Travel

Ephesus

Ephesus, an ancient city preserved to reveal the truths of Greco-Roman antiquity and Byzantium is beautifully displayed on the hilltops of the Aegean region. The second you step through the cracked pillars the desert heat hits you, so if you ever visit the ruins, my top tip is to make sure you take a bottle of water with you. My taxi driver told me that the city does not take more than an hour and a half to explore, and when I entered Ephesus I thought he was wrong because the site was so overwhelmingly huge. But of course he wasn't wrong, it surprisingly didn't take that long to view everything. This city back in its day was a great trading centre. It was a market town, the equivalent of our Oxford Street in London today, of course rather than the sale of luxury cosmetics and clothing, this market saw the transaction of exotic spices and was part of the Silk Road as the western terminus for East to West trade. 

This city proved it was diverse and cosmopolitan not only because three different civilisations were able to settle here, but also because the Library of Celsus was able to hold up to 12,000 scrolls of different kinds of text. The library was built to look bigger than it actually is. When you see it from a distance it looks huge, and even when you're up close it's massive, but this is because of course because those famous Greek columns make everything look larger than they actually are. Nevertheless regardless of the library's convex facade, it was probably my favourite part of the city, it stood out beautifully tall and its golden hew made it the prettiest building of all. 

But, of course how can we talk about an ancient city whose second settlers were of course the Romans and not mention gladiators? As part of the Holy Roman Empire, Ephesus was the second largest city of the empire after Rome and under the Emperor Augustus was the first city of the Roman province of Asia. The vibe as you leave the central market square of the city becomes eerie. As you walk along the set path, around you there are gladiator graves. After climbing more steps than I care to imagine even thinking about, the stadium built by the Greeks originally was converted into a breath-taking colosseum, with the capacity to hold 50,000 people to enjoy chariot races and gladiator combats. 

This ancient city really reminds me of my time in Rome as a child, if you're a history fanatic like me, or just enjoy the more historical and cultural aspects of the countries you visit then Ephesus is a must-see. 

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Kuşadası - 'Bird Island'...

Kuşadası is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to. Its views of the Aegan sea and the Greek island of Samos offer a vision so spectacular you cannot take your eyes off of it. Having been to Istanbul I must say I was shocked to see such a relaxed and calm side of Turkey. The hustle and bustle of the town does not come from the market stalls nor does it come from the sounds of tourists haggling, rather it is the harmonious crash of the tides and the blasts coming from the ships at the Marina. It is town so relaxed that even its animals are embraced just as humans are. Birds fly low as though there is not evolutionary hierarchy; Cats do not fear humans as they sit and watch the world go by, just as dogs do not bark, they lay in the sun and sleep silently alone. It's a world so different from my own. Really it's a beautiful thing that animals and humans can be one, and that the town offers more than just a few markets, it offers a history of antiquity, breathtaking scenery and a buzz of a city that never sleeps. 

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