Day 04 - Aphrodisias, Racing in a Stadium, and Turkish Rugs

One of the great things about longer bus rides is getting to soak in the beautiful Turkish countryside. Even though it's winter and most trees have lost their leaves, we still passed by fields of almond trees, peach trees, pomegranate bushes, and thousands of olive trees! And of course, the bus rides have been filled with riddles and games, with plenty of laughs as we try to stump each other!

We spent most of the morning at Aphrodisias, a city dedicated to the goddess Aphrodite (not Athena). The grand entrance, called the Sebasteion, was dedicated to the Roman emperor in an attempt to attract more financial support from the capital. Inflation was on the rise, and the local government even tried to set prices for all goods. While that didn’t last long, it left behind a historical record of prices, giving historians an amazing glimpse into daily life in the ancient world.

Aphrodisias boasts of a sculpting school, a large theater, a basilica, a massive outdoor pool, Roman baths, fountains, and the best surprise of all… a stadium! This stadium is the largest and best-preserved in the Roman world, seating 30,000 people! Naturally, Mr. Mo challenged all the kids to a race—and let’s just say the kids had a great time beating him!

After another delicious lunch (I have completely neglected to mention how incredible the food has been on this trip!), we visited a local Turkish rug weaving center. Watching artisans demonstrate how to hand-weave intricate rugs left us all in awe. The time, patience, and skill required to craft these works of art is truly incredible. We were especially amazed when we felt the silk-woven rugs—unbelievably soft and luxurious. And yes, some of us even took home some amazing rugs!

We’ve now arrived in Kuşadası, a coastal town on the Aegean Sea. The moment we got to our rooms, we rushed to our balconies to take in the stunning view of the sea. I have a feeling we’re in for another couple of great days ahead!