I have a pretty low tolerance for ancient ruins. Ruins to Turkey are like trailer parks to Alabama, they are everywhere. So it is pretty hard to avoid seeing/visiting them. And you the reading public will start to bore from the endless photos(no matter how creative) of theaters and rustic facades. BUT, some ruins rise above the humdrum of fallen columns and dilapidated bathhouses….so that brings me to Ephesus. (below photo is of ancient toilets-nice!)
When you ask a Turk what you should see in Turkey, #1 answer is Istanbul and the #2 is Ephesus. I won’t go into the history of this place, because I didn’t have the patience to sneak behind an English speaking tour group, but just know it is old. I do know that this is the 2nd most preserved ancient city outside of Italy’s Pompeii. Before you can fork over 20 lira to gain entrance, you must make it past the football field of hawkers and swindlers selling you Ephesus swag and real genuine fake watches (no joke, there is a sign). The city is laid out in a series of marble avenues starting at the Grand Theater working their way to the well maintained library past the town toilets and brothel, and through the ritzy 90210 area onward until you finally arrive at the smaller theater. At this point, you have seen Ephesus and can maneuver your way back through the streets out the gate, past the hawkers to a waiting bus/taxi/bike and tell yourself you saw some really history today!
Warning:Crowds, just like the weather here in are intense here in Summer. Fighting for space with smelly < insert nationality> tourists while avoiding being in about 500 random photographs will be paramount. You are in luck as there are a few sleepy ‘avenues’ that the tours don’t use and you can have some ruins all to yourself and listen to the wind sweep through the ancient grass, not the Turkish pronunciations of Russian, Japanese, Spanish, and Romanian.
(below photo is priceless, do you notice that her oversized hat matches her fanny pack?)
I love ruins. They capture my imagination as I consider what people’s lives were like hundreds or thousands of years ago. Ephesus was where the Temple of Artemis was located, which was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The only reason I know this is that my brother and I had a ViewMaster when we were kids (the ones where you insert a round disk of slides to watch a slides show). One of the disks we had was the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
You already know more than me…my interest in history tends not to go before the middle ages. too bad cause this country is swimming in ruins and historic people. Maybe I’ll adapt?
I admit, you hit a point where unless the ruins are REALLY impressive you no longer want to see them. Turkey is one of the countries I keep going back to because I just love it, and Ephesus is a must see, but in order to really enjoy it you want to get in before 12 or melt. And Ephesus is one of those places that are worth the crowds, now Pamukkale, THAT was a huge disappointment. The only place in Turkey where my pictures looked better than the actual place.