Tag Archives: Travel log

Travel-log Continues: The Mediterranean Adventure

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Moving on is what one does on a tour. It amazes me that I used to lead these. It is much better to be a passenger and look out the window.

After we left the ruins at Ephesus we started to head to the junction of the Agean and Mediterranean Seas. The next few days found us on the Mediterranean Coast. The water is so blue and the sky is so blue and all the limestone formations made the colors more vivid.

Riding across the Taurus Mountains to arrive at the Sea.

The Mediterranean Sea

We stayed in the town of Kas for two nights.

One afternoon we went to a “ghost town” The Ghost Town Kayakoy village in Turkey stretches along the hillside. In the XVIII century Greeks arrived here from Dodecanese Islands and founded a town here , it’s name was Levissi. In this quite a large town with about 3.500 homes the Greeks lived for centuries. In 1923 when the city had about 6,000 Greeks the “population exchange” was started between Greece and Turkey the Greeks were forced to leave the town. Kaykoy Ghost Town in Turkey was recognized as one of the World TOP 10 Ghost Towns according to National Geographic – a world leader in geography, cartography and exploration.

Following the Kayakoy history after the departure of the Greeks the Levissi city was renamed in a Kayakoy by name of a nearby valley – Kaya Cukuru (pothole from Turkish) and vacant houses were populated with Muslims that came from Macedonia. However the Macedonians did not like Kayakoy Turkey and they left the village – Kayakoy village became the largest abandoned Greek village of Asia Minor and it is called Kayakoy Ghost Town or Kayakoy Village.

Now Kayakoy Ghost Town in Turkey is open-air museum with about 500 preserved houses and three churches

Kayykoy

Upon Arrival in Kas we had a chance to see a small Hellenistic theater. Antiphellos was a small settlement and the port for Phellos, the much larger Lycian town further north in the hills. The small Hellenistic theatre, 500m west of Kaş’ main square, could seat 4000 spectators and is in good condition. It was built in the 1st century BC and restored 300 years later, probably after the great 141 AD earthquake. There’s a good view of Kaş from the top tier of seating.

Finally we had a full day on the water. After a beautiful drive through the mountains we arrived at a small village on the Mediterranean Sea. We boarded a boat and went to explore more ruins and go swimming in the most beautiufl blue water I ahve yet to see.

Puffer Fish
Me swimming in the Sea

This area also had the ruins of a city that sunk into the sea after several earthquakes.

Located along Turkey’s stunning Mediterranean coast, the Sunken City of Kekova offers a unique glimpse into the past, where history and nature beautifully intertwine. Originally built on Kekova Island, this ancient city was a thriving harbor town before it met a tragic fate. Earthquakes and invasions led to the submersion of much of the city, leaving behind a fascinating underwater site.
Dolchiste: A Glimpse into the Past
Once a modestly bustling harbor town, Dolchiste was home to shipbuilders, merchants, and fish sauce producers. In the 2nd century, a massive earthquake struck, submerging much of the town into the sea. Though the city was rebuilt, it was abandoned after Arab invasions. What remains today is a fascinating blend of submerged and terrestrial ruins, collectively known as the Sunken City of Kekova.
The Sunken City Today

The day ended with a climb to a castle, where the view was stunning. There were tombs and sarcophagi scattered among the hills

Simena Castle, also known by its Turkish name ‘Kalekoy’ meaning ‘castle village’, is located on Turkey’s stunning Mediterranean coast in the Kekova Region between the modern town of Kasand Antalya, the province’s capital city. Once a notable Lycian settlement, the castle remains largely intact upon a hill overlooking the Gokkaya bay. Villagers have made their homes on one side of the ancient site and a handful of local restaurants can be found next to a small harbour, offering the daily seafood catches. It’s an interesting mix of old and new as locals have managed to build their modern lives while still maintaining the rich historical sites. To the west a series of rock-cut tombs are scattered across the slopes of the castle, you can walk down from Simena Castle and take a look inside.

Today I am leaving the coast and we are driving into another area of Turkey, Cappadocia.

I will see you all soon. Next post coming up. Wait for it.

A final pic of the day.

Travelog Continues: A Journey Through Turkey: From Gallipoli to Pamukkale

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Two days ago we left Istanbul and began to travel.

First stop was Gallipoli

A peninsula on the European shores of the Dardanelles, the narrow strait that connects to the Bosporus in Istanbul, Turkey. Gallipoli became the site of one of the early battles that turned into the kind of carnage that WW1 later became known for. For the British and their Commonwealth allies, it was a heavy loss, for the Turks a significant victory, albeit a particularly costly one.

The Gallipoli campaign is especially legendary with Australians and New Zealanders who played a major role and suffered bitter casualties (esp. in relation to their total numbers). In modern Turkey’s history, Gallipoli is also important because of the decisive role Atatürk played in it.

Gallipoli

This was an extremely moving memorial. I could have spent days here. There was so much to see here.

But….on a group tour one must move on.

Taking the ferry across the Dardanelles Strait

Troy was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt during its 4000 years of settlement. As a result, nine archaeological layers have been identified at the site, each corresponding to a city built on the ruins of the previous. Archaeologists refer to these layers using Roman numerals, Troy I being the earliest and Troy IX being the latest. 

Troy was first settled around 3600 BC and grew into a small fortified city around 3000 BC (Troy I). Among the early layers, Troy II is notable for its wealth and imposing architecture. During the Late Bronze Age, Troy was called Wilusa and was a vassal of the Hittite Empire. The final layers (Troy VIII–IX) were Greek and Roman cities which served as tourist attractions and religious centers because of their link to mythic tradition.

The site was excavated by Heinrich Schliermann and Frank Calvert  starting in 1871. Under the ruins of the classical city, they found the remains of numerous earlier settlements. Several of these layers resemble literary depictions of Troy, leading some scholars to conclude that there is a kernel of truth underlying the legends. Subsequent excavations by others have added to the modern understanding of the site, though the exact relationship between myth and reality remains unclear and there is no definitive evidence for a Greek attack on the city.

Troy

Trojan Horse

After leaving Troy we made our way to Pergamon. To get into these ruins, we had to take a tram. This is still one of my favorite sites on the trip so far.

This site rises high above the Bakirçay Plain in Turkey’s Aegean region. The Acropolis of Pergamon was the capital of the Hellenistic Attalid dynasty, a major centre of learning in the ancient world. Monumental temples, theatres, stoa or porticoes, gymnasium, altar, and library were set into the sloping terrain surrounded by an extensive city wall. The rock-cut Kybele Sanctuary lies to the north-west on another hill, visually linked to the acropolis. Later, the city became the capital of the Roman province of Asia, known for its Asclepieion healing centre. The acropolis crowns a landscape containing burial mounds and remains of the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman empires in and around the modern town of Bergama on the lower slopes.

Pergamon

Our Guide, Erdie

Yesterday, Wednesday, we spent the day exploring another UNESCO site.

The world-famous travertine pools in Turkey are located in Pamukkale (meaning Cotton Castle) in the Denizli province. This dazzling UNESCO World Heritage site features brilliant white limestone terraces filled with mineral-rich, bright blue thermal waters.

At the end of the 2nd century B.C., the dynasty of the Attalids, the kings of Pergamon, established the thermal spa of Hierapolis. The ruins of the baths, temples, and other Greek monuments can be seen at the site.

And that, my friends, is the end of this post. Whew. Remember that you can click on the individual pics and they will enlarge.

Although we are moving a lot and often, I am enjoying the journey so far. I get a bit peopled out, but there is always room to recoup before I join the group again. For someone who spends most of her time alone, I think I am doing pretty well.

The scenery is beautiful. We drove through the mountains today to return to the coast. The ride was beautiful as we traveled through the Taurus Mts. There was even snow on the peaks.

I will see you in a few days. Traveling On.