My Canon Powershot s410 died yesterday so I had to use my videocamcorder for taking photos. The ruins (yes, more ruins) of the city of Ephesus are only two kilometers from Selçuk. Built around the 1st century AD, it was supposed to be second to Athens in beauty. It is a famous Christian site as St. Paul prosetlyzed here (his Letters to Ephesians).
The water was a powdery blue and there was some sand mixed with pebbles. I never even went in because the hotel pool was so nice and devoid of people. From Ölüdeniz you can take a boat to Butterfly Valley, a backpacker haven, but I couldn't be bothered to leave the hotel nor it's buffet table.
After six days in Olympos, I headed west along the coast to Ölüdeniz, a package tourist destination (catering to mostly Germans and Brits as far as I could tell). Even the prices on signs were in British sterling.
Fortunately I was referred to this hotel by a German couple at the bus station. It was only $22 for an ensuite room with aircon, cable tv, and buffet breakfast and dinner. It was awesome. Even the booze at the bar was cheap (cheaper than Olympos).
Strangely, Hussein decided to come with me to Ölüdeniz which was a little awkward. I started getting flashbacks of that wierd Brit I met in Cairns 19 months ago. But I was only there for two days so I left him behind.
Me at an overlook
Originally uploaded by bastchild.I actually got off my lazy butt and hiked up to this citadel to take this photo.
My glasses, which I had sat upon in Palmyra, finally fell apart later this day, so I am in Kumluca today using cheaper and faster internet, getting more money, and getting a new pair of spectacles.
Hussein and me
Originally uploaded by bastchild.I met Hussein on the bus to Olympos, so we ended up sharing a room at Moonlight, in a strictly non-gay way. He speaks a little English, so I have been learning some Turkish.
I ended up shaving my moustache after this dinner because it was acting like baleen, sieving plankton from the sea. Naaaaaaaasty.
Tree house dwellings
Originally uploaded by bastchild.Even up to three years ago, Olympos was known for its rustic treehouse dwellings, but these are just for show now.
Ruins at Olympos
Originally uploaded by bastchild.You have to pay 2 YTL everyday to use the path that goes to the beach because it passes by these ruins from the 2nd century. (zzzzz...)
Boats bring daytrippers to Olympos
Originally uploaded by bastchild.Olympos is a small backpacker strip built around a riverbed 11 km from the main highway about an hour south of Antalya. It's not even a town because it only has pensions and small stores for tourists. I had heard about this place from other backpackers while I was in Syria and Lebanon. Like Dahab, its a great place to do nothing and take a break from all the sightseeing, which is exactly what I am doing.
A room goes for 20 YTL (around $14) which includes breakfast and dinner. An hour after arriving, I headed out toward the beach and heard a couple people call out my name. I found a couple people I had met in Hama two weeks ago and someone I had met in Aleppo. It is a small world on the backpacker circuit.
Buses have airplane-like interiors
Originally uploaded by bastchild.In Göreme I realızed that I had had enough of sightseeing so I headed to the coast for some quality beach time. I only decided to get on the overnight bus an hour before it left.
Volcano off in the distance
Originally uploaded by bastchild.Not far from the village of Göreme, I am guessing, that volcano in the distance is what left ashes all over the place.
Underground city in Kymakli
Watch the video I actually don't know anything about this place. Maybe early Christians hide here, fearing persecution. What I did realize, however, is that I was pretty tired of sightseeing, so I headed for the coast on the overnight bus.
Ventilation shaft for Kymakli's underground city
Watch the video The underground city was quite deep and extensive. Ventilation shafts and ports allowed for cooking and lighting without its inhabitants suffocating.
Göreme is a very touristy vıllage, but there are loads of cheap accommodation, which is nice. Fortunately a cheap (1.5 YTL, which happens to be $1) can take you to the Nevşehir, the next big town over, which has cheap eats and internet.
View from my new room
Originally uploaded by bastchild.I moved into another room for the next day as it was too cold to "chill out" (har, har!) in the cave. This was the view from my window.
Göreme cave dwellings
Originally uploaded by bastchild.Cappadocia is famous for its "fairy chimneys", a geologic phenomenon resulting from wind and rain erosion of volcanic ash. Or something like that.
It sucks arriving so late at night, but I was able to get this room which thankfully had hot water to wash off the day's sweat. It was surprisingly cold in this cave so the comforter helped.
Antakya
Originally uploaded by bastchild.I was only here for four hours waiting for my bus to Göreme. It was a long day from my 0500h bus from Aleppo; I didn't arrive in Göreme until 2345h after changing buses three times. But the buses in Turkey are awesome. There are several different operators, and they're not as plush as Taiwan's buses, but they're still quite nice. It's There's even a steward who brings you refreshments.
