“Travels to a Different Time” : August 2006: Trip from Samos to Ephesus in Turkey

Fotini, Andrew and I took the trip from Samos to Ephesus 6 years ago so I suppose it is only fair that Alexandra see it so off we went on the “Samos Spirit” a bit of a rust bucket across a few kilometres to Turkey. We left the house at 07:15 and stopped at a bakery near the Port for a tahnitiropita, spanakopita and some juice and consumed our delicious breakfast waiting for the boat. We had to be processed at Greek immigration and ended up departing an hour late. Greek immigration was far from official looking with no uniforms and the custom’s officers smoking. The water was as clear as glass unlike our return years ago where a multitude of passengers were sickened by the swells. Again highly aggravated with Turkish customs at Kusadesi holding our passports which is against all my rules of travelling. I guard my passport like a ferocious lion. 3 tour buses for the Greeks and one for the non-Greeks. I have already described Ephesus so won’t repeat myself. Impressive but for some reason the restoration by the Turks of this Greco Roman ancient city seems “artificial”. Alexandra enjoyed it so that is what counts. A stupid stop again at a “Turkish artisanal” workshop which was a stop at a Turkish carpet retailer hustling the tourists relentlessly. The Turks are persistent and obnoxious selling their goods to tourists. Best friends initially but waning interest is dramatically converted into a deep wound to the Turkish soul. Some may find it exciting but having made several trips to Turkey it is obnoxious. As a last comment the Turks are quick to call Ephesus Turkish ruins. However the fact is they are Greco-Roman ruins. We stopped for a lunch at a tourist trap assembly line restaurant. I know Turkish cuisine can excel but in this case the food was mediocre. Back home at 20:00.