On the morning we arrived at the ruins of Ephesus, we got suckered into a carriage ride around the site. And gratefully so. Our little Turkish driver took us on a bumpy ride along the outskirts, where we saw spring bustin' out all over! We saw pear, peach, and apricot trees all in bloom. We saw poppies scattered across the fields and the kids were happy to reach out and pick long sticks of wild wheat growing (sticking it in their teeth like their dad while we enjoyed the ride). Our driver told us about the other popular sights surrounding Ephesus, pointing out the mountainside where Mary lived quietly in the latter years of her life. He pointed us in the direction of the Cave of the Seven Sleepers. Legend has it that 7 Christian zealots were "imprisoned" there by the Romans, only to be found alive hundreds of years later when their cave was happened upon and reopened (they were supposedly "sleeping" all of these years). This was a fun way to see our surroundings. Our driver dropped us off on a hilltop where we could enter the site ruins. Mia acted as our tour guide that day (having visited Ephesus last fall with her 5th grade class); she led us along the crowded streets, through the facade of the Celsus Library and then into the Agora (the main market place). We imagined Paul teaching the people in this historic port city, and his 2 year Ephesian ministry . We tried to picture Greek, Roman & Hittite civilizations living here for nearly 20,000 years! We pretended to sell our goods in the Agora (silver statues of Artemis/Diana anyone?), and to "check out" books (scrolls) in the Library. We finished up our meanderings in the Great Theatre, where Thys imagined how glorious 'twould have been to live the Gladiator-life. All the while, the J Crew had fun hunting for snakes.
Storks love Turkey during the spring & summer months
Carriage Ride
Josie jumps
Library at Ephesus
Thys compares technology: "Tablets" then & now!
Family
In the ampitheater
Close-up in the ampitheatre
As much as I loved visiting the great archeological sight of Ephesus, I equally loved our visit to the mountain village of Sirince that afternoon. We drove through hillsides of olive trees to this little agricultural town, where we explored the streets and the pretty white-washed homes nestled on the mountainside. The village people were out in the streets, selling their homemade wines, olive oils, soaps, scarves & embroidered clothing. The kids probably didn't enjoy our wanderings there as much as Ryan and I, but they were good to humour us. Ryan kept stopping to smell the roses (wisteria), which is something I've always loved about him.
The streets of Sirince
"Ferdinand, the Bull" (Ryan)
Sirince, behind us
No comments:
Post a Comment