Day six actually starts with the night of day five. After dinner at our hotel in Pamukkale, (with an amazing sunset) we had a short walk about town before settling into our room for some reading and relaxing. We drifted off to sleep some time around 11pm but were roused from our slumber by a thunderous storm! Lightning crashed around Pammukale and even knocked the power out for about ten minutes. We sat on the deck in darkness watching the lightning and rain come down until power was restored and then back to bed.
The next morning we got going around 9am and arrived at the “Carpeterium” outside Ephesus shortly after 11am. Unlike most carpet shops, the Carpeterium is a place of both the manufacture and sale of carpets. It is a state funded enterprise to keep the tradition of carpet making alive and our guide (not Kemal but the Carpeterium guide) walked us through the process of making the carpets and explained all the different aspects to us (including the extraction of silk which was quite fascinating). Of course, we could not resist the fine wares available and ended up purchasing a few carpets. Lets just say our initial budget was a pipe dream, particularly once Lisa discovered the silk Hereke carpets!
After our purchases we had a lovely lunch in the courtyard of the Carpeterium before heading to the House of the Virgin Mary (supposedly where she lived her later life and eventually ascended to Heaven from) and then we toured the ancient city of Ephesus.
Ephesus is a stunning set of ruins with its marble streets, the Library of Celsius and the remains of so many ancient beautiful buildings, all rich with inscriptions in ancient Greek and Latin.
Our tour wrapped up around 5pm and then we drove to Kusadsi where we are spending the night in a lovely boutique hotel on the waterfront. Dinner was fresh fish (sea bass) and the usual vegetarian sides (seriously, vegetarians will find Turkey a boon); we actually bought the fish at the adjacent fish market and then the restaurant cooked it for ten Turkish Lisa ($6). After dinner we had a wander through the streets of Kusadsi and ended up having our fortune told by a pair of rabbits owned by a gypsy! Lisa’s indicated that she was clear of heart and that things would come easily for her. Christos’ fortune was a bit darker and indicated that obstacles would ultimately be overcome but the tasks would not be easy.
Now we are back at our hotel on the deck drinking Turkish white wine (passable), listening to Christos’ “Turkish Delight” mix and enjoying the lovely evening air.
After our purchases we had a lovely lunch in the courtyard of the Carpeterium before heading to the House of the Virgin Mary (supposedly where she lived her later life and eventually ascended to Heaven from) and then we toured the ancient city of Ephesus.
Ephesus is a stunning set of ruins with its marble streets, the Library of Celsius and the remains of so many ancient beautiful buildings, all rich with inscriptions in ancient Greek and Latin.
Our tour wrapped up around 5pm and then we drove to Kusadsi where we are spending the night in a lovely boutique hotel on the waterfront. Dinner was fresh fish (sea bass) and the usual vegetarian sides (seriously, vegetarians will find Turkey a boon); we actually bought the fish at the adjacent fish market and then the restaurant cooked it for ten Turkish Lisa ($6). After dinner we had a wander through the streets of Kusadsi and ended up having our fortune told by a pair of rabbits owned by a gypsy! Lisa’s indicated that she was clear of heart and that things would come easily for her. Christos’ fortune was a bit darker and indicated that obstacles would ultimately be overcome but the tasks would not be easy. 
Now we are back at our hotel on the deck drinking Turkish white wine (passable), listening to Christos’ “Turkish Delight” mix and enjoying the lovely evening air.
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