Day IV- Efes

We’re in a small run-down red car that serves as the shuttle from Jimmy’s Place. It’s a free shuttle, and it’s a shuttle to go to the one place that justifies the existence of Selcuk town on the tourist map.

Ephesus.
The site for Roman ruins is one of the largest in the world. And why not- Ephesus, or Efes, has been around since around 5-600BC, seeing people and civilisations come and go.
Its cold here as well. Not as cold as Istanbul, but not as sunny as our last day there either. We make our way past the YTL15 tickets booth and milling guided groups, into the site. On our left is an imposing but inviting hill, one of many that from one side of this ancient city. Ahead us the land stretches out for a bit before disappearing behind the curve of the smaller hill on the right. There is enough about the history of Ephesus that can be read, the stories behind the ruins, the imagination they provoke.
But what is ours entirely to absorb is the place, and being there by ourselves. Don’t mistake me, for all of the 5-and a bit hours we spend there, we are surrounded by tourists. Mostly large groups, being herded by guides who any or all of loud, interesting, showy and hurried. We are on our own pace, though- innumerable groups start after us, pass us by and disappear towards the other end, while we linger here and there, explore some rocks and sit on others, take photographs or just stand around, trying to take it all in. That the sun comes out soon after we enter and stays with us for the day is a blessing we are truly grateful for- suddenly everything looks richer.

I am surprised at how I have little to say about Ephesus now. Unless you are a history buff, you are not going to see it from an entirely historical perspective. Most likely you will enjoy the walk; be awed by the incomprehensible age of the things around you, by unfathomable and countless stories hidden in writings and rocks alike, by beautiful and imposing structures, by the desire to build them- of a kind that will never come back.

One has done no justice to this with words, so maybe you could go check out the photos, they might do a tad better.