Izmir Favorites

Favorite thing: Ephesus is probably the most popular ancient site in Turkey. We have so much historical values underground but i believe future techniques of archaeology will bring us new discoveries.

Fondest memory: I visited House of Virgin Mary close to Ephesus. Every visitor to Ephesus must see there. You felt the peace and purity of that holy place. Ephesus is Biblical and it has a special place in Christianity. It is believed that Mary spend her last years and died there. Now a small chapel stands.

Favorite thing: Cat tale
One day Hodja bought three okes (an oke is 2.8 pounds) of meat and took it home to his wife. Then he returned to work. Immediately, his wife called her relatives and prepared a superb dinner. In the evening, Hodja returned for supper, and his wife offered him nothing but bread and onions. He turned to her and said,
- But why haven't you prepared anything from the meat?
- I rinsed the meat and was going to put it on the stove when this damn cat came up and took it away, she said.
Hodja at once ran to get the scales. Then he found the cat and weighed it. It was exactly three okes!
Then he turned to his wife and said,
- Look here! If what I have just weighed is the cat, then where's the meat? But if this is the meat, then where's the cat?

Favorite thing: BERGAMA (PERGAMUM)

Pergamum, (105 kms north of Izmir)~~ is one of the major sites antiquity in Turkey, having been a great center of culture and civilization throughout history. The site has remarkable remains from the Roman and Byzantine periods. The Asclepion to the southwest of the lower city, was built to pay homage to the God of Health, Asclepios, and it was the most celebrated in the world. The temples of Trajan and Dionysus, majestic Altar of Zeus, the temple of Demeter, inspiring theatre, the gymnasium, the arsenals, the lower agora and the famous library form the Acropolis. In addition, you may see the finds from Pergamum and the surrounding area. In the Archaeological and Ethnographical Museum. The temple of Serapis, also called the 'Red Courtyard' due to its red tiles, is today located within the town of Bergama. It was built as a sanctuary dedicated to Serapis and was then converted into a basilica by the Byzantines. Bergama is the homeland of many philosophers and scientists. Among them is Krates who invented and produced the 'parchment paper' (Pergamene Kaste) here.

Dikili is a harbor town close to Bergama, visited by cruise liners bringing visitors to Pergamum. Dikili is an ideal place to relax after a Pergamum excursion. A walk along the Rordan promenade is a pleasure. Between Dikili and Izmir do not forget to visit the port of Candaril which is crowned with one of the best preserved Genoese fortresses .

Favorite thing: Shopping in Bodrum
The oldest and main shopping center in Bodrum is located near the castle.
The more modern Oasis shopping center has over 200 shops and plenty of places to eat. Also located in the Oasis complex are 3 movie theaters, a concert stage, bowling, billiards, and much more.
Karada Marine also has a very nice shopping center with foreign news stands, restaurants, and high quality designer shops.

Favorite thing: Customary before dinner cocktails can be had at any Bodrum bar featuring the exotic, or local Turkish spirits, wines, beers and most importantly Raki, an aniseed flavored liquor nicknamed lions milk due to its milky color when mixed with water or ice and the lion-like affect it can have. Dining in Turkey is lighthearted, lingering and can last hours. Bodrum restaurants offer everything from traditional Turkish cuisine to contemporary Western to everything in between. Dinner usually begins with drinks, followed by 'meze' Turkish starters or hors d'oeuvres and then progresses through entree to desert, usually fresh fruit in the summer season. Each course, of course punctuated by liberal doses of Raki.

Favorite thing: BODRUM TONIGHT
begins just before sunset, heralded by the sound of rushing wings as flocks of crows return to the castle for evening roost and by the chugging of daily tour boats returning to evening harbor. The traditional holiday pastime of quietly sipping cocktails while watching the sun slowly sink into the sea is unfortunately impossible in Bodrum due to its location on the southern shore of the Bodrum peninsula. That pleasure is reserved for those staying on the western coast, in villages such as Turgutreis. However those residing in Bodrum are perhaps more fortunate. While lacking the view of the sunset, Bodrumites, or Bodrumlu in Turkish, can witness shadows slowly ascending the whitewashed houses and surrounding hillsides as the castle takes on a glowing golden hue from the rays of the setting sun before turning an azure blue highlighted in gold as the sun sinks and the castle lights come on.
One of the best places for watching this unique spectacle is in the Marina or in one of the many bars or cafes that line the harborfront. Best of all is to visit the amphitheater perched on the hillside above town. Well worth a visit in its own right, the amphitheater acquires a special ambiance at dusk, the panorama of Bodrum, harbor, castle and the Aegean beyond spread out below.

Favorite thing: This page contains info on a place called Selcuk which is about 1/2 hour if that from Izmir. It was a small town with a big heart and most tourists are fed hook line and sinker when they stay at Izmir or Kudasi (sorry about the spelling but you know what I mean) I stayed in Selcuk it was a nice little town no hassles you mingle with the locals lots of walking and all the amenities any tourist will need but the beauty they were very cheap.

Fondest memory: Again I will have to say the people but also the town is so central it is only a meer 3 km walk to Ephesus and the other sites and the bus station (otagar)is very central.

Favorite thing: Some buildings in the heart of Izmir were multi-store-buildings. Quite soon though, when you travel out of the city, the houses become small, and this city of 3-4 million people therefore stretches on forever, up the hills, down the hills....