Ephesus reflections: the midpoint of my journey

It's strange to think I've been traveling for 181 days. Exactly 181 days. I found myself counting on my fingers this afternoon, sitting on a sun-warmed stone that once formed part of someone's home here in ancient Ephesus. Half my journey complete, half still ahead. The mathematical symmetry of it struck me as I watched shadows lengthen across the marble-paved streets.

I returned to Ephesus today, feeling drawn back to spend more time among these magnificent ruins before tomorrow's departure. Yesterday's nighttime tour gave me a different perspective, but I wanted to see certain spots again in daylight, to cement them in memory.

The morning began with a quiet breakfast at my hotel - fresh bread, olives, cucumber, tomato, and a small pot of honey that tasted like wildflowers. I arrived at the archaeological site at 8:50, ten minutes before opening, and was third in line. The cool morning air (about 7°C according to my phone) had me bundled in my jacket as I waited.

!Library of Celsus facade The Library of Celsus in morning light

I headed straight for the Library of Celsus. Yesterday's guide mentioned that the four female statues on the façade represent Wisdom, Knowledge, Intelligence, and Virtue - values we still hold dear despite all our technological advances. I spent nearly an hour there, watching the changing light illuminate different details as the sun climbed higher.

Later, I wandered through the commercial agora, where merchants once haggled over prices of goods from across the Roman Empire. I found a relatively quiet spot to sit and pulled out my notebook. A family walked by, the father explaining something to his children with animated gestures. A tour guide led a small group past, speaking German. I caught fragments about Emperor Hadrian's visits to the city.

I've been thinking a lot about what I'm seeking on this journey. Sitting among ruins built by people who lived, loved, and died two millennia ago provides perspective. Their concerns, their daily routines, their ambitions - all dust now. Yet something endures. The care they took in building, the beauty they created, the systems they designed.

I overheard a conversation about the site's reorganization project. Apparently, they're relocating the main entrance outside the ancient city walls and removing existing commercial areas to make way for new excavations. A woman was concerned it would become too commercialized, but her companion argued it would better preserve the archaeological integrity. I find myself curious about what they'll discover in those new excavations.

!Ancient plane tree This ancient plane tree near the Gate of Hercules has witnessed centuries of visitors

After lunch at a small restaurant near the site (lentil soup and fresh bread), I returned for a final walk through the marble-paved streets. The temperature had risen to a pleasant 10°C with bright sunshine that made the white marble almost blindingly bright.

I found myself back at that same stone seat, watching people pass by. A constant stream of humanity, just as it must have been two thousand years ago. Different languages, different clothes, but the same human curiosity.

I counted the days remaining: 319. What will I discover in those days? Who will I become? The ancient Ephesians couldn't have imagined me sitting here, just as I can't imagine who might contemplate these same ruins two thousand years from now.

Tomorrow I leave for my next destination. My bus departs at 10:30, which means I'll need to check out by 9:30 at the latest. Tonight I'll pack my bag, making sure everything is in its proper place. I've developed a system over these months - electronics in one packing cube, clothes in another, toiletries in their waterproof bag.

I feel both reluctance to leave and eagerness to continue. Perhaps that's the essence of this journey - the constant tension between settling and moving, between finding comfort and seeking newness.

Time to head back to my hotel now. The sun is beginning to set, casting long shadows across Ephesus. One last look at the Library of Celsus, one final moment to take it all in.

181 days behind me. 319 ahead.

!Ephesus sunset Goodbye, Ephesus