Our 3 Months are up in Turkey and as this is was our last week. We’d decided to take it easy and leave a few things to do when we return, Yep we’ve decided that we’re going to return in September although we’re not sure for how long. I’m loving our little daily routine of exercise and yoga for an hour, before a 5 minute stroll down to the water for a good 40 minute swim. Then if we’re not playing tennis, it’s back to the villa for a hearty breakfast (yoghurt, with plenty of the fresh fruit on offer, followed by an omelette stuffed with vegetables). We might go for a wander either around Kisler, or into Kalkan at lunchtime. We decided to try The Castle restaurant during the week, which is literally a stone’s throw from us. The food was pretty good and the people, most of whom were English were good fun too. We returned again after a late game of tennis and were invited by an English couple the following day to their villa close to the water, not something we would normally do but we’ve been toying with the idea of buying. Thursday was our last market day, so after our ritualistic exercise program & swim, we walked into town. It’s such a colourful place, with so much going on and all that fresh produce to choose from. Saturday, Sunday we lounged by the pool for most of the day, with a visit from Ozz our fish guy on Saturday. He prepared us 2 Sea Breams from the back of his truck, for me to throw on the barbecue…delicious! On Tuesday evening the time had come for us to board our flight back to the UK, we were flying into Stanstead, both to spend a few days with Jon & Jo and also to pick up the car from the City. It’s always great fun catching up with those guys. Friday saw us heading up to Huntingdon to check in and spend some time with our parents.

We’ve had guests staying for the week, which has been great fun. Rachel & Keith rolled into town Tuesday evening and it was great to see them. Wednesday was a chilled day by the pool, but before then, Keith and I went for a early swim in the bay. I’m used to swimming alone, so it was nice to have someone along side, although Keith’s a stronger swimmer than me and I reckon he was holding back. That evening we went into Kalkan for a stroll and then to Trio, a restaurant by the harbour, to look out over the boats, whilst feasting on tasty food and good conversation. Thursday after an early morning swim, which we managed all week, and a trip to the colourful market we decided to visit Kas, which is a bit bigger than where we are in Kalkan, but apart from a couple of interesting streets, isn’t as nice. We did happen upon a great little bohemian coffee shop, where all the cool folks appeared to be hanging out….well cool until we showed up. That evening we decided to head up to the Fidanka restaurant and were treated to not only good food, but a marvellous sunset too boot. The following day we’d decided to go and take a look at the ancient city of Patara, which amongst other interesting facts, was the birth place of Saint Nicholas, who lived there most of his life. Patara was somewhat smaller than the other historical cities that we’d visited on this trip, but interesting nonetheless. After spending a couple of hours wondering around the ancient city, we decided to grab some lunch before taking a walk along the famed, 12 mile sandy Patara beach (we didn’t walk all of it). Rachel Gill was keen to get on the water so Saturday morning we were greeted by captain Yas, Cesar and Toffee the dog as we boarded the Whisper. We crept slowly out of the harbour and headed east along the coast line, before stopping briefly at Kaputas Beach and then the blue cave, which at first glance didn’t look like much, but as you swim back out from the dark cave and into the sunshine your body began to glow a deep blue in the water….very cool! After another fabulous lunch on board, we anchored up in the bay of a small island solely inhabited by swifts, as I laid on my back looking up into the azure sky, my gaze was captured for a good 30 minutes as I marvelled at their fascinating mating ritual. We started making our way back at around 4pm, and pulled up at 5pm. After welcome showers and a few drinks, we headed out to the Mahal Club for dinner, which in my opinion was the best of the weeks fine eats and as we’d met the F&B manager earlier in our stay, he’d secured us a great table, on a ledge overhanging the sea.

We decided to hire a gulet for the day. A Gulet is a typical wooden Turkish cruising yacht. It has a large, rounded stern area which is well-suited for comfortable eating and lounging. Our skipper “Yas”had messaged us the night before to confirm that there were no issues with the weather, so on Sunday morning we arrived at Kalkan harbour and were welcomed aboard the “Whisper”by Yas and his crew. It’s a very attractive looking boat, that we had all to ourselves. The plan for the day, was a very leisurely one, which was perfect! We left the harbour and headed for our first stop, a lovely swim spot and a place to jump off some rocks into the water, from there we anchored up in a delightful little bay, before heading further up the coast where our captain prepared us an absolutely delicious lunch. As it turned out Yas was a secret chef himself and a very good one! After a long lunch and some entertaining conversation we made our way to another small sheltered cove, which as the wind had picked up considerably was a great place to settle and tuck into a large plate of fruit. After a thoroughly enjoyable day had by all, we disembarked at around 16:30pm. With the boys flying home the following day, we decided to head into town for a last supper at the Doy Doy…..A great end to a great day. The boys got away safely the following day and Rach and I returned back to our early morning walking and swimming routine and playing tennis. We’ve also made it out into town a couple of nights this week, which is always good fun.

We’ve been pretty lazy since we arrived 10 days ago, just lounging around the pool and gazing out across this wonderful vista. But we have managed a couple of swims, another trip to the farmers market and some delicious dinners. On Thursday we received our first visitors here, Christien and his best friend Brad, which was exciting. That evening we all went into Kalkan for dinner at a good restaurant with a view over the harbour (Sade). On Friday the boys lounged around the pool reading and drinking the local beer and that evening I rustled up some fresh Sea Bream on the barbecue that went down well. Saturday we decided to go on a bit of an adventure to the Saklikent Gorge, it’s about a 45 minute cab ride from where we are. The canyon itself is about a 1000 ft deep and about 16 km long, it’s also one of the deepest in the world. It’s only possible to walk the full length in the summer months, when most of the snow from the Taurus Mountains has melted and passed through on its way to the Med, for us today though only about 2.5km was passable, as snow fell quite heavily into March. As we entered the gorge and paid our nominal entry fee, we were met by the sheer magnitude of the marble facades & after a short walk around a suspended walkway, we found ourselves at the start of our challenge. We’d be spending the next 2.5km in varying depths of water, so we’d need rubber shoes and hard hats. The 3 chaps should have gone for a smaller size shoe (Rach got it right) as we ended up stopping regularly to empty the small stones out. I don’t normally use a guide, but given the torrent of water racing past and not knowing the best route to take I reluctantly agreed….well done Christien for making me see sense. Literally after being 20 meters in, we were already waist deep in the icy water and had already formed a human chain, which was needed to traverse from one side to the other. As we moved further forward the strength of the current increased and we were forced to scale boulders and weave through nooks & crannies, where the water was impassable, something that we wouldn’t have been able to do without the help of a guide. It took us the best part of an hour and three quarters to get to the point where we couldn’t go any further and another hour to get back. It was an adrenaline filled adventure from start to finish, made even more memorable by the stunning environment. None of us gave the icy water a second thought, as waded through it, even poor Rach, who was nearly up to neck in it in some places said nothing, it was such an engrossing day! Brad and Christien went into Kalkan in the evening, whilst Rach and I stayed in and chilled out opting to go to bed early thoroughly knackered!

We loaded the taxi with our 4 cases and a couple of boxes, filled with foodie bits, essentially provisions that we’ve taken a liking too and weren’t sure that we’d be able to get outside of Antalya, together with some kitchen utensils that we seem to end up buying in every country we land in and then take with us, as we move about. Although we do eat out quite a bit, we also like to cook. We’re living as we would normally, just in different locations. It really is amazing how quickly you adapt and fall into a routine, each different from one location to the other. The pending downpour appeared to have missed us, being replaced instead with “spits and spots” Siam, our driver informed us that the more direct route through the mountains, that we were looking forward to was closed, instead we’d be taking the longer coastal road. The journey itself ended up being a pleasant 3hr trip, with lots to see. We hugged the coastline for about a third of the way, which gave us some great views out across the Med, whilst getting a good look at some small interesting towns. The villa that we’re staying at is in Kisler, which is about 5 minutes from Kalkan, both of which sit within a very pretty bay. I’ve attached a walk around video of the villa, as I normally do, it’s very nice and the views on all 3 floors are very special indeed. We haven’t hired a car yet, but we will next week, instead we’ve been using taxis to get around. There is a farmers market every Thursday, where anyone can go along and pick up incredible fruit, veg and of course spices, so that’s where we went Thursday morning, which was our first foray into town, that we’ll explore later. The weather temperatures are creeping up, but still pleasant and I think that we’ve found a place to swim!

We’ve really enjoyed the six weeks that we’ve spent here in Kaleici and although the last couple of weeks with the virus have slowed us down somewhat, we’ve still managed to get out for some interesting walks and some tasty lunches. We’ve met some wonderful people here, who’ve really made us feel welcome, but it’s time for us to move on, but I think that we’ll be back. It’s difficult to put a finger on what we’ve liked most about this place, but that’s because I think that’s it’s just one of those places that has so many moving parts, all rolled up to deliver a truly unique experience. After much deliberation and not being able to find the right place in Konyaalti, or Side, destiny has decided on a complete change of pace and scenery for us, so we’ve pushed the boat out and are heading west about 250km, to Kalkan, which is one of the last towns in Antalya. Apparently it’s a 3hr cab ride across the Taurus mountains which should be interesting, although the forecast is predicting some biblical weather conditions, so let’s see.

The temperatures have now settled into the low, to mid twenties, which makes getting out to the great restaurants and local sights a lot more fun. We’ve also been trying to dip more into the local culture, the only downside with all this increased social interaction is the increased Covid threat, which I inevitably came down with when we got back from Termessos early on Saturday evening, thankfully it’s just me, as Rach and our driver both seem fine. We’d decided on Termessos during the week, as it offered both the remains of another ancient city and the beauty of the mountains. Two interesting points to note about the place; it was founded by the Solims, who were themselves mention by Homer in the Iliad, And in 333 BC it became one of only a handful of strongholds that Alexander the Great was unable to conquer “It was like an eagles nest” he said after. It took us about an hour to get there as we took advantage of stopping off along the way, to look out across the gorge that runs through the Gulliuk Dagi mountain, the landscape is covered with different shades of green cypress trees, against an interesting rocky backdrop. It was late morning by the time we arrived at Termessos mid point, we’d be hiking up the remaining 1600 M peak to look down on the city, that sits just below. After setting off, It wasn’t long before we encountered the lower city walls, about 3M thick and the only gateway into the city. We continued to wind up the mountain through the pine canopy for about another hour or so until we reached an opening that revealed firstly the old gym, before moving up to what would have been the Main Square (mostly rubble now), a market place and several other interesting buildings dotted around this rustic site. Out of all of the antiquities that we’ve seen here in Antalya so far, we’ve enjoyed the Termessos experience the most. I think it’s because it sits within a beautiful unadopted landscape and you have to work a little to get there. Sitting at the top and centre of the city is a 1000 seat theatre, perfectly placed to look out across the mountain range vista and down the valley….stunning! We were encouraged to traverse the mountain and take a less trodden route back down, which was a little more challenging but gave us a glimpse of the surreal burial chambers that had been carved into the limestone cliffs and also several interestingly placed tombs, which looked out across the mountains and down the valley, to supposedly keep watch from the afterlife. We spent about 4hrs here and if it wasn’t for the fact that I was fading fast, we would have stayed longer. We headed back to Kaleici and had lunch overlooking the old harbour, which was more for Rach than me.

The local sights and sounds still have us under their spell and haven’t yet failed to raise a smile as we immerse ourselves in this cultural city. It’s also finally begun to warm up. After visiting the museum last week, we couldn’t not go to Perga, especially after discovering the majority of the artefacts within the museum had been unearthed there. So on Saturday we left the apartment at around 10am and headed to the taxi stand on the edge of the old city, where I secured the services of a driver for most of the day. It was about a 30 minute drive along the highway to Perga. We parked beside an impressive 15K seat Greco-Roman amphitheater (The romans put their stamp on it by adding a 3rd tier and frescoes to the existing structure during AD 1-3) it was allegedly used for gladiatorial & wild animal fights and remains pretty well intact. To the right of the amphitheater is the ancient city, which must be spread out across a good 4 hectares (circa 10 football fields) The dig started in the late 1940’s and given it’s huge size, only 30% of it has been uncovered. A short walk in and you find yourself between the two Hellenistic towers, which are not only the oldest part of the city 300 BC, they also act as the gateway into the intriguing columned avenue, which has an interesting water channel running through the middle of the avenue, which sits above the sewers. There are generous walkways on either side and small alleyways with some larger buildings set back on one side and what would have been small shops on the other. As I meander down one side of this well worn road, I can’t help but imagine how impressive this place would have been at the height of its popularity and it is for this reason I chose not to use a guide….I’d rather see it through my eyes and draw on my imagination, rather than someone else’s, specific detail I can find online. We ended up spending almost 3 enjoyable hours wondering around this incredible site. From here we made another 30 minute drive to see the Kursunla falls. As you enter the protected forest, you walk along canopied pathways that wind down into an enchanting little grotto. There you meet waterfalls that cascade down the rock-face before falling into an emerald green pool below, which wouldn’t have looked out of place in a serene movie scene. There were also several smaller falls and little pools dotted across the area. After an hour or so of enjoying this tranquil place, we decided to head back into Kaleici for a debrief over another delicious lunch.

We’ve had another enjoyable week and although temperatures have been in the single digits (not helped by the strong northerly winds), the cobalt skies have been bathed in bright sunshine and we’ve actually started to get used to wrapping up, apparently it’s the coldest it’s been here for this time of year for over 20 years! We’re still continuing with a long walk every morning, meandering through the old town, before entering the hustle and bustle of the main city. There are over 2M people living in Antalya and I am sure that we seem to bump into quite a few of them when we walk though, that said it really just adds to the pleasure of the walk. On Saturday we had planned to go to Konyaalti, which has a 7km beach, but with chilly temperatures and 40mph winds, we resolved to wait for a more agreeable day to visit. Instead we decided to take in the highly recommended Antalya museum, which by coincidence isn’t far from Konyaalti beach. The museum itself is about an hours enjoyable walk along the coastline, from where we’re staying. Upon arriving at the museum, which is focused exclusively on archeological discoveries, we purchased tickets and what turned out to be an excellent audio guide. Once instead it was like a passage through time, Neanderthal times right through to the Ottoman period. It was all very interesting, it the standout highlights for me were the rooms dedicated to Greek and Roman gods and emperors, all awe inspiring and surprisingly well preserved. The other standout for me was the incredible “Sarcophagi Hall” filled with ornately decorated sarcophagus’s, one of which belonging to the son of Zeus, Heracles (Hercules being the Roman equivalent). These artefacts, most of which are from the Roman period of occupation (1-2AD), were exclusively recovered from an excavation in Perga, about 10km east from Antalya. After 3 enjoyable hours walking around the exhibits, we took a short walk for a quick look at the beach, which surprisingly enough was deserted. We then caught the little red tram back to Kaleici , where we sat down at the charming “Antique Restaurant” for a very tasty late lunch. Sunday was a much warmer day, that we spent a large part of sitting in the park, people watching, which is always interesting.

We had a cab pick us up from my brothers house at 9:00am, to take us to London Stanstead for a midday flight. We normally fly from LHR, but the flight times were either leaving too early, or arriving too late. Our flight was landing at 10pm local time (+3hrs GMT). Those of you who know me well won’t be surprised to know that we were the very last ones to board 😊 the Turkish Airlines flight itself, but after that initial embarrassment and then having to reclaim our seats, the circa 4hr flight was pretty painless. But arriving in Istanbul a little later than scheduled, there was another mad dash to get through security, to make our onward connection to Antalya, finally we landed just after 10pm and were kindly met by our host “Naci” to take us to the place that we’d be staying for the next month. We arrived in Kaleici, located in the old town, at about 11pm. We decided against going out to get something to eat, instead opting to turn in….exhausted! After a late breakfast the following morning and gathering a few things from a small supermarket close by, I decided to go for a walk-about before the expected rain later in the day. It’s been a good few years since we were last in Turkey, but the place and people are still as interesting and charming.