One of the reasons why we picked Turkey as one of the countries on our itinerary was the fact that it has such a rich and long history. Wayne and I both have wanted to see classical ruins for a long time, and then we realized, duh, there are plenty of classical ruins to visit in Turkey! It’s super close to Greece and was part of the Roman empire.
After we ended up at Değirmen farm, we discovered that we weren’t far from Ephesus (Efes in Turkish – also the name of Turkish beer!). It was the second largest city after Rome during the Roman empire and was an important trading port. It had an enormous amphitheater, a network of aqueducts, large public baths and a beautiful library. After a few centuries though the city fell from prominence because the river gradually silted up the harbor and it became unusable. The history of Ephesus and the amount of remains that have been dug up/restored seemed quite impressive, so Wayne and I put on our tourist hats and joined the crowd.
The amphitheater. This place is ridiculously huge. And yes you can hear people murmuring on the stage rather clearly.
A view from about halfway up the steps in the amphitheater, looking out down the avenue. The port would have been farther into the distance. The sea is now about 5 kilometers away from Ephesus.
This amphitheater is the perfect place to let your kids loose.
Gratuitous cat photo. Like everywhere in Turkey, Ephesus was filled with cute cats.
Picturesque classical ruins ftw!
Me admiring the marble columns. Corinthian, methinks.
The drama of the library. Did you know that it’s situated in such a way that it maximizes the amount of morning light that streams in through the doorways to aid in reading?
Cool ceiling in the library.
Us in front of the library. Notice the amount of clothing I was wearing. Yes, that much clothing will keep you cooler in the heat. Wearing short shorts and a tank top will only help you get completely burnt.
Arches.
Beautiful mosaics. I love mosaics.
We spent about half the day there, I would have liked to have stayed longer to sketch a bit but the sun was just too brutal. Definitely bring a lot of water, a hat and sunscreen. If you can find a good reputable guide it would be worth the cost, but from the bits and pieces we heard from English-speaking guides they seem few and far between. In addition, taking a dolmuş from Selçuk to Ephesus is quite easy and costs only 3 lira one way per person, just ask at the main bus station.
A Surlee Voyage 
I have to say, you guys are making great advertisements to go to Turkey. I like the "gratuitous cat photo" too. Of course I would.
OMG, I’m having flashbacks to Art History class with you – I wish I could remember what we learned in that dark auditorium every Wed and Fri morningat 9:50am!