Saklikent Gorge

Saklikent Gorge and on to the Beach

Well, the “Tree Houses” was a bust. Some of our group went “Canyoning,” billed as a cool hike up a canyon, with swimming and the opportunity to be cooler in this 110 F. degree weather, it turned out to be a fairly short hike. I planned to go sea kayaking, but the projected heat wave discouraged anyone else from signing up, so it was first delayed from 10 am to 4 pm, then canceled. There was also the opportunity for a hike to the top of Mt. Olympos to see the natural flames which have been burning “since eternity”, but again the expected heat and the prospect of a 2400 foot climb in the heat discouraged anyone from going.

This hard to reach canyon is filled with small motels, many billing themselves as “tree houses”, with cabins perched on top of stumps or posts or attached in some way to trees. Numerous small restaurants cater to the tourist clientele, who appear to be backpackers but also some families with children and pets.

Many of the restaurants cook large tortilla-like flat bread on a stove with a domed metal top, then wrap meat or vegetables; sort of Turkish Fast Food.

There were always more restaurants than customers, a trend we continued to find pretty much everywhere we have traveled on this trip.

So, its goodbye to the “Tree Houses” and on to the “Saklikent Gorge Club”, for river tubing and a one night camp along the river.

Floating down the river in inner tubes was a cool change from the oppressive heat, and most of the group partook in a mud bath at a stop along the river. As you can see from the picture, I passed on the mud.

We slept on open platforms over the river, and it was nice and cool, without too many mosquitos. Again, there was lots of capacity for tourists but not many people. A hike up the gorge was promoted, but when the 7 a.m. time for the hike arrived, the gate was locked and no one was there to guide the hike, so a shorter hike was planned later, but we left at 10 a.m. so this was also kind of a bust.

Now we are in Olu Deniz on a Turkish beach at the “Sugar Beach Club.” It is still hot but only about 90 degrees F, which is good for a beach. Paragliding is a big attraction here, and many of the group did that yesterday. Today we are going on a boat trip around the bay, with lunch and stops for swimming and so forth. Promises to be a relaxing day at the beach.

We have been working so hard….we need some relaxation!!

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