Kuşadasi, Turkey - Aug 1

33, but not too humid

August – WOW…I won’t even say it.

It’s another early start for us as we begin day 1 of 4 in Turkey.  My first thought as I step onto the deck this morning is how much I love Turkey.  All it takes this morning is a little less humidity and I’m in love all over again.  Forget anything I’ll see, smell, do, taste or hear…I FEEL love through the mere fact that my skin isn’t glistening.

lion feet on theatre seats

As we’ve been to Kuşadasi before and saw the main attraction Ephesus we opt for a more obscure less popular tour to 2 ancient sites.

likely the only wildlife we'll see this trip

Miletus theatre

ruins at Didyma

The first of these 2 ancient sties is Miletus.  Miletus is an ancient Greek city on the west coast of Turkey.  The site we visit has been under excavation since the 1960s, but only 10% of it has been uncovered – that is truly the amazing part of the visit.  Sure the site is beautiful and interesting, but to think what we can see which seems vast is only a small fraction compared to what is still under the ground is a bit mind blowing.  I suppose when the guide describes this as a city where 100 thousand people used to live it makes a bit more sense.  Miletus was constructed in the third century BC by the Greeks and expanded by the Romans in the second century AD.  We (a group of 11) are pretty much the only ones here – lovely especially given the fact that there are 300 tour buses headed to Ephesus!

Medusa head

Roman baths

Didyma is our next ancient site.  The name Didyma means twins – it is the site of 2 temples and orcles of the twins Atremis (goddess of the hunt and Apollo god of music and the arts.)  This site is a lot different than Miletus.  This site is my definition of ancient ruins.  It’s very much Greek – as the guide described it…the area, Turkey and Greece were pretty much the same place except for geography – gods were worshiped, temples were built, cities were constructed.  Here we see the temple, wells where the oracles spent time and carvings of griffins, Medusa and other figures of mythology.  It’s been pretty great to hear as many stories as we have this trip about the Greeks and their god and goddesses – while these are often bizarre stories they are highly entertaining.

The afternoon is lunch, laundry, drinks at the pool, a nap, room service pre-dinner snacks and enjoying the deck.  At one point while out on the deck about 8 fighter jets fly overhead…not exactly the same feeling as when they fly over in Calgary during the Stampede.