| Marmaris--We arrive in Turkey via ferry
from Rhodes to Marmaris. Not knowing what to expect, we were surprised by
the bustling harbor, full of Turkish gullets--yachts. |
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| Ephesus-became the capital of the Roman
province of Asia in 133 B.C., but the had been populated for a thousand
years since the Greeks established a settlement here and worshiped
Artemis, Goddess of Fertility. Ephesus reached
a population of 200,000. It began its decline when in 330 A.D.
Constantinople was declared the new capital. However, it would have
declined anyway due to the silting in of the harbor.
Attacks by Arabs, Seljuks, Mongolians, and Ottomans
further reduced this magnificent site to a pile of rubble. An impressive
pile, however, and it has become a major tourist attraction.
We stay at Artemis House, better known as Jimmy's
Place. |
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| Istanbul--We visit The Blue Mosque, The
Hagia Sophia, The Topkapi Palace, the Grand Bazaar, and The Cistern. |
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Although the mosque and the
palace are beautiful, the Cistern blows us away. Built in AD 532 it is a
HUGE underground water storage tank. Roughly 76 by 155 yards and supported
by 336 columns, it held 80,000 cubic meters of water.
We happened to catch a fasil music performance--an
eerie experience. |
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