2geonomads

Saturday 9th June 2012
Cross Roads Travel arrive on time for us to join about 12 other tourists for a tour of Ephesus and other monuments in the area.
Before the main course we have for a starter a visit to the 14th century Isa Bey Mosque which inevitably suffers by comparison with such as the Blue Mosque and that of Suleymaniye the Magnificent.
Ephesus is all that we had hoped for and although crowded, not unbearably so. Amongst so many impressive ruins the Library of Celsus is a real stand-out and is reminiscent of the Treasury at Petra.
Difficult to imagine that so long this city was home to over 250,000 people, using the 10 to 1 ratio applied at that time against the capacity of the theatre of 25000.
After a 2+ hour walking tour of Ephesus on Avery hot day we all retire to a standard local eatery frequented by all of the tour groups.
There is supposedly strong evidence that the Virgin Mary spent her later years in this area and her house is in a beautiful, tranquil location high up in the hills above Bergama. The home has now become a chapel which pleasingly has none of the opulence of so many other catholic places of worship.
Back in Bergama we have to run the gauntlet of vendors at a carpet and leather clothing factory. Although we encountered none of the aggression of our ‘friend’ in Morocco we could all have done without this futile ritual.
A very informative and enjoyable day is rounded off by visits to the excellent Bergama Museum and what remains of the Artemis Temple ( one of the original seven Ancient Wonders of the World )

The hotel swimming pool beckons so a quick dip then a leisurely stroll around the town,during which I buy a T-shirt for $ 6 ( a bargain, I think !) and we stock up on a half kg bag of nuts for the long bus trip the next day ( at $12 probably a rip-off but we are both too tired to negotiate too much )
Dinner at hotel , minus the green pepper, and watch Germany beat Portugal 1-0 in Euro 2012.

Cheers
The Obese Ferret