THE LONG HIKE TO LYDEA FROM FRIENDSHIP COVE.

It was a good decision to move to Friendship Cove. The sea is a smooth mirror.  (Usla’s photo of the sunken baths.) Legend has it that Mark Anthony built the baths and gave Cleopatra the entire Turquoise Coast as a wedding gift. There is a sense of delight to think about swimming in the same spot as Cleopatra. I’m not quite ready to face the cold waters and unsure of my upper body strength since the accident, so I remain cautious. This day, April 26th, is a scheduled hike, up a mountain, down the other side, up another mountain and down the other side, steep, rocky about 4 hours long. I’m unsure.  I climbed the Superstitious Mountains out of Apache Junction in 2012, before the accident, straight up, two hours for spectacular views. Usla offers an alternative, to head in the opposite direction and take a shorter 50 minute hike and meet them coming down.


The long hike photos are Usla’s. The hikers are motored to the shore in batches.


Mike, Norman, Owen, Barbara, Joan and Judith pause on the hike for a photo. The hike is described as pine-shaded, with the smell of wild herbs and the music of goat bells.


The goal is to meet with a shepherd family. The wife has prepared them some shepherds bread and they will talk about their remote lifestyle. Here they meet the family. The shepherd allows his goats to eat in the wild. They return at night to be milked and get water. They eke an existence from the dairy products, living off the land, and wooden spoons that he makes and sells. Their house is very small.


In the meantime, the rest of us are headed up the back way with Mehenten. A typically  steep and rocky trail like others we’ve seen in Turkey.


We take a break in the shade of this copse of trees with a stone structure. Mehenten doesn’t know what it’s function is.


We find a shepherd’s rest stop seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Just a few boards with a tarp over the top attached to a tree. A rudimentary shelter for a nap, and a quick cup of coffee or a drink of water.


We join the main group at a Greco-Roman site called Lydea.


Below the temple is another shepherd’s place in the valley. He lives in much the same way as the others. The rest stop may belong to him.


On both hikes, beautiful views of the Turquoise Coast, lovely coves, and blue, blue waters.


On our return, Usla takes a group photo.


After a change of clothing, I pop up on deck and hear a great splash. Owen jumping off the railing. (Usla’s photo.)

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I know he is a good swimmer, but I probably would have nixed the idea. Too late, Gramma.

Since he already jumped, I made him do it again for the camera, not realizing that Usla had gotten him jumping.


As they say, all’s well that ends well. Who could argue with that big happy smile anyway.


After lunch, just about everyone braved the cold water and it is cold according to Gina, Joel and Maria. Maria can swim to land and back to the boat without stopping. She is a very strong swimmer. Gina is gung-ho. She says, “yes, its a bit cold.” Brrr! I stuck my hand in and it came back rigid.


The Captain decided to barbeque chicken for dinner. After dinner, some played cards,  caught up with their journals and some watched a movie about the battle of Galliopli. A horrific loss of life through the stupidity of Allied leaders who failed to plan or assess the cost and horror of attempting to cross Turkey and capture a harbor for Russia. They needlessly sent 100,000 men to their death and gained nothing.

I had more pictures but the signal is loading so slowly, I gave up.

THE GULET, THE CREW, CRUISE TO EKINCIK COVE.

After our lunch at the Carpetium, we bused to the coastal town of Marmaris. The bus let us off in town where we could change money, buy batteries, and snacks, medicines, etc.  Owen needed mosquito spray after getting bit at the Kismet Hotel. Others wanted sea sick medicines. After shopping, we walked to the pier for our first glimpse of our oak and teak gulet with the ramp ready for us to board.

When our luggage comes in, we each get our room assignment and meet the crew. Everyone is sort of discombobulated as we get acquainted with the gulet.
Dining is on a covered deck with a wonderful, restful spot aft to enjoy that Gina and Owen explore.


Captain Faisel is sailing for Ekincik Cove as we explore our new quarters.

Mehnehten is the other crew member. He does everything except cook and do the washing.

Ali is our cook and he prepares really good meals in this little kitchen. Usla chooses this boat over others because of Ali’s cooking, he told us.


The weather is quite cool and we think it may rain.



No one chooses the foredeck with its restful red cushions, where everyone will hang out when the sun shines. It is a really beautiful boat.


I envy people who find it easy to relax. The rules of the ship are thus: No paper in the toilets. One shower per day, no dirty shoes on the deck and common area below deck. We learn about safety, where to find life jackets, the quarters are quite small with a porthole for air and light. The generator goes on twice a day. The battery light dims after so many hours, and I was glad to have my little flashlight. When the generator kicks in,  there is a plug in station where you can plug in electrical devices like camera batteries or phones. The bar is open and has just about everything you might want in wine, beer and spirits, you know, the important things.



It is happy hour. We strike a toast, I think the word is shed-et-tay in Turkish. As we raise our glasses,  I personally think to myself, am I really aboard an old fashioned sailing vessel along the gorgeous Turquoise Coast with some of the nicest people in the world?



The morning of April 25th, we board a river boat, above is the captain, and we motor to the Dalyan River, to a National Park, with stops along the way.


Our gulet lays too in the beautiful, peaceful cove. Usla tells us in full season, the cove would have twenty or more boats.

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We motor about, enjoying the scenery.

Picture postcard islands pop up here and there.

As the river Dalyan, empties into the sea, a long strip of land separates the Mediterranean,  dotted with umbrellas, from the riverside where we are. The Turkish Riviera is a favorite of Brits, Germans and the Irish. On our return, we saw brave swimmers in the cold waters.

The river is named for these fishing weirs, called dalyans, where locals have supported themselves in the abundant waters for centuries. Usla is hoping to spot a protected loggerhead turtle on the beach.



Usla has arranged for us to meet a fisherman so we can buy blue crabs. Here we spot a loggerhead attempting to get a blue crab off the fisherman’s line.  They like to hang around the fishing pier, but we know they are chummed. Even so, we are grateful  knowing the turtle will come to no harm.


Looking for another handout, Usla tells us that blue crabs are their main source of food in this estuary.


We can order crabs to go with our lunch and pick them up on our return to the gulet. Owen and I order a bag of four crabs for 9 tl.



The estuary is a shallow beauty with bulrushes and birds as the Dalyan winds through the grassy tufts that form a protective barrier for the land.



Beautiful marsh grasses wave in the breeze.

We disembark to visit the Lycian site of Caunus, an ancient ruins. More tomorrow.