One thing we knew about our stop in Turkey was that there was a lot of religious influence there. Rah Rah and I decided to go with the Biblical Ephesus tour. We weren't really sure what we had in store, but figured to soak in our religious history as much as we could there. A choice we would never regret!
As we were getting off the ship in Kusadasi, we heard all of this loud noise coming from the dock. We were greeted with loud music, singing and dancing. It was by far the most welcoming port on our entire visit.
With a pep in our step, we made our way with our tour group to Ephesus.
Booking this tour I never connected the dots of why Ephesus was so important. I knew we were to see the House of Mary and St John's Basilica - but what was so symbolic about Ephesus?
The Bible.
Ephesus significantly impacted the Bible and the foundation of Christianity.
Paul the Apostle lived in Ephesus and he wrote between 53 and 57 AD the letter 1 Corinthians from Ephesus. Later Paul wrote the Epistle to Ephesians while he was in prison in Rome (around 62 AD). John the Apostle was also associated with Ephesus and it is believed that the Gospel of John might have been written in Ephesus, c 90–100. Most notable, It is believed that Mary may have spent the last years of her life in Ephesus with John watching over her - a promise he made to Jesus.
Ephesus itself was a breath of fresh air. The ruins were much more inviting, natural and raw. There was only a little evidence of recreation/restoration, but it was subtle and slight.
We learned that Ephesus displayed amazing innovation like indoor plumping. Stacks of recovered terracotta pipes were everywhere. We were told the smaller pipes were for the clean water coming in and the larger pipes were for the waste water going out of the homes and buildings.
This ancient city was relatively "new" in being uncovered, what we were seeing was truly just the tip of the iceberg. They were discovering new things everyday in Ephesus by exploration.
I forgot to mention cats and dogs... Excuse the side bar.
Rah Rah and I noticed that in Rome we really didn't see many pets. We really didn't see any animals for that matter. Stray dogs. Stray cats... we just didn't see it.
However, in Athens we saw dogs everywhere. Strays were "living" all around the ruins. We learned in Greece that dogs were man's first true companions. Archeologists have found burial remains in which dogs were buried with their masters. They have also found entire graveyards dedicated to dogs. In Greece, dogs were sacred.
In Turkey - Cats.
Cats everywhere!
Not sure the symbolism of cats in Turkey.
In Turkey - Rah Rah was happy.
And often distracted. I had to keep reminding her to, "Stop petting the kitty and keep up with the group sister!"
This was the Odeion - a small theater
Left and right, I was a little overwhelmed at all of the carvings, statues and ruins around me. Sensory overload. There was just so much to see.
And it was beautiful!
This placard was just outside of the remains of an old building, which turned out to be an old hospital.
Funny, I think I have seen that before...
Google Medical Symbol
Sure enough!
This carving was also pointed out to us as Nike, the Goddess of Victory. Originally, this block was half of a towering monumental arch that led into the center of Ephesus.
The arch was later identified as the ‘Gates of Hercules’. The so called 'Gates of Hercules' bordered the Curetes Street. On either side of the arch, pillars were decorated with representations of Heracles.
Beyond the 'Gates of Hercules' was a breathtaking view.
Lining the Curetes Street were statues of once famous political aristocrats in Ephesus.
Their obituary of sorts below depicting their societal relevance.
We passed the Fountain of Trajan. One of the finest monuments in Ephesus, it was constructed in the honor of the Emperor Trajan.
Opposite of the Fountain of Trajan were the terrace houses - the Beverly Hills of Ephesus.
Roped off were more original mosaic floors still remaining.
Just pass the fountain we came to the Temple of Hadrain.
By this point in the tour we realized that Ephesus was all about status and the lifestyles of the rich and political. The best example of the ridiculous nature of politicians and the rich had to do with the private baths. According to our tour guide, the most prestigious and wealthy men in Ephesus belonged to a "mens club." Becoming a member in the club was not always easy. Once you were a part of the club your membership was only guaranteed for a year. They only let a certain number men join each year. The dues were expensive. The status, priceless.
The rewards...
Fashioned with indoor plumbing, the membership entitled one gentleman the use of a prestigious toilet for an entire year.
Twice a day the lucky gents would file into the gentlemens club and sit shoulder to shoulder upon their expensive thrones.
In the winter months, the truly wealthy men who could afford slaves didn't have to worry about sitting on a cold seat. They just instructed the slave to keep the marble warm for him. How would you like that job - official seat warmer.
Equally fascinating was the Library of Celsus.
The library was built to store 12,000 scrolls and to serve as a monumental tomb for Celsus.
Beautiful from every angle.
Between each column were statues.
The statue of Arete. Arete in its basic sense, means excellence of any kind. Sometimes translated as "virtue", the word actually means something
closer to "being the best you can be", or "reaching your highest human
potential".
The statue of Sophia meaning Wisdom
Ennoia meaning intelligence.
Episteme meaning knowledge or science.
And Rah Rah meaning fun and cheer.
The remains of the Agora or central meeting place was very grand.
I could have sat there for half a day just imagining a world thousands of years before my presence there.
As glorious as the Agora was, the Theater at Ephesus topped it all.
The theater was huge. Gigantic.
We climbed as close to the top as they permitted.
From up high we looked down upon the center of the theater and we realized how special it was to sit there in that moment. To realize that at one time the Apostle Paul stood down there, in this very theater praising the life of Jesus, preaching the Gospel and condemning pagan worship.
And we were there.
Leaving Ephesus, I bought a cute little play dress for my Brown Eyed Girl. But I made sure to pass up the "Genuine Fake Watches."
After Ephesus, we proceeded to St John's Basilica. John the Apostle spent the last part of his life in Ephesus and at approximately 100 years old died and was buried there. A monumental tomb was built over his grave and eventually a basilica.
Different from all the other ruins we had seen thus far, I really enjoyed seeing the use of crosses to adorn the marble columns and architecture.
Evidence that this was a place of faith and worship.
All shapes and sizes.
It was also refreshing to see different shades or marble used in the construction.
More mosaic flooring!
A little treat was seeing the original baptismal still remaining.
Our tour guide explaining how the Baptisms took place in the baptismal.
Monkey see... monkey do. After watching a guy get this shot... we too played tourist.
We were enjoying Turkey so much!
Overhead, large storks flew around. Turns out, Ephesus is a stop in their migratory pattern. If you looked closely, you could see their nests perched on top of the ruins.
Again, beautiful views in Ephesus. We fell in love with the countryside and the sights.
Finally, our Biblical tour took us to the House of Mary. It is believed that Mary was taken there by St John and lived there until her Assumption. Discovered in the 19th century, the shrine gained the Apostolic Blessing of the first pilgrimage by Pope Leo XIII in 1896.
Since being recognized by the Church, the house is looked over by a priest and a handful of nuns around the clock. We were privileged to have a the residing Priest hold a private mass for us outside, next to the House of Mary. It was beautiful.
Hidden in the hills on Mt Keressos above Ephesus, Mary's house was very tiny. Just three very small rooms.
Rah Rah and I each lit prayer candles. I lit two, one for my Brown Eyed Girl and one for Mr Blue Eyes. It was very emotional, but I felt compelled to ask Mary to look over my beautiful children.
Marian tradition holds that some form of running water used to flow like a canal in the smaller room where the Virgin Mary slept and rested, leading to the present drinking fountain outside the building structure. The tour guide gave each of us a small terracotta vile to take some of the holy water with us. The water from the fountain or well is believed by some pilgrims to have miraculous powers of healing or fertility. I made sure to ONLY drink the healing water for my broken toe.
Outside the shrine is a particular "wishing wall" which pilgrims have used by tying their personal intentions on paper or fabric.
We also tied our prayers.
This wasn't the end of our Turkish adventure. However, it was the last part of our Biblical Tour. A tour that really did touch our souls. I would definitely return to Turkey again.
I would return for it's beautiful countryside, it's rich history and faith.
