|
January 6, 2001
Merhaba:
This year I spent my holidays in Turkey: both Christmas and New Years. I'll write two reports to cover my visit
there. Turkey is a fascinating country and I had an excellent visit there; saw some cool stuff, stayed healthy,
did not get ripped off or lose anything, and had a great time while making plenty of new friends.
I arrived in Antalya on the southern coast about noon on the 24th of December after a three-hour flight from Stuttgart.
Antalya is a major destination point for Germans on holiday, but most of them head eastward to the numerous resort
areas along the Mediterranean coast. I headed west and then north, with the intention of working my way along
the coast, eventually ending up in Istanbul...and that's just what I did.
I spent three days in Antalya, which is not a particularly appealing city, although Kaleici, the old town, is somewhat
interesting. I stayed at the Sabah Pansiyon and enjoyed the hospitality of Ali Sabah, if not a surplus of hot
water. In fact, as hard as they tried, I never did get a hot shower there. But being in Turkey, which is still
a developing country (despite notions they have about eventually joining the European Union), prepared me for challenges
such as this and I largely took it in stride. What else is there to do? Be an "ugly American" and whine
about it? There are enough of those out there already I think!
I utilized Antalya as a base to explore several ancient cities, or at least what's left of them. There were over
1000 ancient cities in Turkey and despite many earthquakes there are a surprising number of them left in good enough
condition for contemporary travelers to grasp a reasonably good idea of life up to 3000 years ago. Over time,
various cultures controlled this part of the world: Lyceum, Hittite, Byzantine, Greek (Hellenistic), Roman, Ottoman,
etc., and often one can see evidence of several at one site. Subsequent conquerors would frequently just add on
to what was already there.
My first ruin was Termessos, which is located at the top of what they call a mountain. I enjoyed a hike to the
top through terrain that was wonderfully reminiscent of central Arizona, where I'd spent countless days exploring
during the nearly 19 years I lived there. I especially liked sitting alone quietly in the open theatre, imagining
what it must have been like to watch a Greek tragedy or comedy 2500 years past while gazing out on the spectacular
surrounding hills.
At Perge, formally a massive city founded by Greek heroes after the Trojan War, there are, among many other things,
a 12,000 seat stadium plus marble columns lining the boulevard. It's easy to picture the frenzied activity that
once occurred at the agora (marketplace). There're still red and black mosaic tile floors and a sign, carved in
stone, designating the butcher shop.
At Aspendos, the theatre has been slightly restored and every summer there are concerts featuring the likes of
Ray Charles, Sting and Oscar Peterson. It's said that the acoustics are so good that one can hear just a whisper
all the way from the top seats. Others and I were treated to a few moments of an aria when a Russian opera singer
decided to test that theory herself... brilliant!
From there I headed to Olympos, where tree houses are the preferred accommodation. Very close to the beach and
another small ruin, a dirt road is straddled by pine trees and the most rustic of hostels - and little else. Due
to the inclement weather, I opted for a bungalow rather than the open-air tree houses, which I think are better,
suited to the summer months when I'm sure this area is "party central". (No one else was in a tree house
either.) With Ramadan (30 days when Muslims fast from dawn to dusk) now over, Bayram (festival) was happening
and many Turks were taking time to relax and pig out. I was the only non-Turk at the Turkmen Pansiyon and I had
a delightful opportunity to spend some time getting to know these kind and warm people.
One young man I spent a lot of time talking with was Ahmet, who was the captain of a boat which, in season, takes
backpackers on three-day trips along the Aegean coastline. He was teaching himself English and German and was very
typical of so many young, friendly Turks who are quick to brag about their country (while still admitting its deficiencies),
but also eager to learn about yours while practicing their English. Olympos was eerily peaceful and beautiful and
before I left, the owner loaded up my pack with oranges and a pomegranate - all freshly picked from the trees we
were nestled within.
Near Olympos I visited Chimaera, where a 30-minute hike brings you to a perpetual fire flickering from the top
of a mountainside. Ancient lore attributes this phenomenon to a disgraced prince redeeming himself by slaying
a seven-headed dragon, thereby producing seven flames. Scientists suggest that methane gas might have something
to do with it. Viewing Chimaera at night is most impressive, but bring a powerful flashlight to negotiate the
fairly steep, tortuous path leading up to it.
Ahmet convinced me that my next stop should be his hometown Kas. So on the bus again. Well, not at first, since
the first one passed by without stopping since it was full. But twenty minutes later the next one stopped, having
room for me... on the steps, huddled with other desperate travelers. Later a seat opened up for me and once we
passed Finike, I settled back and observed one of the most beautiful shorelines I've ever seen as the road hugged
the water, much like Highway #1 on the northern California coast.
Sandstone cliffs kissed the shimmering blue-green sea. Later, as the bus groaned to climb the mountains, I found
myself pressed up against the window with Andre the Giant sitting next to me. Meanwhile, a little girl in front
of me puked into a black plastic bag generously passed back to her (barely in time!) by the chain-smoking driver
and every baby on the bus cried in harmony. Then, with my fortunes shifting once again, I sat in awe as we descended
down the switchback winding road into Kas, a tiny city sandwiched between the rugged mountains and the Mediterranean
Sea.
It took me but a few minutes to fall in love with Kas! First I checked into a lovely hotel with a harbor view.
Because it's the off-season, rates are low, low, low, and a potentially scalding hot shower, a balcony and luxurious
accommodation was had for about $10! I recommend the Otel Kekova, and if you go, tell Bakir and Mehmet I said
hi... two delightful young men.
As a general policy, I prefer to travel in the off-season. For one thing, the ready availability of accommodation
and transportation makes it easy for me to be flexible in my traveling, since I seldom "need to be" somewhere
because I've had to make a reservation. And when I do roll into town, I have my pick of places to stay. It's
also less expensive, of course. But another bonus is that I'm usually not surrounded by hordes of noisy tourists
quibbling about some petty detail, or complaining about why things aren't the way they are back home.
In addition, the owners, waiters and others who make their living in the service business frequently have more
time to spend visiting with me. I'd often ask them to sit and join me for a tea and they were eager to do so.
At the Otel Kekova, for instance, I enjoyed an extended conversation with Bakir and Mehmet one morning that just
would not have been possible in peak season. Now granted, taking a plunge into the Mediterranean was not possible
(or at least not inviting) that time of year, but I think that's a small trade-off for all the benefits I incurred.
After settling in, I then walked the shoreline, eventually finding a rock which perfectly fit my ass and I leaned
back and told myself, "I've just got to find a place like this some day to live for a while!" Later,
while strolling down one of the narrow cobblestone streets, I spotted a balcony off a restaurant which looked like
a perfect place to have a cappuccino. It was that, and more. It was at The Dolphin Cafe and Restaurant where
I met Soo, a recently transplanted Brit and co-owner who joined me to chat and watch the sunset. It seems that
Soo started making a habit of visiting this part of Turkey a few years ago. On one of her visits, she decided
to take a boat trip and was later offered a job working on it, which then became a summer ritual.
In time she decided to leave the less than perfect climate and lifestyle she was experiencing north of London (as
well as her husband) and move to Kas to buy into the restaurant we were now sitting in. I had dinner there twice
and, as a bonus, ran into a couple, Susan and Rolando, who I'd toasted Christmas with back in Antalya. Oh... and
by the way... who do you think the captain of that boat she worked on was? You guessed it - Ahmet from Kas. For
me there is magic about some places and Kas is clearly on that list.
Next came a ten-hour bus ride to Selcuk, which is where to stay when visiting Ephesus, the remarkable ruins that
have been described as the best-preserved record of Greek culture. Dating from 1100 BC and the largest ruins in
all of Asia Minor, Ephesus at its peak supported 250,000 inhabitants and is a spectacle to behold. - quite impressive,
which was a good thing because at this point I was just about "ruined out"! Eat a good breakfast, bring
some sunscreen, and be prepared for the onslaught of tourists.
The buses roll in one after another and the Bobs and Marys scamper around, cameras and camcorders feverishly capturing
antiquity on film. Get a shot of Bob standing in front of Temple of Serapis. Then one of Mary standing in front
of Fountain of Trajan. And Bob, once again, this time sitting on a 2000-year-old marble toilet, chuckling at his
own cleverness. Two decayed civilizations in juxtaposition! If you go, don't bother hiring a guide. Read up
in your tour book and if you want to, just hitch a ride with one of the big groups moving through. For some time,
I hovered on the periphery of a Princess Cruise outfit, skillfully ease-dropping. And for some extra fun, see
if you can spot the Russian hookers, all decked out in leather and gold.
While in Selcuk, I stayed at The Artemis Guest House, also known as Jimmy's Place - as fine a hostel as I have
ever stayed at, all things considered! Jimmy and Bron made New Year's Eve special by fetching fresh mullet from
a neighboring city and cooking up a super dinner for all of us there. Good food, good friends, good wine...it
had been a good year and it was a fitting climax indeed!
While in Selcuk, I took a 15-minute ride on a dolmus (a cross between a taxi and a bus) to Sirince, a rustic, sleepy
little town nestled among olive and cherry trees in the nearby hills. I was joined by The Aussie Babes, two fire-balls
from Sydney who were in Turkey after spending a month in India and who are now in Egypt while on the typical Australian
holiday... months on the road! Because it was raining intensely, Tara, Rachel and I decided to forgo much exploring
and instead do the "cafe crawl"... a multi-course feeding frenzy in the local restaurants.
Our third and last stop was in a funky little cafe where we warmed our buns and dried our pants (that's trousers
for you Euros) around the stove while our meal was prepared and cooked before our eyes. We all opted for gozlemes,
a crepe-like pancake with fillings, and watched who was probably the owner's mom knead, roll and then cook them
in a open hearth, periodically flashing a toothless smile. It felt like we were dining in some village family's
kitchen.
With some sadness, I left my little "family" at Jimmy's Place to catch an overnight bus (I never thought
I would do that again!) to Istanbul. I was to meet up with The Aussie Babes and several others there and in my
next letter I'll share my five days in this amazing city.
Until then...
"A heart in love with beauty never grows old."
- old Turkish proverb -
Some Web sites with more information about Turkey and Antalya:
http://www.antalya-ws.com/ --A lovely site, in Turkish and English
http://www.exploreturkey.com/ --Very thorough
http://www.exploreturkey.com/kas.htm --About Kas
http://www.exploreturkey.com/lycia/olympos.htm --About
Olympos
http://www.olympostreehouses.com/ --Treehouses at Olympos
http://sailturkey.com/panoramas/ephesus/ --360% panoramas
of Ephesus
http://www.ephesusguide.com/ --Ephesus guide, in Turkish and English
http://www.imagesoftheworld.org/Ephesus/Ephesus.html
--Images of Ephesus
|
Lyi gunler
