Kari Langslet: Life of a [former] NOMAD and [permanent] fashionista: May 2009

Sorry about the last post, I was a bit distraught about the internet situation, fuzzy slow computer, and having to pay for it [on email, half a blog, a few euro hahaha].
My last day in Turkey was decent, although they almost didn't let me get on the ferry. Apparently even when you buy ferry tickets in advance, they are considered "standby" as tour groups take priority. After waiting at the port in customs for six hours, one of the young Turkish men came towards me with my passport and a boarding card. I promptly jumped up and gave him a hug [against custom], and he was happy. Picked me up and twirled me around, he did.
I finally got to Chios, and waited for my overnight ferry to Athens. Once on board the ferry, trying to dissuade the invitations from an old, portly Greek man to lay next to him, I met my new, very tall Japanese friend Hiro. He's rad. And I am SO going to Japan next winter:]
Sleeping on a bost is interesting. All my dreams were about ferries/cruise ships, storms, and friends from Carmel that I haven't spoken to in years.
I got to Athens, dirty, tired, dropped off my stuff and took pictures of the lovely graffiti adorning the Marble City.
After checking in, getting showered, and a half assed attempt at a nap, I went on the rooftop bar of Athen's Backpackers to enjoy a beer and watch the sunset through the Acropolis.
Time went by, met some friends, waited for David to arrive [he got lost, but eventually made his way].
The next morning, we tramped around Plaka, hung out at the hostel, and took a ferry to Santorini. It got in at 1:30 AM. There is nothing at the port. We slept in the waiting area [well, David slept, I didn't really], and hung around the port until about noon, when the first ferry to Ios left.
I got a pretty warm reception from all the bar owners and people who were here two years ago. Good to know that not only was I remembered, but remembered somewhat fondly; not leaving too terrible of an impression [haha]. Discount, free drinks....definitely back in Ios, although almost everything is closed.
David and I have just been going to the beach and hanging out in town every day. When I have more time/battery/don't have to pee, I will upload some photos. Hasta Luego, suckers!
YAMMASSSSSSSSS

First off, I want to start by writing that the people who run ANZ [Australia and New Zealand Guesthouse], the hostel where I'm staying, are amazing. Definitely recommend to anyone who wishes to visit Ephesus. Pictures will be at the end of this.
Today:
What a wonderful day! I started off my day by finding out that the breakfast is, in fact, included, but not after the Christian Kiwis had taken the best and left me with the pickin's.
Yes, Christian Kiwis. Last night I went to bed hearing them sing Jesus/Lord/etc songs, as well as woke up to them. The frenchies in the bed next to me as well as myself had random bursts of giggles...as well as one of the teenagers that works here.
Okay, it's not that I have anything against Christians or Christian music, but when people spontaneously break out into bouts of perfectly rehearsed musical numbers, ie, theSound of Music, and do so allllll over Selcuk which is MUSLIM, it's a bit funny. Now, I've never seen High School musical, but I assume that if that were Christian, then that would portray my morning.
Hahhahaaa.
Not only did all that occur, but they insisted on filming me talk about how heavy my backpacks are, etc, then told me afterword that I will be on TV in NZ. GREAT.
They were nice, but queer folk.
I dilligently took photos for them, and parted ways.
After that, I met a Turkish man named Mehmet who is the hostel owner's brother. Mehmet said he'd give me a lift to Ephesus, which is 4 kilometers away. I said I'd like to walk, but he said he'd give me a lift, and then I can walk back. Definitely better on my feet!
So, since Mehmet had lent out his Yamaha, we went to get another motorbike for our venture. Mehmet started te engine, and I hopped on behind, eager to start my day's adventure.
On the way to Ephesus, Mehmet pulled onto a side street to take me to "Seven Sleepers," a place with a story/myth attached that he told me about and said was worth seeing.
It was.
There was a creamatorium and a church, built into a little hill that overlooked town. We went up to the creamatorium, and there was a tall chain link fence blocking our way.

I'm used to this by now, since I'm no archaeologist and don't get VIP access to sites, and geared up my camera to take photos through the metal fence. Then Mehmet said, "You want to go on?"
Me: "Won't we get in trouble?" [knowing me and authorities, I was a bit hesitant, and rightly so!"
Him, while pointing up and alluding to camers "No, there is no security!"
Hahhahaa. So, he jumped over the fence, and I shimmied under it in the dirt. We walked around, I took some photos, and Mehmet gave me a personal tour. We turned around to walk back to the gate, only to be confronted by a stunned looking tour group, staring at us from the other side.
Me, while abashidly giggling: "Oh no! They've caught us!!"
Mehmet: "No, it's just a tour group."
So, we walked right up, and i slide under in the dirt, to the gasps of the onlooking tourists, and Mehmet jumped over. By the end of it all, I had crawled under a fence, climbed over barbed wire, and got so dirty I couldn't tell if it was my tan or dirt.
Hahahahaa.

Then Mehmet took me up around a path to the church, and I almost stepped on about a hundred frogs. Literally, frogs EVERYWHERE. I caught a few and let them go; cute little buggers. Anyways, the view from the church was incredible! Simply wonderful. He also showed me a wishing tree, so I tied on a moist towelette and made my wish.
We walked back down, and Mehmet drove me the rest of the way to Ephesus. He offered to pick me up in a few hours and we would go to lunch, but I politely declined and said I wanted to walk back [which the walk back was nice, I had pomegranate juice and a French woman joined me].
Ephesus was beautiful, especially the Celsus library and the theatre. Remarkable.
I even got to see 2000 yo latrines, with constant running water! They haven't changed much. Actually, you remember the photo of the Turkish toilet on my last entry, so I guess they have kind of regressed a bit in this region, at least hahaha.

Water pipes, and drainage pipes were littered everywhere; and extensive sewage system underground as well. You could even see the water pipes in 2000 year old houses that started to show [afterall, there were about six earthquakes that pretty much destroyed the houses].

Yess, that long ago, houses were fitted with indoor plumbing, as well as toilets; and in todays world, many people do not have running water or toilets.
Hmmmm....
I even coughed up the extra dough to see the Terraced Houses, which was WELL WORTH IT [seriously!!!], because I wanted to see some frescoes. I also have a fascination with Roman style houses, and if I had a bunch of money, I'd build myself a house in that exact fashion. The walls and floors in several of the rooms are marbled. Here's an article from last week about the marble reconstruction work; http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=175015&bolum=100

I decided to try and sneak off the path to get some pictures of the Library from an aerial standpoint, but there were far too many bushes in the way. When I got down to the bottom of the stairs, this Turkish man with the Ministry of Antiquities insisted on grabbing my camera and taking photos. He said this all in Turkish, which he thought I spoke, but I understood it and said "ok" [tammam!] After one photo, I said "thanks" and went for my camera. He said, "No, another, over there" and pointed. After that, he said, "Another!"and made me change locations again. After this, I insisted on taking my camera back, said thanks, and moseyed away. These are the products of his ecellent photog skills [keep in mind I had it on autofocus and set it up, so all he'd have to do was click the button];
I was taking pictures of the Library again, when he ran up to me and asked if he could take a picture of me again. I said no, and walked hurridly away. He followed me for quite awhile, until I interfered on a cruise tour to give them a tidbit of correct archaeological facts about iron grates, then mystery Turk dissapeared.
I walked back, had a milkshake and a piece of bread, then read some.
I have to say, for dinenr tonight, I had HORRIBLE and overpriced food.
They bait you by writing the price in euros and not lira, even though i knew that before I went in. I decided that still, it was reasonable enough, and figured there would be more things on the menu. Now, keep in mind that Turkish food is amazing. GREAT vegetarian dishes.
So, after they had already sat me, etc, they handed me a menu. No falaffel, and Turks don't have substantial salads. Chicken. Damn. I decided to get one of their tiny "salads", and I got some chicken. They bring the "salad." Tiny, with nothing in it, as expected. Then comes a dish of overcooked, dry chicken flakes, that look worse than the worst chicken from the worst kebap place I have ever seen. Then comes burnt bread, heated up on the same stove that the "chicken" was cooked. So, I look at this food, and think to myself "I'm going to be sick. I don't want this, and I know if I eat it, I'm going to be sick."
Alas, that once alive chicken-flaked animal died so I could eat, there are starving kids all around the world, and I'm broke.
I gagged it down. Most of it, at least.
Barely.
The starving kids probably would have been proud.
And the whole meal, plus tea, amounted to $8 USD, which is extremely overpriced for Turkey. I scoffed, paid, chugged my tea and left.
While writing this very blog, I started to feel sick. I ran to the toilet to make myself throw up [Sorry kids!], but I don't really have a gag reflex. It just made me feel worse.
Moral of the story? NEVER, I mean never, eat at Petek Copsis, or whatever it was called [by the otogar]. And if you're a vegetarian, don't gag down chicken, especially chicken flakes.
Now, that dinner was a huge contrast to my lunch today. Best food in Turkey, best food in...months? Simply amazing. I got to pick what I wanted, kind of like a deli, they made it, and it was SUPERB. This restaurant is brand new, and actually owned by the same guys that run the hostel I'm in. That's actually why I decided to stop by and eat there, and was surprised and ecstatic at the food! Delicious vegetarian plates [there's also kebaps for you carnivores], and tea, and bread. I know I got a discount, but still, guess how much I paid? The equivalent of $2.30, USD!!! AMAZING. If ever you go to Selcuk or Ephesus, stay at ANZ and eat at Mehmet and Alibaba's.
Seven Sleepers