Taking a break for the moment from our At Home Adventures, it's time to look again at where Aussies go on holidays......
TURKEY!!!
Umm... not what you were expecting right?
Well this Aussie LOVES Turkey (the country not the meat) and on my long stint travelling the countries on the Mediterranean this was easily one of my favourites! I will sing the praises of Turkey to anyone who'll listen.. and often to those that don't lol.
If you have not visited Turkey I really recommend it. The country is beautiful, natural and cultural history and the people were wonderful everywhere we went. It was not what I expected but far surpassed anything I'd dreamed.
There are so many parts of Turkey I want to share. I've already given a short glimpse of the Sophia Hagia in one of my photo blogs
You can see that here - https://steemit.com/photography/@shellyduncan/photoblog-2-turkey-hagia-sophia-aya-sofya-in-the-old-city-of-instanbul
So where to begin then?
Oooh I know... being it's winter here, I want to think of warm sunny days lazing in the beautiful blue ocean.... Late's take a boat ride along the Lycian Coast - Turkey's most breathtaking coast line along the Mediterranean. This is also aptly names The Turquoise coast. Not surprising with it's stunning blue water and blue skies.
One of the best ways to experience this is to spend a few days on a Gulet - a local boat- exploring the bays, the ruins and the small settlements nestled on the coast.
Let's have a closer look at this beautiful area - one of my favourites.
The area known in ancient times as Lycia occupies a part of South-West Turkey and is one of the richest areas of Anatolia, in both culturally and also with it's many natural attractions. Lycia means "Country of Light.
We sailed a gulet (well, we were passengers :) ) down the coast line, anchoring in small bays overnight, swimming and relaxing during the heat of the day and exploring ruins the rest of the time.
The scenery is stunning with the mountain ranges edging the coastline.. giving it a rugged but impressive look.
There are a couple of must see places along your boat trip
Lycian Tombs
There are several types of Lycian tombs, the most common of which is the rock-cut tomb. The earliest examples of these are said to have been carved in the 5 th century BC, and can be found in places such as Myra and Amasia. These tombs were carved directly into the rock face, usually into a cliff, which makes them an amazing sight to behold. It is said that the Lycians believed that a mythical winged creature would carry them off into the afterlife, which is the reason for the position of their tombs on cliffs.
Another form of Lycian tombs is the sarcophagus. Although this is a common form of burial, Lycian sarcophagi are unique for their great size. These structures consist of three parts: a base, a grave-chamber, and a pointed lid. Most of the intact sarcophagi have been dated to the Roman Age, and are reported to be smaller and less ornate than earlier ones. Interestingly, the dead were sometimes buried with their slaves and dependents. These people were held in a hypsorion under the main grave-chamber. Most Lycian sarcophagi are free-standing monuments which were exposed to the sky. Nevertheless, there are other sarcophagi which were placed inside tombs as well.
Sunken City
Near Kekova, lies the Sunken City, the ruins of which lie just under the surface of the water. Today it is still possible to see the city ruins, clearly visible just a few meters below the clear waters of the Mediterranean. The ruins of Simena include a shipyard, foundations of public buildings,houses, and a couple of amphorae. Above the shoreline, further houses, a few Lycian tombs with their distinctive arched roofs, and the remains of an early church are visible. A stone staircase can also still be found descending into the calm waters.
You can see the ruins by boat, but snorkeling and swimming is strictly prohibited.
On the mainland of Simena the charming fishing village of Kaleköy ("castle village") stands today, its buildings mingling with ancient and medieval structures. The top of the village is dominated by a well-preserved castle built by the Knights of Rhodes partially upon ancient Lycian foundations. Inside the castle is the smallest amphitheatre of Lycia. At the eastern end of the village is a Lycian necropolis with a cluster of some very nice sarcophagi overlooking the sea and surrounded by ancient olive trees.
Fethiye - Oludeniz Beach
Oludeniz, also known as the Blue Lagoon, Turkey’s most famous beach has been on the top of Fethiye tourists’ ‘to do’ list since tourism began in Turkey.
Although it’s one of the country’s most popular beach spots (not to mention one of the most photographed Mediterranean beaches in the whole world), it’s retained its charm (and most importantly, its white sands) and is still one of the loveliest places to be on the coastline.
I hope you've enjoyed this brief look around the Lycian coast and it gives you a bit of an inkling to visit this amazingl country. Our next look at Turkey will take us to the spectacular Roman ruins at Ephesus so stay tuned!
Love & light
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Source:
1. Ancient Origins: http://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-asia/ancient-lycians-and-their-spectacular-rock-cut-tombs-001756
2. Lycian Turkey: http://lycianturkey.com/lycian_sites/kekova_simena.htm
3. Property Turkey: https://www.propertyturkey.com/about-turkey/about-fethiye/oludeniz-beach
4. and of course my own travel experiences