WOW! It has been quite some time since I've written. Sorry! Travelling with my mom, we were together always and busy, there was just never time...
We arrived in the port city of Kusadasi (koo-SHAD-ah-seh) from Samos, and were picked up by the personable & helpful Savas, from Hotel Bella in Selcuk. This is the location of the ancient city of Ephesus (amazing!) and the home of the Virgin Mary (it is believed this is where she lived with John after Jesus died). Surprisingly, I was quite affected by this religious landmark. I think because, as I sat in the corner of this small, village home (now a small chapel) looking at the kitchen-turned-altar, I could imagine her there. Mary, pushing her sleeves back, washing dishes and making meals as she talks with John about the issues of the day. Maybe partly because I visited the remains of papou & yia-yia's village homes in Greece and liked to imagine them living there... Anyway, there was very anti-christian sentiment in Ephesus at that time, as the pagan worshippers condemed christianity and those who preached it, which is why they were living up in the mountains.
We actually stayed at Pensiyon Barim, because Bella was booked, but we ate dinner there nightly - overlooking ancient ruins, drinking local wine or ''Efes'' beer, talking with Savas and the other staffers - the second night we were joined by a Canadian couple (Heather - I have great advice from them for Peru!) who had just ELOPED! I also watched the Turkish ''Sopranos'' that night on cable tv. Hilarious...
The kindness of ''friends-of-friends'' has continued to work it's magic! Our cousin Angie's nice friend Liz recommended The Apricot Hotel in Istanbul, and said ''talk to Hakan, he is an excellent guy''. He booked a room for us (at a nearby hotel, since his was full) and planned to meet us for coffee that first night. Our bus ride from Selcuk was MUCH longer than anticipated, so he offered to come over at around 1am, to help me arrange my travel plans before he left town for the Turkish Holıday Weekend. Poor guy had NO IDEA what he was in for! We got to talking, I had a million questıons and he had a bottle of wine and some lentil soup (believe it or not, a good combination)... next thing I knew it was 4am and I had the makings of a plan for my next week in Turkey.
It has worked out well so far... a rental car was arranged, and I was picked up at the airport today and driven to the Turkish Mediterranean city of BODRUM. The driver didn't have a map for me... so he drove us to the center to find one. He is from Marmaris, and was never in Bodrum before today. In other words, the blind leading the blind - but him speaking the language was invaluable in finding our way on foot. We stopped along the way, because I found a pair of shoes I wanted to buy (I was told by the salesman I got a 'Turkish price' not a 'tourist price' because of my 'friend'). We never found a map (the tourist info office was closed for the Turkish Holiday) but he asked and asked until we found Mars Otel. We then found our way back to the car park, and I drove him to the bus station so he could head home. He said this was ''special'' service and I don't doubt it. I feel very lucky to be helped how I have been, throughout my travels. (I didn't even mention the nice guys at the front desk of our hotel who were so sweet and helpful - Volcan told me mom hugged him when she left this morning. He thought she was so kind)
Tomorrow I will drive to Marmaris to see the old quarter, which has beautifully restored, seaside Greek homes. I am picturing a small village surrounded by a yacht-crowded city. Then on to Saklikent Gorge for a hike and trout lunch at the mouth of the river. I plan to stay in a treehouse (www.kadirstreehouses.com) from which you can walk to the beach, through the ancient city of Olympos (as in ZEUS, etc). They also have a dive center and many wreck and cave dives to choose from.
The next day I might stay near Lake Egirdir, which was highly recommended, or head straight to Cappadocia (www.goreme.com) to hopefully stay in a cave/room, tour the Lord Of The Rings-looking fairy castles and underground cities, see a ceremony of Whirling Dervishes (www.sarihan1249.com) and -weather-permitting- take a sunrise hot air balloon ride. A lot!
I will fly back to Istanbul on Saturday to experience the nightlife as a local and check it the city some more -- then back to Bodrum for some diving, and then hop on a ferry back to the Greek Isles.
Am I showing off? I don't mean to rattle off all of this stuff (I just spent 2 hours planning it all on-line so it's quite fresh). I guess, as you can probably tell, I am EXCITED! By the way - the Turkish alphabet has different letters and the keyboards reflect that. So if my i and ı are ever mixed up at all, I apologize.
OK time for bed. All the best to everyone! -steph