Travel journal: east Med Princess cruise 2010 (Day 8)

Port of Kusadasi

Ephesus: city gates

Ephesus: Temple of Artemis

Ephesus: a small theater



Ephesus: one of many fountains



Ephesus: public baths



Ephesus: Library of Celsus

Ephesus: the Grand Theater

Day 8, 11/17/2010: Kusadasi

Ships access this Asian port city for its proximity to the Ephesus archeological site, but unlike Katakolon and other that are famous solely for sites they are close to, Kusadasi has become a captivating port in its own right. The port area itself is nicer than that of any of the other cities; it boasts Scala Nuova, a modern mini-mall complete with local shops and even the familiar Burger King and Starbucks.

Outside the port, myriad shops and several traditional bazaars thrive. There’s a distinct, pleasant mixture of the Eastern and Western worlds displayed in the variety of goods here. There are Turkish rugs, hookas, ornate hand-crafted plates, perfumes with labels like Chanel and Pierre Cardin, and – as many signs facetiously boast – “Genuine fake watches.” Shop owners may seem pushy, even borderline desperate, but are always willing to bargain with potential buyers.

Aside from its shopping scene, Kusadasi is home to Europe’s largest waterpark by capacity, Adaland. Still, by far its most famous attraction is the Ephesus archeological site.

Not knowing that private taxis to Ephesus would be situated right outside the port, mom and I had pre-booked a 12:30 shore excursion. After a brief on-own tour of the port area, we embarked and within a 2-minute drive we’d reached the site.

Now located four miles inland, ancient Ephesus used to be on the harbor. Because of its prime location and conduciveness to trade, Ephesus earned its designation as capital of Asia Minor and became a very wealthy city. Hints of this past splendor lie in its main avenue. Along it are six excavated terrace houses of the high council members, their exclusive shops apart from the main agora, and the evidence of sidewalks once covered by roofs.

Ephesus’ highlights are: the Temple of Artemis, one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world; the 3-story Library of Celsus, which is the ancient world’s third-largest library; and the 25,000 capacity grand theater where Paul preached before being thrown into a nearby prison, which was a watch-tower we actually passed along the ride to Ephesus. The Grand Theater, like many of Europe’s older theaters and amphitheaters, is still in use today. Ephesus’ agora and old harbor road have also been excavated. Still, it is estimated that the current archeological site is approximately 15% of the original city.

We opted out of the latter part of our shore excursion, a Turkish carpet weaving demonstration. Mom stayed in town to shop while I went back to the ship.

Mom and I reunited for dinner before splitting off again towards different entertainment venues. I went to see “The A-Team” at Movies Under the Stars, a newer feature on many Princess ships that features a colossal movie screen above the open decks below. Afterwards, I went to see Seonaid Aitkin’s Princess Theater performance. A talented violinist, pianist, and vocalist, she put on a great show and especially liked her performance of the traditional “Oh, my Boatman” in Scottish Gaelic. When her show was over, I went to the Promenade Lounge for a little while before returning to the room for the evening.

Tomorrow the Star Princess docks in Rhodes Town, for which we don’t have an excursion because we heard it’s fairly easy to reach by foot from the docks. We don’t know much about it but hope we can figure it out easily as well.

1^st timers’ cruise tip: know before you go

Some spots on the Star Princess were more difficult to access than many ports’ attractions were – I’m sure many large ships are just as tough to navigate. Certain elevators went only to certain floors, making it important to know at all times whether we had to travel aft, forward, port, or starboard. It helped to always keep our cabin’s position in mind. I kept my Star Princess pocket guide with me to avoid getting lost. For confirmation, I often consulted the plaque maps posted just outside the elevators.