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Week 17
Bursa, Turkey
This week we set off from Istanbul and headed to the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Early in our journey, we pass through the Bursa region which is known for its gardens, fruits and silk as Bursa lies along the Silk Road.
The Silk Road was the main trade route connecting the East and West and was central to the economic, cultural, political, and religious interactions between these regions from the 2nd century BCE to the 18th century.
Ephesus, Turkey
As we continue our journey down the coast, we come upon the former site of the ancient city of Ephesus. The city was once considered the most important Greek city and the most important trading center in the Mediterranean region.
Our first stop is at the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Originally constructed in the 7th century BC, the Temple of Artemis as dedicated to Artemis, one of the most revered Greek deities, who was the goddess of the hunt, chastity, childbirth, wild animals and the wilderness.
Then...
Now...
Ephesus played a vital role in the spread of Christianity. Starting in the first century A.D., notable Christians such as Saint Paul and Saint John visited and rebuked the cults of Artemis, winning many Christian converts in the process. Not every Ephesian was open to Paul’s Christian message. Chapter 19 in the Book of Acts tells of a riot started by a man named Demetrius. Demetrius made silver coins featuring the likeness of Artemis. Tired of Paul’s attacks on the goddess he worshipped, and worried that the spread of Christianity would ruin his trade, Demetrius plotted a riot and enticed a large crowd to turn against Paul and his disciples. Ephesian officials, however, protected Paul and his followers and eventually
Christianity became the city’s official religion.
In addition to the evangelism of Saint Paul and Saint John, Mary, the mother of Jesus, is thought to have spent her last years in Ephesus with Saint John. We visit a house believed to have been inhabited by Mary...
....as well as the site of the Basilica of St. John's which houses St. John’s tomb.
Then...
...Now
Beyond playing roles in Greek and Christian history, Ephesus was a center of learning as by the Celsius Library, the third largest library in the ancient world with a capacity of 12,000 scrolls. The library was given as a present to Cleopatra from Marc Anthony.
Unable to track down a librarian to check out the latest John Grisham scroll, we decide to move on.
From Ephesus, we head south to the site of the ancient city of Halicarnassus where we visit another of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. The Mausoleum was built around 353-350 BC for Mausolus, the king of the Caria region. He ruled over the region for 24 years with is sister, Artemisia II of Caria who would also become his wife. When Mausolus died, his sister-wife was so heart-broken that she decided to build the most amazing tomb ever to honor her late brother-husband. Constructed of white marble, the Mausoleum stood over 140 feet high with a base measuring 120 x 100 feet. On closer inspection, we found those dimensions to be a bit exaggerated.
Anyway,
Then...
... Now
just kidding, now...
Like many of the ancient great buildings in the region, it is believed that a series of earthquakes in the 12th and 13th centuries resulted in its destruction.
Turkish Riviera
Tired of history and old buildings, we decide to take advantage of the region called the “Turkish Riviera” and head to the beach.
Although mid-November, we encounter balmy temperatures of xx and a refreshing Mediterranean breeze. After a quick nap in the sun, we venture to İztuzu Beach, a major breeding ground for the endangered loggerhead sea turtle.
Unfortunately, we learn that the turtles arrive between May and October, climbing ashore at the exact site of their birth to lay a new generation of eggs. The beach sees around 300 nests dug each year, and government regulations protect and conserve this precious natural resource. In Turkish folklore, it was said that sleeping with a turtle under your pillow warded off evil spirits. Uh, pass.
As the week comes to an end, we realize that we have seen 2 of the 7 wonders of the ancient world, some key sites in Christian history, but no Turkish Delight! Fortunately, we discover Tavuk Göğsü, an unusual yet mouthwatering dessert which is a combination of shredded chicken, milk, and sugar, dusted with cinnamon.
Not Turkish Delight, but it hits the spot.
We covered over 700 miles this week and continue to be on track to get to Bethlehem by Christmas if we don't get lazy or lost. This coming week we'll continue to make our way across Turkey in search of more Turkish delicacies and then into Syria. Keep up the great work!