Turkeys M Hideaways Day 11
Turkeys M Hideaways
Day 11 - 04/17/06 Roman Ruins at Myra & Church of Saint Nicholas, Small Boat Cruise to Gokkaya Bay Board Gulet at Fethiye
We packed up our bags, had breakfast, checked our messages one last time before we got on the gulet late this afternoon and are away from cyberspace for a few days. Ilkar was there to pick us up and helped the porter load our luggage. We wound our way out of Antalya and saw the people getting on the buses to go to work.
Another travel guide, Murat, who is learning the OAT trail and customs from Meltem has joined our group. We have jokingly dubbed him "The Apprentice". We had a very scenic ride along the coastal road for two hours.
We made our first stop Kumluca, a small village famous for supplying fruits and vegetables for Turkey and export to the whole Mediterranean. I got out of the bus to take a photo and noticed the wonderful aroma of the many blossoming fruit trees. I suggested that everyone else should also get out - so there we were on the side of the road, smelling the sweet smell of citrus - crazy American tourists!
We arrived at the ancient Roman ruins of Myra at 10:30, and walked to the large theater, still very much intact with marble seats and mask friezes scattered around the elaborately decorated stage area. The conspicuous Lycian house-tombs carved into the cliffs were very picturesque.
Built in the 4th century BC, they contain some of the earliest examples of Lycian script and funerary bas-reliefs. We had 20 minutes to explore on our own and then enjoyed a fresh glass of orange juice which was a nice treat and change from the Tang we had at the hotels.
We also visited the Church of Saint Nicholas in Demre. In the 4th century AD, Saint Nicholas was the bishop of this area and was known as a protector of children, adorning them with gifts at every opportunity. He was later declared a saint, and is the model for Santa Claus or Father Christmas. Christians from as far away as Italy and Russia come here to attend a special annual festival mass on December 6th.
We walked along the streets and then ate lunch at a small busy café - only locals - the most delicious kebabs we have had in Turkey. They served us a side dish of tomatoes, that were so red and sweet, not like the cardboard ones we have at home. Our meal was very reasonably priced, only 13 Lyra.
We drove a short way along the coast to Kekova and then boarded a small boat and cruised the Gokkaya Bay. This is a particularly beautiful region with few roads. In the small fishing villages, we saw fishermen mending their nets and village children playing. We boarded a boat and sailed between and among many of the small islands dotting the turquoise and clear water. We saw the ancient city of Kekova which has now sunken into the sea because of the many earthquakes and shifts of water level.
We got off the boat at Simena and hiked up steep rocky slope to an old Crusader's castle. We climbed all the way to the top, a tricky climb but well worth the extreme effort! The panorama included an extensive necropolis of fine Lycian sarcophagi resembling overturned boats. We retraced our steps to the village of Simena at the cove of Kalekoy, where we met our small boat and cruised back to rejoin our minibus.
We left Kekova at 4:30 and continued our drive along the Turquoise Coast. At one point we stopped for a photo opportunity where we could look across to a nearby island which is now part of Greece since the Exchange of Population.
As we approached the harbor at Fethiye in the early evening, Meltem gave us a brief overview of the next four days on the gulet as well as the rules for our stay on board. We caught our first look at our traditional Turkish gulet, Senkaya. It's a teak and oak beauty with sails and a motor, an outdoor eating area, and comfortable cushions for relaxing on the observation decks, fore and aft. There are eight snug cabins below, each with its own head and shower.
We had time to get our luggage stowed away and then at 8 PM the captain introduced his crew of three and we had our dinner together out on the deck of the ship. We had had a very long day and as soon as we took a shower and read for a short time we were able to fall asleep.
Accommodations: Gulet - - - Meals: B, D
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