Selcuk, Turkey

And they're off....again! We got up way too early and were meeting Sandra and Andreas at the port in order to catch the 7:00 am ferry to Bandirma. Our final destination was Selcuk (near Ephesus), but in order to get there we had to take a two hour ferry ride and a four and a half hour train journey. This would only get us to Izmir, at which point in time Sandra and Andreas would head off to Denizli and we would continue on to Selcuk. It was all smooth sailing until we got to Izmir. It seems that the otogar (main bus station) where we needed to go is eight kilometres on the other side of town. We weren't sure how we were going to get there. We hurried off the train, kept repeating the word "otogar" and were directed to a nearby bus stop. Within minutes, a dolmus (mini van) arrived and we jumped on, packs and all. Take note: there is no such thing as a full dolmus. It was standing room only and as we raced across town, we held on for dear life. Eventually we all got seated, except for Craig who was braced against the backpacks to ensure that they did not topple into the aisle. It took us at least 45 minutes to get to the otogar. When we did arrive, we said a hasty good-bye to Sandra and Andreas and went in search of the bus to Selcuk. We easily found it and within ten minutes, we were on the road again. We have to say that traveling in Turkey is very reasonable. For the entire journey from Istanbul to Selcuk (ferry, train, dolmus, bus) we paid 47 Turkish Lira. That is about $31 Canadian dollars. Hard to believe, isn't it?

Our home for the next two nights was the Homeros Pension. It had great reviews on Trip Advisor and we were attracted to the free shuttle to Ephesus, the laundry service and the mention of Mama's home cooking. We had such a good time and met such lovely people that we extended our stay by three nights. It is like staying with family, but we didn't have to do anything. And Mama's cooking? Absolutely delicious. In fact, Craig was even invited to cook dinner with Mama the night before we left.

So what is there to do in Selcuk? We have explored the town, including the Basilica of St. John, the Ephesus Museum and the Artemision, which was once one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Unfortunately, all that is left of the temple is one lone pillar and some foundation blocks. Not to worry, the tour buses continue to roll in and out of there all day long. Everyone, including us, wants to see what is left of it. Along with James, a young British backpacker and history enthusiast from our pension, we spent another day at Ephesus. It is reportedly the most visited tourist attraction in Turkey and the best preserved ancient city in the Mediterranean. Our knowledge in this area is seriously limited, but we were keen to learn so we broke down and hired an official Turkish guide. For 60 Turkish Lira, Vulcan spent two hours sharing his knowledge and expertise with us. It was money well spent. After Vulcan's tour, we spent another two hours exploring the site and visiting the terraced houses. The reconstruction process is slow, but the work that has been done on the terraced houses is incredible. The marble mosaic floors alone are worth the extra admission fee. Another day we took a dolmus up to a small village in the hills called Sirince, wandered around and enjoyed the views. One morning we borrowed mountain bikes from Homeros and rode out to the beach 8 km away. The sun was shining, but it was too early for swimming so we had a cay and enjoyed the peace and quiet.

It is time to go again, but we are happy and relaxed and loving Turkey. Our destination is Pamukkale and the travertine pools. Stay tuned for more adventures.

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