After a cruise on the Bosphorus Strait that runs right thru the middle of Istanbul we had a seafood lunch at a shoreline restaurant. It was then on to a spice market visit.
We had a late flight to Kusadasi, a resort on the Aegean Sea. My room with a view of the local Castle.
The excitement for the next day required a 3 hour van ride to Pamukkale. This area has a stunning plethora of calcium carbonate deposits. It is amazing.
All the travelers can walk around the ponds to enjoy the health and wellness benefits. (I’m not quite sure what they are but Cleopatra came here and she seems to have done OK).
We drove a short distance and had lunch in a little town that had a colorful mineral water fountain.
Turkish Pizza with salad was on the lunch menu….it was pretty tasty!
We took a stroll around town and watched the ladies making flatbread on their large round stovetop.
The next day we got to sleep in —not picked up until 11am for our visit to Ephesus…one of the most important cities of the Roman Empire. By the second century, Ephesus had 250,000 citizens (Rome was the only city larger)
Elton John and other artists have given concerts in this amphitheater without a microphone.
Ephesus failed because the Meandering river dried up. All of the structures that were not “ransacked” laid buried under layers of dust until 1869. Only 20% has been uncovered and partially restored. This place is amazing!!!
After lunch we visited the House of the Virgin Mary. It is believed that she spent the last days of her life in this area. She was not safe in Rome.
There is a “wishing wall” and holy water fountains.
After a full day we took a late flight to Antalya….the Turkish riviera.
Barb Does The World 
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