I started the day with a healthy breakfast with the hotel owners Jimmy and Juneyt. Shortly I was joined by their dad, the local policeman (who mis-understood that I had studied chemistry and wanted to know how to make a bomb), the parking attendant (who never seemed to do anywork, instead staying all day at the hotel) and the lady who effectively looks after the place. It really feels like one big happy family here and whenever I drop by there are cries of "Ah Neek!" followed by an instruction to come and see or do something.

I'd organised to meet with Omar Ak, theough the guys at the hotel, who was an experienced guide and researcher into the history of the great (and former Silk Road town) of Ephesus. He drove me up to the ruins and we spent about 3 hours touring the site and discussing the fascinating history of this incredible city where at one time up to 250,000 people had lived. The trade passing through the city left it for the most part very wealthy and the grand buildings reflect this. Indeed the temple of Artemis which was situated on the first town of Ephesus interestignly acted as the first bank. People would deposit their treasures at the temple and once a year would recieve a "present" back to signify the interest they had effectively earned for depositing their treasures.

We made our way back to Selcuk town and I grabbed some lunch at the take-away-cum-restaurant kebab shop rounf teh corner from the hotel. I sat down next to a charming man who spoke only a few words of English but insisted that I try everything on offer including the Turkish drink Ayran, which some genius had discovered that if you take some yoghurt, mix it with water, add more than a pinch of salt and give it a name you can sell for a lot of money. It was however strangely refreshing even if not particularly tasty.

On my way back hard as I tried to ignore the carpet shop touts I bumped into a guy and started chatting about my trip and my research into the silk road. Quite honestly and without intention to sell me a carpet (I'd told him I'd already bought one), he took me off for tea and explained his interest in silk manufacture in Turkey. In this town, no matter where I walk I am recieved incredibly well and if I have met someone once then they immediately call out to me and offer me tea - and I embarrasingly can't even remember their name.

Earlier in the day I had mentioned to the guys at the hotel that in England I no longer played football but did do the odd bit of refereeing. This was greeted immediately with an offer to referee the local match they were playing against the municipality team in what was an important fixture. The offer was too good to turn down, perhaps at last my European refereeing career might begin in earnest! And so it did. I had found a whistle by chance in town and we set off for the evening game at a nearby pitch/stadium/bar. All was going well until the second half when one of the guys in the team injured himself and had to limp off. I order to restore the eqality I had to sustitute him and willingly played out the rest of the match. The fact that the final score was 8-8 is I suppose somewhat embarrassing but at least everyone left still cheerful in what was a fiercely competitive match! The post-match celebrations started and water and coke was consumed to celebrate.

Back at the hotel the local comedian and barber (an intruiging combination) had dropped by. I had bought a couple of beers and whilst no=one else drank, this guy, Hassan, decided to join me. He spoke two words of English and I spoke two words of Turkish, but it was enough to become "beer brothers" and immediate friends. The fact that the only glasses we had to drink beer from were small turkish tea glasses made the experience all the more surreal!