A beautiful place, Woolly makes a friend and a hike!!!!

---

---

Having spent an interesting night in the Dianara Hotel, Kemer – the town closed down completely at 6pm and the bar in the hotel at 7pm!!!!! We were presented with a good Turkish breakfast which included a pastry filled with chilli scrambled eggs, different but not bad at all. Packing everything into the car we drove the 15km to Phaselis. Turning off the D400 we entered a wonderful pine forest. Paying 8TL each (approximately £3.20 GBP) we continued into the forest until being greeted by a sandy bay.



Woolly says – it was lush, really beautiful. Through the trees I could see pieces of the ruined city with dappled light surrounding them and complete quiet – well except for me! Ian and Jo bought me a leaflet which told me that Phaselis was built around the 7^th century and the land was traded for a basket of fish – bet it would cost more now! It became the largest harbour in the area and was unique as there are three harbours in total with a main street running between.



Having removed Woolly from the sandy shore of the North Harbour we went to investigate the Necropolis.



Woolly says – I looked everywhere for the dead bodies but couldn’t find any! We walked a little further along the pathway but it was difficult to get through so we returned to the harbour and began exploring the rest of the city. I thought that it was pretty much a ruin and it was difficult to see what some places had been, the remaining aquaduct structure stood tall amongst the trees with the foundations of other buildings around it. Walking onto the Main Street with the trees hanging over and providing wonderful shade, we ambled past where mosaics and marble would have covered the road. We could see where many statues would have been erected to honour the city people and it was really good as they had written out the words in modern day English so I could understand. We found one dedicated to a wrestler but best was the one of Emperor Hadrian – Jo took my picture of me being Emperor Woolly, I think this has a certain ring to it!



Whilst Woolly was having grand ideas we found the Big Baths



Woolly says – these Romans were really clean, baths yesterday and today! We could see the under-floor heating and three steps down but they were in need of a makeover to get them anywhere near ready for me to use! Across the street were the Small Baths!!!! Bathing must have been a national past time! It’s such a shame they have fallen into so much disrepair but we were able to make out which areas would have been for changing, cold baths, warm baths etc etc. Continuing up the street we arrived at the centre with the beautiful doorway and windows of the Agora (this is known as Hadrian’s Agora), not much left but it gave a good impression of how large it must have been. Ian shouted to us and we followed him up the wooden steps to the theatre – so lovely, with seats climbing up to the top, there was little left of the stage area but it gave a sense of the noise of the people cheering and clapping the performers, I sat and waited for a performance to begin ……



Sitting in the sun in the peaceful and serene surroundings we waited for Ian to join us before walking further down the Main street, passing through what was left of Hadrian’s Gate we were able to see some of the excavated pieces of inscribed stonework that would have formed the top of the gate, it must have been a most impressive sight.



Woolly says – The South Harbour lay in front of us, the scenery was stunning and with the gentle lapping of the water we felt very lucky to be here. On our walk back to the car we could see further ruins amongst the trees, the whole city must have been massive but sadly only a little remains.



I think we all enjoyed this visit, so beautiful and so peaceful we jumped into the car just as four coaches arrived!!!!



Turning towards Antalya on the D400 we had a surprise for Woolly.



Woolly says – Surprise…..it was a real treat for me. Dino Park!!!!!!!!!!!! I got to see lots of Dinosaurs and even made friends with a Stegosaurus – she was very nice! I didn’t like being chased by a couple of them but Jo and Ian were there to save me.



You can view a fuller feedback on the park on Trip Advisor (put in a search for Dino Park, Turkey)!!!!!!



Having worn Woolly out for a bit we set off to encounter the traffic of Antalya, Ian is now driving as if born in Turkey and with vehicles all over the place, changing lanes at any moment and appearing from nowhere I kept my mind occupied with the car registration……we were driving 07 NUT *** !!!!!!



Woolly says – having made it through the traffic we waved as we passed Perge and took the next turning for Silyon.



We had looked this place up on the net but could find nothing about it, I wanted to visit as my Dad’s middle name was Silyn and I thought it pretty cool to have a place with nearly the same name! Dad would have loved it.



Woolly says – pulling up to a small café it was difficult to understand why we were here, there were a few houses around and a ruin or two on the side of the flat plateaux high above, surely we weren’t going up there!!!!



We were, standing 213.4m above sea level and built in the 4^th century it had to be worth a look.



Woolly says – I read the information board, the people who lived here were known as “sillyeis”, maybe we were in the right place after all. Jo tucked me snuggly into her jacket and we set of up the goat track, as we rose higher and higher we realised there was more and more to see. What would have been towers to watch over the surrounding countryside, huge windows in lone standing walls, we found what could have been an underground passage Ian was very boring and said I couldn’t go down it! As we increased the level above sea we came to the Bastion wall, huge great blocks of stone which were still complete and standing, the view stretching further than the eye could see I was so glad we came up. A greater hike lay ahead and Jo and I decided it was too much for us so while Ian climbed further and further we sat in the sun with the wind blowing around us and Jo told me about her dad and how much he would have enjoyed the hike up and the history, he might even have put it into one of his books!



Woolly let Ian explain what he found…..



Ian says – Alone at last!! Leaving those two pussies behind I climbed over 100ft along a treacherous path along the side of the cliff. It was a difficult trail, with loose shale underfoot and a sheer drop to my right. Panting and sweating in the sun I thought I’d made it to the top, only to find a small flat area with the remains of battlements, and a further climb of about 120ft still facing me. Although tired I thought “what the hell, I’ve come this far”. Again, a difficult climb…..but it was worth it!! At the top I was rewarded with an amazing sight. Ruins everywhere, stretching into the distance as far as the eye could see! I came out near the hall of cisterns, huge caverns for holding fresh water, and made my way over the broken, overgrown ground to more ruins. These were a mixture of Hellenistic and Medieval, in poor condition but still spectacular!! As I rounded a ruined wall I came face to face with some very surprised sheep. Their bleating reminded me of Woolly and Jo and, despite more ruins in the distance; I decided I should head back down. It took a while to find my way back, the overgrown grass and bushes hiding the path down but I got there in the end. The journey down was even worse than the trip up, with the loose stones threatening to pitch me over the edge with every step. I eventually made it back to the lower ruins and caught up with Jo and Woolly…..so much for my peace and quiet.



Woolly says – anyone would think I was noisy!!!!!! The trail back down to the bottom was not my favourite time, Jo and I had started back on our own and went down what turned out to be a wrong pathway, I would have laughed at Jo sliding down on her bum, but she was gripping me so tightly I could only be happy that it wasn’t me. Finally finding our feet and paws we navigated our route downwards, with Ian joining us, and us following him we made it to the car, windswept, with aching knees and ankles I could hardly drag my eyes away from our mountain as we headed onwards to Alanya and the promise of beer!

---