Volendam 2026, Kusadasi, Turkey...

Kusadasi, Turkey, another dark morning on our arrival but I was out front to capture the sail in. We met our driver and guide Ougz at the port gate. Our friend Florin, the Hotel General Manager, accompanied us today on the excursion to Ephesus. Our first stop was the House of the Virgin Mary. Since the 5th century, the House of the Virgin Mary, a domed small two room chapel located high in the Aladag Mountains, became a major place for Christian pilgrimages. According to Christian tradition Apostle John brought the Virgin Mary to Ephesus after the crucifixion of Jesus where she lived out her final days.  Leaving the cool mountains we drove down to Ephesus. We entered Ephesus by the Upper Gate and walked downhill to follow the slope of the ruins.  It was a very good strategy on the part of our driver. We walked through history along marble streets lined with wonderful public buildings, among them the Baths of Scholastica, the Library of Celsus; it was built in the beginning of the 2nd century A.D., the Temple of Hadrian and The Grand Theater are two of the most impressive buildings in Ephesus. The grand theatre was built in 3rd century B.C and it was later expanded to 24.000 spectators by the Romans in the 1st century A.D. The Ancient City of Ephesus is one of the most exceptionally preserved classical metropolises in the eastern Mediterranean. It was the second-largest city in the Roman Empire, boasting a bustling port and a sprawling population of nearly 250,000 residents. Today, it is recognized globally as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The visible ruins still give some idea of the city's original splendor, and the names associated with the ruins are evocative of its former life. We really enjoyed our stroll through this amazing ruins. Next the driver took us up the mountain to the village of Sirince, famous for its well-preserved Ottoman-Greek architecture and narrow cobbled lanes. It's car-free village but we saw the odd motorcycle winding its way through the narrow, cobbled alleyways.  As we climbed amongst the houses, little souvenir shops and hotels, scenic vistas occasionally reveal themselves. We visited two abandoned churches before stopping for coffee break…Florin had the Turkish coffee…this was no ordinary cup of coffee…we sat around a pit of hot sand…It's quite something to witness the small cooper pot known as a cezve being embedded into the sand and then watch the coffee bubbling to the top as it heats! We also enjoyed the delicious lokum (Turkish delight) given as a side dish. This was a great stop and new place for me. After visiting the village of Sirince, we drove to St. John’s Basilica. It is believed that the evangelist Saint John the Evangelist spent his last years in the region around Ephesus and was buried on the southern slope of Ayasuluk Hill right next to the Isa Bey Mosque and just below the fortress near the center of Selcuk, Turkey. We then drove to Artemis Temple, which was once one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, before heading back to Kusadasi town center and port. Once back on Kusadasi, the heavens opened up and it poured rain during the time we had lunch…dodged another bullet…thanks to the rain gods for sparing us! By the way we had a delicious lunch and my latest find was an incredible Beef Donar. It was a great day of fun and laughs with great friends!  It was such a great day, I far exceeded my daily photos by a huge amount...