Day 161 - Antalya Beach

It was another sunny day in this Mediterranean city and I went to check out the beaches that they offered. I had originally assumed that the last time I would be at a beach was in Fethiye or Kas, and I wanted to get the last remnants of a sunny, crispy day before the winter came, but here I am with another opportunity. This would probably be the final time, as my next destination will be Cappadocia, which is higher in altitude and a lot colder, with temperatures below zero sometimes during the nighttime.

The beaches here were similar to the ones in Oludeniz, with pebbly coasts, and easy access to the water. Even with pebbles and polished stones, it was not uncomfortable to lie down. If anything, it might have been more comfortable than sand, which can easily creep into your shorts and cause all sorts of irritation.

For breakfast, I had a fruit platter which included the best persimmons I have ever tasted! I never actually crave persimmons, and only eat them when my parents cut them for me, but after having a couple slices as part of the fruit platter, I craved them more and more. They were soft, ripe, perfectly sweet and with the consistency of a mango. I'll definitely be in search of these fruits in the near future.

There was a lot of patriotism during my visit to Turkey, with numerous people hanging Turkish flags off their balconies. It reminded me of the months after the September 11 attacks when everyone hung U.S. Flags outside their homes and outside their car windows. There was a dual purpose for this, one, to celebrate Turkey and honor Ataturk, and two, to protest the terrorist attacks that had occurred in the East of Turkey in the recent past. At night, I witnessed a march through the town, with thousands of locals participating. I wasn't sure if it was a celebration or a protest though...

At the end of the night, I planned my next week. I knew my time in Turkey was coming to a close, and I wanted to still visit Gaziantep for its famous Turkish cuisine and baklava and Mardin, known more for its Middle Eastern culture. I ended up deciding on visiting Mardin after seeing magnificent pictures of the old town, and skipping Gaziantep for next time. I booked a flight from Diyarbikar back to Istanbul since a bus ride from East Turkey to Istanbul would have taken way too long. I was already going to Goreme tonight by bus, which would take the entire night. I didn't need another ultra-long bus ride...

Day 160 - Old Antalya and the Antalya Museum

Antalya is probably a popular destination to visit during the summer given its temperatures, location, and variety of sights to visit, with rocky cliffs next to the Mediterranean, high mountains in the vicinity, and numerous ancient historical sites and monuments. I took the opportunity to wander through the city today with the help of a tourist map. The main tourist spot was called the Kaleici Quarter, where you could get lost in the maze of small alleyways as you headed down towards the marina. You could easily find your way out by looking for the high clock tower tower at the top of the area, a reliable point of reference.

There were a ton of pensions, restaurants, and shops in the maze of alleys, all needing a little more business because of the time of year. There were plenty of people around, and the weather was tolerable even for the most demanding or picky tourist, but October wa still one of the slower months as Winter creeped closer.

I followed the tourist guide map foot route around the are, which didn't take too much time to complete since the area wasn't too large. I stopped by a couple museums (Kaleici and Ataturk), Hadrian's three-arched gate, the marina, and the Karaalioglu Park.

After the small tour, I went to the Antalya Museum, which was one of the larger archeological museums housing an impressive collection of Roman statues, sarcophagii, and other small ancient vestiges. Some of the statues were incomplete, with sections empty and up to the visitor to imagine on their own, like missing puzzle pieces. There was also hype over the return of one of the Hercules statues, where a part of it was stolen and somehow ended up in Boston, before finally being given back to Antalya.

After the museum, Ali and I headed to his parents house, where they cooked a delicious traditional Turkish meal. It was fun to be included in these events, as if I were a part of the family. I even witnessed some funny familial matters, things you probably wouldn't share with someone you just met if you were in the states. But Ali was a really cool guy and it was easy to converse and open up to him quickly. Most of the time, people spoke Turkish during and after dinner, and I found myself sitting there quietly, but I've been in that position numerous times during the trip, so it wasn't bothersome. If anything, I should learn more Turkish. I've learned enough food words...which has made me gain a little weight so far...

After dinner, we headed to old Antalya with some of his friends for some beers. The alleyways were dark and quiet in contrast to the day, which gave it a sort of peacefulness. It felt completely safe, whereas you'd feel a little weary and more alert if you were alone in NYC or LA.

Day 159 - (The Lycian Tombs of) Kas to Antalya

My next stop would be Antalya, which is another one of the largest cities in Turkey like Izmir and Istanbul. The bus would leave around 2pm, which gave me the opportunity to sightsee and wander through Kas for another half day.

I decided to check out the Lycian tombs around the area. Lycia used to be part of the Anatolian region of Turkey during the Roman times. There was one monument tomb that was situated in the city center, while the rest of the tombs were placed higher above the city and carved into the rocks. It took a short while to reach the rock cut tombs since I had to do a little climbing to reach them, but it was a nice spot to admire the city below, and away from the rest of the tourists who weren't there at noon when the sun was highest in the sky.

The bus ride to Antalya was probably the best bus ride I've experienced so far in Turkey based on the length of time to get to the next destination and the magnificent seaside views of the Medditerranean. We drove along the Southern Coast the entire time. I really wanted to tell the bus driver to stop the bus so that I could take some photos or just wander on the pebbly beaches. I was only able to get pictures while the bus was moving.

I arrived in Antalya after the sun had set and met with my couchsurfing host Ali, who cooked us some dinner. We chatted for a while and listened to his iPod. He's the first couchsurfer that listened to some of the same music I listened to! Most of the other Turkish hosts listened to more traditional and/or mainstream Turkish music, and less Western music. He was taking introductory French classes and I actually was surprised I remembered most of my basic French lessons. I was glad I could be of help to him with pronunciation.

Kas

Kas

Monument Tomb

Lycian Rock Cut Tombs

Driving Along the Mediterranean Coast