The Ham Nomads

22 May 2015. <TR> Selçuk, İzmir; Kusadasi; Tavsanburnu Nature Park —

Our first port of call for today was Efes Müsei — the Ephesus Museum. It's here that most of the artifacts from ancient Epheus have been taken for display. We were most impressed by this museum — it's well set-up and the collection is displayed most effectively — and a couple of their artifacts are mind-blowing to say the least!

But first, on the way we noticed that some of the streets near the museum and leading out to the historic site have columns regularly spaced along them, lion columns copied from ones in the ancient city. Most effective!

Anyway, into the museum. The first section we came to held marbles from the first century BC to the second century AD. Here we met Socrates, and in a head of Zeus from 69-96 BC we could see our son Tristan — he has always claimed to have a god-like profile! Don't let it go to your head, Tweedles!

Zeus — er, Tweedles?

They also have two statues of the goddess Artemis, one from the first century AD, the other fron the second. Magnificent!

There are also the head and arm of the unpopular emperor Domitian, removed from the Domitian fountain in Ephesus on his passing — and presumably buried to be out of sight, out of mind, but in fact put into a form of safe long-term storage for the archaeologists of the twentieth century!

Other fascinating pieces of stone include the four blocks from the frieze on the Temple of Hadrian. The temple in the ancient city now bears copies, and the originals are here. They are so interesting that we will list the figures as they appear in the frieze:

Block 1

1. Male figure representing the region
2. Female figure holding a vase representing the source Hypelaios
3. Armoured male figure (Androcles?)
4. Androcles on horseback hunting a wild boar
5. Warrior

Block 2

1. Male figure with a shield
2. Heracles
3. Nike
4. Dressed male figure in front of altar (Theseus?)
5. Altar and the cultic figure (in the back)
6. Male figure holding a spear
7. Heracles
8. Amazon
9. Amazon
10. Amazon
11. Amazon

Block 3

1. Amazon
2. Amazon
3. Amazon
4. Amazon
5. Pan
6. Dionysus
7. Satyr
8. Dancing Satyr
9. Male figure on an elephant (Satyr? / Dionysus?)
10. Maenad holding a tympanum

Block 4

1. Dea Roma
2. Selene?
3. A god?
4. Apollon
5. Artemis
6. Androcles and his dog
7. Heracles
8. Dionysus
9. Hermes?
10. Hecate?
11. Aphrodite holding a mirror? / Cybele holding a tympanum?
12. Ares?
13. Athena

We left the museum well satisfied with our explorations. We went into the park opposite for our inevitable coffees before continuing further.

We got into the van and started to drive further southwards, intending to stop in a campsite near Didim recommended by our Canadian friends Dan and Kate. On the way we passed near Kuşadasi, a beach resort area. We passed a couple of huge water parks, numerous resorts, and then continued through Söke, calling off near a marina to shop. The towns around here are busy, busy, busy! And in ant bit of shade at the side of the road, someone is likely to have set up a tea and coffee bar, which will inevitably be surrounded by umpteen men sitting, drinking, talking.

Söke itself is obviously growing rapidly — the number of new tenement buildings going upon its outskirts is astounding.

We passed though a little village south of Söke, with cobblestone roads, and in many of the doorways the lady of the house sitting their selling home-pressed olive oil in reused Coca-Cola bottles — and as we passed out of the town, we were confronted by a gentleman with fresh eggs for sale.

We reached Tavşanburnu Tabiat Park (Tavşanburnu Nature Park), and settled in for the night, but not before meeting and getting into conversation with a couple of Poms, John and Lindy, and comparing our Turkish experiences!

Distance driven — today, 57 miles ( 91 km ); to date, 20,637 miles ( 33,212 km )