Tuesday 31 May - Turkish Carpet Workshop

Just before we got back to the ship, the tour ended with a visit to a Turkish carpet workshop ....

Craftsman at work

Explaining that Turkish carpets use double knots making them superior to Persian carpets

And here are the knots ....

Almost 300 silk thread of warp and a further 300 of weft. The frame takes two months to set up , the rug a year to weave and has a starting price of $2200.  Even then it's heavily subsidised by the Turkish government who are keen to promote a dying craft.

Tuesday 31 May - Arriving back in Kuşadasi

Brilliance of the Seas at the front - Vision of the Seas behind ....

Tuesday 31 May - Highlights of Ephesus Tour: Gladiatorial Contest behind a Shopping Centre!

On the way back to the ship we stopped off at a shopping precinct/theme park called Efes (Ephesus).  There they put on a 10-minute show every half an hour or so ....

The vanquished fighter is spared by the 'thumbs up' sign - much to the disappointment of the crowd!!

Tuesday 31 May - Highlights of Ephesus Tour - The Great Amphitheatre at Ephesus

The great amphitheatre at Ephesus is mentioned in the Bible - in Acts 19 verses 21 to 41.  It's where Paul the apostle preached to the Ephesians.  It can hold at least 26000 people.

Ephesus has only been 10% excavated so far, so you can imagine how big it was, a city of around 500,000 people.  It waned and died as the river there silted up and the sea receded so it lost its place as a pre-eminent port at the end of the Silk Road from the far East to Europe.

Paul the apostle had caused such trouble preaching to the Ephesians that he was imprisoned in the building at he top if this hill.

Tuesday 31 May - Highlights of Ephesus Tour: Ephesus

We moved on to Ephesus.  We were wondering if it would be up there with such as Pompeii and Herculaneum and we weren't to be disappointed -

'Inky' was our guide on this trip.  She did give us her long name, admitted it was impossible for us to remember and suggested we call her Inky or Pinky but not Stinky!

Believe it or not, this is the small amphitheatre ....

Quick hoover round before the visitors arrive!

The black boxes had a headphone which linked to the guide - we could hear her if we stayed within about 50 metres of her.

Nike - the Greek goddess of victory

Nike do seem  to sponsor just about everything these days .... see below!

Artist's impression (left) and the real thing (right)

Yes, you've guessed - it's the gents in Ephesus! The richer citizens used their servants to pre-warm the seats!