The Ancient City of Ephesus

Today was one of the most exciting days of our entire trip! The day began with a very early rise. We left our apartments in Istanbul at 5:00 am to catch our 7:00 am flight to Izmir, Turkey. We were fortunate that the plane served breakfast because the fuel was definitely going to come in handy. After the plane ride, we loaded up in a bus with two other American travelers and our tour guide, who was a very sweet young lady. We arrived at the top of the ancient city of Ephesus. I had never been to an ancient city like Ephesus before, so this was really exciting for me. The city was filled with many tall pillars as well as statues of gods, important people of the city, and symbols. It was breathtaking to imagine what it must have been like to live in Ephesus when it was still a highly populated area. While in Ephesus, we had the opportunity to lay our eyes upon the Library of Celsus. It is a grand building that even as a remnant of its former glory brings awe and wonder to anyone that sees it. Ephesus was also where Paul preached, but was shouted out of the city because the people did not want to stop worshiping idols. (Possibly more importantly, those who sold the idols didn't want to stop making money.)

Our next stop was the Temple of Artemis. Not much of it is left, but it does provide a very unique scene. From the temple, three different religious buildings can be seen: the Temple of Artemis, the Isa Bey Mosque, and the Basilica of St. John.

We took a bit of a break from our tour to eat lunch. Lunch was held in the lawn area of a carpet store. However, these ar not your average carpets. These are all hand made, Turkish carpets. Even the smallest carpets made of cotton cost $100 easily. It was really fun to feel all the amazingly soft carpets and learn about the differences between the styles, methods, and materials.

After lunch, we went to the House of Virgin Mary. This is the place many believe she spent her last days. Thus, it is an important site for some Christians, as well as Muslims.

Our final stop on our tour was at the Basilica of St. John. This church was built in the shape of a cross. It has a beautiful view when looking towards the Temple of Artemis, which we had visited earlier, as well as the Isa Bey Mosque.

The tour of Ephesus was wonderful. I can surely say that it was thoroughly enjoyed! At the conclusion of our tour we retired to the beautiful Otel Ozcelik in Kusadasi, which overlooks the Mediterranean Sea. What a blessing it is to be in such a beautiful place!

Keep us in your prayers that we may have safe traveling!

With love, from Turkey!