EPHESUS, Artemis and Kusadasi
June 21, 2010
Artremis and 86 degrees. What a terrific education available for the center of the Old World advancing into the New World.
REST and RELAXATION Kusadasi was the winner all around~!! Sun REST and long walks along the beach....an only 4705 steps today. An easy drive to Izmir with our hosts filling us in on the history of the region and what to expect.
We did experience a visit to a our first school, The Yamanlar Ozyurt school, founded with Gülen movement principals (a transnational civic organization founded by Fethullah Gulen). We visited with two ESL teachers. One from the private school that works on English up to 8 hours a day. The public school teacher only has eight hours a week!!! Their examination program begins at grade 6, 7, 8 and then 4 years of high school with focus on Science. Recently they are expanding their focus toward the humanities. Most of their time is spent teaching for the examinations. Those who do not pass the examinations will be directed toward technical programs or other educational opportunities. In their improving educational opportunities for more learning in Eastern Turkey, they have established "study halls" to
enhance their general education. Both the private and the public education have their curriculum regulated by the government. One percent of the students pass the examinations into university.
The ESL program follows the Cambridge University system. There is very little special education taught in either of the schools. Due to the examination system, the handicapped are trained in crafts and other service venues. We will be visiting a university within days.
Ephesus, House of the Virgin Mary and Art Ceramics
Or should I say, redefining the word marathon?
This is what our revised Itinerary was for the day:
4:45 - Meet in hotel lobby
6:45 - Fly to Izmir
9:00 - Breakfast with host family
10:30 - Drive to Ephesus
11:30 - Tour Ephesus
2:00 - Lunch
3:00 - Virgin Mary's house
4:00 - Tour Art Ceramic production and showroom
5:00 - Artemis Temple
5:30 - Isa Bey Mosque
5:45 - Selcuk Museum
7:00 - Dinner with sponsor family
10:00 - Check in at hotel AND DIE!
With an itinerary like that (they kept it a secret from us until late in the day), it's no wonder that our guides wanted to make sure that we started the day with a full Turkish breakfast. The host family really delivered: Feta cheese with blackberry sauce, honey with butter, Turkish bagels, Feta filled puff pastry, cucumbers, tomatoes, cherries, orange cake, olives, and more! We arrived at Ephesus (for more info about this place http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephesus) at about 11:30. The 2 1/2 hour stroll through this historic site in 100 heat was worth every second. By the time this group photo was taken, most of us were about ready to pass out. Little did we know - the day had just begun.
After Ephesus, 2nd largest city of the Roman Empire, and its remarkable history, (besides the incredible HEAT) we began climbing into the hills looking out over the valley of Ephesus. We came to a quiet shady glade around a bend away from the Ephesus view. There John, one of Jesus’s Apostles took the mother of Jesus, Mary to live. John preached the countryside and Mary lived there until her death. Meryemana Evi, House of the Virgin Mary is fairly intact. Scholars had searched for the house for many years. It was not discovered until 1891.
We stopped next at Art Ceramics, a family-owned ceramic art studio making the most beautiful pieces with designs from the Selcuk Empire. Jeanette, of our group, tried her hand on the pottery wheel during our tour. Yasmine Atesh of Art Ceramics hosted our dinner that evening and presented each of us with a beautiful ceramic plate.
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