Today was another stop at the Turkish Port of Kusadasi. The most famous reason to go to this port is for a tour of Ephesus. However during out last time at port, we toured Ephesus and other areas, so this time we went on a tour of 3 ancient cities, Priene, Didyma and Miletus. Ollie and Mom didn’t go today so it was just my dad, Brandi and myself. So we were expecting an uneventful day. Well it was far from that.
Priene was a Greek and Roman Settlement at different times. It has a great temple, and has some well preserved ruins as well. Here is where our story begins… On this tour we had 3 busses, bug 9, 10 11. We were on bus 11 due to use running late. I didn’t want to get up… I was a little tired and got delayed checking email what else is new right? Well as we are walking up the hill to the ancient city our guide gets a call. Our guide immediately asks if someone was a doctor. He then begins to tell us that someone from group 9 is having a heart attack. Group 9 was on the other side of the ancient city. So our guide goes to make some calls since he is a translator and the paramedics don’t speak English.
Within about 5 mins and 35ish year old male starts to have what we think is a seizure so our group does that best we can to get him situated. Our guide was just coming back and he was like “what’s up today”. So he calls for the paramedics, it just so happens they called 2 ambulances. So now we have one for the heart attack and this other guy. Well the paramedics came for the other guy and got him all situated, so our guide goes back to being our guide and continues to show us around. Now, we make it over to the amphitheatre where the heart attack victim was. As we climb over a wall and walk down some steps, the first image I see is them pumping on his chest. My immediate thought is that this doesn’t look good and I said a prayer for him and his wife who was there sobbing. It was pretty evident, he was dead.
Back to our tour number 9. We were just kinda standing with a dead body on the other side of the area. We paused for a few mins so our guide can translate, then someone else arrived our guide came back to us and we continued the tour and discussion with someone’s lifeless body in view. I asked the guide later why we didn’t leave out of respect and he told me that, he wanted to but someone from the group hinted that they paid for a tour guide, so he needed to do his job. Based on who was with us and who has been on this cruise, I can totally believe him. So it got me thinking, why are we as an American culture so self absorbed. Well it’s not everyone but in this case it would be about 50% of the people who were traveling with us. I have plenty of stories for all of you when I return about how inconsiderate this group of people where. It’s the idea that is you have money you are better than the help, but the funny part is these people aren’t it’s Holland America, not their own ship.
Anyhow, after everything settled down we got back on the bus and went to the next city of Miletus. Miletus has many great ruins, and the great part is you can explore them on your own. Then we had a great lunch of a Turkish stuff. I am glad they didn’t label it, I probably wouldn’t try it. Of course it was all good.
After lunch we went to the city of Didyma and the Temple of Apollo. This was the site for the largest oracle in Asia, so it was very well known in its time. It was first used by the Greek, then later used by the Romans and Christians as well. However the Greeks get the credit for this one. One thing that stuck me was the overall size of the temple. It was supposed to have 127 columns each about 80 feet high. As you can see from the photos the base on the columns is gigantic. You can image scaling this out to be complete. Then we made it back to the port with a little time for shopping. The first thing I heard was how little time people had, and I was so wanting for someone to say… “gosh if that guy wouldn’t have went and died think of all the extra time we would have” fortunately I didn’t hear that. I would have come unglued at that point. People are so insensitive. But what can you do? Besides be an example what can you do?
Today was a day of perspective. I could honestly see myself being that gentleman who passed on. What would I be leaving Brandi and then what type of life would I be having? It is time for some changes personally and professionally. I am not saying living every day for the experience, but I think it is time to start making some better choices. Although my career is very important and the financial blessing that come with it have provided for a good lifestyle for my wife and family, one thing this trip and these experiences have shown me is there is definitely more to life. Unfortunately it has to take a few kicks in the head for me to get it. Tonight is our last night on the ship, time to make the rounds and pass out the tips. A few crew members will be rewarded as they have gone over and above and above some more to help with our experience and with Oliver.
Tomorrow we arrive in Athens, than we fly to London for the weekend. Brandi, Oliver and I have a private tour scheduled to drive us around London on Saturday afternoon, and I think we are going to the British Museum and Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London on Friday. Then Sunday we spend the day flying home. I should be able to blog about London, depending on what we have going on. I’ll even mention the hotel we were going to stay at, then I read the reviews… we changed quickly.
It seems as there were only 3 British Airways flights from Athens to London today and they were all booked solid, so we ended up having to wait at the airport for about 6 hours before we could board and take off. Oh well, it’s part of life when you travel, the key is be flexiable. I told mom, no wake up call tomorrow. We get up when we get up. We are all pretty tired.
