archaeological sites

Photo of the Week: Ephesus

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Ephesus (398)Ephesus, Turkey

Ephesus was an important trade center of the ancient world through many successions of empires from the Greek to Roman to Ottoman.  This was one of the richest cities in the world for centuries, once famed for the Temple of Artemis – one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.  

This is a photo of Curetes Street, the main pathway leading from the Gates of Hercules to the famed library of Celsus. The wide street, paved with marble, was once lined with shops in ancient times.  All that is left now are the crumpling pillars and mosaics that have managed to stand the test of time.   

Every Monday of each week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home. Most of my photos have little or no post processing.  If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.

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Photo of the Week: Poseidon

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IMG_9816Sounion, Greece

I grew up reading Greek mythology and dreamt about visiting Greece one day.  So when we finally started traveling, Greece was at the top of the list. This is the temple of Poseidon at Sounion, located on the southernmost tip of the Attica peninsula overlooking the Aegean Sea.  This temple was built around 440 B.C and dedicated to the god of the sea.  People from far and wide come and pay homage to Poseidon here and pray for safe passage on their travels.

According to Greek legends, this is where Aegeus fell to his death.  The story goes: Aegeus’s son, Theseus, sailed off to Crete to fight the Minotaur.  Before he left, he promised his dad that if he returned safely, he would hoist up a white sail so his dad would know long before the ship reached land that his son was safe.  He entered the labyrinth and with the help of Ariadne, he was able to defeat the monster.  On the way home, in a moment of jubilation, he forgot his promise to his father and left the black sail up.  From afar, Aegeus thought that his son was dead, and overwhelmed with grief, he jumped into the sea.  The Aegean Sea was later named after him.

Every Monday of each week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home.  Most of my photos have little or no post processing.  If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.