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Blogs from Antalya, Mediterranean, Turkey, Middle East
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A beautiful place, Woolly makes a friend and a hike!!!!
Published: March 1st 2013Middle East » Turkey » Mediterranean » Antalya » Serik
March 1st 2013
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 ... read more
February 27th 2013
Taking the D400 in an easterly direction we opened the car windows and sped towards Perge. Passing hundreds of road side sellers with succulent strawberries and huge bags of oranges there was plenty to see. From the hotel complexes to the small one room dwellings and the lone cows on any piece of grass. The traffic lights fascinated Woolly. Woolly says – They count down!!!! When red they count down to when they turn to green and vice versa, will have to recommend them to Mr Cameron, it would save a lot of road rage!!!! Taking the turning to Perge we rounded a bend to the most splendid sight of an amphitheatre, pulling into the car park we could see remains in all directions. Paying our 15TL each (approximately £6.20 GBP), expensive for Turkey, we entered ... read more
December 11th 2012
1998 : KEMER 2 Tages-Ausflug; Fahrt ins Tarusgebirge, Salda See, Antike Stadt Hirapolis (Friedhof, Säulenstrasse, Theater), Rote Quelle, Budur See, PAMUKALE, Teppichmanufaktur Schiffahrt nach ?... read more
May 30th 2012
After a long flight, we made it to Turkey. It was a smooth flight. We had some time between the flights in Chicago, so we decided to try out Chicago style pizza. All I have to say is stick to McDonalds at airports. Turkey and Jordan flight were departing at the same time. We had some action at the security gate. There were around 400 Jordanian families in the line. I've outsmarted them. We used the first class gate. We were on board in no time. I've got some pictures on the plane. As we were leaving Dallas the sun was setting down over the horizon. After about half an hour flight in pitch black, the sun rose from the other side. It was an amazing sight to see. I'll share them with you. I hope ... read more
May 29th 2012
This one is going to be brief as there's really nothing to tell. We walked around and in the old city of Antalya. Antalya resides in the middle of history with its old harbor and antic city. This city was surrounded by a historic wall from Roman Empire. Today, there's only a part of the wall and a clock tower remain intact at the North gate. On the East side of the wall, there's another entrance to the old city called Hadrianus Gate. Once you're in the old city, all the paved roads will lead to the harbor. The modern city of Antalya didn't really start to appear until World War II. Until then, the Old City was Antalya, with its massive stone walls, meandering streets, and picturesque old houses built so close they often overshadow ... read more
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May 27th 2012
Today, we went to visit my grandmother up in the village called "Geyikbayiri". They've lived in the same house for years. My mother grew up here. In the back of the house there's a garden that my grandmother maintains at the age of 82. She's still going strong. We have cherry trees, apple trees, plum trees, pomegranate trees, and a couple of hazelnut trees, as well as cucumbers, tomatoes, green beans, banana peppers, peppermint, spearmint and cabbage in the garden. For breakfast, we stopped by a local bakery and bought some bread to go. This bread is made locally. You can't find it in the city. It is delicious with butter when it is hot. I've added some pictures of it so you'd have an idea how they make it. After the breakfast, we grabbed some ... read more
Bill and Carol's Senior Years Abroad: Merhaba, Hoscakal (Hello, Goodbye)
Published: May 22nd 2012Middle East » Turkey » Mediterranean » Antalya
May 21st 2012
With nine remaining days in Turkey, we are writing from our Antalya flat, which is already denuded. Each day friends and strangers come by to haul off items they have purchased during our moving sale, and they stay for tea and conversation. "What's the matter? Why are you leaving Turkey?" they ask. "When are you coming back?" In a culture in which plans are seldom made more than a few days in advance, the notion that we came for two years and that the two years are ending just doesn't cut it. So we speak instead--with complete truthfulness--of how much we long for our U.S. friends, children and grandchildren--mentioning that a third grandchild (Kate and Lisa's baby girl!) is due in September. "Tamam" (okay), they say. "But you will miss the sun and the sea and ... read more
April 11th 2012
Holed up in our windowless dorm in the hostel, it was only when we first stepped outside that we realised that the warm sun and blue sky of the previous day had been replaced by cold rain and a wicked gale, as we sprinted from the hostel to the small cafe on the pier at seven in the morning. I had left all the organising the girls and in my sleepy stupor had no idea what was going on - one minute we were in the ferry ticket office, the next we were bundled into one of the local's cars on a ten minute drive to another pier. We pass a small booth en route to the pier who demands a payment from us, one that we weren't expecting. The old man who had driven us ... read more
Bill and Carol's Senior Years Abroad: Biraz Sikayet (A Little Grizzling)
Published: February 20th 2012Middle East » Turkey » Mediterranean » Antalya » Mermerli
February 16th 2012
It's been a quiet, happy winter--often sunny but also COLD, Antalya's coldest winter in thirty years. Without insulation, double-glazed windows, or central heating in our building, we've been warmed mostly by the smartwool and down clothing we brought with us. I have been known to sleep in my winter jacket, muffler and gloves. We do have wall-mounted heat pumps ("klimas") in three rooms, but two of them--as well as the hot water heater--have been on the friitz quite a bit. In defense, we joined a health club in January, partly for the reliable access to hot showers! To stay warm during the day, we heat one smallish room and use it for everything. We study there, hover with guests, and eat in a corner of windows which has a view of the sea-- now that the ... read more
November 2nd 2011
Today was an optional tour to the ancient city or Perge (pronounced pear-gay). I, of course, was not missing any ruins so off we went. Perge was founded as a Greek city in the 12th-13th century BCE. It's on the waiting list to be a UNESCO site. Although originally Greek, most of the ruins here are of the Roman era, since Romans built on top of or modified the Greek structures. This is true of most of the 2685 ancient ruin sites in Turkey. The Bible mentions Perge briefly saying St. Paul sailed here. It's not on the coast but there is a river he could have sailed that is still the primary water source for the area. the oldest level of strata found here was dating back to the 15th century BCE with Hittite period ... read more
