What the Ephesus!

In between the ruins of Pergamon and those of Ephesus, we had a stopover of a couple of nights in non-ruined Izmir, one of Turkey’s biggest cities (known as Smyrna back in its Greek days). We arrived on a beautiful, sunny, and hot afternoon. It’s been cooler weather in Türkiye, so we took advantage and spent the afternoon in the expansive green space of the Kültürpark (where I was thrilled to find a well-maintained 2km running track) and then by the seaside, where we could feel the warm Mediterranean air, and practically taste our upcoming adventures in Greece (in addition to the taste of the ketchup chips we were eating).

Our stay in Izmir wasn’t very long, so I can’t say we explored much of the city. Since our second day was a cool 10 degrees and rainy, the kids got some homework done in the morning, we then explored a nearby older neighbourhood of bazaars and coffee shops, and spent more time in the park. I, of course, went running in a singlet and shorts, passing locals sporting winter coats.

Our next stop was Selçuk, base-camp for exploring the famous ruins of nearby Ephesus. Ephesus was a very important Greek, and then Roman city, and also the spot where John and Mary went after Jesus’s crucifixion. To avoid touring the site in the 10 degree rain that was forecast, we opted to head there directly upon arriving in town. This turned out to be a great decision (if I may pat my own back here); the weather was perfect, and an afternoon was the right amount of time to dedicate to the site.

From town, we had a reasonably pleasant 3 km walk to the site. By the time we passed the long lineup of cars waiting to get in, and reached the parking lot packed with tour buses and cars, we could tell that this wasn’t going to be the same quiet experience we had touring the Acropolis in Pergamon! After paying the hefty entry fee, and collecting our audio guide (well worth it), we headed into the site.

Despite being in the shoulder season, the site was packed with tour groups, history buffs, and those just seeking to do a photoshoot! But despite the crowds, and the fact that only a fraction of the ancient city has been uncovered, Ephesus is just such an impressive site, filled with so much history that it will certainly be a highlight of our trip.

With visiting all of these historic sites, and with the help of audio guides and Wikipedia, it’s really fun to be giving our kids a broad sense of history. We are having some great conversations about history, empires, and religion. Henri has been reading Percy Jackson, and I’ve been reading Stephen Fry, so we are starting to get decent at our Greek Mythology!

On our second day in Selçuk it did indeed rain. It was cold. We read, played cards, and wrote blogs!