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| Bodrum Harbor from Bodrum Castle |
In mid-October, Allison and I spent a week in Turkey celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary. We visited archaeological sites, toured along the Aegean coast, and finished with three days on board a traditional "gulet" sailboat.
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| Arriving at the La Vista Hotel in Kusadasi |
After a long day of travel from Boston via Istanbul, we landed in Izmir and were driven to the nearby coastal resort city of Kusadasi. There, we settled in at the lovely La Vista Hotel to rest up for the next day's explorations.
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| Harbor Street in Ephesus |
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| Ruins at Ephesus |
In the morning we enjoyed a hearty Turkish breakfast, then traveled a short distance to the ancient Greco-Roman city of Ephesus.
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| The goddess Nike, complete with swoosh! |
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| Statue on Street of the Curetes |
Ephesus was one of the most important ports in Asia Minor during its heyday between approximately 1200 B.C. and 1300 A.D. The city's well-preserved library, temples, amphitheaters and other structures provide a fascinating window into the lifestyle of its residents over the centuries.
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| Temple of Hadrian |
We were struck by the modernity of life in ancient Ephesus. The city had a well-developed public water system, with flush toilets and indoor plumbing in many homes.
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| Terrace houses |
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| Archaeologists reconstructing fragmentary artifacts |
Ephesus was home to many wealthy merchants, and their large terrace houses featured luxuries such as central heating, fountains and extensive artwork.
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| Allison in her rightful place on a pedestal! |
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| Library of Celsus |
The Library of Celsus is a highlight at Ephesus. Once one of the largest libraries in the world, it held approximately 12,000 scrolls within climate controlled double walls.
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| Grand Theater |
Also noteworthy is Ephesus' Grand Theater. With seating for 25,000 people, the Grand Theater was used for political and religious gatherings as well as entertainment.
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| Lunch at Sultankoy |
After exploring Ephesus, we were hungry for some of the delicious Turkish cuisine. Turkey is a major agricultural producer, and many of its popular dishes feature fresh local vegetables such as eggplant and cucumber.
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| Traditional rug weaving |
We enjoyed a delightful lunch al fresco on the grounds of the Sultankoy institute, which was established to help preserve Turkey's rich rug weaving tradition.
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| Organic dying of rug textiles |
After lunch we toured Sultankoy's facilities, observing the methods taught there for processing textiles like wool and silk and hand weaving them into beautiful finished rugs.
From Sultankoy we returned to Kusadasi and walked through the residential neighborhood surrounding our hotel. Kusadasi is an important cruise ship port, but our hotel was outside the main tourist district so the walk afforded a glimpse of everyday Turkish life.
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| Kusadasi Castle |
That evening we walked into downtown Kusadasi for dinner. Along the way we passed picturesque Kusadasi Castle and the city's fleet of colorful fishing boats.
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| Kusadasi Harbor |
The next morning we traveled south from Kusadasi to Bodrum, a port city where the Aegean meets the Mediterranean. Turkey is a major producer of cotton textiles; our drive passed through miles of cotton fields, and by Wrangler and Lee blue jean factories.
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| Cotton fields outside Soke |
In Bodrum we first settled in at our hotel, then enjoyed a light lunch of assorted mezes at a waterfront restaurant.
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| Bodrum Harbor from Bodrum Castle |
After lunch we toured some of Bodrum's important attractions. First was the Tomb of Mausolus at Halicarnassus. One of the original seven wonders of the world, this ancient tomb was the burial site for King Mausolus and his wife Artemisia.
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| Tomb of Mausolus |
Today little remains of the once huge and impressive tomb; during the Crusades, many of its stones were removed and used to build the nearby Bodrum Castle. However, the underground burial chamber has been excavated and provides a hint of the tomb's original grandeur.
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| Underground passage at the Tomb of Mausolus |
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| Gardens at the Tomb of Mausolus |
Next we visited Bodrum Castle and the Museum of Underwater Archaeology that it houses. The castle was constructed by the Knights of Saint John during the Middle Ages; its multiple towers command spectacular views over the harbor.
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| Interior of Bodrum Castle's English Tower |
The Museum of Underwater Archaeology was fascinating, with exhibits showing various types of vessels and cargo that have transited nearby waters over the millennia. Many vessels wrecked in those waters, leaving a sea bottom rich in archaeological sites.
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| Alcove in Bodrum Castle's English Tower |
The next morning, we embarked on a sea voyage of our own: three days on board S/V REMO, a 62' traditional gulet sailboat.
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| S/V REMO underway |
S/V REMO was crewed by a delightful father and son team, who not only ably navigated the vessel but also impressed us with the quality and variety of Turkish food that they served.
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| Departing Bodrum Harbor on board S/V REMO |
Over our leisurely three days on board we swam, snorkeled and walked on coastal trails.
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| S/V REMO at anchor |
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| Exploring ruins in hills east of Bodrum |
On the final day of our cruise we rendezvoused with a local dive boat and I made two SCUBA dives at a site off Kara Ada ("Black") Island. The extremely clear water provided excellent underwater visibility.
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| Rendezvous with dive boat |
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| Amphorae like those at Kara Ada dive site |
Our final night on board S/V REMO was spent in Bodrum's harbor, because we had to leave early the next morning.
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| Bodrum waterfront |
From S/V REMO's berth on the waterfront, we were able to explore Bodrum on foot.
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| Souvenir shopping |
Allison and I spent hours perusing the city's colorful markets. We shopped for souvenirs, and took in the harbor view from waterfront cafes.
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| Bodrum greengrocer |
We immensely enjoyed our trip to Turkey. The country's diverse landscapes and coast, delicious food and legendary hospitality provide many reasons for us to return some day.
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| Bodrum harbor at night |
