Good Morning from Ephesus

 Yesterday, my family and I had the privilege to experience something unlike anything else. We visited the ancient city ruins of Ephesus. We walked the same steps of revolutionary Christians, like that of the Apostle Paul.

Immediately upon arrival, we were all taken away. The ruins were in incredible condition. I could so easily imagine myself in this ancient metropolis that I was lost by taking in the view.

The goddess Nike poses for ancient Ephesians.

Christians in ancient Ephesus were harshly persecuted. This became ever more evident to me as I could not walk five steps without passing a sculpture of a Pagan god. Paganism was so prominent in the town that Christians were subjected to live in hiding for the majority of their lives. 

 

This sacrifice that early followers of Christ made for their faith calls for my own self reflection--how much do I sacrifice for my faith? Paul, after being stoned nearly to death was sent away for his own protection. Despite all this, he still wanted to return to the city. That would scare me to death! What a minority these people were, and how persecuted they were just for their religious beliefs. 

Even the library features breathtaking sculpture and detail.

A view from below

Though not their spoken language, the Ephesians wrote with the Greek alphabet.

The library

Overall, the trip was fascinating, and extremely educational. I have never felt more connected to my faith! For more information on the history Ephesus, I refer you to this website.  

Returning home, all smiles (:

Istanbul Day One

Day one in Istanbul was absolutely fabulous. Turkey is a country with about 90% identifying as muslim. With plans to visit a few of the ancient city's religious sites, I dressed modestly in a long, black maxi from Anthropology. Around my purse, I carried a scarf, which was required in some sites we visited. 

I don't remember everything I learned in Istanbul, but I will always remember the people we met, and the overall feeling of the city. Istanbul is such a beautiful mix of Middle Eastern tradition combined with European ideals. It is the best of both worlds. 

I am here, Istanbul

My family and I arrived to Istanbul around 5 o'clock in the afternoon yesterday. We were immediately greeted by our kind driver Sayit, and several boisterous outdoor speakers calling us to evening prayer. As we loaded our luggage into the back of Sayit's van, I had a brief premonition of becoming the next inspiration for Taken 3, but it all ended up just fine, as we arrived safe and sound at The Ritz Carlton Istanbul only 40 minutes later.
Dirty and nauseously jet-lagged, the family decided dinner was a good idea. We ate at a restaurant here in the hotel. In typical Ritz fashion, it was a fabulous meal, in fact the most fabulous meal I had enjoyed in quite sometime. I happily spent my first evening in Istanbul chowing down on fresh bread, dipped in coarse salt and extra virgin olive oil, a fresh mixed green salad, an array of traditional Turkish hummuses, and curried vegetables and rice. A girl can only take so many smoothies, after some time, you must delight yourself to the real foodie pleasures in life.
Regressing to bed was more challenging than I had imagined. Jet lag is very real. I fell asleep around 11 PM here ( 3 PM central time), and woke up about 2 AM (6 PM CT). After an hour of unproductive tossing and turning in my bed, which I must say was extremely comfortable, I decided I might as well wake up for good. So, I reached for my Nikes and headed to the gym at 3 in the morning. I am already breaking new grounds here in Istanbul. I think that just shows how monumental this trip is preparing to be.
Now, it is 8:30 in the morning, and I am still the only one awake from my party. Single, I am drinking coffee and munching on a croissant and fruit awaiting the day's promising beginning. Though alone, I find myself relaxed and at ease. It is trips like these that remind me of the beauty found in simpler things. Like admiring a view from breakfast, though it is of mostly construction of a football stadium, there behind it a mosque with gold pointed pillars peeks at me. I am in love with this slow easiness and am inspired to find this feeling again come tomorrow morning, 8:30.