garyandpearl

November 27/23

Thankfully, the weather in this Turkish port was calm enough for us to visit today. It is cool, but sunny.

We started the day, trying to locate the mini bus that would take us up to ancient Ephesus, but a taxi driver named Jeff suggested that we let him give us a tour instead.

The apostle Paul lived here for quite a few years according to the book of Acts. We enjoyed a little walk through this ancient city and wondered how magnificent it must have looked in its prime.

We found a few furry friends along the way today.

Jeff took us to a few other places today as is typical for a tour in turkey.

A ceramic studio with very gifted artists:

The showroom was filled with gorgeous completed projects of all kinds!

We were taken to a jewelry shop to learn about a Turkish gem called Zultanite. It changes colors in different lights.

Of course Turkish delight was also on the menu for today. After some tasting, we picked up a box with various flavors.

We visited a leather shop which had the softest leather jackets made from lamb. I managed to get out of the shop without purchasing anything, but it was tough. 🤓

A stop at a Turkish rug factory was a must, so we learned all about the quality of the wool, cotton, and silk in these carpets and how long it takes. They have about 2200 women who make the carpets often in their own homes in their spare time.

On the way back to the ship, we drove by the beach and saw a few resorts and water parks complete with dolphins.

I am grateful that we were able to stop in this beautiful country. We had a little taste of Turkish hospitality when we were offered apple tea or Turkish coffee at almost every shop. Although it was cool today, we were glad to miss the 4 inches of rain forecast for later this week.

Tomorrow is Santorini. 😊