3/33 – Ancient Turkey – 18/19 Sep 2025

Thur 18 Sep 2025

The Home, and indeed most of the town, was still asleep as I left, discovering on the way that the town was much bigger than I had thought. With the improvement in the weather, not too hot and not too cold, and as my ride was relatively short, I was planning some sightseeing today to the ancient city of Nyas.

The thing about Turkey is that many of its ruins predate the stuff we’re used to seeing. Mostly we see Greek and Roman stuff, but here there are ruins going back to the Classical period and before. Much of the early stuff has been rebuilt after one catastrophe or another, has been remodelled, or simply rebuilt; what is believed to be the original city of Troy for example, is beneath 6 or 7 later layers. It’s certainly not as well preserved as the later ruins in Greece, Italy et al.

 The city at Nyas is small by comparison with some of the ancient sites, but I was impressed nonetheless. Maybe it was the fact that I was the only one there, I could wander at will, and it only cost € 3 to get in. I spent a very enjoyable coupe of hours wandering amongst the ruins and through the olive trees. 

I never cease to be impressed at these places. The building techniques are fascinating; self-supporting arches that have stood for centuries in this earthquake prone region. One particular feature here was a long tunnel leading to a bridge. 

Then it was on to Selçuk, which is next to the Ancient city of Epheus and the Temple of Artemis.

I visited the temple which was only 300 metres from my hotel, just before closing. I had 20 minutes to visit the site, and this was more than enough. Apart from one column still standing, the site is essentially a field full of rocks.

Fri 19 Sep 2025

Up early today to visit the main site before the multitude of tour buses I was told would be there. I walked the 3 km to the site and was astonished to see the entrance fee was € 40! I thought about not going in, but then …

The site overall is impressive in its scale – it was a major city after all, but few of the buildings have survived, or been restored, sufficiently to easily recognise them as such. More piles of rocks. That said, the size of the main theatre is impressive and the façade of the library almost makes it with the visit on its own.

The city maybe had one of the first pedestrian precincts ever; at the top of the main street, named Curetttes Street, stands the Gate of Hercules, which prevented wheeled traffic from accessing it from above. This street is much longer and wider than the main street I saw yesterday, especially before the crowds invade.

I thought I had found my own version of hell a few days ago on the beach at Side, but the crowds here were something else altogether! I was there early, but by 1000, the buses arrived in convoys and on them legions of tourists. I was going against the flow – ha, ha! – an it was like facing a stampede.

On my way back to the hotel  passed a carpet weaving place and, of course, couldn’t resist going in – like the last thing I need is another carpet!

Anyway, I was glad I did. I was given a tour by Riset, showing me the weaving process, and the raw silk. He then gave me a show of some of their best carpets, and did his best to get me to break my promise to myself. There was one he might have succeeded with. It was pure silk in the most amazing shade of green and black; fortunately, for me, or unfortunately, depending on which perspective you take, it was still on the loom. I could have stayed there for ages looking at the different motifs and types of carpet: pure silk; silk and wool; pure wool; wool on cotton and, surprisingly, bamboo. Some of the carpets were works of art, taking some years to weave, and when I asked  for a photo beside his favourite, he chose one showing a mini Last Supper.

Sat 20 Sep 2025

All I had to do today was to get to the ferry port at Çesme. And I succeeded, but not before a revisit to the carpet centre.

Did I escape Turkey without buying a carpet? That’s a story for another day! However I did get lunch.

After a quiet night in, making sure I had everything in order for the two ferry rides tomorrow, that was Turkey.