Transition Day

Today I flew from Izmir to Instanbul. The flight was less than an hour. Pleasant; smooth.

It is good to be back in Istanbul. There is a uniqueness to this place. The sights. The sounds. The smells of all the food being sold on the street. I am in ancient Constantinople! So much of important history took place here or near here. It boggles my mind trying to process and comprehend it all or even a small portion of it.

I am glad to be back here, because it signals the end of my journey. Just a couple of days to “cool down” and I’ll be on my way home. One long day of travel; two more flights. Reunion!

I’ve tried my first attempt at You Tube, so see if this works. No guarantee! I will, however, give you your money back if it does not work. Sorry to my dial-up readers; this may be too much.

If it works, then you will see one of my encounters with a women at the Temple of Artemis. I had already bought some bookmarks from her, and now she is trying to sell me some coins. I have a video camera in one hand and my other camera in the other hand. This does not stop her from putting the coins in my hand. We pick up the video with the boy pointing to his head injury.

Last Day in Ephesus

Actually I didn’t go to the site today. Instead I spent a few hours around the town of Selcuk. If I understand correctly, Ephesus used to be here, many centuries before Christ was born but moved due to the silting of the harbor and the manipulation of a ruler, Lysimakos. Today Selcuk has a population of around 25,000 people, although to me it doesn’t feel that large. Compare this number to the 200,000 - 400,000 that ancient Ephesus had.

I started my day at the site of The Basilica of St. John. Tradition says that John and Mary, the mother of Jesus, moved to Ephesus. John brought her here, fulfilling his vow at the cross to take care of Mary. I saw the house of Mary the other day (see previous blog), and today I stood at the supposed site of John’s tomb. Who knows?

All I know is that I really enjoyed this site, which is mostly in a state of ruin. I did have a little trouble with a man trying to get me to give him money. He said he was a caretaker, and I believed him; we chatted. He then started showing me around, took my picture, etc. I began to realize that he was not legitimate. About that time a security guard came up and started raising his voice at him. I thought the guy was gone, but the next thing I know he showed up again, showing me coins. I just said no, and he finally left. After that I spend a considerable time enjoying the peace and quiet of this place.

After I left St. John’s I wandered the streets of Selcuk for a while. It was a wonderful way to end my time in this part of the country. I enjoyed watching the people. I walked to the edge of town and found some people working in a field. Actually they were having lunch, so I don’t really know what they were doing.

I came back to my hotel a little earlier today. I am beginning the preparation for going back to Istanbul tomorrow.

You might be a redneck if...
...You have done laundry in a hotel bathtub.
You might be a high-tech redneck if...
...you use the “Jacuzzi jets” to get a nice deep clean.
You might be a clever high-tech redneck if...
You use the supplied hair dryer to heat the closet where the wet clothes are hanging.
Enough said, perhaps.

After tonight I have 3 nights in Istanbul. There I will gather my thoughts, revisit a few places of interest, and prepare for the journey home. I am eager to come home. I don’t think Kedra and the kids and I have ever been apart this long. The absence has certainly made my heart grow fonder. I can’t wait to see all of them Monday night.

Thanks for reading this blog and sharing in my life and adventure. It means a lot to me.

Some pictures from today:

Ephesus Again

It was another beautiful day in Turkey! Even I as write I am watching the sun set over The Island of Samos (See Acts 20:15). Though it is a Greek island it is just off the coast of Turkey. Patmos, where John wrote Revelation, not visible from here, is not far from Samos.

I went back to Ephesus this morning. I made my way to the little theatre and read Paul’s letters to Timothy. Timothy was working in Ephesus when he received the letters. After spending some time in reflection and prayer, I decided to climb the very large hill behind Ephesus. There were no signs saying I couldn’t! It was quite a climb, hands-and-knees-steep at times. The effort was worth it; the view was great. Also I saw several broken pieces of ancient pottery. That was cool!

After I climbed back down I visited the amazing Terrace Houses. I was pleasantly surprised by what I found. These houses of the rich have been restored to a remarkable degree. They had running water, both hot and cold, and the wall and floors are beautifully decorated with frescoes and mosaics.

Next, I went to the large theatre and read again Acts 18 and 19. Leaving Ephesus I made the 2 mile walk into Selcuk (yes, the same name as my guide). It was an interesting walk alongside orchards. One man and his family were pruning trees. We briefly spoke in broken English. My first stop in Selcuk was the Temple of Artemis. Sadly there is not much to see. The temple was constructed several centuries before Christ and was one of Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. What’s interesting (and sad) to me is that people, specifically Wiccans, still worship Artemis (Dianna). If they saw what I saw today, then they might want to rethink that.

Today I had my most uncomfortable moment in Turkey. The Temple of Artemis is not controlled in any way. There were people selling souvenirs, especially little kids, and they were very aggressive. They would not leave me alone. One lady kept telling how poor she was and how sick her kids were. She even had one boy with a bandage on his head (it looked very fake to me). I finally got free, got my pictures, and got out of there! Later I saw a gypsy “settlement.” I think these people probably live there.

My next stop was the museum where several artifacts from Ephesus are located. On my way I met a couple of Muslim women sitting in the sun knitting, probably an older mother and her daughter. I showed them my camera and motioned, asking if I could take a picture. They smiled and one of them got up to pose. I shook my heading, indicating that I wanted a photo of them knitting. I kinda got what I wanted (see below)!

My main interest in the museum was the head and arm from a huge statue of Domitian. I believe the statue was about 25 tall and stood in Domitian Square at Ephesus. Domitian, of course, was the Emperor of Rome from 81-96 A.D. and was responsible for the persecutions that John discusses in Revelation. I thoroughly enjoyed the museum and may go back tomorrow. It is a bargain at 2 Turkish Lira, which is less than $2.

It’s nice hearing encouraging things from several of you. Thanks! I love you and feel extremely blessed in so many ways. I want to use this experience for the glory of God.

Here are some pictures:

A Day in Ephesus

Today may have been my favorite day so far. It was 65 and sunny, and I spent 7 hours in a place I have dreamed of visiting for along time. It was, for me, a spiritual experience.

I think I was the first person at the site today. It was so peaceful and quiet. I slipped off the beaten path and sat on a base that once held a Roman column, soaking up the sunshine as I read my guide book. It was there that I spotted a beautiful red flower soaking up the same sun I was enjoying.

I spent a fair amount of time seeing things that most tourists don’t see. I roamed the place and got in places I don’t think I was supposed to be; pretty sure about that, actually. I felt like an explorer, and I guess I was in a sense.

I read Paul’s letter to the Ephesians while sitting on the top row of the small theatre, which seats 1,500. Occasionally I would look up and look out over this ancient place, imagining that some of the recipients homes were in my view. Timothy lived and ministered here. Paul spent time here, 3 years. Maybe John, maybe Mary lived here? Jesus wrote the folks that lived here.

I really got off the beaten path this afternoon and walked down to where the harbor used to be. The harbor silted up, and now the sea is five miles away. The road that leads from the harbor to the city has been restored. It was neat to walk this road, knowing that Paul, along with Priscilla and Aquilla, got off a ship and walked this same road almost 2,000 years ago. I found a neat Roman cross engraved on stone.

I ended my day with about an hour in the large 25,000 seat theatre. I read Acts 19, the account that talks about what happened in the place where I sat. As I sat there reading, a group of Japanese tourists came in, complete with their own Japanese tour guide. The guide spoke for a while, and then his tone softened and his rhythm of speech changed. I looked up to see what was happening. Every head was bowed and every eye was closed. I heard something that sounded like “amen.” Then the leader said a few things, and the group responded. This went on for a minute or more. At that end they all crossed themselves. Japanese Catholics! Wow! As I was pondering this one of the men hesitantly stepped to the middle of the stage and began to sing. His voice was beautiful, and the perfect acoustics of this ancient theatre allowed me to fully enjoy his performance of Ave Maria. It was a great way to end my day in ancient Ephesus.


Here are few photos from today.

7 Churches Part III

What a wonderful day it has been!
Sunny.
60.
Full of thought-stimulating history!

I started out up on a mountain right next to Hierapolis. I stayed in an interesting international hotel full of Japanese, German, and Turkish citizens. There are natural hot springs here, so it attracts lots of people; most of them probably do not know the biblical significance of the area.

Selcuk picked me up and we made our way to Laodicea. This is an active archeological site and is just beginning to be developed. Read Revelation 3:14-22 to see what Jesus said to them. I’ll explain in future lessons more of the interesting background of this place. One thing I did not know is that you can see Hierapolis from Laodicea (see photo below).

From Laodicea we made our way to Colossae. This was not part of my tour, but Selcuk said he would take me. Colossae has not been developed at all, so we had a little trouble finding it. We drove down a muddy road and then walked out in some pastures and vineyards. We finally found a few ruins. I loved this adventure! Some of the local villagers/squatters have taken some of the ancient ruins and used them for the walls of their huts. Amazing!

One thing funny happened as we were leaving the Colossae site. An old villager came up to the car. Selcuk talked to him a little bit, and then the old man got very antimated. He went on for several minutes. I could make out "Mohammed." Secluk said the old man keep saying, "Jesus did not die; he was taken to heaven. He is a prophet. He did not die." This is the Muslim view. I guess he could discern I was a Christian??

From Colossae it was on to Philadelphia. Philadelphia, like Thyatira, is only a small area. There is an old church there from the Byzantine period. One thing struck me about this site. There is now a mosque right across the street from this old church building. Turkey was once the heart of Christianity; today it is 98% Muslim.

From Philadelphia we made our way to Sardis, after another Turkish lunch. Lunch today was Izmir Meatballs (lamb meatballs grilled). Not bad. Sardis was pretty stunning. Archeologists have gone beyond just putting columns back up. They have fully restored some things which gives a much different feel. In Sardis there is large synagogue. Also at Sardis is a Temple to Artemis which was constructed in the 4th century B.C. It is huge, but not as large as the one in Ephesus. I found this temple very impressive. The foundation is as it was the day it was laid. The columns are massive. Sardis is so rich in history. People like Cyrus and Alexander the Great were here.

From Sardis it was back to Smyrna (Izmir). There are not many things to see at Smyrna, but it is such a significant place. Here is a very Interesting Article about one story.

Oh, I have left out so much! Hopefully I have given you an idea of what I have seen. Please read Revelation 2 and 3 to see what Jesus had to say to the folks who lived where I have walked the last couple of days.

I had an interesting talk today with Selcuk, my guide. I asked him what he thought about Jesus and the resurrection. He knows the stories but has not thought about them in a way that applies to him. He considers himself a Muslim; he believes in Alla. He says he is afraid to draw too close to his religion. He says he knows that if he draws closer, then he will have to give up significant portions of his lifestyle. Interesting (but sounds familiar).

I am now in Kusadasi. This is about 10 miles from Ephesus, where I plan to spend the next 3 days. My hotel is right on the Aegean Sea. “I am not worthy!”

Here are few photos from today.

7 Churches of Revelation Part I

I’ll try catch you up on the last 2 days without boring anyone. As I told Kedra about visiting ancient sites, you have to care and you have to have imagination. Some people lack one or both. Ha ha.

On Saturday morning I flew from Istanbul to Izmer (ancient Smyrna). Izmir is the 3rd largest city in Turkey with a population of more than 4 million people. I was met at the airport by my guide, a 31 year old single man named Selguk. He is a gentle, kind non-practicing Muslim.

[Today at a carpet/rug place the owner was showing me all his carpets. He pointed out how one had 5 stars, symbolizing the 5 daily prayers for good Muslims. He said, “Good Muslims pray 5 times a day.” I said, “What do bad Muslims do?” He said, “Drink Raki (whiskey) and sell carpet!” I cracked up, and so did he, thankfully. I said, “You naughty Muslim.” Really, I did. He laughed. Whew.]

We loaded my bags into Selguk’s small brown Fiat car and made our way toward Pergamum. As we drove I was struck by how different this part of Turkey was from Istanbul. I like the rural side of Turkey better. It’s funny - people drive tractors everywhere in this part of Turkey. Sadly I have not been able to take any photos yet. The funniest thing I saw yesterday was two Muslim women, fully dressed in their normal attire, driving a tractor down the road. I often saw a man driving, a woman riding on the fender, and some kids riding in a trailer or wagon. [This is giving me some ideas, since I no longer have a vehicle to drive; R.I.P. Smokey.]

There is a reason that these sites are often described as ancient ruins. Pergamum was fascinating. I won’t go into detail about these places, but I was struck by the remains of the Temple of Trajan, built in the early 2nd century to honor the Roman Emperor. Our brothers and sisters of Revelation would have probably been around to watch this construction. They would have sat in the amazing theatre, and they knew about the Temple of Zeus, which Jesus may be referencing as “Satan’s throne.” Read Revelation 2:12-17. Later I thought of Antipas who was martyred in this city.

After Pergamum we had a very Turkish lunch, which means I can tell little of what I ate. It was good, however. I had some Turkish coffee after lunch. Wow! Powerful stuff! Selguk and I then made our way to Thyatira. See Revelation 2:18-29. Sadly there are very few things to see here. Most of the ruins are under modern buildings. There is about a city block of a few things, including a church building from the 5th or 6th century. I wonder if Lydia (Acts 16:14) spent time in this square. I would guess so, and that’s a neat thought.

I spent last night in Izmir, and this morning we made our way to Ephesus, which is really the main focus of my sabbatical travels. We started out by visiting the site on the mountain beside Ephesus which is supposed to be the house of the Virgin Mary. This an ancient tradition, so who knows? There is a tiny little Catholic Church there. When I walked in 2 nuns were singing unaccompanied and in English. I stayed for a little while. I really missed worship today, so this was a nice surprise.

Ephesus is quite remarkable, and I will have more to say later. I am going to spend 2-3 more days at the site later this week. After we left Ephesus we had lunch at a carpet place (see above) and made the long journey to Hierapolis, which is NOT one of the Seven Churches but is still significant in the New Testament. This place surprised me. It is the place that Jesus probably alludes to in his remark to the Laodiceans about being lukewarm. Hierapolis is known for its hot mineral water, which still flows today. There are some amazing white mineral formations on the hillside.

Tradition says that Phillip was martyred and buried at this place. Trouble is no one can decide which Phillip - the Apostle or the Evangelist. Oh well, something significant must have happened here.

OK, that’s enough for now, probably too much.

I love you and hope to post again sometime tomorrow evening late or early the next day...

Some pictures:

Friday in Istanbul - Day of Worship

Today was my last day in Istanbul for about a week. I will be back here for the final 2-3 days of my trip. Today was beautiful, just like yesterday; maybe slightly warmer.

After a time of prayer and study I made my way onto the streets for a nice walk. I went down to the wharf that is clearly visible from my hotel roof. There I found a fresh fish market. Very interesting. From there I headed toward the Blue Mosque.

Friday is a special day of worship for Muslims. In addition to praying 5 times, like each day, the Inman (leader) delivers 2 sermons at the Noon gathering. Faithful Muslims make their way to mosques for this special time each Friday. I purposely positioned myself near the Blue Mosque today to witness the gathering, even though it was from a distance.

As I left the Blue Mosque and continued my walk around the streets of Istanbul, I came across several mosques that were still “in session.” I wonder if Muslims choose their mosque based on the Inman, the length of his sermons, and if they can beat the other mosques to restaurants? Ha ha. Actually I did ask my guide if the popularity of the Inman impacted attendance. He said, “It can.”

If you want a lot of information about Muslim Friday worship, you can Click Here.

Well, I am going to close down here and start packing. I leave fairly early in the morning to fly to Izmir, which is ancient Smyrna, one of the 7 churches of Revelation. I am not sure about my ability to communicate for the next few days. I am hoping I will have internet access but not sure. Stay tuned.

Here are some photos from today. Remember, you can move your curser around and find a hyperlink to click on. This will open a new window which will allow you to play a slide show.

Please keep praying for my family and me. I love all of you.

Another Day in Istanbul

Today was a beautiful day in Istanbul! It was about 55 and sunny.

After breakfast I went up to the roof of the hotel and spent a couple of hours of studying for my trip to the sites of the 7 Churches of Asia Minor. I begin that portion of my journey on Saturday.

After some time of study and prayer I made my way on to the streets of Istanbul. No agenda. I walked around for about 3 hours I think. I went down to the water and watched all the activity there. It’s fascinating to watch people and wonder what their story is.

Istanbul is a unique place, especially in the sense that the city lies in two continents. [Here are some interesting facts about Istanbul and Turkey.] I have not been to the Asian side yet, but everything else I do in the country will be in Asia.

Although Turkey is a secular state, the religious leaders of Muslims are trained and paid by the Turkish government. This is what my guide told me yesterday. It is a good way to keep control of the right balance between the secular and the sacred - I think that is the thinking.

One issue here presently is the controversy of allowing female university students to wear Muslim head scarfs. The secularists are concerned by lifting the ban that the country will become “too Muslim” in a sense or at least perceived that way, if I understand it right. Turkey is trying very hard to get into the European Union. Many feel that this issue is going to be a hindrance.

I love all of you and look forward to being back among you.

A few more pictures: