Turkey “Ephesus”

• October 2, 2020
• By Daryl
• 0 Comment

We enter this city not remembering what special sites lay in wait. We see the huge fortress on top of the hill. The walls look perfect, and our respect is in full gear, now, driving to the far end to a parking area. 

We are swarmed with purveyors of useless items, and we have not even walked into the market yet. A hunger was in their eyes, for tourist numbers are slim. Two horse drawn buggies are taking a patch of real estate under a small tree. We chose this form of portage over the free bus. We were hopeful this would be a ride through the Ancient Roman city. Discouraged, due to the unending heat, we find out we had to walk through the entire city.

The horses take off like they enjoy their work. They move at a good clip, one horse was slow lopping and the other was in a fast trot. They both went the same speed but the lopper wanted the other horse to conform to lopping. After a couple of minutes that lopper reached over and tried to take a piece of neck, but even with blinders on the noncompliant horse just moved his neck just out of reach. The lopper was not going to put up with that and soon ensued a couple more attempts of vicious rule, but the driver yelled some German words. The two complied, immediately, as they know for a lash of the whip could be far worse, than loud words.

We soon arrived, after passing the largest fig trees growing on this side of the Mississippi. A mix of pomegranate and fruit trees donned the sides of the road. We stopped at another parking lot with more hungry-eyed, quick talking salesmen motioning us to their stand. We did not walk twenty feet and there, right in front of God and his disciples was a pomegranate juice stand. Having been to Israel, we knew how good fresh pomegranate juice was. Being Americans we got the biggest glass of juice, money could buy. Then we pass men selling the biggest figs we have ever seen. I did not have another hand left, so we passed on the figs.  Here we are with hats, sunglasses, big cameras and our juices in hand, and we juggled trying to take pictures and walking at the same time. We might as well had a huge sign saying “tourists” on our backs. That huge pomegranate juice was in our way so we drank it down lickady-split. 

The marvels of walking down two thousand year old pathways consumes our senses. The uneven stones made us look like we were in a dance contest. We would slip on one stone and trip over another. Dancing up and down the road we soon got applauded by onlookers, for our good timing and quick moves. 

All along our path limestone columns line each side. Stacked parts of limestone buildings, are laid out to piece back together this Roman City. Like a giant jigsaw puzzle it slowly gets assembled. A huge amphitheater comes in view with men working to rebuild it to its old glory. Our road turns to huge flat boulders that Romans did so well. A Library, the likes never seen before, comes to view. This area was so impressive with statues placed in the three story entrance. No roof covering the building but the walls and floor had huge stones for support. 

Between the heat, and the pomegranate juice, our stomachs started churning. Bunny forgot her hat, and suffered for the oversight. The small cup of pomegranate juice would would have been better. 

We walk the next half mile to our car, viewing the remains of buildings and shops of before. That car never looked so good, for we knew there would be A/C.

We drive back through town and the fortress reminded us to turn around and find the road that winds up that hill. We get tickets and walked in to what we thought was the castle. Way in the distance we see the walls rising up to the highest perch. We thought we went to the wrong place but proceeded past an old Christian Church that they are trying to rebuild. Marble parts are laid out again like a puzzle. 

We wind around the church and march up the path towards the castle, it looks like we are going the wrong way but the gate was up a small stone step. We enter the gate and the walls are rebuilt to look as originally would seem to look. The grounds have a couple buildings, one being a small Church and some ruins and some foundations. Not much can be made out but it looks so good from a distance from the outside.