Travelling Pioneers

On our road trip to see the seven congregations of Revelation, we just had to stop at ancient Smyrna in Turkey. We had just come Ephesus so our expectations were pretty high. We were told that there is not much to see here. True? Maybe. But hey, who would only go to 6 of the 7 congregations, right? Where is ancient Smyrna, Turkey located? Right in the heart of modern day Izmir. Nearly all of the ancient city has a modern city built on top of it. So what we saw was only a small section that was excavated. And this excavation is very beautiful . On Google Maps it is located right here . The ruins of Smyrna are right in the middle of the city of Izmir, Turkey The hardest part about this trip was navigating in the crazy downtown traffic and trying to find a parking space. Therefore let me make your life easier. There is a parking garage right here beside the entrance. It will cost a few Turkish Lira, but it is so worth it. Location in Proximity to Cities of Christianity When calcula

In this article I want to share 12 valuable connections to the Bible. We discovered them when visiting Ephesus in Turkey in 2020. This city has has deep connections to the Bible and if you know what to look for it really makes for a meaningful visit. The last time we went was in 2002 only 10 percent had been excavated. Today, it is now 20%. Lol. Still a long way to go! Even when we visited this time, there were archaeologists working away. Maybe in another 20 years they will be at 30%. Oh well. We were anxious to see if it could give up any more secrets. We went with the perspective of seeing how much we could connect with the Bible. This city is full of connections and I’m happy to share them the best of them. First, I want to share a little information that we discovered on our visit that might be helpful to anyone else considering it. Where is Ephesus ? The location on Google Maps is here . But here are a few other locations off the site that you should know. The turnoff p

Ancient Miletus in Turkey is a nice city to visit as a complement to the seven congregations of Revelation in the Bible. It’s proximity makes it a convenient stop. So we decided to pay a brief visit and get an idea of where it is in relation to other cities as well as familiarize ourselves with a place frequented by the Apostle Paul. First of all, let’s get the pronunciation straight. This is how to pronounce Miletus: Location and how to get there Here is the exact location of Miletus in Turkey on Google Maps. It is in western Turkey and located among fertile planes close to the Aegean Sea. Aerial view of the city of Miletus. Visitors center on the right. The history of ancient Miletus This ancient Greek city has a very long history. Archaeologists say it goes back to 3000 BC but recorded history dates it back to 1900 BC. As usual, layers and layers of civilizations are visible, making it difficult to picture what the city looked like at any specific point in time. For me, my bigges

Colossae in Turkey is one of those unimpressive sites in the country. Not because of it’s importance in the Bible. But because it is completely unexcavated. Since we were travelling to the seven congregations addressed in Revelation, this site seemed too intriguing to pass up. Especially since it was almost along our route. First, let’s address a few questions. Where is Colossae located? This is the exact location of Colossae in modern day Turkey . The entrance to the mound is located here . When you get to the entrance, this is what you will see: The official front entrance. No one was there. The location in proximity to other cities It’s important to understand the location of Colossae in relation to other cities of early Christianity. A days walk during the life of the Apostle Paul was about 25 miles. Here is a map with the travel distances between cities at that time in Asia Minor: Colossae to: Ephesus – 128 miles (5 day walk) Laodicea – 12 miles (1/2 day walk) Philadelphia – 6

Selcuk history is not our favorite, but there’s an archaeological site right beside the Kizoren Sinkhole (Turkey’s largest sinkhole) that is worth seeing. We decided to kill two birds with one stone and see both since they are side by side. The Obruk Han is a castle-like structure that served as an inn for Seljuk caravans coming through in the 13th century. Doesn’t seem so exciting at first, but this one is unique for several reasons. Here they are: Solid and unique craftsmanship. Built more like a castle. Located beside Turkey’s largest sinkhole Built of stones from a Byzantine church Ottoman graveyard beside it There is sign near the entrance that explains it’s history. This was good because the inside was closed due to an ongoing restoration. Here is what it said: The sign in front of the Obruk Han A mosaic of stones The walls surrounding the inn (or han as the Turkish call it) were spectacular. It appeared as if some of them had ancient Greek writing on them while others had L

The largest sinkhole in Turkey was a nice stop on the way back from Salt Lake . This plateau (locals call it Obruk Plateau) has many sinkholes and this is one of the better ones. It is in fact the largest sinkhole in Turkey. I really don’t recommend seeing it unless it’s along the way. Facts about the sinkhole It is 228 meters across and 171 meters deep. The water is generally 140 meters deep (according to one local there) Set in limestone The water level fluctuates about 10 meters per year Most online pictures are misleading The picture above is a true representation of what Kizoren Sinkhole (or as the locals call it Kizoren Lake) looks like. There are so many pictures out there that doctor the picture up to appear with stunning colors. The truth is that it is pretty much as plain as you see it above. You will notice though that the sun shines across the sinkhole and the shades of light will cast slight hues on the water – from very dark red to green. But it’s nothing like those

Salt Lake, Turkey, or Tüz Gölü is another world experience. We went there with low expectations and now find ourselves going back there time and again to bring friends. After going there a few times, I want to share with you what we have learned and some tips to make your trip special. Like many tourist destinations in Turkey, this one is almost completely unexploited. No motels, developed beaches, or even road signs to give tourists the indication that this place is a must see. There aren’t even any proper roads! Hence, I would say this is an undiscovered treasure of Turkey. It doesn’t rate as high as say Pamukkale, but it’s not far behind. And if you know the right places to go, it’s unforgettable. Crystal formations on the shore. When you first drive by it, you are like “What!”. It should really be called The Red Sea. I didn’t use Photoshop or any special filter in my pictures. They are exactly what you see in August. But I will add that late summer is probably the best time