September 2011
Ephesus is awesome. It blows away anything we saw in Israel.
We’ve been to Angkor Wat in Cambodia, ruins of dozens of temples spread over a large area. Very impressive, but no sign of the people who lived there. Gods’ houses were made of stone, people’s from wood and have long disappeared.
In Ephesus, you see the city, remains of the agora, stoas, theaters, the library, the public toilet, the brothel. Everything a city needs.
We met our tour guide at the boat and he took us around in a minivan. He was efficient but thorough. In a little over three hours he had taken us through Ephesus and up the mountain to the house of the Virgin Mary, pointing out additional sights along the way. Much more efficient than being in a big tour group.
One annoying note, I seem to have lost my small camera. I didn’t use it today, but had it in my pocket and it wasn’t there when we returned to the ship. Must have fallen from my pocket in the van. Fortunately, I have all the Ephesus pictures.
Odd, somehow. On the anniversary of 9/11, we find ourselves in a Muslim country.
Small Wide World 