Finally, the time had come. This was it. It felt that all the things we had explored and learnt up to now was leading to here ~ Ephesus! A Greek and Roman metropolis, originally sited where the Cayster River met the sea, the same river that brought relentless silting and consequently malaria which forced the city to move to where we see it today, nestled, sweeping between two hills.
There was much to see, but also more to learn; we had many questions scribbled down from our adhoc history lessons from our previous adventures around Turkey. We needed some professional help.
Enter Orcun, our guide for the day, and a friend forever more. We were in his good hands for a walking tour from Selçuk castle, past the Temple of Artemus (1 of 7 wonders of the world) and then through the busy streets of Ephesus. The weather was looking bright and warm for our last full day in fascinating Turkey… lets go!
The story of Ephesus goes that 1000 BC, some mythical/historic figure called Androklos needed to found a new city some where far away after his father, King Kodros died. Being such a beautiful coast it must have been quite hard to narrow it down so he sought help from an oracle in Delphi.
“A fish and a boar will show you the way” was the only hint she offered out. I’m sure Androklos gave her a sideways frown, thought “she be crazy” and went on with his search.
One night his entourage are around a big camp fire, relaxing and preparing dinner. They must have been close to the coast because they were eating fish, and really fresh fish. So fresh was their fish that as soon as it hit the hot oily pan it freaked out and jumped out, flapping all over the place trying to escape. In all the commotion; a bunch of burly men jumping up and running after a flapping fish, the big camp fire must have been kicked and a bush fire soon spread. Imagine the wildlife in the trees making a loud racket, birds, squirrels… wild boar(!) thundering through the burning brush, squealing and snorting.
At this point our hero Androklos would have been scratching his chin thinking ”this seems familiar”
Forgetting his environmental responsibilities, he abandoned the raging fire catastrophe his fire had created and set off chasing after the wild boar. Being were fresh water river Cayster meets the sea, and therefore a natural break from the encroaching fire, a sensible place for any wild creature to head. And that is where Androklos founded Ephesus, prophecy completed. The end.
Shuffling along the polished white paved boulevards, we whipped our imaginary togas over our shoulders and took in the surroundings. Although only a fraction of this beautiful city may remain, there was plenty to feed our imaginations, picturing life as a scholared gentry. Orcun expertly weaved us through the throng of colourful accents to show us the amphitheatre where gladiators duelled to the death, dramas reflected contemporary ancient times, and the likes of Elton John and Diana Ross have fired up the crowds.
Strolling up Marble Street, we were greeted by the impressive facade of the Library of Celsus, almost every face, corner and edge are chipped into ornate decoration, giving depth to the column-framed, gracious statuettes of Wisdom, Knowledge, Intelligence and Excellence.
Rebuilt in the 1970’s, the engineers used a combination of Greek and Roman building techniques, and modern engineering to support what we see today. A very cool plaque explaining the interesting squares and channels carved into the joining faces of the blocks and column components that had been annoying Pippa for weeks. The squares match on either facing component, and a channel is carved on one face leading from the outer edge to the squares. Once the components are in place, a clay trough is moulded under the opening of the channel, and molten lead or iron is poured in; the metal setting into a key locking the components into place. Genius.
For us, the real highlight of the tour was seeing the terrace houses. Being a fan of nosying through all sorts of homes and houses, it was fun being able to sweep across a suspended glass gangway through at least 3 prestigious houses of the rich and powerful of the Roman era. Their opulent way of life laid to bare, with whitewashed open courtyards decorated with intricate frescos, lit by dancing reflections of sunlight from a fountain or pool. We could piece together a clear story of servants shuffling in and around the network of rooms, their feet padding on the many tiny tiles, painstakingly laid in delicate patterns and pictures.
Orcun was the perfect guide for our full day at Ephesus and our time together was extended as we he took us to show us to a hilltop bar with sweeping view of his town Kusadasi. Before we knew it his neighbours had been called in and drinks flowed as we discussed more of Turkish life, past and present.
Ataturk was discussed a lot with Orcun or at least the lack of him versus the current power. He claims the current government had ruined his business during the pandemic, when no support was provided. He had closed a carpet factory and a boat touring company as a result and turned to tourism instead.
As always, Atuturk is never far away, so a few snaps with his bronze self as we said our goodbyes felt apt.
And with that we were off to Greece the next day, the perfect last day in Turkey; culture, politics, breathtaking landscapes, delicious food and outstanding hospitality.