Western Turkey 101 Tour Group Journal
October 14, 2013 - October 26, 2013

Please click here for
Day 10 Istanbul
Itinerary of the tour
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We woke up to a fabulous view of the Aegean from our hotel balcony and another gorgeous day.  Most tour members with colds seem to be on the mend, and no one has succumbed in the last couple of days. 

Meli and Tufan picked us up at 9:00, and we headed to Meli’s office then on to the Tuesday produce market. Felt like a neighborhood Portland market but with bigger and better vegetables and fruit.  The cabbages and cauliflowers stood out for their enormous size; the produce was displayed beautifully; and many stands had colorful spices, dried fruits, and nuts.  A couple of vendors sold simit that were the best we've had.

After exploring the market for 45 minutes or so and making some small purchases, we headed out along the harbor where we saw a couple of enormous cruise ships. Meli noted that the boats keep getting bigger and now accommodate several thousand people. Yikes!I thanked my lucky stars for our cozy van and nine great traveling companions.

Drove to a sweet ethnographic museum create by a husband and wife who retired to the area after teaching primary school.  The husband was an art teacher and showed us around.  He clearly took great pride in his creation. The first part of the museum is a series of rooms with life size figures depicting life in rural Turkey fifty years ago when the owner was a boy living near Konya.  Some of the figures have been mechanized.  For example, in one room a man's hand was rubbing a new tin finish on a large copper platter.  Another room showed a woman making a carpet and a man dyeing yarn.  Yet, another showed a whirling dervish. The rooms were full of fascinating antique furniture and tools, and the figures were dressed in traditional clothes.  We then went into a large hall that contained a vast diorama of village life (e.g. a wedding, circumcision ceremony, and children playing leapfrog) with tiny figures of animals, people, tools, house wares, etc. The detail was quite extraordinary, particularly the miniature clothing.  Lots of animal figures, including two storks and a nest, especially for Patty.

While having our coffee and tea on the terrace of the museum, Meli gave us one of her splendid lectures  This one on the multi-layered history of Ephesus, including how the "brains" of Ephesus created the Pan-Ionic Confederation made up of 11 Ionic cities.  She explained that brains of Ephesus later betrayed the other Ionic cities when the Persians were attacking. Essentially, the brains convinced the other cities to fight while they took on the important task of praying to Artemis.  The brains then agreed to pay taxes to the Persians, insuring their survival.  Things didn't work out so well for rest of Ionic cities, and they were decimated by the Persians.  This is the "short version." Our next stop before lunch was Virgin Mary's last home.

Next stop was lunch at Meli's farm.  We arrived to beautifully set tables (red lace clothes and red plates) on the outdoor terraces. Lunch was fantastic!! Meli's sister had supplemented the dishes we made the night before.  Here' s the menu: smashed potatoes with lemon, garlic and olive oil, veggie stew with celeriac, broccoli in olive oil, lemon and garlic, cooked grated carrot with yoghurt, white bean salad, green beans and tomatoes, eggplant salad, yoghurt with purslane, borak, rice, potatoes, and kofte.

After lunch, we rolled out to the van and on to Ephesus.  Meli timed things perfectly once again - not too many people and the sun was beginning to drop in the horizon.  The entire site is fascinating. The ruins are extensive and give you a real sense of strolling through an ancient city of long marble streets.  The covered terrace houses were just amazing.  Tables strewn with millions of pieces of marble that were being pieced together like a jigsaw puzzle were incredible - these archaeologist types must have the patience of saints or perhaps they're just obsessive-compulsive.
The frescoes and mosaic floors with myriad designs were beautiful.  A mosaic of Poseidon stood out.  Next up, the library - 3rd largest in Roman times with statutes representing the city's values of knowledge, friendship, understanding, and wisdom.  The commercial agora on the way to the theater is the largest ever excavated -  two story shops lined both sides.  We took a quick peek at the theater.  It was dusk as we were wrapping up, and the light was lovely.  We heard the tinkling of goat bells in the surrounding hills.

 On the way back to Kusadasi the sun set over the water - absolutely stunning.

Finally, we went to see Meli's house.  It is warm, welcoming, and gorgeous. She has refurbished and furnished it to create a traditional Turkish home.  After a tour, she gave us wine and sweets, including Asli's special chocolate treat, and entertained us with stories about various house projects.  Her purchase of three different types of rock in enormous quantities during a single trip was hysterical.  Also, enjoyed hearing her story about finding a traditional stone carver and their 25 hour bus ride back to Kusadasi.  We wrapped up by toasting Oregon's recognition of gay marriages solemnized in other states.  Meli sent us home after sharing a favorite Turkish saying - "may you long share the same pillow."

Meli fed us so well in the course of the day that no one bothered with dinner.

Unbelievable that each and every day of the trip has been so special and so much fun!!

Please click here for
Day 10 Istanbul
Itinerary of the tour
Melitour Home pag