. We part with hugs and good wishes.

This evening we have our last group get together. Murat takes us on the tram to Taksim Square where not so long ago local protesters faced off against the government over proposed development in the popular park adjacent to the square. Today its all peaceful. The people won that round and the square and its surroundings are buzzing with activity.

It's a great way to end our holiday in Turkey. We enjoy the sights and sounds; the vendors and busy shops, pretty with festive lights.There is even time to shop for some last souveinirs.

Murat has chosen a restaurant for our last supper and we have a communal meal of a tasty selection of local specialty mezes.

Some us will share a bus to the airport tomorrow, but we have hugs all round, thank Murat profusely and prepare to say good bye to Istanbul.

EPHESUS - Ancient Metropolis

 
An early start so that we can beat the crowds to the important ancient Greco-Roman city, Ephesus. Its history is legend,with the oldest references dating back to the 7th Century BC.  For many in our group, this day is anticipated as one of the highlights of the tour. There are so many aspects to the city, its impossible to see everything. But pre-armed with guidebooks and with Murat's guidance, we make a darn good effort. We ahead and immerse ourselves in the vast complex. The layout and streets of the town are still very evident. We learn about ancient plumbing, and daily life as well as the more esoteric aspects of the times.

Baths, gymnasiums, theatres temples, public latrines, fountains, shops, places to do business, places of worship, houses, streets,.....lots of marble, sculptures...rubble.

The famous library of Ephesus is impressive from every angle.

The crowds have caught up with us but there is plenty of room to roam and explore the many different buildings and open spaces. Murat, as usual is full of historic facts and finds excellent spots to brief Theus and to get great views.

The Great Theatre, dating back to Hellenistic times BC, was expanded and used by the Romans for everything from theatre performances, assemblies and displays of gladiatorial combat. later it was incorporated into the Byzantine city walls.

In the hillside, archaeologists have excavated a small percentage of the houses of the wealthy Romans who lived in this city. There is an extra ticket price to visit these houses, but it is well worth the entrance fee. This is my favourite part of the whole site. You can get a sense that people really made these their homes. The rooms are quite elegant. The frescoes on the walls, beautiful mosaic floors and wall decorations are beautifully preserved. It makes you believe that whomever lived here, had a gracious lifestyle.

 

As throughout the site, the signage is excellent, so we get a good understanding of the function of the rooms and other particulars about the "Slope Houses". A roof and walkways have been erected to preserve the delicate condition of the ongoing excavations,
 

For a good part of the morning it has rained quite hard - but nothing that can't be solved with a fashionable emergency rain coat. Nothing can deter the intrepid tourists from their explorations into the past!

Following the route down the main street, along the valley, the last place we visit is the the church dedicated to Mary and then, quite sated with history, we head to the TAT restaurant for lunch.

Refreshed after a good meal, we take a brief look at the last standing column of a formerly formidable place, the Temple of Artemis. The column doesn't do justice to what was once one of the Seven Wonders of the World. 

Tonight is the last group dinner with our good companion and driver, Sadik. Although he doesn't speak any English, we try to let him know how much we appreciated his reliability, patience and good driving. Tomorrow, after dropping us at the airport in Izmir, he has a long lonely drive back to his home in Cappadocia. I am sure he will be happy to be back with his family.

Just another typical day as a tourist on the road in Turkey

My brain is going into overload; so many experiences and so many more to come!  Take a deep breath; we have another busy day ahead. We start the day with a swim in the indoor thermal pool before a large buffet breakfast at the Hotel Tripolis.

Our journey takes us to the picturesque town of Şirence; a popular day outing for tourists. Manoeuvring the van into a parking spot, through the jam of vehicles is quite a challenge.

Cobbled streets, winding up the hillside, lined with restaurants and stores, selling everything from specialty fruit wine, jewellery, clothing and trinkets, lead up to pretty views of the area and the ruins of a 19th Century Church.

This town has pretty much got it locked up with the many ways to get tourists to part with their money!

We dutifully spend some of our Turkish lira, lunch on delicious gözleme with tahini and stuffed squash flowers and sample the local fruit wine - not a crowd-pleaser with our group.

In the town of Selçuk we take time to explore the vast remains of the Church of St John the Evangelist (the youngest Apostle, which includes his grave. 

St John reportedly came to Ephesus with the Virgin Mary after the death of Jesus. The basilica was built over his grave in the 4th Century AD by the Emperor Constantine.

Selçuk has much more to offer. We enjoy the shopping streets with attractive displays of carpets and the relaxed atmosphere of the vendors. Cats and dogs as usual are a common sight. They roam free and are never shooed away, even when they relax on the merchandise.

Before going to our hotel in the neighbouring town, we stop to visit a leather outlet. Relaxed and sipping tea, we watch an impressive fashion show of jackets and coats. In the showroom, we each get our own sales attendant. Out of the 12 members of our group, 8 people end up buying a jacket. Peter gets a nice suede bomber jacket and I like Vicky's choice so much, I succumb to the buying frenzy and get the same jacket in navy blue.

The Hotel Marina in the port town of Kuşadası has a good view of the harbour and an island beyond. Dinner is included so we have another buffet. I enjoy the variety of vegetable mezes. The desserts are unfortunately plentiful and irresistible. 

The Road to Pamukkule - Hierapolis

The drive to Pamukkule is about three hours, through varying terrain and scenery. Urban sprawl gives way to small farms and occasional villages. When I wake up from a short doze, we are climbing a steep mountain road - as Peter describes it, a good riding road, with lots of curves and twisties. The views down into the valley with a twinkle of water from a distant bay, are lovely. I think this is the last we will see of the Med on this trip.

Today is the start of the four-day Sacrifice Feast holiday. Stalls are set up along the route for people to buy a fake animal in lieu of sacrificing a real one.

Just a quick stop for a tea and pee break at a comfortable rest stop; where strings of peppers, aubergine and okra hung out to dry, make a lovely display.

Lunch is on the airy upper level of homey restaurant. So simple and delicious. Gotta love this Turkish food.

The Hotel Tripolis, where we are staying for the night is large, sprawling and modern with three outdoor pools and one indoors, a spa, hamam and view of the white travertine cliffs.

It is quite late in the afternoon when we head to the World Heritage Site of Hierapolis-Pamukkale. I had never heard of it before reading about it in the G-Adventures itinerary, so I am quite unprepared for the fascinating ancient site we're about to explore.

The graves and stonework of the sprawling necropolis with around 12,000 tombs of different styles and eras, has been tossed about by earthquakes that rocked the area in the 1st Century AD.

Walking around the ruined site, is a sobering experience. So MANY empty tombs. Who emptied them? Where are the remains?

The Roman Theatre is in relatively good repair. 

We get our first view of shimmering white travertine, which looks like snow on the hillside.

The chalky crystaline deposits are caused by mineral-rich volcanic spring water that has cascaded down the hillside, over terraces and natural basins for eons. 

It is too late to swim in the Sacred Pool, where it is said that Cleopatra bathed. Pillars from a temple to Apollo have crashed into the clear water. The cost of 32TL is pretty steep for a quick dip among the ruins.

The sun is starting to set as we start our walk down from the site. We take off our shoes and tread carefully on the bright white travertine. It has a rough texture underfoot, like sandpaper, and sharp in spots. This is no place for tender tootsies. We walk past some of the deep pools, and the trickling water that flows constantly, sometimes deepens, so that Stephanie and I help each other by holding hands. 

Bathed in the glow of the setting sun, with the moon high above, this is truly a magical experience which I will never forget.