Day 42 to 53: Kuşadası, Dilek Peninsula, Didyma

Leaving Selçuk was like leaving a newly known friend for me. I saluted it with the promise in my heart to come back and went on.

My next stop was Kuşadası(BirdIsland). It is a well known touristic summer spot within us. During all my life I listened about Kuşadası from people who went or from people who have friends going or living there. I've seen its photographes many times. But still didn't know so much about it. Of course my two day visit won't be enough to know it but even only to se it with my own eyes was something for me.

Kuşadası

Kuşadası is a touristic Aegean town with a city life. It rises through the hills which are looking to Aegean Sea. Its most populated and touristic part is, of course, the sea line. It has a long sea line with pedestrian way and road ending at its symbol, The Pigeon Island.

The Pigeon Island

The every minute of the day crowded Old Bazaar location, the shopping centers and the bar's street are also on the sea line. For me the mostly unknown thing about Kuşadası was that it has a very busy cruise harbour. There is at least one cruise ship is coming everyday. But this time, it was more than a cruise ship..!

US Navy

If you follow the sea line, passing this city part, you come to The Pigeon Island. This Island has a castle on it. Actually, the island is the castle. It is now connected to sea line with a walking way. Unfortunatelly, the castle was under restoration for two years. But at least I was able to shoot a Kuşadası photo from the sea.

If you continue walking from the sea line, you will have good views of the bays and beaches next to Kuşadası. The famous one is Women's Sea.

The Women's Sea

Two days at Kuşadası was enough for me. I've learned lots of new things about it. Although it is not a place I would like to live but was nice to meet. So I left.

Dilek Peninsula National Park

Dilek Peninsula was my short stop before Didim. Dilek Peninsula and The Delta of Big Menderes are under protection and together form a national park. Only Dilek Peninsula is 27.675 hectares. It has three beaches at the nothern side which are famous with their cleanest Aegean water , a canyon to pass from nothern side to south, ruins of two antique cities. The peninsula is also home to 33 species of endemic, 13 species of rare endemic plants within total. More 250 species of birds are living at the area and 70 of them breed at the delta. It is formaly said that the peninsula is also home to anatolian leopard whose last member is known to be killed at Diyarbakır at 2013. Since then, there is no evidence to prove that they are still living.

from web

The national park is only available for daily visit. You are not allowed to camp in it. The gates are closing at 4pm at the afternoon and the ones that are inside are expected to leave soon. Because of this, it wasn't a satisfied visit for me as I didn't have a car and the peninsula is big. I only could visit the beach side as the minibus road was passing only from this part. But I really would like to come here again. Maybe with a bike! I stayed the night in Güzelçamlı which is the nearest accommodation posibility and continued to Didim the next day.

Didim was also a stopby as Kuşadası but things changed a little. My plan was visiting Didyma, The Apollon Temple, also visit old family firends and continue to Pamukkale. But the stay which I've planned for two nights became six nights. My hesitations about passing to Milas before Pamukkale, a light flue and posibility to swim maybe for the last time this year with the hospitality of old knowns created the lenght. It was good to strenghten old relationships.

Didyma

Didyma is where the Apollon Temple is. To see this temple was important for me. Because it was built as the twin of the Artemis Temple in Selçuk. You may remember its photos. It was imposible to imagine how it was as there weren't many left. But most of the Apollon Temple was still standing. It would definetely give me an idea about how was it feeling like to be at a temple of paganism.
The effect started while climbing the steps and passing between the huge colon legs. Only three of them are still stanging but the feet of the others are also there. So you tremble. The greatness of the building takes you at the beginning. I was ready to be a pagan at the first second:)

You climb the stairs, pass the colons and reach in the temple from two narrow sloped tunnels each side. The temple has no roof. It never had. They built it this was to strenghten the effect of its glory and to keep the connection with the sky. This temple was a prophecy temple and oracle priests were living here. This is why the temple has no roof. There is a well athe heart where there was a fountain at its age. Well, I was in front of a well at the heart of a paganist prophecy temple. I rolled a coin in it with a wish.

The Apollon Temple

Selcuk in a week... Ephesus, Artemis, Basilica of St. John, Pamucak Beach, Şirince Village...

Selçuk is a small and cutty town just 3km to Ephesus. It is also the accommodation and transfer point for the ones who would like to visit Ephesus, Artemision, St. John Church, house of Virgin Mary or Isa Bey Mosque.  It is a green and friendly town with lovely local small restaurants who serve delicious traditional dishes to cheap prices. People are friendly and wellcoming with big smiles on their faces. It is not only the town itself but probably because of containing that much important religious places, some spiritual things are going on over there or I'm dreaming.

First day, I reached to Selçuk early in the morning. The hostel I was planning to stay had no vacancy but offered another one with cheaper price. That was a good deal for me. 30TL a day with breakfast. Staying in a three bed room by myself. Locals told me that after september number of tourists start decreasing and see the bottom at january and february. So, this was my luck:) 

I couldn't wait more to see Ephesus as it was my first reason to visit here. I took a minibus directly to Ephesus from the town terminal. There are minibuses to Ephesus and from Ephesus to Selçuk in every 20 minutes and costs only 2,5TL(one way). 

Ephesus... At last, I was able to visit this important ancient Greek city of Ionia. My happiness and excitement was undescribable. The city wellcome me with its big ancient open air theater. Its capasity was 25.000 people and had been used not only for plays or concerts but also for the gladiatorial combats during later Roman times.

After sitting on the steps of this fascinating theather for a while I continued walking at the wide streets of the city. The Marble Street which led me to Celsus Library had a gift for me. A chamaleon was passing across the stree with slow steps spining its eyes 360degress and looking to people. I didn't even know we have them in Turkiye. After this lovely surprise, I followed the streeet through the Celsus Library.  This library is one of the most beautiful structures in Ephesus. I don't know how many times I've seen its pictures for all my life. Now, it was standing in front of me. So beautiful!

I was unable to leave the sight of the library. I made myself move just after deciding to come back later again at the end. So I followed the Curetes Street to see the temples of Domitian and Hadrian, fountains of Trajan and Pollio, gymnasiums, the odeon... Passing from Hadrian's gate, saluting to Memmius Monument, walking withing the rooms of ancient Scholastica baths, coming back to the Harbour Street after the last "long" look to the library. I know words are not enough to describe this ancient city. So I'll share some photos to give you an idea about it.

antique open-air teather

the chamaleon I was talking about

The Celsus Library

Curates Street

temple of Hadrian

Memmius Monument

the odeon

the basilica

Second day, after having my breakfast at the hostel, I went out firstly to visit the Temple of Artemis. Ephesus is a very important religious area. Its religious days start from paganism times. Temple of Artemis is one of the biggest temples of paganism that was built in Anatolia and is one of the World's Seven Wonders. Of course there is not much left from it but to be at a place, built long before cristianity or islam was an original experience. To think that once upon a time people were worshiping to nature, respecting and loving it made me think of nowadays and how easy to destroy it for human kind. Still I felt hope. If we had done this before probably we can do it again. Maybe I'm dreaming again... Anyway, starting the day with this temple was not a spontaneous choice. It was my first stop as it was the first to be.

ruins of Artemis Temple

Second stop was Isa Bey Mosque. This time it was not because Islam came to this land as the next religion after paganism but just because it was on my way to basilica of Saint John. Isa Bey Mosque is one of the most delicate examples of Seljukian architecture, situated below the basilica of St. John. The construction of the mosque dates back to 1375 AC.

from outside

inside

Third stop; basilica of Saint John... For the ones who don't know the story, it is generally accepted that St. John came to Ephesus together with the Virgin Mary somewhere between 37 and 48 AC. where they spent the rest of their lives. After his death approximately at the age of 100, he was buried to Ayasuluk Hill according to his last request. Three hundred years after the death of St. John, a small chapel was constructed over the grave in the 4th century. This basilica is the remains of the one which was built by the Roman Emperar Justinian and his wife Theodora. It was constructed in the 5th century AC, After 14th century, due to several earthquakes the basilica became unusable. The monumental tomb of St. John is still here and every year hosts the visits of thousands of cristians.

monumental tomb of St. John

the basilica

Last stop was the inner castle. the citadel... The citadel which is on the highest point of Ayasuluk Hill is like a crown over Selçuk. Behind its proud look its long past is hidden. The walls seen today belong to Seljukid-Ottoman periods. According to the tradition, St. John wrote his Gospel on this hill and prayed there.

the citadel

Third day was a chill out day. After two days of full history, religion and spirituality my soul needed a break and felt like sea air. The address was simple; Pamucak. It's the Aegean coast of Selçuk. A long beach with cool Aegean water. The decrease at tourist number was again a luck for me. It was so pieceful and silent. A little bit windy but worth to watch the sunset. 

Pamucak beach

sunset at Pamucak

Pamucak is only 8km to Selçuk town center. It is the last stop of the minibuses going to Ephesus. There are bungalows and camping facilities for the ones who would like to enjoy a sky full of stars at night but also there are lots of hotel accommodation posibilities.

Fourth day was the time to visit Şirince Village. This old rum village has a long history starting from 5th century. Before the Republic of Turkiye, it is said that Şirince was formed over 3000 houses which means over 10.000 people. Today only around 150 houses are still living. The main living of the village is tourism and raising olives, peaces and fig. The village is also famous with its homemade fruit wines.

Şirince Village

Dimitros Church and village street

Şirince Village

the cranberry wine was delicious

I fell in love with this small and cozy village. And by coincedence, a couchsurfing host found me and offered me a place to stay for a few days. This was an offer I couldn't resist and excepted immediately. At the fourth night of my journey to Selçuk, I stayed at Şirince, woke up the next day, went to Selçuk in the morning, pick up my backpack and came back to Şirince. But they didn't let me go to Selçuk without having a breakfast first. What a lovely one it was...!

traditional turkish breakfast

Fifth day started with this packing stuff and moving to Şirince, went on with a short siesta and lasted with a nice tracking to Kaiser Rock. It is a 3,3km route and is the shortest route around the village. There are some other and longer routes around the village containing stream crossing or church and monastery ruins.

Kaiser Rock near Şirince village

I spent three nights and four days at Şirince village which I enjoyed every second. But as every good thing, we came to the end. I said goodbye to Şirince and left till our next meeting.

Selçuk, Ephesus and Şirince are generally the places where people spend mostly one or two days. But definetely there are many things to do, places to visit in and around Selçuk. You should give it a chance and I guess, it won't let you down.