A QUICK GLIMPSE OF Italy and Turkey Ports
On October 13, my sister Ava and I left for a two-week trip around the Mediterranean. After leaving NYC in the evening, flying across the Atlantic and riding an hour to Civitavecchia, Italy, here we are enjoying our first meal in the land of pizza. It was yummy! Here is a brief glimpse of our stops in Naples, Ephesus and Bodrum Turkey.
The next day, we boarded the Odyssey of the Sea for a 12-night cruise (with 8 ports) and sailed to our first port -- Naples, Italy. We were up early the next morning and walked to Piazza del Plebiscito where we went inside the Basilica Reale Pontificia San Francesco seen in the photo. It was pouring rain when we came out and walked across the piazza to the Royal Palace.
We spent two hours in this beautiful, grand palace. The staircase itself is a work of art and led into a set of many ornate royal rooms which we enjoyed walking through. This was my favorite site to see.
This tiled cloister garden in the Church of Santa Chiara Napoli was another beautiful and unique place that I visited in Naples (Ava went back to the ship after the palace). The garden was intersected by these tile paths that were lined with ornate columns and lovely seats. Unfortunately, visitors are not allowed to sit on these tiled seats as they are reserved for the nuns and monks.
Our next port was Kudasi, Turkey, and we enjoyed a tour of the ancient site of Ephesus. This was our second visit to this wonderful site and, even though it felt like a whirlwind visit, it was good to see it again. Just imagining the apostles Paul and John walking around in this city was meaningful for me. In the background is the famous Library of Celsus, completed in 117 AD. While we're looking at ruins, Paul and John would have been looking at a sparkling new building!
I love taking photos of doorways -- and wondering where they lead. This is one of my favorite photos in Ephesus. It's quite amazing how well-preserved these ruins are. And - who is that guy in the green shirt??
This is a section of the Terrace Houses. They are under a giant cover to preserve them and allow continuing archaelogical work on them. This is a vast "neighborhood" of apartment houses built on a hillside. You can see rooms and separate apartments throughout this large section of Ephesus that is on a hill to the left just before you get to the library. It's interesting to see the ornate mosaic floors and the paintings on the walls of these homes where people lived around two thousand years ago and imagine their lives there. Paul and John may have visited or lived in one of these homes. I did a lot of climbing to see this amazing layout of ancient homes.
I was excited to walk in the footsteps of Paul and John, who would have walked on these same marble slabs which make up one of the roads through the city (they are also slippery when wet). Most Ephesians worshipped the goddess Artemis (AKA Diana). You may remember that Acts 19:21-41 gives an interesting story about a riot in that city. A silversmith named Demetrius said to other tradesmen in the city, "Not only in Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands. So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the gread goddess Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed..." Acts 19:26-27.
This verbal attack on Paul and his teaching about the Lord Jesus almost turned into a physical attack. Here's what happened: See photo below.
The great ampitheater of Ephesus rises up the hillside in the distance. After Demetrius riled up the tradesmen and more of the city, they all rushed into the theater in the photo above. They had seized two of Paul's traveling companions and for two hours screamed, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians!" Paul wanted to go into the theater and talk to the people, but the disciples would not allow him to go into that dangerous situation. And so, the riot ended peaceably and Paul left the city to go to Macedonia.
It was very special to be in those places that we read about in scripture and to walk in the literal footsteps of men who God used to write the Holy Bible that we read today.
Our second stop in Turkey was in what is considered an upscale port in Bodrum. This was unexpected as it was one of three substitutes for our missed two-day port in Israel. Due to the October 7 War, of course, all tourist visits were cancelled. Our ship was docked in the picturesque Bodrum harbor with this view of St. Peter's Castle directly across the bay from our ship.
I enjoyed my solitary 40-minute walk around the curved harbor to get to the castle. It was early morning and shopkeepers were just opening their shops. It was pleasant and uncrowded, which changed later in the day to hot and crowded on the way back to the ship.
The "castle" was more like a fort with thick stone walls and many coats of arms displayed from various grand masters and commanders from the 1400s and 1500s. There are a lot of stone steps and uneven walkways which require careful climbing. The photo shows parts of ancient columns along with a female peacock.
One of the highlights of our visit to Bodrum was the Air Show we watched over the harbor. This just happened to be the day they were celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of the modern republic of Turkey. We had been "warned" there would be jets flying overhead at 2pm so no one would be alarmed and wondering if we were being attacked (after all, a war was being fought not far from Turkey in Israel). So, Ava and I sat on our balcony and watched as two jets that looked like raptor birds zoomed and dove and climbed through the sky for about 20 minutes. It was exciting!
I end this post with a picture of an anchor which was on display in St. Peter's Castle, Bodrum. I am always reminded of the fact that as a Believer of the Way (as it was called in Paul's day), Jesus Christ is my anchor in stormy seas as well as placid waters. Paul writes in Hebrews, saying, "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast..." 6:19. He is, of course, speaking of the hope and assurance of our safety in Christ. Even a giant ship like the Odyssey of the Sea needs anchors. No one is beyond the need of an anchor for their soul. Jesus Christ is the Only Anchor we can depend on! "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus," Philippians 4:19.
