In Greece near the town of Kipoi, I cross the border to Turkey. First I pass the Greek border, then I follow a road of over 1 km through highly secured no man’s land and then I arrive at the Turkish border. At the border I get a short check, no questions regarding the dog and we’re done, great! Wow how cool to be here and I’ve so many miles already driven. Turkey I’m looking forward to it!
After border control I drive to Troy, it is quite a drive and I fill up very cheaply along the way. The diesel is no less than 50% cheaper than in Greece!
Troy
Trojan horse, truth or myth?
In the 12th or 13th century BC. after a long war, the war is won through a ruse with the Trojan horse. In 2004 a movie was made about this war and this giant wooden movie horse stands at the entrance of the ancient city of Troy.
The whole village is dominated by this history and everywhere you see Trojan paintings. Troy has often been destroyed and rebuilt 9 times after (natural) violence.
During my visit to Troy, the story feels more like a myth, but I still think it’s a great story.
Ruins of Pergamon
In the morning I wake up on time by 2 mosques. They start one after the other and then sing through each other, this unusual sound gives me the feeling of traveling!
Today we go to the Ruins of Pergamon. Leo and I take the gondola up. It is a beautiful excavation on top of the mountain with great views. From the theater I look out on one side of the city and the other side of the mountains, amazing!
Ephesus
Ephesus is another very big excavation site and was built around 1100 BC. It has the size of a city to walk through and I imagine myself in the old times. The buildings are beautifully restored, a really fascinating city to walk around.
Pamukkale
In Pamukkale I’m going to see the limestone terraces, so cool because this destination has been on my wish list for a long time!
After a cold start at the campsite in Pamukkale, we enter the park through the village entrance. There you have to take off your shoes after a few 100 meters and walk further up barefoot. There are also 2 other entrances, but then you cannot walk directly on the limestone. Leo and I walk together over the limestone and through the flowing water to the terraces, how cool this is!
It’s a bit foggy and the chalk looks like ice and snow, that’s also how it feels because the water is stone cold here! Later the water gets warmer and you can chill with your feet in the hot water bath. Unfortunately I slip, my toe is bleeding heavily and I decide to get out of the water as quickly as possible.
Hiërapolis Ruins
Hierapolis is an excavation next to the limestone terraces of Pamukkale. The ancient theatre, the entrance gate and the other excavations are spread over a large piece of land. Perfect that way Leo and I can walk a few extra kilometers.
In the warm water in the Cleopatra bath you can even bathe among the ruins!
Dalyan
Dalyan is a small town that grows into a tourist resort in the summer. It is located in the delta of the Kalibis river with a beautiful nature reserve around it.
Across the river I see the ancient rock tombs of Kaunos. Impressively large tombs carved into the cliffs, a unique and beautiful place on the river.
I take a boat to the other side of the river. It is not allowed to build in this area, there are only 2 old farms left. We walk to the large lake and there are many birds. The lake, the birds, the swamp and the mountains in the background I experience total peace, blissful.
The next day I go to the local market, the Turkish pazar. A bag full of fruit and veggies for €2.50. I buy a pair of sneakers and get also a free breakfast, a tasty Turkish egg sandwich!
Sunset Kabak
The road ends in Kabak, a dead end… It is a small hippie village and there are hardly any people at the moment. I am parked freely on a higher parking lot and look out over the village and the bay. All alone I enjoy this beautiful sunset! (And with Leo of course :-))
Lycian Way in Kabak
The Lycian Way is a long-distance walk in southern Turkey. Kabak is not only a remote place, but it is also on the Lycian Way, which is why I am here.
The Lycian Way is stunning! In the morning we walk to the viewpoint to the left of the bay, lots of rocks and slippery from the rain. In the afternoon we walk to the right of the bay. An easy route and less spectacular. Completely happy, Leo and I arrive at the camper. A perfect day!
Saklikent Gorge & Xanthos Ruins
The Saklikent Gorge is approximately 300 meters deep and over 15 km long. Unfortunately, the gorge is currently flooded due to the heavy rainfall of the past few days. Too bad we can’t walk in this beautiful gorge.
No problem then I drive on to the Ruins of Xanthos, where I immerse myself in old times again. Leo runs around the ruins and plays with the stray dogs. A huge greenhouse area has been built right next to this excavation, bizarre!
Patara Sanddunes
When I arrive in Patara I am immediately offered delicious Turkish mezze from Mert, he lives here and speaks German, a warm welcome.
Patara has 18 kilometers of beach and dunes along the Mediterranean Sea. A beautiful nature area where we can walk like crazy haha this is great. On the beach we only meet 4 other people. We also walk part of the Lycian Way, a very beautiful piece of Turkey.
From Patara I travel along the south coast of Turkey and I even go by boat to Cyprus! Do you want to read the continuation of my journey? Please click on This link! https://www.marianaroundtheworld.com/en/europe/winter-in-west-turkey-ii/
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