Mediterranean Cruise- Kusadasi/Ephesus, Turkey

Kusadasi/Ephesus may be our favorite stop on any of our European travels.  The religious significance of this area is very important to us and it was amazing to see some of these places where friends and family of Jesus actually walked.  We had an excellent tour guide who was able to explain all of the sights, which was very helpful because signage was limited.

 First we went to the House of the Virgin Mary.  It is widely believed that St. John took Mary to live in this house after the death of Jesus.

Then we went to see the actual ruins of Ephesus.  Some of the more notable sites are pictured here:

The theater could hold 25,000 people.  It was used for plays and for gladiator competitions. 

Much of the original plumbing is still in tact.  These are pipes used to carry water in and out of the city.

Original roads of Ephesus.

Hadrian's Temple

These are the terrace houses, which are particularly fascinating because much of the paint and mosaics on the walls, floors, and ceilings are still in tact.  These were the "city apartments" for the most wealthy citizens of Ephesus.

 Library of Celsus.

This is one of the places in Ephesus that St. Paul was commonly known to preach.

Finally, we went to see Artemis' Temple.  Although it is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, it seemed a bit underwhelming compared to some of the other ruins.

Little man was a little worn out by all of our sight seeing!!

After going through the ruins, we went to have lunch at one of the places where the weavers make traditional Turkish rugs.  Lunch consisted of several Turkish salads, bread, and roasted, kabob-like chicken.  It was amazing to see the intricacy and beauty of some of the weavings.

We couldn't get back on the ship without trying a Turkish gyro from a street vendor.

We would highly recommend a trip to Ephesus and hope to one day be able to see more Christian heritage sights in Israel and beyond.