Delightful Turkey Trip 12th - 21st April 2008 Part 3

15th April 2008 (Tuesday)

Our first stop was to visit the House of Virgin Mary. The surroundings was rather peaceful. We were not allowed to take any pictures in the house, and also had to be very quiet when inside...

There was an area where you can collect holy water from the tap. There were 3 sources - Love, Wealth & Health. There was also a wall where you could write your wishes on paper and tie them into knots on the wall. Some of the wishes were quite heart-wrenching, especially when you saw pictures of some little kid suffering from cancer.....This piece of wall reminded me of the way the Japanese tied their wishes in knots onto the wooden structure or trees in those shrines.

Following that, we went to visit a leather manufacturing factory - Naturel Leather Goods'. The GM of the company taught us a few tricks & tips to buying leather products. The fashion show was very entertaining because 3 of our tour members - Carol, Rhinda & Raymond - were chosen to go up onstage to do the catwalk!!! Raymond's attire was really atrocious!!! He had this afro big hair wig and a jacket that looked like patchwork blanket!!!

Some of the group members bought the leather jackets as Rick told them that the quality is very good and that they are very durable.

After that, we set off for Ephesus!!! YEAH!!! I'm dying to see my MAJESTIC LIBRARY OF CELSIUS!!!!!! I loved this place as it reminded me of Egypt.... ok ok... I think its that "Indiana Jones" feeling that's emerging everytime I step into a place rich in History... I always imagine lots of hidden secrets and treasures abound... and try to imagine life back then... somehow I really felt that its a pity they don't offer archaeology in Singapore universities...

The Temple of Hadrian and the Library of Celsius could be found at the back of a $20 Turkish Lira note.

Anyway, I was very much amazed by the Library of Celsius even if its just the 'gate' that's standing there... There was this "first advertising sign" on the footpath that has a pretty funny story behind it.

According to Taner, there was this brothel that was linked by an underground passage from the Library of Celsius to the right. This piece of 'advertising sign' said that if you have an empty heart and you have the money, there is a beautiful girl waiting for you on the right. If not, please go to the library to read some books and make yourself useful." haha.... how innovative!

The toilets in the olden day were just one row of holes!!!!

The Grand Theatre was very interesting too! AT least the accoustics were good! Some group was there singing! Their voices were beautiful and the 'sound system' was really good! How I wish Mayday was there!!!

After that we went to visit the Temple of Artemis before going for lunch.... I was so famished!!!!! Breakfast was pathetic! Lunch was also equally PATHETIC.... sigh .....

The next trip was an interesting one as we moved on to Pamukkale. Along the trip, we passed by this tiny village where the they had this tradition where if there's an unmarried woman in the household, they will put empty bottles on the roof. If any young man would like to marry this woman, he would need to come and shoot the bottle. Once the bottle is shot down, they can arrange to meet the parents. If the girl brewed sweet tea for you, it means they are willing to accept your marriage proposal! haha... so CUTE!!

The cotton castle in Pamukkale were simply breathtaking! We were able to take off our shoes to walk on the 'limestone' formations. Its so pretty!!!!! But the feeling of walking on these limestone formations do not feel like 'cotton'!!! Its as if we went for a foot reflexology session!

The hotel that we were staying for the night had "hot spring water". Its called "Lycus River Thermal Hotel". We met a man called "Saoban" in the Jaccuzzi room. He told us he would be turning 40 years old the next week! He's divorced and had 2 kids! WOW! HE didn't look like he's 40 years old! I felt that people in Turkey looked very much older than their age... is it because of the weather?? Or is it because of the genes? hmmmm

The next day was a tiring one as we would be travelling almost 8 hours to go to Cappadocia!!!!