Ephesus

They say no trip to Turkey would be complete without a visit to Ephesus, one of the great cities of ancient Greece and Rome. The ruins were amazing, but the site (like Hieropolis the day before) was ridiculously crowded. Afrodisias may not have ruins quite so dramatic as the Celsus Library (above), but it was a much more enjoyable excursion overall.The terrace houses were the highlight of our visit. The gorgeous frescoes and floor mosaics are well worth the additional 15-lira entrance fee, and because most tour groups don't budget enough time for it, the excavation site is relatively quiet too.Many of the decisions made by the restoration team were puzzling at best. "Cubist architectural collage"?! WTF!I feel like I should submit this one to LOLcats once I think up a funny tagline.Afterward we went to the museum in town and checked out the Artemis statue, once housed in one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. I think I counted twenty-nine boobs.Happy New Year, everybody!