Today our ship docked in the port of Kusadasi.
Since we have been here many times we had booked a private tour to visit the Yuksel Carpet factory in Selcuk, lunch in Selcuk
and then a visit to the old Greek village of Sirince.
Our guide had mentioned a tour of a carpet weaving co operative where there was a demonstration of how the silk was harvested from the silkworms, spun and dyed for carpet making. There were several women weaving wool and silk carpets. Afterwards we were escorted into a large room where the salesman and his aides displayed a series of wool and silk carpets. All were beautiful.
After our visit here it was time for lunch. We had arranged with our guide to go back to the restaurant where he took us in 2013. We had a great meal then and looked forward to another one.
The restaurant, Bizim Ev - https://www.tripadvisor.co.za/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g293976-d3397485-i115069098-Bizim_Ev_Hanimeli_Restaurant-Selcuk_Izmir_Province_Turkish_Aegean_Coast.html - was a short drive from the carpet factory.
The owner's wife was there to greet us and seat us in the outdoor patio. As we passed through the kitchen we saw pans and dishes of food waiting for us to help ourselves- buffet style.
At the table we got our dishes and went around the counter getting samples of meat and vegetable dishes.
The food was so good we went back for seconds.
There were four of us-guide, driver, my wife and I - and the bill was 48TL (including drinks) or $24 US. A super bargain and excellent food.
The owner has written a cookbook with her daughter and we bought a copy which she autographed.
http://www.bizimevhanimeli.com/
We then got in our van for the drive to Sirince which was 5 mins. away up the mountain.
Sirince was originally a Greek town but vacated by Greeks during Ataturk's population exchange in the 20's. A very good novel about this event was written by Didi Sotiriou titled Farewell Anatolia- a very rare book and expensive to buy if one finds a copy. It is very good and set in the area of Sirince and Selcuk.
Our driver left us off in the center of the village so we could walk around and sight see. We then stopped for refreshments and to enjoy the view.
Once done we got back into the van to be driven back to Kusadasi. Since our ship was going to be in port until 10:30 pm we had time to stroll through the center of town and window shop. Afterwards we boarded our ship.
The highlight of this cruise was a private evening concert at the Odeum in Ephesus. At 7PM we boarded buses which took us to the back entrance of the archeological site where we walked to the Odeum. At the entrance near the Odeum the captain and cruise director (in costume) greeted us and the photographer took our photo.
There were tables with refreshments for the guests. Once we were seated we enjoyed a wonderful concert by musicians from Izmir under a clear starlit sky.
After a delightful concert we got on our bus and were driven to the ship. The captain had arranged a special evening buffet for all of the passengers.
Since we have been here many times we had booked a private tour to visit the Yuksel Carpet factory in Selcuk, lunch in Selcuk
and then a visit to the old Greek village of Sirince.
Our guide had mentioned a tour of a carpet weaving co operative where there was a demonstration of how the silk was harvested from the silkworms, spun and dyed for carpet making. There were several women weaving wool and silk carpets. Afterwards we were escorted into a large room where the salesman and his aides displayed a series of wool and silk carpets. All were beautiful.
After our visit here it was time for lunch. We had arranged with our guide to go back to the restaurant where he took us in 2013. We had a great meal then and looked forward to another one.
The restaurant, Bizim Ev - https://www.tripadvisor.co.za/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g293976-d3397485-i115069098-Bizim_Ev_Hanimeli_Restaurant-Selcuk_Izmir_Province_Turkish_Aegean_Coast.html - was a short drive from the carpet factory.
The owner's wife was there to greet us and seat us in the outdoor patio. As we passed through the kitchen we saw pans and dishes of food waiting for us to help ourselves- buffet style.
At the table we got our dishes and went around the counter getting samples of meat and vegetable dishes.
The food was so good we went back for seconds.
There were four of us-guide, driver, my wife and I - and the bill was 48TL (including drinks) or $24 US. A super bargain and excellent food.
The owner has written a cookbook with her daughter and we bought a copy which she autographed.
http://www.bizimevhanimeli.com/
We then got in our van for the drive to Sirince which was 5 mins. away up the mountain.
Sirince was originally a Greek town but vacated by Greeks during Ataturk's population exchange in the 20's. A very good novel about this event was written by Didi Sotiriou titled Farewell Anatolia- a very rare book and expensive to buy if one finds a copy. It is very good and set in the area of Sirince and Selcuk.
Our driver left us off in the center of the village so we could walk around and sight see. We then stopped for refreshments and to enjoy the view.
Once done we got back into the van to be driven back to Kusadasi. Since our ship was going to be in port until 10:30 pm we had time to stroll through the center of town and window shop. Afterwards we boarded our ship.
The highlight of this cruise was a private evening concert at the Odeum in Ephesus. At 7PM we boarded buses which took us to the back entrance of the archeological site where we walked to the Odeum. At the entrance near the Odeum the captain and cruise director (in costume) greeted us and the photographer took our photo.
There were tables with refreshments for the guests. Once we were seated we enjoyed a wonderful concert by musicians from Izmir under a clear starlit sky.
After a delightful concert we got on our bus and were driven to the ship. The captain had arranged a special evening buffet for all of the passengers.
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