Letoon Ruins underwater

Today we headed to another ancient Lycian city, only this one was different. Most of it is under water. As you walk around the ruins you can see pillars and other ruins sunken in the water. They stay submerged in the water all year round. Most of the site still hasn't been excavated. They are working on it slowly. You can see new replacement pieces they have made to fit in with the old. There is a nice stadium which we of course had to climb. After climbing up we had to take a rest on the seats. What a view we had, but the seats are hard as "ROCK."

For pictures of this day and this site go to my picasa album: http://picasaweb.google.com/lowdivideroad/letoon

Shipyard Harbor

This is the view of the small inlet where the boat yard was where the pictures above were taken. Lot's of ships.

Sunset from our top balcony at the home exchange.

Boat Yard in Turkey

As we were driving we came across this small inlet and there was a ship yard with lots of boats unders various stages of repair and new construction it wasn't by any means the same type of construction as we'd see in the states but it certainly seemed to do the job for them. The tourist season is just getting ready to start in earnest down in this area. These small sailing boats rent out by the hour, day, few days or by the week. What ever you want. Then they take you sailing where ever you want along the coast of Turkey. After around the 15th of April the water starts to warm up and it's very pleasant to swim, dive, snorkel or whatever water sport you might want to do. Today a jeep passed us with a full load and then a trailer behind loaded with kayaks. It was a beautiful day, water was calm so they'd probably had a great day of kayaking. The water is so crystal clear and blue, just like around Cozumel in places. Made me want to go sign up for a trip tomorrow. But I realize I'm in no shape to kayak....Don would have to pull me to shore for sure.

For a few more pictures of the boats and then great photos of the local kids check out: http://picasaweb.google.com/lowdivideroad/kakoya

Myra Ruins

This is an ancient city named after my family. Here I go all the way to Turkey and what do we find but an ancient city named for the Myra family. My dad would be amazed. Those ancestors from Norway sure got around. Just kidding, this town had nothing to do with Norway. Don thinks it was named for him. Actually the site exists from the 5th century BC. This was a capital of the Lycian League built to go up against the Persians, there was an everlasting flame here which symbolized Lycia. Alexander the Great visited in 333 B.C. After Alexander's death the area was given to Egypt. Then in 197 B.C. Syria came along and took over, then Rhodes, Rome and a long list of others. In 141 A.D. a huge earthquake hit the area and alot of damage was done, Rome helped with the rebuilding. Numerous earthquakes have hit this area so its amazing that anything is still standing.

Lycian hill top rock tombs.

To see more photos go to: http://picasaweb.google.com/lowdivideroad/myraruins

Exploring Saklikent Gorge

Don and Geralynn are getting ready to go under the car bridge and enter into the Saklikent Gorge. We paid a 3 Lira admission fee to enter. We then headed back to explore the canyon, Tom & Val said the canyon was well worth a look. We had hiked the Xanthos ruins earlier in the day and were heading to the "Myra" ruins later so this was a nice break from the ruins. As you can see the weather is perfect.
This is just as you actually enter the gorge, it reminds me so much of many of our national parks in the southwest.

Don & Geralynn checking out the view, holding on to the handrail.

The water is running very swiftly through the canyon , it enters the main stream from more than one point in the hillside. The water is just working it's way down from the high Tarus Mountain Range behind this gorge. The water is from the winter snow pack which is now melting. It was very loud as it rushed it's way through the canyon. On the entrance side from where we entered the gorge, the gorge actually ends and it turns into a nice river. Looked like the locals come there and really enjoy the cool water in the summer time. There were areas that looked like a sultan would sit and drink tea and the dancing girls would entertain him. Probably no dancing girls but lots of tea.

More pictures at: http://picasaweb.google.com/lowdivideroad/20100326SaklikentGorge

Xanthos day among the ruins

Today we spent the day touring Xanthos an ancient Lycian and Roman city. Each time we arrive at one of these ruins I think it can't be better than the last ruin. But each time I am surprised and amazed to see an even bigger and better ruin than the last one. The Turkish have not closed off the sites and you can wander about freely and climb all over the actual ruins and touch them. It's not like in Rome where you can't touch or hardly get near to the actual stones. But I have to say that out of respect we didn't just go wild climbing or abusing the sites. You can 't help but respect the ruins.
After touring for several hours we found a nice picnic table over by the office. Geralynn spread out the table cloth and set out the picnic lunch. We had a nice lunch of fresh bread cheese, salami, olives, pickles and iced tea.
Check out more pictures of Xanthos at my picasa album: http://picasaweb.google.com/lowdivideroad/xantos

Kas, Turkey day dreaming of the life of the rich and famous

Today we decided to do alittle exploring close to the home exchange, so we headed off into the small town of Kas and drove out onto the pennisula that we can see from our deck and windows. The homes there are villa's, very expensive.
But very beautiful. The pools overlook the sea and just flow right into what looks like the sea. After driving around awhile we decided we were hungry again so back we went into town to eat at the same little restaurant Tom & Val had taken us to last week. The food was so wonderful we just couldn't resist. The name is "Kas'im Restaurant" the owner came over and visited with us. His best friend is a chef at a restaurant in San Francisco where Tom took Don & Geralynn when he visited Sunnyvale. The chef brought us hot Baklava with ice cream for desert. It was the best baklava I've ever had.
After lunch it was off for some shopping for Cheryl, groceries for Geralynn and photo's for Don. I think I had the best time. The little town has a great harbor, lots of small fishing boats plus larger boats for taking the tourists out during the season. Today there was a huge trailer putting a boat back into the water, I missed the launch but I'm sure Don caught it. So check out his site at "www.myrah.net then go to turkey 2010 Anyway we had a great day, just being relaxed and enjoying the warm weather. Tomorrow we'll probably go tour another ancient Roman ruins.

Kas & Home Exchange

"Rest at Last" and warmer weather. We've arrived at the home exchange and it's gorgeous. The view from my bedroom is 5 star. The first day I rested and did some much needed laundry, then .A trip to the grocery store for food, and some other items. Then some rest and just doing nothing, well not really nothing. Actually sitting and enjoying the view from my bedroom and the kitchen deck, views of the sea.

Here is the link for the pictures:

http://picasaweb.google.com/lowdivideroad/HomeExchangeMas

Ankara Capital of Turkey

Today we left for Ankara the capital of Turkey and the last stop of the tour for Don & Geralynn and I. We're leaving the tour in Ankara and going to the home exchange Don & G have arranged in southern Turkey for about 10 days. I'm really ready for some warm weather too. It was about a 6 hour bus ride to Ankara. When we arrived the first thing we did was head to Ataturks Museum and final resting place. Very impressive from the outside. The museum is very thorough in covering the war for independence that Ataturk lead the soldiers in, complete with light and sound effects. I was very impressed. I knew very little about him when I came to Turkey and I have a much better understanding of who he was. He died in 1936 but the people still love and very much respect him.
We saw many of his personal items, clothings, jewelry, cars, gifts from other heads of state. We also saw lots of military police around the museum too.
Then Don & G and I walked downtown to eat. We found a resturant on the 10th floor we dubbed the lover's bar, as there were alot of young couples in there actually "making out" in their booths. Quite a shock.
In the mornng we said our goodbyes to the group and headed off on our own. Originally Don planned for us to ride a big bus to Kas in southern Turkey (it was an overnight bus ride) but after all the other bus riding we'd just completed he asked if I'd mind flying south instead? I jumped on the chance to fly, I was bused out too. So we headed to the airport to fly south.
More photos can be seen at: http://picasaweb.google.com/lowdivide/AtaturksMemorial

Whirling Dervishes Ceremony at a Carevanserai

After a full day of climbing up and down through the 'Ferry Chimmeys" we finally went back to the hotel and had a nice hot dinner there. It also gave me a chance to warm up and remove some of the extra layers of clothing I had warn to go out during the day as it was very cold out there with the snow on the ground. After dinner we boarded our bus to head to the historical Carevanserai which was built 1249. It was a gathering and place for shelter for the travelers traveling the silk road during ancient times. There was an enclosed portion for the winter months and an open air market area for the summer months. The whirling dervish ceremony was held back in the winter portion of the shelter.
The dervishes part of the Melvana belief, it's not a religion, more a way of life. If you want more information on them you can go to their web site at: www.sarihan1249.com
The beliefs are: 1. In generosity and helping others be like a river. 2. In compassion and grace be like the sun. 3. In concealing others' faults be like the night. 4. In anger and fury be like the dead. 5. In modesty and humility be like the earth. 6. In tolerance be like the sea. 7. either exist as you are or be as you look. Some very interesting ideas. This was started in the early 1200's, by Melvana Celaleddin i Rumi. The followers do the ceremony as a way of showing their devotion to their beliefs. More photo''s at:

http://picasaweb.google.com/lowdivideroad/WhirlingDervishes

Cappadocia Valley before & with snow

We went for our hot air balloon ride in the afternoon when we arrived in Cappadocia because the balloon people called and said the weather is perfect, can you come over now? We said yes, because it was warm, no wind and a beautiful sunny day. We rushed right over and up we went over the White Valley, which is the first picture of this post. It was amazing as we lifted off it was quiet and no wind, it was exactly like the saying "floating on air." We spent the next hour floating over the valleys looking at the amazing Fairy Chimmey hills, the pointed hills shown here in the picute. Sometimes we floated so close to the trees or the hills it seemed like you could reach out and touch them. All I can say is "that it was amazing.. truly worth doing once in your lifetime." "Napa" doesn't hold a candle to Cappadocia for hot air balloon rides. After the ride we checked into our hotel (there were nine of us who did the balloon ride) and quickly had dinner and went to bed. The next morning I awoke and opened my window curtains and got the surprise of my life, there was snow falling and the ground was covered with snow. Needless to say it was very cold out side. It snowed for the next five hours. I hadn't brought clothes for snow, so I doubled up with levis and sweatpants over them, then about four shirts on the top.

These are scenes looking out my hotel window, and the last is again the 'White Valley" but now with snow on it. Some more pictures can be found in my picasa album at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lowdivideroad/Capadoccia

Hot Air Ballon Ride

This was an awesome experience. There is a picture is in front of the hot air balloon office as we were getting ready to go for our ride. The balloon is in the blue tarp behind the basket. We rode in the white van in front. We went several miles out of town to a very flat spot, where the crew quickly set about inflating the balloon and preparing to launch the basket. Of course we all stood around watching just in awe of what was happening in front of us. It took approximately 20 minutes to inflate and get ready, then we all climbed in and we slowly lifted off. There is a picture of the balloon as they were preparing it for lift off. Here is the link to the Hot Air Balloon Company that we used: http://www.kapadokyaballoons.com/ check them out they should have some nice pictures of the ballons actually in the air which of course I couldn't get, cause of course I was in the balloon. When I went to the site it gives you lot's of info, but the photo album was down for work but the they did have a link to an awesome album of a lady who had traveled with Elderhostel tours, she has great pictures. Our tour and flight was 165 Euro equal to $225.00 but well worth the cost. Off season is much lower Balloon rates. Heres the link: http://travelwithachallenge.com/Turkey_Balloon.htm

The guide book is for Capodocia and shows some of the special "fairy chimmeys"
There is a picture is of the White Valley as we floated along. These pointed hills are called 'fairy chimmeys" they are erroded hills, which eventually will totally erode. the pictures are not in order, unfortunaely, I can't seem to manage this yet on this tiny computer.

There is a picture of my certificate for doing the balloon ride. Our pilot was from England, he has lived here in Turkey for the last 11 years. He and his wife live here. He said they have an 11 year old son who is going to boarding school in England now, but he had lived in Turkey for his first seven years. Our pilot was excellant and made the trip very enjoyable and made you feel very comfortable because of his knowledge and skill. He said he and his wife love Turkey.

Here is my picasa album if you want to see more Pictures:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lowdivideroad/HotAirBalloonRide