CHUNKS OF ST JOHN’S
A surprise trip to Selçuk & Sirinci courtesy of fabulous Lili & Cynthia from Maui – Rambling ruin of St John’s Basilica in Selçuk – Aşık-Veysel, A blind Turkish Bard who wandered from village to village playing saw and singing stories at the beginning of the 20thCentury——
THE GREAT VIRGIN & ST JOHN
St John’s Basilica —- Looking out from a hole in the rotunda behind St John’s tom – Selçuk 2007 May — The Great Artemis—— A previous incarnation of the Virgin Mary, great goddess of Asia Minor, her temple ruin was scavenged to build this basilica, which was ruined by earthquake & marauders, and scavenged in turn to build Selçuk Mosque.
COLUMNS OF ST JOHN’S
St John’s and a new moon, pale in the pale sky——
BRIGHT MORNING FACE
This bright face appeared among the hoary ancient bulls at Ephesus like a blessing——
GOAT BELLS ON A HILL
8AM – Gold hills – Splintery old gray post with a snail picto in red & turquoise on bright yellow metal, poppies like drops of blood scattered in the weeds, goat bells on a hill high in Şirinci. A horse snorts in the morning, far off down the valley a donkey saws the birdsong—–
IN MARY’S HOUSE
Meryemana, the shrine built on the footprint of a house believed to be where the Virgin Mary lived and died. Even if you don’t think Mary lived here, millions come here who do, and the collective faith knocks you to your knees.
APHRODISIAS
The best, most intelligently preserved ruin I’ve seen in Turkey—— The Koç Family is largely responsible for this spectacular preservation of a Roman resort city.
LILI
Lili and me at the fireside that night in our nightgowns talking for hours——
COLUMNS OF APHRODISIAS
Pinky-gold-white marble & replacement repairs in golden sandstone preserving the spirit & celebrating its age — We actually dressed in white & made a ceremony in the ruins of the Temple of Aphrodite. I wondered if it was “allowed” but we were treated with awe & delight by staff & tourists alike——
LILI ON THE HALF-SHELL
At Aphrodisias, May 2007 – An immense marble pillar hoary with age, broken open to the sky, inside still a glittering virginal white—–
LILI & THE MEDUSA
Lili Townshend & Medusa at Aphrodisias 2007—– Lili founded the Ministry of Fun, of which I am a member. Our motto: “Don’t do anything unless it’s fun. If you must do something that isn’t fun, find a way to make it fun.”
THE VIEW FROM BELLA
Sitting here at Bella in Selçuk smoking a nargile & wishing I could do justice to its fabulous view… the vast rambling ruin of St John’s in the gathering dusk & a resident family of storks—–