seabourn odyssey takes us to kusadasi

OK, before I bring my reporting on the Seabourn Odyssey cruise I just did to an end, I want to share some pictures from one more incredible place I visited. Ephesus (or Efes, as it’s known in Turkish) is a huge historical attraction and is easily accessed from Kusadasi, which was one of our ports of call.

Because we had had such an exemplary experience with our New Faces tour guide in Istanbul, we were eager to have New Faces tour us around Ephesus as well. As we disembarked the ship for the day, we found our tour guide Eylem ready and waiting for us. He escorted us to our air-conditioned van and we were off, on the 25-minute drive from the port to Ephesus. Eylem proved to be the best tour guide we could have asked for. His easy-going nature and endless knowledge made the experience easy and educational. For more information on New Faces Travel, call +90-212-227-4660 or visit newfacestravel.com.

Ephesus is like a sprawling outdoor museum. This ancient Roman town is incredible to witness in person, almost impossible to believe that this very place was inhabited by ancient peoples so many centuries ago, that they too walked these very streets. The day we visited, it was incredibly hot. Bring lots of water, sunscreen and a hat. And wear comfortable walking shoes that have non-slip soles. The roads have patches of smooth marble, making them quite slippery at times.

The marble street connects the Great Theatre with the Library of Celsus, pictured above. The Library of Celsus was completed in the year 135 and is a towering example of ancient Roman architecture. Much of the facade has been restored but the original building materials were brick, concrete and mortared rubble.

This stone carving of Nike, the goddess of victory, shows the inspiration for the corporate Nike logo.

Stray cats roam through the ancient marble streets of Ephesus, seeking out patches of shade on hot days. They’re rather emaciated but beautiful, too.

Not far from Ephesus is the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World. There’s not much left; today the temple’s remnants include a lone column over which many storks fly. It’s a Greek temple, though it’s situated in present day Turkey, and was completed in about 550 BC.