Ephesus and Pamukkale
Trip Start
May 17, 2006
1
8
16
Trip End
Jun 01, 2006
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Pamukkale,
Turkey
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Our journey today takes us to Ephesus, the ancient Roman capital of Anatolia. It is famous among Christians worldwide as the object of biblical scripture, and some even believe it was the home of the Virgin Mary after the death of Jesus, and her final resting place. Our first stop is the site regarded as the home of St. Mary, which is in a gorgeous setting in the hills above Ephesus
01 The House of the Virgin Mary
.Descending the mountain, we enter one of the most breathtaking Roman ruins I have ever seen. I believe it even exceeds Delphi in Greece! There are mobs of tourist from all over the world, and we clutch our water bottles as defense against the dehydrating heat and move steadily forward along the approximately 3 kilometers of road through the ancient city.
There seems to be another gay group from France just ahead of us offering bountiful people-watching opportunities. I snap a photo of a man in black priestly garb and later find that he is from Bucharest, Romania. I promise to look for him at his church when I am there in September. We see how the Romans used the toilets, sitting close to each other with no privacy. Probably a great place to catch up on local gossip. One group member who had been there previously reported that the central area which was surrounded by the toilets used to contain musicians whose job was to soothe, relax, and cover over any rude noises with somewhat more pleasing sounds. What a riot!
The façade of the Library of Ephesus is perhaps the most famous sight, and we can see it from far away as we approach
02 Guards at The House of the Virgin Mary
. It was in ruins at one time, but was reassembled in the 1970 and provides a marvelous glimpse of how truly grand this city must have been in its day. We get a group photo in front, as well as another in the theatre.After lunch we drive inland to see Pamukkale and its famous limestone pools that have earned the name "The Cotton Castle." Our first stop is Hierapolis, a ruined Roman city that contains a huge number of open sarcophagi in what was once a public cemetery (necropolis). It isn't nearly as grand as Ephesus, of course, but has a gorgeous setting with high mountains in the distance.
Nearby is a swimming pool that contains a lot of ruined columns, and we waltz through for a quick look. Then it's on to the main attraction - the Cotton Castle. Anyone wishing to walk on the limestone is required to remove shoes, and some of the guys opt out of the fun of exploring these pools. It is great fun to walk along the ledges, admiring the views and sharing in the fun being had on every side.
We arrive late at our hotel, and several of us plunge immediately into the pool. There is a hot thermal pool, and a cold, refreshing pool, and I sample both. Dinner is a huge buffet, and I most enjoy the great variety of salads.
This hotel only has wireless in the lobby, so I am going there now to post this blog. I probably won't have time to log on in the morning, and from tomorrow we are six nights on a gulet yacht, cruising the fabled turquoise coast. I suspect internet opportunities will be spotty, so it may be some time before you hear from me again. I'll update the blog when I am able!
