One's destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things - Henry Miller

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Athens and Kusadasi
























26/06/2010 8:37 PM
Great news about our eldest grandson. Hope all who are on holidays are able to enjoy them.
I’ve crumbled with the flu but have still been able to enjoy tours with the help of Panadol, cough lollies, hot tea and lemon and bed rest between outings.
Can you believe it? Yesterday we saw were St Paul addressed the Athenians and today we sat where he addressed the Ephesians and railed against their Roman Goddess of Fertility, Artemis. For his troubles he was imprisoned because he was going to destroy the trade of the tinsmiths and goldsmiths of the day who did a roaring trade in statues of Artemis. Thinking on the present political situation in Australian, some things never change!
Yesterday we had a great 4 hour tour of Grecian ruins walking up 80 odd steps to the Acropolis and Parthenon and looking down on the rock where St Paul stood and addressed the Athenians. Today we were in Ephesus, the second most important archaeological centre for Roman ruins. The city was built so long ago that the seafront it once bordered is now 8 km away because of the siltation, climate change and earthquakes that have taken place over the years. We walked down its marble-paved street to the reconstructed remains of the third biggest library of the ancient world. Our beautiful tour guide in her lovely aqua hat had her university graduation ceremony in front of the library (pictured).
These first two countries of the Mediterranean that we have visited so far, Greece and Turkey, have been amazing – clean, inviting and so interesting. Having just dipped a toe into each but both are already calling us to come back!
Tomorrow it is Istanbul and a tour of, among other things, a museum that began life as a Christian church, St Sophia’s, and was already over a thousand years old when Columbus discovered America. The time frames are just mind boggling and you really begin to understand the true meaning of “awe” when you stand in front of these architectural masterpieces of art and craftsmanship.
We actually did some shopping today...we bought 3 peaches and three figs. They tasted as good as they look. Look at the size of them against Kiwi!
Bed calls...AND Hobo 1 is flicking TV channels and it’s impossible to keep track of what’s happening behind me. I’ll have to go and take control of that remote before I go insane.

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