A TURKISH DELIGHT - DAY 10 – 19 NOVEMBER 2021 – Izmir to Kusudasi

Even though we wanted to leave Izmir early to spend more time in Ephesus we were not willing to forgo the breakfast feast in the Park Hotel! The stay had been quite comfortable in the hotel, especially because it was centrally located and served a superb breakfast. By 8.15 am we were ready to leave the city we had been in for two days.

An hour's drive from Izmir lies Selcuk (pronounced Selchuk), one of the most visited places in Turkey. Known as Ayasuluk during the Ottomans and mentioned in Ibn Batuta's writings, Selcuk became an alternative to Ephesus as a settlement. The Ayasuluk Castle was built around the 6th century during the Byzantine period using stones from disused Greek and Roman buildings and it dominates the landscape. Inside the castle ruins is a small church converted into a cistern, other cisterns and a few houses.

Below the Castle on the slope of Ayasuluk Hill is where the ancient Basilica of St. John is located. The Basilica was built by Emperor Justinian in the 6th century as a tribute to the Evangelist who wrote one of the Gospels and the Revelations while living in Ephesus and tending to the Virgin Mother. Between the Castle and the ruins of the Basilica stands a scale model of the Basilica which gives one a clear idea of the magnificence of the once imposing building. The Tomb of St. John is also believed to be within the Basilica. Legend has us believe that St. John is not dead but is sleeping beneath the tomb. And, every time he breathes dust gathers around his tomb. This dust, known as ‘manna’ is reported to cure the sick.

At the Basilica entrance I had purchased a ticket that would give us access to the Basilica, Ephesus Museum, Terrace Houses and Archaeological Site. The ticket is a bit steep at 200 TL, but with the almost diminishing value of the Turkish Lira it did not feel that expensive. The Ephesus Museum is in Selcuk town. It has precious artefacts from digs around Ephesus. Excavations in Ephesus had begun in 1867 and before the founding of the Turkish Republic in 1923 all excavated material were taken away to London and Vienna. The Turkish government forbade the export of such precious artefacts and requested the foreign governments to return what was rightfully theirs. The Museum, commissioned in 1964, now houses all the artefacts from the excavations in Ephesus. Some of the remarkable exhibits in the Museum are the sculptures, statues, coins, reliefs and a scale model of the Temple of Artemis, designated as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Ephesus is barely three km from Selcuk. Founded by the Greeks in the 10th century BC and taken over by the Romans in 2nd century BC, the city lost its prominence after its plunder in 3rd century AD by the Goths. The ruins of Ephesus is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The remarkable ruins are the Great Theatre capable of seating 24,000 spectators, the Library of Celsus that once held over 12,000 scrolls, the Arcadiane that linked the Great Theatre to the Harbour of Ephesus, the Temple of Hadrian that honoured the Emperor, the Terrace Houses showing how the wealthy lived, the Gate of Augustus, the Curetes Street the main street through Ephesus and the Odeon Theatre that could seat 1,400 people. Ephesus is where Apostle Paul wrote the first letter to the Corinthians and the Epistle to the Ephesians was written while he was imprisoned in Rome. The Archaeological Site of Ephesus has a lot to offer because of its historical and religious significance.

The House of the Virgin Mary is about 7 km from Selcuk and is a place of pilgrimage. It has a separate entrance fee of 60 TL, which goes fully to the Municipality of Selcuk. The surroundings are maintained from donations. Or so it is claimed. There are many gift shops near the Holy place and the items are priced in Euros and are pretty steep. The House has been visited by three recent Popes giving rise to the credence that Mother Mary spent her last days here. There is no documented proof of the settlement, though. The small building is a humble dwelling that may well have been where The Virgin spent her time while in the care of St. John who was entrusted with her wellbeing by Jesus. Photography is prohibited in the shrine within the building, where one can make offerings and pick up candles to be lit in stands provided for that outside the shrine. 

Once the sites were completed we left for Kusudasi, which is 30 km further south of Ephesus on the Aegean coast. The previous evening when I was going through the Kusadasi itinerary I was alarmed to note that the hotel I had intended to stay had not been reserved. I made a call to them and fortunately they confirmed that a booking could be done even at that late hour. In less than an hour I was at the steps of the Demir Suit Hotel. Even from the outside it looked a bit dodgy. The person at the desk spoke no English and hence, communication was a real problem. He told me that the room would take a while to be ready and that we could wait in one of the rooms. There were no guests in the hotel to be seen and even the room we were asked to wait in was totally run down. After a while we decided that we would not stay there and went back to the reception. The receptionist was visibly relieved to know that we would not be staying there! He readily returned the money I had paid him for the room. Fortunately, as it was not busy season I found accommodation in the Ramada Hotel and Resorts. The sea facing rooms afforded glorious views of the Aegean Sea.

After resting a while we decided to explore the city centre of Kusudasi, which is a beach resort and a cruise ship destination. We were amazed by the large number of cars parked on the streets, which were totally out of sync with the number of people who could be seen around. The city has a nice seafront promenade, a Marina and a harbour. A cruise ship was at harbour and late evening it left for its next destination. The numerous hotels, pubs, cafes and restaurants indicate how popular the city is as a tourist destination. Seafood seemed to the cuisine to have in the coastal city with many restaurants showcasing that. We also went into the wet market in the city centre to see the fish that were on sale.

The promenade has children’s play areas, a small beach, prominent sculptures and even a display of sculptures of famous modern artists of the region. The Hand of Peace sculpture stands out facing the city silhouetted against the Aegean Sea with doves in the hand. The Ataturk memorial and the legend of Sisyphus too capture ones attention during a walk along the promenade. The Pigeon Island, just offshore of the city, has a walled Byzantine castle that once guarded the mainland. It is this island that gives Kusudasi its name, which is derived from the combination of Kus (bird) and Ada (island).

The Ramada Hotels and Resorts is an excellent place to stay in the city with its stunning views of the Aegean Sea, commodious rooms and a fantastic buffet dinner.