Tomorrow is our final full day with the tour and these last two days have proven themselves to be nothing short of spectacular.
How do I begin to describe the ancient ruins of Ephesus? 250,000 people once lived there, the amphitheatre seats 10,000 comfortably. The streets are paved with marble and the terraced housing includes mosaic floors, wall frescoes, and views of the city. The Roman bath house heating system kept the floors warm 24/7 and the library held over 20,000 books. Ephesus in its hayday was a happenin’ place!
The Apostle Paul spent a year and a half there and we have an entire epistle addressed to its believers in the Way. John the Evangelist wrote to the church of Ephesians in one of his seven letters and was exiled not far away on a small island called Patmos. The place is a land mine of ancient history and because the valley silted so thoroughly the ruins are incredibly well preserved. With archeological work ongoing it is a place to return to again and again. I hope we will.
We spent the night, the first of three, in Bodrum. There is a law here that all buildings must be square, only three stories high, and white washed. Blue water sailboats and luxury liners anchor lazily in the turquoise water of the harbour and the pace here is slow.
This morning we boarded a wooden sailing yacht and set off to find a quiet cove away from the sun seeking crowds. We anchored in a small bay and spent the day swimming, puttering from cove to cove and eating the delicious food prepared for us by the crew.
We came back just in time for snacks around the pool where Gord and I tucked into our private cabana with our lemonade to read and enjoy the luxury of doing nothing.
The moonrise found us on the terrace enjoying dinner with new friends, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and thanking God for His grace and the joy of His presence.
