Scorpios Apartments Sámos

... one mile of thread in the cocoon and we saw the teasing out of this thread and its spinning into multi-strand threads used for carpet making. The owner had his employees lay out many carpets on the floor for us and we were impressed with the variety of colours and different materials used in their weaving. One type of silk carpet had 650 knots per square inch! We demurred at spending anything on the admittedly splendid carpets so they lost interest in us and we went back to the boat.

... both sides and marble pavements made a dazzling first impression. The Temples of Hadrian, Library of Celsus and the Great Theater were some of my favorites. We also saw the Temple of Artemis...one lonely column remains there. While there we also strolled a street on which Cleopatra and Mark Anthony spent their honeymoon!! As with the other ruins..feral cats everywhere. People actually brought cat food ...

... couples because apparently we don't look like we have much money to spend on carpets. They were right of course and we were able to slip by the merchants and out into the street. I couldn't find a patch for my backpack so instead of being hassled to buy something, we spent the afternoon on the beach.
(Whitney)

Ephesus was amazing. Usually, I am not really one for history, but this site was so intact it was easy to imagine ...

... eastern neighbor are the cradle of humanity, Here there are artifacts and sites that date back to 5000 BC. We visted ancient Ephesus
which is one of the greatist archeological excavations in the world. This is the home to the Great Theater where St. Paul preached. All of this has been really fasinating. Kusadasi is in southwestern turkey and is islamic, but as the interperter said yesterday the people here are "open" while ...

... coffee with creamy milk. Feeling a little out of sorts today bit tired after all the travelling and miss everyone back home including dan dan lots and lots.

Going to go out and have something to eat this evening and then up very early for the ferry to Paros but tomorrow we have booked a 4 star hotel with swimming pool on my fave Greek place Paros its so cool so excited about going there tomorrow.

... to watch the match in glorious sunshine this is the life its great here and so pretty I could stay forever and chill out.

After we popped back to get changed and then went for some meze it was amazing first meze of the trip and we ate loads after a walk along the beach off we went to bed again we are moving on tomorrow into the town as we need to get up for the 7am ferry so need to be closer to the harbour.

We got the early ferry from Turkey and are not in Greece our second country of our 10 countires in 10 weeks tour! We are at the moment just using the internet as we have to wait 2 hours for a bus so had a frappe and a cigarette and will be hopefully finding somewhere to sleep soon. Ian has just popped off to get us some cheese pies spanakopita yum yum. I am really excited to be in Greece although I thought Turkey was an amazing country the people could not ...

... to stay the night in a small pension. On our way back to the car, we were waylaid by a nice young man who owned and operated a onyx carving business. He showed us his (very basic) operation and demonstrated a small carving, which he gave to Tina. After the previous day in Sirince, we had made a decision that we needed to spend more with the local economies where we go - not just in the hotels and restaurants, but with the small businesses here - even if all we do is leave the stuff ...

... the *********** of asking for prices if they are not posted when we paid the equivalent of $20 for two croissants and two small cappuccinos. Vultures. Those are the actual prices too. I think they just count on people not asking. We were struck right away with how European this country looked and felt. Some women covered their heads but most dressed like any other westerner. People were a real blend of west and east. The economy has ...

... just as a coach party was leaving. I had the whole place to myself for twenty minutes. Sitting in peace in the sun watching the jackdaws exploring cavities in the minaret and sparrows those in the walls. In a café just outside the mosque is Selçuk's only zoo. Three tatty little cages. One containing a pair of peafowl, the next a couple of sad little Kangal puppies and lastly half a dozen pigeons. Hardly a place to visit. I walked a couple of hundred yards to the Amazon caf ...