Bible History and Clever Turks at the Bazaar

Thursday, July 11, 2013:
Our ship made port in Kusadasi, Turkey early morning on Thursday. Already docked was a sleek dark blue yacht.

Soon the dock saw arrival of the Semester at Sea floating university ship and a second cruise ship, Silversea. So, Kusadasi was teaming with tourists as were the archeological sights we visited. At 9:30 we met our tour guide Fehmi, a well-educated, worldly and glib former English teacher, and we boarded our luxury BMW bus with 8 others from our ship.

Church that the Disciple John established

Less than an hour later we arrived at the entrance to the excavation sight at Ephesus. Enroute, we passed by the one remaining column of the Temple of Diana, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The top of the column was home to a nesting pair of storks. 

We also had photo op pauses at the ruins of the church of St. John, one of the twelve apostles who lived and preached in the area in the first century AD. Jesus Christ, before his crucifixion, had asked John to take care of his Mother Mary, which is circumstantial evidence for the belief that Mary spent her last years at Ephesus. She died at age 64, or so it is believed. John died a natural death at age 90, a remarkable feat given that the average lifespan in those days was less than 30. Our tour was a half day and unfortunately did not allow time to visit the house of Mary. We did, however, have a photo op pause at a large gilt statue of Mary on a hillside overlooking Ephesus.



In ancient times, this city was the "center of the universe,"  according to Fehmi, with a population exceeding 10,000 at its apex. It was a bustling port on the Aegean Sea fed by the river Meander. Eventually the sea receded and the silt deposited by the river caused the area to become marshy and a breeding ground for mosquito borne malaria and other diseases. Earthquakes also contributed to the structural collapse and over time the entire city disappeared under ground. An Austrian scholar rediscovered the city in 1860 and excavation has continued since. Still only 10 % of the site has been uncovered and partially reconstructed.  

Of particular note are two amphitheaters, the library of Celsus, Hadrian's Temple and Trajan's arch. The larger amphitheater, with seating capacity of 20-24,000, was where the apostle Paul preached. He, of course, authored some of the most important books of the New Testament, including his letter to the Ephesians. All in all, this was a very educational and enjoyable tour despite being a very hot July day.

We boarded our bus for the ride back to Kusadasi where we stopped at the shopping district near our ship. Our guide ushered us into a carpet shop for an informative and entertaining presentation on rug making by Mousafah, the man in charge (the owner presumably). We saw how silkworm cocoons are boiled and then brushed to coax the release of a fiber that can be spooled out to the distance of more than a half mile.

 

We also observed a woman sitting at a loom weaving a rug with hand movements quicker than your eyes could follow. In slow motion she demonstrated the double knot technique that, according to Mousafah, make Turkish rugs "the best in the vorld [sic]."

We were shown many beautiful rugs and taught how to recognize highest quality in rugs woven from silk, wool (cashmere and angora), and cotton in some combination. We were served our drink of choice by our gracious host along with bread. I chose wine and so, succumbed to the persuasive tactics of the Turkish rug sales team. I did bargain down the price and will receive my 4' by 6' crimson wool on wool beauty in a few weeks (shipping included in the price). It is guaranteed for a hundred years and if it fades or shows wear I can return it after that. *wink* I wasn't planning to purchase a rug, but I am pleased to be in possession of this quality souvenir from this most memorable trip.

After that purchase, I was pretty much done shopping, which made it easier to deflect the aggressive sales tactics of the various shop owners as Carol and I ran the gauntlet through the bazaar.

Speaking of Turkish salesmanship, I must say we got a kick when we saw one vendor advertise in a sign outside his shop, "Genuine Fake Watches." That might be the best photo of the day!

After adventures at the bazaar, Carol and I enjoyed a refreshing stop at a dockside cafe and then returned to the ship mid afternoon well before the posted deadline.

 This was our last evening on board and we enjoyed a final excellent dinner in the Coppelia dining room, to which we were assigned. We bid a farewell to our personal wait staff, Savio (from India) and Anthony (from the Philippines). All the ship's personnel wore nametags that listed country of origin. All were friendly and we encountered staff from at least 8 or 10 different countries. The ship was a floating United Nations. Most ship passengers were European, with a sprinkling of families from many other places. After dinner, we enjoyed 9 holes of miniature golf on the stern of deck 13, which was windy. I should like to point out that I made eagle on a par 3 hole. Just sayin'....
##