We tested out the Marina restaurant last night.  There is only one restaurant and 1,600 berths so you can imagine.  It took forever for our order to be taken and the noise level was ridiculous, but Randal said his steak actually tasted like meat.  My fried calamari was quite good too.  I can’t imagine what the weekends might be like since we ate there Wednesday night.  It’s getting a bit warmer here; we just need two blankets at night.  Weather seems to be similar to Roanoke, VA.  Now back to Ephesus.

Ru

Ephesus Part 2

The Temple of Hadrian

The reliefs show the goddess of fortune, Fortuna, Medusa, and a series of friezes telling the story of the establishment of Ephesus. These are actually reproductions. We saw the originals when we visited the Ephesus Museum which was small and very good.

Medusa’s arch.

“No matter how high or great the throne, what sits on it is the same as your own.” Chad Mitchell Trio

So, maybe you can guess where I’m sitting. As I type this it occurs to me how many ancients sat where I’m “sitting.”

Public Latrines

“The public latrines were considered in such a metropolis. A water channel connected to the city sewage system was laid to prevent the unpleasant odour in the latrines quickly which was under the U-shaped sitting places of marble with holes. A narrow water channel in front of the closets provided the opportunity of cleaning who were sitting in the latrines. In this place which could serve to fifty people at the same time, the people were sitting side by side by gathering up the skirts of their togas a little bit. The floor around the pool in the middle was covered with mosaics.” The Metropolis of Antique Age Ephesus- English- New Edition

I’ve typed it exactly as it is written in the guide booklet.

The Brothel

The brothel is located behind the public latrines and across from the public library.

This marble slab was imbedded at the beginning of the Marble Road, its symbols indicating the presence of a brothel at the end of the road. The foot means “follow me” and I guess the symbol below the foot is supposed to be a woman.

The latrine, the brothel and the library all across from each other. Now libraries have bathrooms and some have even started “literary speed dating” evenings so what seems new is really quite old.

The Celsus Library.

The “gang of 4,” Michael, Linda, Ru, Randal at the library.

Construction of the library was completed in 125 A.D probably by the grandson of Celsus who is actually buried in the library. It had a collection of 12,000 “roll books” which were destroyed during an invasion by the Goths in 265 AD. Much of the library was restored between 1970-1978 so what we saw is somewhat of a recreation.

I’m pointing to the word Bibliothek. The “library cat” and the Asian ladies.

Harbour Street and the Grand Theater in the distance.

When Ephesus was founded this road, 11 meters wide and 530 meters long led from the harbor on the river to the Grand Theater. By the Middle Ages the river had been filled in with alluvium.

Randal and I walked into the Grand Theater just in time for the performance!

A group of South Korean tourists were acting as audience as one of their members sang for them and for those of us lucky enough to catch the performance. Randal remembers that she was singing what was probably Italian opera. As their group walked past us out of the theater following their tour leader, the rest of us clapped. The Koreans seemed to make a point to tell us they were from South Korea and asked how we liked the performance. We said it was wonderful. That made them happy.

By then I was starving and thankfully it was time to have lunch at the carpet shop.