Caravan to Turkey: Manavgat TR

Saturday, 1 June 2013 at 8:28pm

Manavgat (Antayla)

210 mile drive through some interesting scenery, including a mountain pass of 1850m. Drive with Paul and Fliss which is helpful. Arrive at site and pitch directly facing beach. Take some sun on the beach before our evening meal.

Discussion about how to visit ancient Side tomorrow....minibus vs taxi etc etc. We have aleady arranged to take R & M in the Treg so we keep out of it.

Good site but bloody great big amazing brand new hotel next door with its first trial guests....not a problem really..but does rather show up the iffy sunshade being constructed on 'our' beach.

Day 2

Up early and into Side in the Treg.... Not quite prepared for this.....drive down a street with the remains of Roman colums each side and ancient ruins everywhere. Park (Otopark) and we are the first customers in the remains of the Roman Theatre.....can't quite believe the total lack of tourists..more magic moments...

Walk to the ancient harbour and the scenery changes from ancient ruins to total tourist haven. Shops, restaurants, boat rides all wanting our custom. Interesting in itself but quite a contrast with the immersion in culture a street away.

Anyway, after further culture immersion, we return there to grab a really good meal....Into the Treg for a trip to the nearby 'waterfall' which is really a large scale wier. After a trip to the centre of town (sat nav swears the waterfall is there) we ask for directions and find it easily. Quite impressive actually...massive volumes of water..but really fascinating watching the young well-dressed, trendy Turkish thirty somethings with thier 2.2 children having thier pictures taken here.

Back 'home', briefing, get ready for the journey tomorrow. Decide to do this one on our own and stop to see a couple of sights on the way..hell we're only 12m long...no problem.

Shared with Memoires for Android http://market.android.com/details?id=net.nakvic.dromoris http://sites.google.com/site/drodiary/

Caravan to Turkey: Sultanhani

Thursday, 30 May 2013 at 10:14am

Sultanhani

Short 82 mile trip to Sultanhani so we do this ourselves without our travelling companions.

Stop (meet Richard and Monica just leaving!) on the way to drive up a little road to visit an old caravanseray which has had little restoration but which is in remarkable condition. As Turkey is not part of the neurotic Euro Health and Safety zone we can actually explore this magnificent old building....imagining how the travelling merchants put their camels to rest after a day's travelling on the Silk Road. Actually it's quite spooky as there are many rooks and pigeons taking a rest here (instread of camels) and their cries, amplified by the high vaulted ceiling of the camel house are quite chilling...

Ater turning the outfit round (hey! no problem) we head back onto the main route and arrive around lunch time. Nice site..walk out with R&M to see the local caravanseray, which is under restoration and not at all as atmospheric as the one we visited off the beaten track....but well worth the visit.

Shop at local supermarket and we get a free Chai...not quite sure why. Maybe it's because I bought a brush thingy for cleaning the layers of dust off the 'van..

.. Pass shops selling (and making) carpets...but here's a wierd thing...many have wet carpets outside in the road, with all the cars and lorries driving over them. No idea why. It may or may not be to do with the fact that old threadbare Turkish carpets can be quite (very) valuable....

Shared with Memoires for Android http://market.android.com/details?id=net.nakvic.dromoris http://sites.google.com/site/drodiary/