Day 26: Antalya!

Sunday 27th April, 2014

Woke this morning at Sundance Camp, in my tent, to fine drizzle. I packed up quickly, in case it got heavier, and abandoned my plan to take the cable car to the summit of Mt Olympos. (Might take a tour from Antalya - or not.) Enjoyed a leisurely breakfast with a Canadian family - a Dad and his two daughters. They, too, were finishing their walking at Phaselis, later today, and I was glad I wasn't sitting with walkers excited about going on to do the mountain section....

I left whenever and walked back to Tekirova and out to the main road; waved down a bus to Antalya (10TL) and arrived at the otogar at about 12. From there, I caught another bus into the old part of town (2TL).

I'm not sure how it works, because there is no information readily available, but I figured from my MapsWithMe map of Antalya, that an area called Kaleici, near a little harbour, was the original old town. I couldn't see any buses with Kaleici written on them, so I just asked the driver of the first bus I came to, "Kaleici?" He nodded and so I got on and kind of worked out where we were with my MapsWithMe map. Everyone who got on paid 2TL, so perhaps it's a single fare, circuit bus. It was the only bus with yellow and black stripes, so it's special in some way....

Found this little Pansiyon and have booked in for two nights (40TL/night). It's very basic and my room stinks of cigarette smoke, but the people seem nice and it's right in the middle of the old town. My room wasn't going to be ready until 3pm, so I left my pack and went exploring. I found some steps leading down to the harbour, where an armada of pirate ships was docked and trying to recruit "crew". Would I like a 45-min boat trip for 10TL? YES, I ABSLOUTELY WOULD!! (Sometimes touts get no practice honing their skills.)

Enjoyed being on the water and I think I'm going to look into doing a gulet trip from here - not that anything is likely to match what I have just done; I miss it already....

Today, only a burger'n'chips would do for lunch, and the Mira Cafe made an excellent one! Whiled away another pleasant hour there and then my room was ready. First job, dry out the tent!

I will try to finish this blog by writing some useful reflections/comments - tomorrow, or soon......

View of old town

 

Oh, oh, oh!

 

Arrrrrr! Pirates are big, here.....

 

Cruise along the coast

 

Yes, sometimes the cliffs do collapse

 

 

 

 

 

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Day 25: Tekirova to Sundance camp

Saturday 26th April, 2014

Some last pics of lovely Cirali, before I head off:

Beautiful mosque at Cirali

 

You can always get water at a mosque. Here men wash before going inside

 

Immam's house nearby

 

And, back to the beach!

 

I could live like this: pide, meze and wine - 20TL

 

Alba and Sergi leaving Cirali for Antalya

Well, feeling a tad flat, as this is the last day of walking for me - and, again, it was just a short one.

I got a lift from a man at the pension out to the main road and then caught a bus to the turnoff to the next town, Tekirova. Walked into town, had a coffee and then continued on to Sundance Camp - a relaxed place with bungalows, tree houses and campsites on the Likya Yolu, on the way to Phaselis. The only option available when I arrived was camp sites; so, for my last night on the Lycian Way, I will be camping. It's quite nice actually - there are good facilities here and I have no near neighbours. It costs 66TL to camp but that includes an evening meal and breakfast.

I booked in and then left my pack here while I walked on to Phaselis. What a beautiful location for an ancient city - and, again, what elegant urban design.... It's my favourite.

Came back, put up my tent and had a shower - now waiting for dinner in the dining room. Surrounded by Germans and Russians - have not heard any English spoken yet.

From here the last three/four-day mountain stage starts. Each day is long, climbing up to 2300m (Mt Olympos), and you have to carry everything; too big, on my own. So, tomorrow I will make my way to the next town, Kemer, and arrange to go to the summit of Mt Olympos (Tahtali) by cable car. Then I'll get dropped off on the highway and catch a bus to Antalya. Done. I feel a tinge of regret at what I have missed of this amazing walk, but mostly I feel so glad that my body allowed me to do what I have done.

When I get to Antalya, I'll find some accommodation in the old town for a couple of days and decide what to do next....

My last day:

Arriving in Tekirova on paved, landscaped path....

 

.... by the river

 

 

 

Looking back at Sundance Camp

 

South Harbour of Phaselis

 

Phaselis, on a small peninsula

 

Acqueduct

Elegant Main Street, down to the Central Harbour

 

Central agora (market place) with elegant roads to the central and Southern harbours leading from it

Pretty Central harbour was celebrated, too.

 

Roman wall (symmetrical blocks)

 

Inscription (translated) on one of the columns

 

 

 

Sundance Camp

 

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Day 24: Cirali to the Chimaera

Friday 25th April, 2014 (ANZAC Day, in Australia and New Zealand)

On the lookout for poppy photograph opportunities today, but my favourite is this one taken at the Olympos ruins, of rather distant poppies growing from Lycian tombs. The symbolism matches: the spilled blood, the new life springing up where lives were lost, resilience, the hope for a bright and beautiful future....

Today I walked just a few kms out to the Chimaera. This is the last of the places I felt compelled to visit on the Lycian Way, and there were people there, so I didn't have to take a selfie. There are also the remains of a Byzantine church, with some just-distinguishable frescoes. I think this would be an interesting place to visit at night.

 

Looking back over the chimaera to Cirali

 

Nice flat camping possibility in the church ruins

 

Fresco

 

 

5TL entrance fee

Now, I have a lazy hour to fill before I head down to the beach to meet some people for drinks and dinner. They are a group of five work colleagues from an international school in Kiev and I met them yesterday while enjoying a glass of wine on the beach. Let my photos tell the story....

Late afternoon stroll on the beach

 

....past beautiful restaurants....

 

....till I came to this one, where Pera Classic's 3 - Kaybolan Yillar was playing. (Don't be impressed - I asked the waiter what it was)

 

Stopped, ordered a wine and some meze and sat over at the beach....

 

...and, soon, these guys joined me....

Ricky, with the baby, is Australian, from Melbourne, and teaches English. She is married to the (Welsh) David Beckham look-alike who teaches Physics. They are all enjoying their Easter break here. Anyway, it was a very pleasant evening - to be repeated soon....

 

Our friendly waiter

 

Choose your fish!

 

That's Pera Classic's 3.....

 

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