Oludeniz

We are on the way to start our big trek on the Lycian Way / Likya Yolu. Today we made it to Oludeniz, just over a big hill from Fethiye.

But before I get into the glories of  Oludeniz just an observation. They sure do smoke a lot here. I've seen so many people, young and old puffing away like chimneys. I did a bit of digging and a total of 31.2% of adults (approximately 16 million) aged 15 years and older are smokers, only 15% of smokers are women. So then I got to thinking how expensive cigarettes are in NZ, (approx $35 a pack) how can Turkish people afford to smoke?  Well you won't believe this,   it's 56 Turkish Lira for a pack 20 Marlborough, so about $2.90 NZ!  No wonder the streets are littered with icky cigarette buts and the out doors  has a whiff of ciggy pong. You don't see anyone vaping here, the only vapers are Poms on holiday necking their larger's🤭

Right back to lovely Oludeniz. You can see why they call it the turquoise coast, the water is so blue. 

Travellers discovered the area in the sixties when there were just basic camping sites, a spectacular beach and a hidden lagoon. Hippies and backpackers soon followed as the word got out and now it's a full on resort with beach bars and tourist touts. When you see signs for 'full English breakfast' you know it's not good. The beach was beautiful and quiet today. It's  pre season and the beach bars and cabanna's are busy getting spruced up for May when the season starts. Glad we saw it uncrowded and peaceful. Just the paragliders gently floating down from the massive cliffs above the bay.

Ölüdeniz, means “dead sea”  named for the  salty calm waters of the hidden lagoon. The first settlers in the bay are likely to have been Christians who set up churches in the area during the time of St. Paul, around 50 AD. There was once a number of churches in the region, but earthquakes, sea bandits and development left most of the churches in ruins or destroyed.

As the years went by, trading ships passed through the bay, and the lagoon became awash pirates. It's now a protected National Park. No pirates anymore but watched as a wild boar came out of the forest and trotted along the beach.

A prime example of nature competing / coexisting with the tourist economy that provides vital income to the locals nine months of the year. 

Amyntas Rock Tombs

What a beautiful morning in Fethiye. Spring is definitely in the air. We set off to find a nice spot to have coffee and boy did we find a beauty. Check out the view from this crowns nest outdoor table. 

Coffee on board we went in search of some Lycian rock tombs carved into the hillside. We passed a shepherdess walking her flock.

Not too much further up the road we came to the Amyntas tombs.

As you look up you can suddenly see a range of tombs sprinkled across the cliff face.

This impressive looking tomb was built in 350 BC! It was named after the Greek inscription on the side of it which reads "Amyntou tou Ermagiou", which translated to English means "Amyntas, son of Hermagios". The tomb was built by the Lycians who lived in this area which at the time was part of the Persian Empire.

More exploring on foot around the old town and village. There a lot of magnificent sculptures honouring Turkey's leaders.

As we were walking we heard a repetitive call behind us which turned out to be a local man selling little simmet breads along the waterfront. 

There was plenty of sweet treats to be tempted by, they look so pretty.

The tourist information  office is open tomorrow so we will visit and get a bit more information on the Lycian Way / Likya Yolu trek. It might well be one of the top 10 walks in the world but it sure is hard to nail down a decent map and stage info. Even the online trail maps are a confusion of spaghetti tracks mixed in with a goat herding trails. It's going to be an adventure, watch this space!

Fethiye

We have been very fortunate with the weather so far. Beautiful spring days and the trees are bursting with blossom. Yesterday it was very chilly in Pamukkale,  it almost felt like snow.  We had a 'rats and mice day' where we took the local minibus,  a dolmus, from Pamukkale village to Denizli town. Denizli is a major service town for the area with a big hospital,  lots and lots of manufacturing plants. It was busy, busy, busy compared to the little village of Pamukkale. We bought  tickets for the Intercity bus to Fethiye which we took today.

So it's so long humble little village of Pamukkale and the blue and white Cotton House Hotel. We weren't tempted by the upside down house, meant to attract tourists, sadly it's a bit of a fail.

We were up early at 5:00 a.m. to be standing at the side of the road in Pamukkale village at 6.00am waiting for the little dolmus 14 seater  shuttle bus to take us back down to the big smoke of Denizli  Intercity bus station.  When we were waiting in the little village centre  for the dolmus it was 1°! The local shop owner invited us into his store to wait in the warmth which was very sweet. 

At the main Denizli bus station the usual street dogs were laying about in the heated waiting room, clever doggies.  While we waited for the Intercity  bus, we got talking to a lovely man who wanted to practice his english. He was a psycho,-social youth therapist and was going back up to the village to work with the young people there doing music therapy art therapy etc. He was so lovely and he was explaining to us about the economic situation in Turkey, what the options are for the future of young people and the challenge around education under the current political regime. He was telling us that many, many people in Turkey  are worried about the future and the general feeling of the population is one of angst and stress. The inflation rate here is 64% and still running high. He dreamed he could take his family to relatives in England and create a better future for his son and daughter. Life sure is tough for some folks here.

As we passed through little villages we saw so many houses and hotels and business ventures that have started and then suddenly stopped. Lots of broken dreams.

Looks like a lot of subsistence living in small allotments.

We've had a great trip down on the bus. We skirted around a lot of mountain ranges hugging the valley floor with spectacular snow on the passes. The driver on the bus has an assistant and he has an amazing little invention like a ironing board with high sides on it.

He pulls the ironing board out from under a seat, props up the legs and then runs up and down the aisle of the bus serving complimentary tea and coffee and snacks, ingenious!  Every little village we passed had a mosque of varying degrees of grandeur. 

We arrived in Fethiye around midday and had about a 40 minute walk from the autobus terminal to our hotel. Good training with our packs for the Lycian Way/Likya Yolu track which we will start in a few days. 

Fethiye has changed from a sleepy little village of 30 years ago into a hustling,  bustling, booming tourist town.  You can see why, the harbour is spectacular.

Our hotel, Miralya  Suites, looks over the marina and the amount of super yachts moored in the harbour is unbelievable. I think there's a few Russian oligarch super yachts down there but we've yet to go for a walk and discover.  Fun fact Russians are the biggest tourist visitor group to Turkey, ( 456,000 p/a) followed by German visitors.

As we walked from the bus station to our hotel about halfway we stopped at a cafe to have a breather. The cafe was full of men, the only ladies present were the ones clearing the tables. Where are all the ladies having coffee?

After our 5am start it felt like a long day. We checked into our hotel, did our hand washing and then found a supermarket for breakfast supplies. Our hotel has great facilities so we can self cater here, bonus! Plus sitting our our balcony overlooking the marina looks very inviting. 

We had a small stroll along the waterfront after our housework tasks. Good to see the odd old fisherman's boats tied up amongst the Flash Harry boats and charter yachts.

 

Pamukkale

 

This morning we woke up to see hot air balloons in the dawn light gently floating down past the Pamukkale white silica terraces we could see from our hotel window..

Yesterday we took a one hour flight from Istanbul to Denizli airport. Coming in to land at Denizli you realised just how high the plateau is as you fly over snow capped ranges. Then beneath you is an incredible salt marsh, as far as you can see. It's quite a sight to see a salt marsh so high in the mountains, 2,795 ft above sea level.

About an hour's drive from the airport you come to the little village of Pamukkale. It's quite a change from Istanbul with sheep being herded down the little streets. We are staying in a family run hotel and would you believe it the owner Tufan ( think too much fun he says 🙂) has a brother who runs a Turkish restaurant in Kawerau!

Pamukkale is famous for the mineral-rich thermal waters flowing down white silica/ travertine terraces, it looks like melted snow. You have to take your shoes off to walk across the terraces and you can dip your toes in the bubbling hot mineral water.  On the valley floor they grow grapes and almonds and there's a smattering of livestock farming blocks. On the horizon are the snow capped ranges of Western Taurus Mountains, quite a sight.

Some brave souls we're taking a dip in the terrace pools. You had to be very careful as it was quite slippery in places.

At the top of the travertine terraces are the Cleopatra Antique Pools. Cleopatra is said to have bathed here back in the day. 

It's a bit more jazzed up than my last visit over 30yrs ago but still beautiful to see the ancient columns in the steaming hot thermal waters.  

Just behind the pools are the ruins of an ancient Roman and Greek Hierapolis ( Holy City). This is a treasure trove of archeological discoveries dating back to 2nd century BC. 

You can wander down perfectly formed streets and enter what would have been dwellings.

The history here comes alive as you see the engineering and design of baths, cisterns, temples and shrines to the gods.

Interesting to see  one of the world's first olive presses with a big stone to press the olives.

The oil would then run down carved channels into large collection jars, fascinating!

There are ongoing excavations and the fields and hill sides are covered with ruins. 

I love the ancient amphora /oil jars,  they would look great in a garden.

The Hierapolis theatre is a beauty. The stage has the most beautiful carved relief. 

The Temple of Apollo was only discovered in 2014 so they continue to make discoveries in this incredible area. 

But wait, we're not done yet there's an archeological museum too! So much to admire from sarcophagy to fine tools, to ancient pottery and later glass.... fantastic, almost too much to take in.

The area is full of these tiny red flowers, like miniature Ranunculus, so pretty. A good day was had by all and we managed to not slip over on the travertine terraces😁