Ephesus

To Ephesus and through Milas

Distance: 51.3 km
Time elapsed: 3 hrs 40 min
Average speed: 14 km/ hr
Max speed: 39.3 km/ hr
Temp: 42 C
Weather: Melting my tires

From the coast we diverted inland a bit to visit Ephesus, one of the largest and oldest archaeological sites in the Mediterranean.

We arrived mid morning, when the park was packed with enormous flocks of tour groups and the air was still cool. We could hardly see the ruins beyond so many oversized white bodies!


(One of my secret pleasures is photographing other people photographing Japanese tourists)


Chris surrounded by really old stuff

The two main pieces of the site; first is the library, which is gaurded by 4 female statues representing knowledge, wisdom, virtue, and intelligence. The second is the amphitheatre, one of the largest of the ancient world and able to sit 24 thousand people. The is where we picniked during the stifling heat of the day, after most of the tourists had vacated.


Voila library!


One of the guardians (not sure but something to do with being smart)

Near Ephesus there is an airfield, where a steady stream of planes takes people on airtours and then let's them parachute out into the valley. We watched several groups of brave jumpers glide in from our view atop the amphitheater.


Main boulevard, once lined with opulent statues (öaybe)


Picnik with a view

Eventually we did backtrack to the coast, passing the horrific port town of Kuşadasi, where at any given day thousands and thousands of Europeans flood the city. Eww places like this make me want to vomit all over their inflated kitchy version of Turkish culture. To make it worse are all the bitter, phoney locals that have to deal with such tourists, constantly beconing foreigners over to try and sell something. I was annoyed at having to make this detour and even more upset to have to bike uphill out of town with the sun melting my back.


Silver lining to the Kuşadasi detour: neat castle just out of town

We made our way fast down toward the southern coast, through Milas. Everyone keeps asking us if were going to Bodrum and Mamaris, where most tourists flock to drink Efes beer on the beach and eat fish-n-chips. I think I've had enough of the beaten path to last a long time. ..