Above Ephesus

Saturday we left Pamukkale, where we had spent two nights in a parking area at the bottom of the terraces, and drove back to the vicinity of Selcuk and nearby Ephesus.

Detouring for a drive-by of the less-developed Laodikeia;

here, its pretty ruined theatre

And some other structures

We thought we'd drive up to the Meryemana,

the conjectured house of the Virgin Mary,
where she spent her last years, mainly to see
if overnight parking was possible; it wasn't,
so we drove back down the mountain a ways
and found a nice enough lay-by

Ephesus used to be a harbor city, until silting up, and

I wanted to get a view of the Aegean nearby; so I started

walking up the road, then turned off onto a forest service-

type road, then off onto a footpath leading to the top of

the ridge, wherefrom, I reasoned, I might be able to see

Ephesus and the sea; atop this ridge (Bulbul Dagi, Mt.

Coressos) run the ruins of a wall and towers, which I later

learned were Hellenistic

There's the sea, and you can also see the silted-up plain

that was once Ephesus' harbor (as I write, we're on the
beach there, at Pamucak)

So I hiked up to the wall and one of the towers



For a nice view of Selcuk

Its citadel, the Isa Bey Mosque, St. John's, and Garden

Camping

And Ephesus; its Odeon

Other structures

And theatre

Hierapolis

After walking up through the terraces--a singular experience I do recommend, even to those as tender-footed as I--we entered the ancient city of Hierapolis, a spa resort now, and as long before. First Hellenistic, then Roman, it declined as the Christians took over, who replaced pleasure with guilt.

The major baths are now the museum



But the antique pool remains...



Where you can swim among the relics, columns and capitals; I miscalculated 
the temperature, figured it to be merely tepid, and so we didn't go

Nymphaneum

One of many huge spare parts lots

Temple of Apollo

Theatre; there was so much else to see in Hierapolis, I'll spare you the interior, 
high, and low shots

A part of the major agora and victory column

Hillside remains of Greek theatre

Main street

The Latrine; seriously, I have interior shots to prove it



Yet another set of baths



Tomb

Other than the terraces, perhaps the most impressive feature of Hierapolis 
is its necropolis, which seems to go on and on and on 

Or possibly the plumbing, with miles of these raised little 
artificial ditches, bringing the mineral water wherever it was 
needed

Pamukkale

Pamukkale means "cotton castle," and it is a series of high travertine terraces, fed by hot springs, that have long been of scenic and recreational interest. At the top of the terraces is the Hellenistic/Roman spa city of Hierapolis (next post). The terraces are best seen from above, and there are three ways (other than flying) of getting there: 1) drive up to the south gate and walk to the boardwalk, 2) drive up to the north gate and walk to the boardwalk, and 3) walk up the terraces to the top. We opted for 3). But I should note that 3) entails doing the terrace walk barefoot (for environmental reasons) and also entails walking back down. As an American, I can say Pamukkale is similar to Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone. But Pammukale is far more vast, is alive, and has a great ancient city at its top. I'll just let the pix speak for themselves.

Afrodisias

From Selcuk we headed back inland to see three of the most famous classical and natural sites in Turkey, the ruins at Afrodisias, the travertine terraces of Pamukkale, and, above them, the Roman spa city of Hierapolis. Afrodisias (that's how the Turks spell it) was one of the best sites we have seen yet, in the extensiveness and condition of its structures but also in the many interesting un-reassembled parts just laying around everywhere.

Us in front of the great city gate of Afrodisias

Afrodisias' stadium, seating 30,000, the best-preserved such structure from the 
Roman world



Many of the seats had markings on them, said to be seating reservations! 
("Family of Pseudolus Maximus, IV seats, home games,  LXIX...Go LIONS!")



Temple of Aphrodite; later a basilica

A mason's mark (to get paid)

One of the city's two agora, part of the south agora

Looking back to the north agora and Hadrian's Baths

The theatre, built into the side of a hill excavations of which revealed neolithic 
habitation going back to 5800 BCE

Looking from the hill back toward the Temple of Aphrodite and the stadium: 
the long line of columns traces the length of a pool and arcade in the south agora

Public hall and more baths

Remains of the Sebasteion, a three-level arcade for the worship of emperors 
and glorification of the empire; remains of many of the friezes are in the museum

Museum annex, where most of the Sebasteion resides; the museum contains a 
great wealth of statues, busts, and other items recovered in the various 
excavations, many in very good condition

Perhaps the most important of which is this, the city's official 
statue of Aphrodite

Garden Camping, Selcuk

We have not seen all the campgrounds in Turkey, nor is it completely fair to judge them in the low-season, but the best we have come across is Garden Camping, in Selcuk. It is in a wooded area just under the citadel, away from the city, part of a large organic farm, with all the facilities and amenities, and within easy walking distance of all Selcuk's sights. Ephesus is walkable too, if a bit more distant. In high season, its restaurant is reputedly one of Selcuk's best, with everything very locally-sourced. We happened to be at Garden Camping during Kurban Bayrami, the Festival of the Sacrifice, most important of Turkish and Islamic holidays. The remarkable Sallioglu family, who have businesses and interests in Italy, Istanbul, and Selcuk, were singularly wonderful hosts, educating us about Turkish products, customs and life, and inviting us and the other camper couple to share in the Festival Feast.

Entrance to Garden Camping

A couple ancient--archaeological grade--hamami adjoin the

property 



Our wash, just below the citadel...



We got to know them well enough to buy a small rug--which is saying something 
in our case--alas, not the beautiful silk-on-silk pictured (next time, after we have 
won the lottery); pictured with us is Mehmet Sallioglu

Festival of the Sacrifice Feast: the Netherlands camping couple, Sallioglu 
daughters  Nesrin and Gulseren, mother Emine, father Mehmet, daughter 
Ilayda Selma, and Vicki; Nesrin has a textile/fashion design firm in

Istanbul; Ilayda is a pop singer of note (http://www.ilaydamusic.com/); 
Gulseren runs the campground; Mehmet has businesses in Italy and Turkey; 
mother Emine keeps it all going and is a great chef; a fourth daughter, Nuray, 
is a stock broker in Istanbul



In memoriam: Ralph the Ram, whose sacrifice provided us with breaded and fried 
liver and boiled rib meat; he was joined by seasoned rice and a luscious tomato 
salad and home-baked bread; followed by assorted fruit and Emine's special 65-layer 
home-made baklava; all a great treat and privilege for us