Thursday 14 June 2012

Turkey Roast

A hot and humid day from the moment we set out. 25 km each side of Antalya there was a pall of yellowish haze over the mountains to our north and the road ahead, probably due to the pollution from the city and the traffic, combined with the humidity. Once we got west of Antalya the road ran through another tourist belt with hotels and rental apartments on our right and umbrella festooned beaches on our left.

Mountainous terrain then followed, with some long tunnels through rocky hills that ran steeply down to the sea. It would have been very attractive if not for heavy traffic, stupid overtaking by car drivers and the pollution.

As we went west we left the traffic behind and it got better and better. Some marvellous mountainous country but the photos are a failure because of the haze. Was stopped by police for suspected speeding but when he saw the size of the bike he waved us on with a smile and the comment in English "take it slow" as large capacity bikes have a higher speed limit than the small ones.

snow capped mountains through the haze


For many kms the road has been cut into the rocky slope over crystal clear water
 so flat it looks like glass.

Detoured off the highway to look at the 1st century rock tombs at Myra and yet another Roman theatre, with carved theatrical masks carved on some rocks nearby. 



In this part of Turkey they grow huge amounts of vegetables in plastic green houses that cover vast expanses of land, sometimes 10 square km or more. Here is the view from one hilltop and this is repeated again and again. That's the sea and then the sky in the distance through the haze.


Lunch in a small restaurant in the main street of Kas. The best meal we have had in Turkey and one of the cheapest. On to the small village of Gelemis near Patara where we have found a very upmarket room in a brand new hotel for 100 lira (AU$60) including breakfast.

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