Day 64, 6 September 2012. Ephesus, Turkey. Today's adventure was trekking through the ancient port city of Ephesus. The ruins were impressive in parts (pictured is the Celcus Library), but a great deal of restoration occurred. Given how many earthquakes these ancient cities have suffered over the years, it's enough to start us having second thoughts about traipsing around Turkey! At least we know we're at a ruined city though - today's sights have been highly amusing because a couple of huge cruise liners are in port and everybody is at Ephesus on a shore excursion. Now I hate to think how much they paid the cruise company, but the story goes, it costs the cruise company nothing at all - the carpet shop/leather shop and gold shop foot the bill for the $14/head entry to Ephesus, lunch and the coach and driver rental, and pay the cruise company a 40% commission as well.... and squillions of people paid to go on these excursions. Apparently the ambulances do a good trade out of Ephesus also - we saw a tourist so busy snapping photos that he almost stepped into a metre wide hole in the ground (that dropped another metre or two. Then there was the lady in the gorgeous frock with the navy patent wedge heels (3 inches high) and fabulous matching handbag. I'm not sure if she bought the "Restored Roman Ruins with Paved Streets, Handrails and a Shop-Stop at Gucci" tour - but she was tottering about quite gamely. The highlight of the day was paying extra to enter the Terrace Houses. These have only been open over the 5 years or so and are protected by a multi-million dollar all weather roof paid for in most part by Austria. The Terrace Houses/Houses on the Slopes are the Mayfair/Park Avenue Rich Folks Houses from the early centuries AD. They are stunning, they were stunning, even in the day - underfloor heating, plumbing, indoor column-lined rooms, baths, fountains, kitchens, pantries, dining rooms - Stunning. They were the luxury condominiums of Ephesus. Wrecked by earthquakes and abandoned around the 6th century, they are being put together again, Humpty Dumpty style by the most patient team of archeologists and jigsaw puzzle-ists ever seen. Each room has been excavated, the chunks of marble and mosaic tiles and stone walls have been separated into milk crates and are being reassembled, one piece at a time. They have made phenomenal progress, particularly with some stunning floor mosaics. Absolutely mind blowingly beautiful 1400 years down the track. Of course the extra fee cut the crowds by 95% which was worthwhile in itself. Due to the presence of the cruise ships and their hordes we were however treated to a genuine, authentic reenactment of a parade including Consuls, Cleopatra, Dancing Girls and a real, live, gladiator fight - woo hoo! Completely tacky, seriously fun and absolutely free. Gotta love it. On our way home (walking of course, cos we are the last of the cheapskates) we wandered past one of the seven wonders of the ancient world - The Temple of Artemis. We knew it wouldn't be in cracking shape because the Turks aren't charging an entrance fee. Very much a use your imagination kind of site, but a great view of Ayasoluk/Selkcuk Castle on the hill in the background of the remaining column. Late lunch today at Mehmet & Ali Baba's Kebab Hole in the Wall (strictly speaking 'House'). Fabo food - must add a review to Trip Advisor - suspect it will be our haunt for the next day or so. We are very fortunate the day out tired us out as it turns out. We found out from the owner of the lodge that the area we went to dinner to last night, had a massive fire tonight. Last night we saw crowds of locals and tourists queuing up for something in the middle of the busy festival/restaurant area down near the Aqueducts. Turns out it was just fresh donuts, coming out of a vat of boiling oil. Ho hum. Anyway, tonight she was down that way and the oil vat exploded into a massive fireball and hot oil was raining down. She felt the heat but wasn't close enough to be injured and scrammed for home super quick. It will probably occur to the Council that it wasn't the safest spot for such an enterprise. Now. Tomorrow is our last full day in Turkey and suspect it will be pretty quiet. Still don't have a place to stay in Istanbul tomorrow night prior to our early morning flight to Morocco. Must get on to that in the morning....