Day 48 - Citdibi to Geyikbayiri

Our 5pm bus back to Citdibi yesterday went as planned.  The one exception being that the bus ended its run at Sogutcuma, 15km short of Citdibi.  After a lengthy conference to work this problem through, involving: Fiona and I, the bus driver, all of the other bus passengers, and most of the village of Sogutcuma - we were offered a place to sleep at a community meeting venue in the middle of the village.  With a bit of mime we managed to explain that we had a tent, at which point it was agreed, again through mime, that we could tent on the outskirts of the village and return at 7:30am to catch the bus that would continue through to Citdibi.  This did go exactly as planned.  The next morning the villagers were very excited to see that the Yeni Zealanda's had survived the night.  I don't think that they get many tourists in Sogutcuma.  Pity, because they are a lovely crew.

So, we caught the 7:30am bus to Citdibi; a village so obscure that the bus driver (and passengers) felt obliged to check three times that we REALLY wanted to get off there.  We ate our breakfast in Citdibi, and at 10am started up the hill for the final section of the Lycian Way.  

Meadow near the final pass on the Lycian Way.

Two ancient towns later, at 7pm, we reached the end - an underwhelming wooden sign on a deserted dirt road.  I was expecting a brass band, and a medal ceremony, but what we got was three friendly dogs.  One of them was a corgi.  I'd like to think that the Queen sent it.  

The finish came not a moment too soon.  I estimate that my boots have about two days life left in them.  A telling reflection on the nature of the Lycian Way, given that they had less than a week's use before I started this walk.

We are now off the track and back in Antalya, eating nice food, sleeping in a comfy bed, doing laundry and throwing out the clothes/gear that did not survive the trip.  This is the end of the daily blog.  I will write a wrap-up, including advice for anyone that is thinking about doing the Lycian, within the next two weeks; but for now it's goodbye from the world's slowest Lycian Way team.  Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Today's tortoise count : 2

Let's sign off with a proverb from our friend Angus Macfarlane - Kia manawanui tonu korua ki nga hikoi nui, hikoi roa – keep sturdy on the great and the long roads afore ye. 

Day 47 - unintended rest day in Antalya

Today we are in Antalya, waiting to catch a 5pm bus back to Citdibi.  We have recharged the batteries on our phones, and will buy the little extra food that we need, then camp out tonight near Citdibi before undertaking the final day's walking tomorrow.

Today we should have been in the mountains on the opposite side on the bay, finishing the last of the Lycian Way; but it will have to wait for tomorrow. 

Day 46 - Hudacik Ridge to Citdibi

First thing in the morning we ascend the final 80m to the pass, then undertake the long descent into the village of Hisarcandir.  At the village Mosque I celebrate our COMPLETION of the Lycian Way

only to be told by Fiona that in 2014 an extra 19km was added to it.  Ahhh, after fourteen years of finishing at this point, they decide to extend it the year before we do it.

Me contemplating victory postponed.  Oh the humanity.

We have coke and "tost" at the tea house in Hisarcandir,  then press onto Citdibi, the new final night on the Lycian Way.

View from Citdibi looking back toward Hisarcandir.

We arrive at Citdibi soon after 6pm, but cannot find any accommodation in the village.  We are turned away at the village guest house, and the only commercial accommodation nearby isn't answering their phone.  We have the tent in which we could sleep, but we haven't got enough food with us for tomorrow (as we were planning on getting dinner tonight and breakfast tomorrow at a guest house in the village).  Additionally, both of our phones now have flat batteries.  After an hour in Citdibi trying to find a solution, we spot an approaching bus and make a snap decision to get on it.  We end up back in Antalya for an unplanned rest day, as the next bus back to Citdibi isn't till 5pm the next day.   VL Day is postponed for the 2nd time in one day.  

I must emphasise that our experience in Citdibi was completely out of the norm for the Lycian Way. In every other place that we have visited the locals have been incredibly welcoming/helpful, often approaching us and offering us food.  Oh well, it is in the nature of adventures that they don't always go according to plan.

Today's tortoise count : 1

Day 45 - Goynuk to Hudacik Ridge

A short taxi ride from Kemer (where we had been staying) takes us to Goynuk Canyon to resume the walk.  The forecast is for rain; but with only two or three days remaining, we are both now very focused on finishing the walk. 

We gain altitude all day, from sea level to 1400m; with heavier then usual packs as we are carrying two days food to allow us to camp out tonight.  It rains lightly during the day, but the overcast weather is a welcome relief from the 32 to 34 degree temperatures that we have been experiencing recently.  Fiona is in fine form, enjoying the lower temperatures and powering up the hills; but with the end in sight, my body is "over" the Lycian Way.  

We camp out in a forest at 1400m, and cook dinner in the rain for the first time on the trip.  This is unexpected as numerous locals have told us that there will be no rain after mid-May.  Fortunately we had decided to keep our wet weather gear, as we had been considering posting it back to Antalya.

Camp MacArthur Park. Note Fiona's replacement replacement sun hat hanging in the tree.  She has lost her replacement sun hat.  Even two sun hats down we are still ahead, as we have found: a watch, a pair of sunglasses, a hunting knife, and a bikini. 

Today's tortoise count : 0

Day 44 - Rest day in Kemer

Fiona and I have holed up in Kemer for a rest day.  Kemer is the next town along from Goynuk, but has considerably cheaper accomodation.  We are planning on starting the FINAL three or four days of the Lycian tomorrow, but it's been raining heavily today and the forecast is for more rain; so we may delay our departure.  We've managed to get a hotel room with a couch, and it feels like such a luxury.  Our first couch in 50+ days!  In addition to blogging, there is a lot of lying on the couch watching the BBC.  Does life get any better?

Day 43 - Goynuk Yaylasi to Goynuk

I'm feeling much better today.  I head down the Goynuk Valley, through forests and a river gorge.  The scenary, especially in the gorge, is lovely.  I take a short break for a swim in the beautifully clear, COLD, water; but otherwise do the entire section in good time.  It's just a pity that I didn't have this level of fitness at the beginning of the walk.  Fiona takes a rest from walking and relocates our gear to Kemer.

Near the bottom of the gorge I disturb three deer like animals.  At the time the track is in a narrow cutting, and the animals jump across the top of me to escape.  After a bit of research on the internet, I think that they were probably Mountain Gazelle; although few mammalian identification guides are premised upon viewing only the underside of the animal.  

Today's tortoise count : 3

Day 42 - Gedelme to Goynuk Yaylasi

A hot boring stretch from Gedelme to Goynuk Yaylasi.   Same-same forest, thirty three degree heat, and a dodgy stomach.  The only good thing about it is that I manage to finish it before lunch.  I'm certainly feeling worse today than on any other day of the walk.  In the afternoon I rest, consume as much water and salt as I can, and take some tablets to try and sort out my stomach. 

Today's tortoise count : 1

Day 41 - Tahtali Dagi to Gedelme

We walk, mostly through forests, from the pass below Tahtali Dagi to the village of Gedelme.  There isn't much else to report.  I'm feeling like this is "the wall" of the Lycian Way.  The vast majority of the walk is now behind us, but it feels like there is still a long way to go.  None of which is helped by:

- the terrain being very similar to what we have already been over, and 

- it being very hot, and 

- a mild case of the Sultan's Revenge.

I think that next time we need a comfortable adventure ;-)

Topping up with water from the Mosque at Yaylakuzdere. 

Proof that the Lycian Way has everything, including...

Why isn't some enterprising Turk offering a donkey to transport our packs?

Today's tortoise count : 1

Day 40 - Beycik to Tahtali Dagi (Mount Olympus)

Immediately after breakfast, I check online to see whether there are wolves in Turkey, and discover that there are estimated to be 7,000.  Why isn't there a wolf warning at the front of the Lycian Way guidebook?

We set off in even hotter weather, although fortunately free of burning rocks today.  At 1pm we reach the pass, which at 1816m is the highest point on the Lycian Way.  On the way down we spot a sounder of wild boar, eight adults and numerous juveniles.  I manage to get within 50m of them, before  they let out a loud series of grunts and beat a hasty retreat up the hill. They must have caught our scent. Given that we smell terrible, and boar have such sensitive noses, it is hardly surprising that we triggered such panic.

View south.  The headland, on which the lighthouse that we had previously passed is located, is visible in the upper centre of this picture. 

The view north, from the opposite side of the pass. 

We camp out a kilometre after the pass, at 1,600m.  It is a cold night, and I sleep with my warm clothing on.  

Camp Funky Town, doubling as a Sound of Music set, with me on wolf sentry duty.

Today's tortoise count : 2 (including our highest altitude tortoise sighting, 1620m) 

Day 39 - Cirali to Beycik

We get off to a 10:30am start. Not exactly crack of dawn. Our lack of punctuality is immediately regretted, as it is the first really hot day in a while. The forecast is for 30 degrees, and we need to gain 800m in altitude, over burning rocks. Seriously, today we go past the Chimera; the eternal flames. These have been burning continuously on the rocky hillside above Olympus since before man first started blogging. The Lycians, Greeks and Romans regarded the flames as sacred. These days tourists flock to them every night and cook marshmallows over them.



Thirty degree heat and flaming rocks. Fiona is convinced that the elements are conspiring against her.


Our plan today is to complete 3/4 of the 16km section described in the guidebook, and camp out about 4km short of the village of Beycik. Over the next week we will be passing through a series of national parks. There is a huge painting illustrating this at the gates to the Chimera. It has pictures of all of the animals that inhabit the parks; wild boar, turtles, eagles, squirrels, wolves. Wolves! The guidebook didn't mention anything about wolves. Are there wolves in Turkey?

We walk up past the Chimera, with frequent stops for hyperthermia, then down a valley with a babbling stream at its base. There are many tempting swimming spots, but I have other plans. At 1:30pm we reach Ulupinar, another town with restaurants over a river. We cool our feet in a cold mountain stream while waiting for our lunch to arrive. Another patron accidentally cools her mobile phone.

We exit the restaurant at 3pm, hoping that the worst of the day's heat is now over, and make good progress towards Beycik. About the time that we are due to start looking for a camp site, we notice a paw print in the mud. It is nearly as wide as Fiona's boot. With reinvigorated morale we decide to push on all of the way to Beycik. Arriving just before 7:30pm, this provides unexpected proof that we can complete full sections as documented in the guidebook, when suitably motivated. We rent a small cabin for the night, and go to sleep carefully scrutinising each distant howl.



Camp out tonight? Why would we want to camp out tonight?


Today's tortoise count : 4

Day 38 - Rest day in Cirali

A rest day in Cirali.  We could go to the beach, or visit the ruins of Olympus, but instead we do laundry and catch up on the blog.  From tomorrow, we are heading back up into the hills for four to six days; so we research our food and water options, and shop for the supplies we need.

Day 37 - to Olympus / Cirali

Only six kilometres to do today, but the guidebook says that it will take four and a half hours!  How can that possibly be right?  What are they going to do, have us crawling through barbed wire?

We reach the pass between Adrasan and Olympus in good time.  An enterprising Turk has set up a cafe in a dilapidated shepherd's hut on the summit.  He already has eight customers, day walkers heading in the opposite direction to us.  The thought of an early lunch in Olympus allows us to avoid the temptations of stone cold (i.e. cooled by putting it on a stone) coke.  We fill our water bottles at a well and push on, in the expectation of completing the last four kilometres in under two hours.  But "no", it's not barbed wire that the designers of the Lycian Way have planned for us, it is a forest of fallen trees.  A huge storm has hit this area years earlier, and chopped all of the pine trees off at half their normal height. We spend over an hour clambering over fallen trunks, and make it into Cirali in just a few minutes less than was predicted in the guidebook.   

For reasons unknown the designers of the Lycian Way missed the opportunity to direct the track over this mountain.  Oh well, I suppose that they are constantly updating the way.

After three days walking, and two nights sleeping out, we found ourselves walking along this tourist beach, smelling like we'd just been to Camel Camp; which we had.

Today's tortoise count : 1.  We urgently need to clean up corruption in the tortoise counts.  We've advertised the position of Director of Fair Counts.  So far the only applicant is Sepp Blatter.  

Day 36 - through Adrasan

While camped in the forest, the expected nocturnal invasion of wild pigs completely fails to materialise.  They are cunning animals, and clearly intent on keeping us guessing.  We walk onto the Camel Camp, our first source of water since midday yesterday.  Since crossing the mountains four days ago, the quality of the track has improved.  It is slightly less stoney, and more of the track has soil / leaf litter on it, providing a little more cushioning for our feet.  Either that or our feet have just given up on complaining.  The only other thing to report is that the Gods of Fashion have intervened, and Fiona has lost her Afrika Korps sun hat.

Fiona modeling her new sun hat.  Note the less stoney condition of the catwalk. 

We have lunch in Adrasan, and treat ourselves to eating on the river.  Now this is more like a holiday should be.

Me, smelling so bad that the restaurant staff insist that they will only serve me if I keep my feet under water.

Then we head out of cool, refreshing Adrasan; and back up into the hills.  We camp out in the forest again, about half way between Adrasan and Olympus.

Today's tortoise count : 1.  This whole tortoise count thing is starting to take off in ways that I'd never imagined.  Having recently discovered that Asian gambling syndicates are following the blog's tortoise counts; today I discovered Hansie Cronje hiding in the bushes at the side of the track, with a bag full of tortoises.

Day 35 - Karaoz to 6km short of Adrasan

Today's walk is entirely along the coast.  We start by visiting Pirate's Bay, where in times past pirate ships anchored, awaiting an opportunity to dash around the headland and intercept the coastal merchant shipping.  These days it is occupied only by boats carrying picnicers.  It is strategically placed and very pretty.  Those pirates had a good sense of ascetics.

Pirate's Bay

Black Beak, the Pirate's Bay tortoise.  With this blogs readership now in double figures, rumours have begun to reach me of Asian gambling syndicates showing an interest in the daily tortoise counts.  Hopefully this photo will put an early end to any suggestions of match fixing in the counts.

At Pirate's Bay we fill up to our maximum 6 litres (6kg) of water.  We want to camp out tonight, which means that the next guaranteed source of water is a day away.  We then set off again.  On the way we meet an English couple returning from the lighthouse, who inform us that there is no water there.   When we do arrive at the lighthouse we find water in a cistern.  I guess that the English couple had been looking for a tap; but having completed 2/3rds of the Lycian, the range of water sources that we will use is now fairly pragmatic.  We have lunch at the lighthouse and refill our water to 6 litres.  Then on for another four hours walking before making camp at 6:30pm about six kilometres short of Adrasan.

Fiona packing up at Camp Boogie Oogie Oogie

Today's tortoise count : 2

and one snake.

Day 34 - Finike to Karaoz

Twenty eight kilometres of road and beach walking.  The novelty of walking on the beach gets me through the first few kilometres, then the beach just starts getting hot and tiring.  So onto the road, for a walk beside motorway, motorway, motorway, seaside town, tomato growing hothouses, hothouses and more hothouses.  It just goes on and on.  If someone was to make a film about walking this section, it would be called "the fast and the featureless".  This certainly gives me a new appreciation for how physically challenging the long road stretches on the Camino must be.

Seaside resort town catering specifically to the zombie market.  

On one of the beach stretches I notice four bikini clad women in the distance, but as I get closer they all do a rapid change into full dresses and head-scarves.  I feel that my modesty has been appropriately protected, and I do get a cheery wave as I walk past.  There can't be too many people walking this beach with a full backpack.  Which reminds me to mention that I've had Turkish drivers stopping all day to offer me a lift.  One of the locals even mimed to me that I shouldn't be walking in the sun.

At 4pm I start the last section of road.  Eight kilometres through a forest above a picturesque set of coves; but by this time I'm "over it", so it's rather wasted on me.  The only really good news for the day - Fiona has bused ahead and found us a nice (and cheap) cabin beside the sea to sleep in.

Today's tortoise count : 1

In tropical climes there are certain times of day
When all the citizens retire to tear their clothes off and perspire.
It's one of the rules that the greatest fools obey,
Because the sun is much too sultry
And one must avoid its ultry-violet ray.
The natives grieve when the white men leave their huts,
Because they're obviously, definitely nuts! 
Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun,
The Japanese don´t care to, the Chinese wouldn´t dare to,
Hindus and Argentines sleep firmly from twelve to one
But Englishmen detest-a siesta.
In the Philippines they have lovely screens to protect you from the glare.
In the Malay States, there are hats like plates which the Britishers won't wear.
At twelve noon the natives swoon and no further work is done,
But mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun. 
It's such a surprise for the Eastern eyes to see,
that though the English are effete, they're quite impervious to heat,
When the white man rides every native hides in glee,
Because the simple creatures hope he will impale his solar topee on a tree.
It seems such a shame when the English claim the earth,
They give rise to such hilarity and mirth.
Ha ha ha ha hoo hoo hoo hoo hee hee hee hee ......
Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.
The toughest Burmese bandit can never understand it.
In Rangoon the heat of noon is just what the natives shun,
They put their Scotch or Rye down, and lie down.
In a jungle town where the sun beats down to the rage of man and beast
The English garb of the English sahib merely gets a bit more creased.
In Bangkok at twelve o'clock they foam at the mouth and run,
But mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun. 
Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.
The smallest Malay rabbit deplores this foolish habit.
In Hong Kong they strike a gong and fire off a noonday gun,
To reprimand each inmate who's in late.
In the mangrove swamps where the python romps
there is peace from twelve till two.
Even caribous lie around and snooze, for there's nothing else to do.
In Bengal to move at all is seldom ever done,
But mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.
Noel Coward - Mad dogs and Englishmen

Day 33 - Finike

In the morning I completed four kilometres of the walk, half of which was along a beach.  In the afternoon I caught up on this blog. Even on holiday, there is no rest ;-)

Reconstruction of an ancient Greek trieme, in a museum in Athens.

Contemporary paddle boats on the beach in Finike.  Note the continuation of the practice of painting an eye on the bow of some vessels.

I estimate that we have now completed 2/3rds of the Lycian Way; and the three day mountain section is behind us, so we have completed the bit that requires the heaviest packs.  There is still a long way to go; but, new injuries aside, it should now just be a matter of putting in the hours. 

Today's tortoise count : 0

Day 32 - Incegeris Tepe to Finike

Camped at 1600m, it was cold enough overnight that I woke and put on my long johns.  Then a long day walking out of the mountains.  Parts are in lovely terrain, other parts are over our old favorite, sharp slipping stones.  We manage to avoid any gunpoint breakfast invites, which is progress in itself.  Again the weather is overcast and cool, with mist frequently rolling in.  This prevents us from having the great views described in the guide book, but also prevents us from getting too hot. We visit the ruined city of Belos, but are short on time so only explore for half an hour.  Then down through a beautiful sculptured dry river bed, to arrive in Finike just before 7pm.

Eroded river bed 

Today's tortoise count : 4

(and 1 snake)

Day 31 - Alakilise to Incegeris Tepe

We wake in the morning and have a big breakfast. Partly because we are hungry, partly because we will need a lot of energy for the day ahead, mostly because we want to lighten our packs.  Fiona is stung by a bee.  Not a very glamorous injury, but it does give us the chance to use another item from our huge medical / first aid kit; which makes us feel better about lugging all of this junk around.  We pack up our campsite and get off to an early start.  

We make it 200 metres before we are flagged down by a shepherd and his 10 year old son.  The son is fidgeting with a hand gun which looks far too big for him.  The shepherd wants us to go to his house for tea and breakfast.  We explain that we have already had breakfast, but the relevance of this information seems lost on our potential hosts.  We keep politely declining, the shepherd keeps politely insisting, the son keeps fidgeting with the hand gun, and periodically waving it in the air.  On the basis that it is the height of bad manners to decline a dinner invitation made at gunpoint, we relent and soon find ourselves inside the shepherd's hut, where his son proceeds to show us his football boots.  A ten year old with football boots and a hand gun; he really is living the dream.  

Shepherd boy

The shepherd's wife gives us tea; and bread with salted chopped tomatoes and green chilies.  I manage to refrain from asking for a cappuccino instead.  Having had second breakfast, we proceed on our way, with all local protocols respected.

Shepherd boy's mum 

The rest of the day is long.  We climb another 900m, and spend an hour trying to find a cliff side hermitage mentioned in the guidebook.  We eventually locate it several hundred metres from the location shown on the iPhone app; SNAFU.   There are 50cm wide worn smooth rock cut stairs leading up to a fissure in the cliff wall, with a vertical drop on one side.  I've done a bit of rock climbing, and I don't consider myself to be afraid of heights, but I decide that I'm not going to ascend these stairs for anything less than an absolute guarantee that the Holy Grail is located at the top.  We abandon this side trip.  

Shepherd's dog, wondering whether it is too early for lunch.

We eat lunch at 4pm, in a forest clearing near the top of the mountain range.  The scenary is delightful, but we are aware that we still have many hours walking ahead of us.  Fortunately the terrain under foot improves, and the endless large sharp edged stones are replaced by the soft leaf debris of the forest floor.  

View from the top of the range. 

We make camp at 8pm, one kilometre short of my ideal stop-point for the day.  A very good effort given all of the day's distractions.  By the time that we come to cook dinner, the sun has already set, and we crawl into our sleeping bags forgoing such niceties as brushing teeth.  Oh how quickly the adornments of civilisation are lost. 

Today's tortoise count : 0

Day 30 - Demre to Alakilise

Today is the first day of our mountain crossing.  A 1800 metre climb, and no shops, cafes, or hotels for three days.  We set off from Demre with a full load of water and an additional 4kg of food in our packs.  There is a steep climb out of Demre on an ancient pilgrims road.  This area was part of the Byzantine empire until the Turks conquered it in the 11th century.

Fiona having a penitential moment on the pilgrims road.

We climb past the last village, and onto forested hillsides, periodically interrupted by small areas of flat pasture occupied by shepherd's huts.  At 6pm we reach the mountain valley of Alakilise, site of a 9th  century Christian religious centre.  We pitch our tent beside the ruins of the church, and Fiona retrieves some water from a goat watering trough.  We really have reached new lows.  Two German walkers who are camped nearby, assure us that a local shepard has assured them that the water is safe to drink; and we don't have any other options.  The water gets multiple aquatabs and a good boil. 

Ruins of 9th century church at Alakilise.  An early biography of Saint Nicolas, subsequently known as Father Christmas, records that he visited this church; although I saw no evidence of a surviving chimney. 

Camp Ring My Bell

At night a mountain mist rolls in, and we drift off to sleep to the barks of the shepard's dogs echoing around the valley.  These massive beasts would intimidate the hound of the Baskervilles.  

Today's tortoise count : 2

Day 29 - Demre

Continuing to use Ucagiz as a base, I finish off a very short stretch of the Lycian Way walk through urban Demre.  I follow the route shown on the iPhone app, through some contemporary light industrial and riverside refuse disposal areas, without seeing any Lycian Way markers.  Then accidentally find some way markers in a location completely different from that shown on the iPhone app.  Ahhh!!!

Then Fiona and I visit the ruins at Myra, where the local speciality seemed to have been carvings of irate people. Then onto the museum at Andriake, which turned out to be shut because of a legal dispute.

Carving of me, after discovering that the route shown on the Lycian Way iPhone app again doesn't match that indicated by the markers on the ground.  

We will leave Ucagiz tomorrow for the three-days-over-a-mountain segment of the Lycian Way.  No pensions, no cafes, no shops; but I'm expecting plenty of goats.  

Today's tortoise count : 1

Day 28 - Another rest day in Ucagiz

Ahhh, it's true, we are stuck in Ucagiz.  It is just too nice to leave.

Day 27 - Kapakli to Demre

Today I take a dolmus to Demre, then walk back to Kapakli.  Doing this means that I complete another section of the Lycian, while only needing to carry a day pack.  This wasn't part of our original plan, but our feet are so sore, and being able to stay in one (good) pension room for five days is such a luxury.

There is a junction on the Lycian between Demre and Kapakli.  One option proceeds along the coast and the other inland.  Unfortunately the options are not signposted, and it is half an hour before I realise  that I'm on the wrong track.  That is an hour lost.  At least it is lost in a nice place. 

There is no public transport from Kapakli to Ucagiz at this time of day, so at the end of my walk I need to hitch a lift home.  Hitch hiking in Turkey is remarkably easy.  My first ride is in a truck for transporting goats, and my second is in a late model Mercedes sports car.  The way I smell, I fit right in in the truck, but I feel a bit sorry for the Mercedes driver. 

Bridge on the Lycian Way.

Abandoned shepherd's camp.  Every summer the shepherd's take their goats up into the hills.  There is still plenty of food for the goats down low, but the goats don't like the heat over summer (sensible creatures) so they get moved to cooler grazing.  The nomadic lifestyle is alive and well. 

Today's tortoise count : 1

Day 26 - Rest day in Ucagiz

Today we have another rest day, and take a two hour boat cruise.  This really is going to be history's slowest Lycian Way walk.

The castle that we visited yesterday, as viewed from the cannonball receiving end.

Electric wireless water?

Today's tortoise count : 0

Day 25 - Ucagiz to Kapakli

Having found a really nice pension in Ucagiz, we decide to break all of the rules today.  We catch a dolmus to Kapakli, then walk for three hours back to our accommodation.  This means that we only need to carry day packs.  Oh, it feels like cheating, but it also feels so good.

On the way back we stop in at a Genoese castle overlooking the bay.  Genoa, tucked away on the north western coast of Italy, was a significant maritime power 800 years ago.  They built a network of castles around the Mediterranean to protect their trading interests.  Always on the look out for a good investment, this spot must have really stood out.  "It may not be a great place for a castle now, but with views like this think of what the land will be worth in 800 years time."  Unfortunately for the Genoese, it is now the property of the Turkish government.

An example of the Genoese taste in castle real estate. Location, location, location.

The castle panorama just makes me want to fire a cannon at something.  Now why isn't some enterprising local offering this option as part of the Ucagiz experience?  Bungy Jumping be damned; come to Ucagiz and fire an X hundred year old cannon at some ugly-as-**** tourist boat. 

The Turkish government giving tourists a timely reminder of what damage a carelessly discarded cigarette could do to this delicate stone castle. 

As unbelievable as it seems, some internet commentators have criticised this blog for being too tortoise focused.  Just to prove that they are nothing more than common-or-garden cyber trolls, today we spent an hour watching Loggerhead TURTLES swimming in the bay beneath the castle.  It is difficult to judge their size from the shore, but according to Wikipedia the average adult Loggerhead weighs in at 135kg!   So, unquestionably balanced coverage of the Testudines.  I hope that we don't hear anymore of that "your blog is tortoise obsessed" nonsense again; and fingers crossed that no one reading this remembers terrapins. 

Today's TORTOISE count : 4