Day 5 - Kusadasi, Turkey

The next stop was Kusadasi, Turkey. Kusadasi is a port city on the Aegean Sea. It is a popular resort location and sometimes is even referred to as the Turkish Riveria. Remember, Turkey is on the Mediterranean Sea just like Greece and Italy and the beauty is very much the same. This photo was the sunrise as we arrived in Kusadasi.

The sites to see in Kusadasi are a slight drive from the city itself. The first stop was the site of the Virgin Mary's final home. The story has her moving to Kusadasi after Jesus' death with St John accompanying her to look after her safety per Jesus' request. The house is quite small and is nestled up on the side of a mountain. Many of the faithful make a pilgrimmage to the house, which has also been visited by a number of popes.

The next stop is the ancient city of Ephesus or rather the ruins of the city. Like the Acropolis and later as I will note with Pompeii, I am truly amazed at the construction and functionality of cities that are several thousand years old. Houses, fountains, streets, churches, libraries and hospitals can all be discerned from the ruins. Excavation at Ephesus is continual as city after city was built over the ruins of the previous structures as time passed. Currently less than 20% has been excavated. If you've never heard of Ephesus, know that it contains some of the most extensive Roman ruins in the eastern Mediterranean. While the photos may look like alot of stones laying about, know that an educated tour through the area demonstrates specifics of the city that will impress just about anyone!

The final stop on the tour was to St. John's Basilica. As with Ephesus, what remains are only ruins, however, you can see and understand the basic structure of the former church. Although the body is no longer there, the church was originally built over St. John's tomb.

Visible from the basilica site is the Temple of Artemis, which is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Aretmis was a Greek goddess and the twin of Apollo. (This marks 3 of the 7 Ancient Wonders that I have seen!) All that remains now is a single pillar.