Second Stop-Kusadasi, Turkey (Ephesus)

Good Morning! Yes we are up early because we have to meet our shore excursion group at 8:15am. We have to go have breakfast first which for me is Raisin Bran cereal, a small piece of ham and honeydew melon and cantaloupe and watermelon. My stomach isn't so happy in the morning! So many bugs that I have been ingesting that my body isn't use to maybe? Anyway Imodium D takes care of it, thankfully! It is probably good since I am not eating tons of food and haven't gained poundage, at least my clothes are still loose!lol!

Today we take a drive in an air conditioned bus! Did I mention that it is over 100 degrees outside as usual? But at least it isn't raining? Yes! We start driving through the town of Kusadasi and then we start driving up into the hills. Very dry here, but the view from up top of the bay and the sea and the town is beautiful! We drive to Ephesus, the ancient city that was founded 3000 years ago and has wonderful ruins. The main street, called Arcadian Way, is paved with big marble slabs. It started at the harbor, now it just starts in town because Ephesus use to have a harbor, but the lack of tides caused silt to build up and silt closed up the harbor. The street goes all the way to the Great Theatre which is 495' in diameter and holds 25,000 people. Then there is The Library of Celsus built in 135AD. The library held 9,500 to 12,000 parchments and papyri. Now the buildings are in ruins but there is enough left of them that you can tell what they looked like. It was so awesome to be able to walk around where Paul, John and others walked about preaching the Word of God. Apostle Paul talks about the Ephesians in Acts. John the Apostle died in Ephesus and the Basilica of St John is built over the place where he died. Our tour lasted 5 hours and it was so very informative and scenic. We then drove over to visit the House of The Virgin Mary. This house is recognized by the Vatican as the house in which she lived and her final resting place. It was AWESOME!