KUSADASI, TURKEY

KUSADASI

ANOTHER EXHAUSTING DAY IN PORT. TODAY IT WAS KUSADASI, TURKEY, LAND OF THE ORIENTAL CARPET STORE, JEWELRY STORE, FAKE WATCH STORE AND FAKE HANDBAG STORE. I BOUGHT NOTHING. THE MERCHANTS WERE NICE AND NOT TOO PUSHY BUT I HAVE NEVER SEEN SO MANY STORES IN ONE PLACE ALL SELLING THE SAME THINGS. COMPETITON IS FIERCE HERE. JERRY STOPS TO TALK TO EVERYONE SO BY THE END OF THE DAY I WAS READY TO STRANGLE HIM. WE SPENT ALL MORNING WINDOW SHOPPING. AT NOON WE GOT ON A PUBLIC BUS AND WENT TO EPHESUS, A CITY CREATE BY THE IONIANS IN THE 11TH CENTURY B.C. AND LATER EXPANDED BY THE ROMANS. IT WAS A FAVORITE PLACE OF CLEOPATRA AND MARK ANTHONY, NOT THE SINGER. IT IS IN A FAIRLY WELL-PRESERVED AND QUITE INTERESTING. MY FAVORITE BUILDING IS THE LIBRARY OF CELSUS, WHERE WE TOOK A PHOTO TEN YEARS AGO WHEN WE WERE LAST HER. SO OF COURSE WE TOOK THE SAME PHOTO TODAY. THERE WERE HORDES OF TOURISTS SPEAKING EVERY LANGUAGE, SOMETHING I DON’T REMEMBER FROM LAST TIME. I AM SURE THAT MY FOOTPRINTS LANDED EXACTLY WHERE CLEOPATRA WALKED. NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. WE WALKED OUR FEET OFF FOR HOURS IN THE HOT SUN TRYING TO SEE EVERYTHING. THEY HAVE A MAGNIFICENT AMPHITHEATER THERE AS WELL WITH FABULOUS ACOUSITCS. WHAT A PLACE! SINCE WE TOOK THE PUBLIC BUS THERE WE HAD TO FIND A PUBLIC BUS BACK AND THAT WAS NO EASY FEET. WE HAD TO WALK ABOUT A MILE DOWN A COUNTRY ROAD WHERE WE FOUND FRUIT TREES, RASPBERRIES AND COTTON GROWING. WE REALLY WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE BUT ONCE WE GOT DOWN TO THE MAIN ROAD WE FOUND A BUS STOP AND MADE IN BACK TO TOWN. WE WENT THROUGH A NATIVE FLEA MARKET AND BOUGHT DELICIOUS CASHEWS TO NIBBLE ON INSTEAD OF LUNCH. WE ALSO HAD A MILKSHAKE. I HOPE WE DON’T COME DOWN WITH A GOOD CASE OF DYSENTERY! THE TURKISH PEOPLE ARE VERY NICE AND WE ENJOYED OUR DAY HERE IN KUSADASI VERY MUCH. TONIGHT IS A WHITE PARTY ON THE SHIP WHERE EVERYONE IS ASKED TO DRESS IN WHITE AND ATTEND A SPECIAL PARTY ON THE POOL DECK AT MIDNIGHT. THEY PROBABLY WILL THROW US ALL OVERBOARD IN OUR WHITE SHROUDS. WE’LL SEE. WE ARE PARKED RIGHT NEXT TO THE BRILLIANCE OF THE SEAS WHICH IS REALLY A LOVELY SHIP. THEY ARE GOING ON TO SANTORINI WHILE WE HEAD FOR ANOTHER OVERNIGHT PORT STOP IN ISTANBUL, TURKEY. TOMORROW WE CRUISE UP THE BOSPHOROUS STRAIGHT AND I CAN’T WAIT FOR THAT BECAUSE WE WILL PASS SOME FASCINATING SIGHTS SUCH AS GALLIPOLI. WE ONLY HAVE A FEW MORE DAYS ON THE SHIP SO WE ARE GOING TO MAKE THE MOST OF THEM.