Flying With Faber - March 2013
Kudsadasi and Ephesus, Turkey - The Pearl of the Aegean Seacoast
By Stuart J. FaberEach year, it becomes a more daunting challenge to find a spot in the world that is unique and untouched. In today’s corporate-blanketed world, a country 5,000 miles from the United States often looks like its identical twin. Twins are cute, but when a traveler spends his/her time and money and suffers the onslaughts of long lines, over-worked airline personnel and lost luggage, an intriguing pot of gold is expected at the end of the voyage.Turkish Airlines – A Great Discovery
Not only will travelers to Turkey’s west coast find the destination-pot of gold, the journey aboard Turkish Airlines will be as sleek and resplendent as the rainbow. Whether you sign on for Business Class, Comfort Class or Economy, you will experience air travel that you might have thought was extinct.During my recent excursions to Turkey, I observed and experienced all three cabins. Comfort Class and Economy Class in many respects approached the quality of Business Class of other airlines. Whatever section of the aircraft I was in, the staff was extraordinarily professional, courteous and friendly. Every flight I boarded departed on time and arrived on time. Luggage arrived swiftly. Cabins were sparkling clean. Electronic components worked flawlessly. Cuisine was remarkably delicious.
In Business Class, service parallels the level of a fine hotel or restaurant. Seats are placed far apart from one another and at bedtime, they fold to an entirely flat configuration. The staff provides each passenger with slippers and a pair of silky black pajamas.It’s not merely food service on Turkish Airlines. The meals were truly memorable culinary experiences. Cuisine is prepared and served by the “Flying Chefs.” We had no sooner leveled off when the impeccably dressed chefs, adorned with their fluffy toques, served up selections of a rich, creamy mushroom soup, tender, succulent lamb cutlets with a polenta ratatouille tart and followed by a fresh fruit and artisan cheese trolley and a crumbly apple tart with vanilla sauce. This feast concluded with a creamy cappuccino.With a bursting but happy tummy, I turned in for the night. In the morning, I awoke with the presentation of a hot breakfast. Touchdown was just as the timetable promised. The flight was almost as much fun as the balance of the journey.On a Clear Day, You Can See Greece
Some candidates for political office have attempted to impress the voters with their foreign policy experience by bragging that they can see Russia from their front porch. Well, I’m not running for office, but from my hotel room balcony in Kusadasi, Turkey, I could actually see the Greek Island of Samos. As a matter of fact, not only can you see the island, for a few bucks, you can hop on a ferry and visit the place.Kusadasi is one of Turkey’s most popular holiday resorts and one of the world’s best kept secrets. Situated on Turkey’s west coast, Kusadasi is reputed as one of the most attractive cities of the Aegean Sea. Plus, it is the launching pad for some of the world’s most significant ancient historical sites including Ephesus, Temple of Artemis, Goddess Artemis, House of Virgin Mary, Seven Sleepers, Didyma, Priene and Miletos. Many Things to do in KusadasiSecluded beaches, charming walking streets, cozy restaurants and one-of-a-kind boutiques, plus sunshine for 300 days a year make this spot an ideal and wondrous retreat. Swimming, beach combing, water sports and boating are, of course, the main attractions. Food lovers will enjoy visiting the harbor to see the daily fresh catch. Mackerel, octopus, sea bass, gray mullet, red mullet, anchovy, sea bream and squid are brought to shore each day.Wonderful fish restaurants are scattered along the harbor. Three local produce markets are close by. Every Tuesday and Friday they display fresh vegetables and fruits. On Wednesdays, local garments are for sale.At nightfall, a dramatic transformation takes over the city. Turkish nights include friendly bars and restaurants, jazz, folklore dances and belly dancers. And don’t forget to visit a Turkish bath house.Korumar Hotel, P.K. 18 09400, Kusadasi, Turkey, www.korumar.com.
Yes, from the balcony of my luxurious accomodations at the Korumar Hotel, I could actually see Samos, Greece. Indeed, that sighting qualified me for public elected office, or at least an ambassadorship, but what was more important to me was that I could observe the glorious sunsets as they shimmered over the horizon of the Aegean Sea. Directly below my balcony were visions of one of Turkey’s largest swimming pools, a private secluded sandy beach and beautiful rambling gardens. The hotel contains a host of activities and hangouts – hydromassage facilities, Turkish baths, a solarium, diving instruction, a general store and an executive lounge with a fabulous breakfast and snacks served throughout the day.Dining Along the Coast Turkey’s cuisine, from its central Asian origins to today’s cosmopolitan trappings, is remarkably diverse. Together with bounties from the sea, the origin of many of the dishes emanate from the local agrarian community. The country’s multicultural heritage has generated an urbanely, purist cuisine, strong on grilled meats and seafood, salads, fruits and vegetables, rich desserts and tasty local drinks – from tart fruit juices to fine wines, beers and Turkish coffee.The culinary traditions typically emphasize the natural flavor of its main ingredients, rather than masking them with sauces. Meat, for example, is primarily grilled like that of one of the most internationally famous of Turkish culinary creations, the kebab. It is the grilling process over charcoal that lends a kebab its distinctive flavor.While simplicity is a hallmark of Turkish cooking, the cuisine exudes a density of flavor and texture as well as extraordinary variety (eggplant, for example, is prepared in 40 different ways), the result of a millennium of refinement, the centuries-long influence of imperial palaces and a culture in which the preparation and serving of food is an important ritual of everyday life.A Turkish breakfast commonly consists of a mélange of fresh tomatoes, white cheese, black olives, and bread with honey and preserves – with an occasional egg. At lunch and dinner, soup, such as red lentil, often plays a central role and can be accompanied by a rice or bulgur pilaf dish, served in tandem with grilled lamb, chicken baked with peppers and/or eggplant and grilled fish. Several different vegetables prepared with olive oil and served at room temperature lend additional color and flavor to the meal, as does yogurt, a common accompaniment. There are two easily defined courses for lunch and dinner – appetizers or meze, such as sardine rolled in grape leaves, spiced lamb meatballs and/or roasted pureed eggplant and dessert, which usually includes fresh fruit as well as sweets and Turkish coffee. My favorite restaurants in the region were Tarihi Cinar Balik in Kusadasi and Adi Meyhane in Ephesus.Ephesus - A Voyage Back in Time
Ephesus, just down the road from Kusadasi, is home to several world renown ancient landmarks. As the capital of Roman Asia Minor, Ephesus is richly endowed with marble temples, mosaics and a 25,000-seat Great Theater. The city, whose wealth and patronage supported its splendid architectural program, was dedicated to the goddess Artemis. Her enormous temple was once considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. St. Paul spoke from Ephesus and later wrote his famous Epistle to the Ephesians. Even the Virgin Mary spent her last days here, where it is said that she ascended to heaven from a neighboring hilltop.A Brief HistoryTo walk through Ephesus and follow the footsteps of
approximately 8,000 years of history and the occupation by a variety of inhabitants is a mystical experience. Excavations have revealed that the first inhabitants settled during the Neolithic age around 6,000 BC. Recently, excavations have unearthed settlements from the early Bronze Age. In 1954, a burial ground from the Mycenean era, around 1,500 BC. was discovered – including ceramic pots and other artifacts.Along Ayasuluk Hill, a few miles from the center of ancient Ephesus, a Greek colony was discovered. The Greek goddess, Artemis and the Lady of Ephesus probably resided in Ephesus at that time.
About 650 BC, Ephesus was attacked by a nasty group of folks known as the Cimmerians who razed the city and destroyed the temple of Artemis. After the Cimmerians had been driven away, the city was ruled by a series of tyrants. About 560 BC, Ephesus was conquered by the Lydians under King Croesus. He treated the inhabitants with harsh respect.Ephesus continued to prosper until taxes were raised under Cambyses II and Darius. The result was the Ionian Revolt against Persian rule in the Battle of Ephesus (498 BC), an event which instigated the Greco-Persian wars. In 479 BC, the Ionians, together with Athens and Sparta, were able to oust the Persians. In many parts of the world, tax raises and revolts rage on to this day. Perhaps these pastimes originated in Ephesus.Along came Alexander the Great who defeated the Persian forces at the Battle of Granicus in 334 BC and the Greek cities of Asia Minor were liberated. The pro-Persian tyrant Syrpax and his family were stoned to death, and Alexander was warmly greeted when he entered Ephesus.When the Seleucid king Antiochus III the Great tried to regain the Greek cities of Asia Minor, he came in conflict with Rome. After a series of battles, he was defeated by Scipio Asiaticus at the Battle of Magnesia in 190 BC. As a result, Ephesus came under the rule of the Attalid king of Pergamon Eumenes II (197–133 BC). When his grandson Attalus III died without male offspring, he left his kingdom to the Roman Republic. Once again, taxes rose considerably, and the treasures of the city were systematically plundered.During the Byzantine era, 395-1308, the emperor Constantine I rebuilt much of the city and erected a new public bath. Ephesus remained the most important city of the Byzantine Empire in Asia after Constantinople in the fifth and sixth centuries. Emperor Flavius Arcadius raised the level of the street between the theatre and the harbor. The basilica of St. John was built during the reign of emperor Justinian I in the sixth century. The town was partially destroyed by an earthquake in 614.Following the Byzantine era, the Turks moved in. The town flourished during the 14th century under these new Seljuk rulers. They added important architectural works such as the İsa Bey Mosque, caravansaries and Turkish bathhouses. Around 1390, the Ottoman Empire took over.Ephesus was an important center for Early Christianity from the AD 50s. From AD 52–54, Paul spread the gospel from this city. The Church of Mary, close to the harbor of Ephesus, was the setting for the Third Ecumenical Council in 431Today, Ephesus contains the largest collection of Roman ruins in the eastern Mediterranean. Only an estimated 15 percent has been excavated, so there is much more to come. The archeologists were digging away as we walked by. We could observe remnants of the Library of Celsus, originally built in 125 AD. A portion of the Basilica of St. John, built in the sixth century AD rests in Ephesus. Except for a solitary column, little remains of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.I Will Return
The West Coast of Turkey blends modern Europe with ancient Europe and Asia Minor. One could travel to this region countless times and still not see all of its treasures. Before I departed, I stepped on my balcony and stole one more glance west for a look at the Aegean Sea. I am reasonably certain that I saw a guy on the balcony of a hotel on Samos Island. And I am equally sure he returned home and bragged that he could see Turkey from his hotel. I think he waved at me. Anyway, I waved back.For more information call 1-877/FOR-TURKEY or contact the Turkish Culture and Tourist Offices in New York at 212/687-2194. In Washington, D.C., at 202/612-6800. In Los Angeles at 323/937-8066. Visit their Web sites at www.goturkey.com or www.tourismturkey.org
