Grecian Holiday – Part X – Kusadasi, Turkey – May 31, 2010

Today was another extremely busy day. We docked around 8:00 a.m in Kusadasi, Turkey, the main gateway to the ancient city of Ephesus. Again we were docked, across the quay from a Windstar ship. We had another tour through EKOL. Again, Inan, picked us up with a driver and a 16 passenger bus! Today’s plan was rather simple. We were going to Sirince, and the Temple of Artemis.

Sirince (pronounced she-RIN-jay) is an old Greek village of 600 inhabitants located 8km east of the town Selcuk, 12 km away from Ephesus and 30 km from Kusadasi, was once known as Cirkince ("ugly"). The villagers gave the town this name because they did not want to be bothered by foreigners. From Selcuk, a winding road takes you further up the mountains through green countryside to this village that is a step back in time. Sirince is perched high in the hills surrounded by vineyards, peach orchards and olive groves.

Most of the houses in Sirince were built in the 19th century when Sirince was predominantly a Greek village; today some of them have been restored and turned into pensions for over-night guests. Souvenir shops, an open market, a dozen restaurants and a few guest houses scatter the pretty cobbled streets of the village. Although tourism has come into the village, farming remains the foremost activity. Villagers make olive oil, and grow some of the best peaches in the country.

Sirince is probably most famous for its wine production. You see many wine houses around where you can taste the many sorts of grape and fruit wines they make there. As well as a mosque, there are also two churches in Sirince. The St John Baptist church, set in a beautiful courtyard with a fountain, is currently being restored by the ministry of culture of Turkey.

When we arrived in town we walked the narrow hilly streets of the village. We went and explored the old church that is being restored and then sampled numerous glasses of the wonderful local fruit wines. We ended up coming home with two bottles of the delicacy.

We then found a local restaurant and even though it was early we had had lunch. Well we grazed on appetizers. One was a piece of thin beef that was stuffed with cheese, ham, and mushrooms and then grilled. Tiropita were in evidence as were tiny dolmathes, made with tiny fresh grape leaves stuffed with rice and local seasonings. We also had another wonderful tomato salad dressed with the local vinegar and olive oil. Ordering all of this was interesting. We walked up to a display case, pointed to what you wanted, the owner explained what was in it and then they cooked the pieces you selected. It was a great meal for a wonderful price. FT also bought some olive oil and some olive soap while we were there. I sampled some delicious local figs.

Our adventure last week was supposed to include the Temple of Artemis, which we saw in the distance. Since it was on the way back to the ship we stopped there and at the ancient baths. The remains of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Temple of Artemis are very sparse. Artemis was the Greek goddess, the virginal huntress and twin of Apollo, who replaced the Titan Selene as Goddess of the Moon.

The ancient temple, built around 650 BC to the cult of Artemis, was constructed on a site already sacred to the Anatolian Mother Goddess, Cybele. The temple was financed by the wealthy king of Lydia and marshy ground was selected for the building site as a precaution against future earthquakes. The temple soon attracted merchants, kings, and sightseers, many of donated jewelry and other treasures to Artemis and her temple. Its splendor also attracted many worshippers and pilgrims, strengthening the cult of Artemis.

Today, rising out of the marsh, is a lone surviving column which suggests the immensity of this Wonder of the World. It was four times as large as the Parthenon, 377 feet long and 180 feet wide made almost entirely of marble. It had 127 columns, each 60 feet high which were carved decoratively. Some of the stone is believed to have been used for the nearby mosque and most of the archaeological remains have been removed to the British Museum.

As we drove out we stopped by the remains of the Baths of Isa Bey, an ancient Turkish bath that was restored in 1972. Unfortunately it can only be seen from a distance. We then proceeded back to the ship. FT was content to rest by the pool but I still had a mission that remained from last week.

I went back into town and visited the carpet man. I ended up with a beautiful, small, handmade cotton on cotton carpet. It is about 2 x 3 and I plan to have it framed and hang it on the wall. I also picked up some small carpet tiles for the kids to enjoy. (these are about 14in x 14 in.)

When I got back to the cabin I found another Sea Dream treat. Instead of packing enough clothes to last the two weeks that we are on board, II decided to have my laundry done on board the ship. Sent out the obligatory golf shirts , "T" shirts (from the soggy dollar and other such exotic locales) and the male version of "unmentionables" (What the heck underwear is underwear) yesterday afternoon. Today I found the golf shirts neatly laundered and pressed on hangers as expected. Also found all the "t" shirts on hangers and neatly pressed, but even better found all the underwear neatly folded wrapped in tissue and presented in a basket, with a nice cabin # tag attached. Where else can you find such service?

Cocktails were served poolside, and we dined al fresco. The menu included:

Starters

Assortment of Cold Cut, Cheeses from Greece and Italy
Green Asparagus and Spinach Bavaroise
Sautéed Potato Gnocchi

Soups

Veloute of Summer Vegetables
Chilled Coconut, Orange, and Mango

Salads

New Potato Salad with Gherkins
Mache Lettuce with Vinaigrette

Chef’s Main Dishes

Grilled Fillet of Dorado
Veal Tenderloin Medallion on Braised Salsify
Stuffed Chicken Breast in Puff Pastry

Desserts

Crispy Apple Tart with Cinnamon Ice Cream
Profiterolles Stuffed with Ice Cream
Eaton Mess with Berry Ragout

After dinner we headed back to the cabin. This having to work was getting old but thank goodness for the Internet that allows us to get away. After dinner it was disco at the TOY. We did not attend (missing the night time activity is becoming a bad habit, but the days are so busy that I have to get some sleep.) Our gift from Sea Dream tonight was another copy of the CD entitled “Dream” with music from artists such as Marc Broussard, Samantha James, and Bossa Nostra.

We sailed around 10:00 p.m. Coming out of the harbor this week, the seas were smooth as silk again. We enjoyed another smooth sail to our next port of call Mykonos, Greece, a distance of 104 nautical miles.

More pictures are available on my flickr page by clicking HERE

The author of this blog is not compensated by Sea Dream Yacht Club in any manner.

Grecian Holiday – Part VI – Kusadasi, Turkey – May 27, 2010

Today was another extremely busy day. We docked around 8:00 a.m in Kusadasi, Turkey, the main gateway to the ancient city of Ephesus. It was interesting watching the captain pull us right up to the dock, across the quay from a Windstar ship. It seems that a lot of these ports require that tugs be available if needed, so in addition to the pilot we had a tug waiting alongside in case we needed aid. Fortunately, all he did was wait while we docked!

We had booked a private tour through EKOL, a company that I had found through Cruise Critic. Kusadasi, which translates to pigeon island, is situated on the west coast of Turkey. It is a popular tourist area with a number of beaches and inexpensive hotels in the area. For cruisers it serves an important function being the gateway to Ephesus, and other ancient sites.

We met our guide, Inan, who picked the two of us up with a driver and a 16 passenger bus! We started our adventure, with a short ride to the House of the Virgin Mary. This is located in the mountains about 20km from Kusadasi, through the town of Selcuk. St. John, who was tasked with caring for the Virgin Mary, brought her to this area to avoid persecutions. This site is purported to be the home of the Virgin Mary in the later portion of her life. At least three popes have come and worshiped here.

The house itself is very small, consisting of two rooms including a chapel. There are places to light candles, and room to stop and pray if desired. To the right of the chapel is a second chapel which is believed to have been Mary’s bedroom. There is also a wall with arches containing a number of fountains in the area. The fountains are purported to dispense holy water. The water comes from a well adjacent to the house itself. I don’t know if it is holy but I made it a point to enjoy some. FT reported that she was quiet moved by the visit. I made it a point to acquire an icon from the site.

When we finished we left and went to the ancient city of Ephesus. It was originally on the shores of a bay, which in the past 2000 years has been filled with silt. We were let off at the upper end and walked down toward what would have been the port.

Ephesus has been extensively excavated and contains some wonderful examples of architecture from around the time of Christ. We spent about an hour and a half walking through the town. The number of monuments and excavations is staggering and I cannot begin to do them justice. On the upper slopes of the town was the commercial agora (the wholesale market), and an amphitheater with a roof for the wealth. It can hold about 1500 people.

Continuing down the hill we passed a number of houses, shops, fountains and monuments. We then reached the Terrace Houses. These are homes of the wealth that have been excavated and are not to be missed. They are covered by a roof that keeps the elements off the excavations. The mosaics and frescos are astonishing.

When we exited the terrace house we went to the Library of Celsus. At one time this was the third largest library in the western world. We then walked down the Marble Street. The street is paved with marble and it is humbling to think that St. John, St. Luke, and St. Paul among others walked on these same stones.

We then reached the Grand Amphitheatre, which was built to accommodate 25,000 people. It is still in good repair, and being renovated. This structure is in front of Harbor Street that runs 550 feet to the old harbor and was also paved in marble. This concluded our visit to Ephesus proper, but we were not finished.

After boarding our bus we made the journey back of the mountain to Selcuk, and the went to the Basilica of St. John. The church is constructed in the burial place of Saint John the Divine. On the original a Basilica was constructed during the reign of Justinian I (527-565AD). The structure was destroyed by a series of earthquakes, though portions have been excavated. The monograms Justinian and his wife Theodora are on some column capitals. The entrance is through The Gate of Persecution, which takes its name from a relief displaying Achilles dragging the dead body of Hector .St. John is buried in this location which sits above Selcuk, and the Mosque of Isa Bey. This was a short stop of only 20 minutes.

We then went back to town where we enjoyed lunch with our guide. We let him pick the restaurant as we wanted authentic Turkish food. He selected Selcuk Koftecisi, which served a wonderful Turkish style meal. We had wonderful fresh salad, and meatballs. During lunch we watched a procession of young people carrying beer, waving flags, and blowing musical instruments march down the street. Our guide said they were celebrating a wedding to occur in the next couple of days. What was interesting was a boy of ten or twelve was carrying two beers, one in each hand.

Then it was off to a carpet co-op. FT was a bit hesitant about the stop but ended up enjoying it. We met the owner who showed us rugs and how they are made. We learned about the different types of rugs, and how patterns are passed down within a family. It was amazing to learn that some carpets take 18 months to weave and can cost $65,000, in Turkey. In the end we shared a beverage with the owner who gave us a lovely bottle of local wine.

It was then back to the ship. When we got back, I went and explored town while FT rested. I ended up buying some baklava, Turkish Delight, Halvah, and some Katafi. Most of which was consumed on the ship.

We were joined at dinner by our new friend Francisco from Spain. He was very quick with his camera taking lots of food pictures for a project he is working on at home. He must have been a bad influence because we ended up with six desserts on the table. The Australian ladies at the table next to us didn't stop laughing for at least 10 minutes.

The menu included:

Starters

Carpaccio of Beef Tenderloin
Roma Tomatoes with Mozzarella di Buffala
Pasta Portifino

Soups

Minestrone
Lobster Bisque

Salads

Marinated Artichoke Salad
Oven Baked Tomatoes with Aceto Dressing

Chef’s Main Dishes

Grilled Garlic Shrimps
Braised Osso Bucco of Veal Shank
Whole Roast Strip Loin Beef

Desserts

Tiramisu with Mascarpone Sorbet
Limoncello Baba
Zabaglione with Mixed Berry Compote

After dinner we headed back to the cabin as both FT and myself had to work. This having to work was getting old but thank goodness for the Internet that allows us to get away. After dinner it was karaoke in the main salon. We did not attend (missing the night time activity is becoming a bad habit, but the days are so busy that I have to get some sleep. Our gift from Sea Dream tonight was a box of those lovely Sea Dream mints.

We sailed around 9:00 p.m. which was still during dinner, but we had a long way to go and we needed to leave. Coming out of the harbor was a bit rocky. This lasted through all of dessert, but after we got into the open ocean, the seas were smooth as silk again. We enjoyed another smooth sail to our next port of call Mytilini, Lesvos Island, a distance of 134 nautical miles.

More pictures are available on my flickr page by clicking HERE

The author of this blog is not compensated by Sea Dream Yacht Club in any manner.