Lycian Way

It rained in the early morning and the air felt fresh when we climbed down the steep steps to breakfast in the cafe. There were tiny frogs on the steps brought out by the weather. Breakfast was standard feta, toms and cucs with olives and bread, and Ahmet, Hasan's brother brought us boiled eggs. There was honey and strawberry jam and cups of Turkish tea. We asked about a trip on a glass bottom boat and in no time at all he had arranged for a boat to come and pick us up from their quay and take us across to see the ruined port of Kekova under the water. We came up to the room for cameras and jackets and then we went down to the cafe to wait for the boat. It was quite busy out on the water with boats arriving at the various quays ready for the apparent bus loads of tourists that come. While we waited a scarce swallowtail butterfly (that's actually its name) came by to sup off the flowers in the window boxes along the terrace.
Then our boat was arriving and we climbed down to the quayside to climb aboard and meet our captain, Verhat. He took us away across to the island and along the shoreline with the hatchway of the glass window open, so we could see the remains of houses and fragments of amphori lying beneath the surface as they had gradually slipped into the sea. The island, Kekova, is sinking 15cms every 100 years. It seems to be something to do with the continental shelves that come together in the Mediterranian Sea. We could see buildings that were partially submerged, steps rising out of the sea, even a hammam just under the surface. Apparently their were some hundred houses making up the city - so around five hundred people. We chugged along past the end of the city and headed for a beautiful inlet called Tersane. Here we found one rather large ocean-going catamaran moored, but Verhat manouvered our little boat in reverse so that we could step ashore via the rear gangplank. At the head of the cove is the ruin of a Byzantine church. We could clearly see the walls and partial remains of the cupola, but Verhat says it is gradually falling down from the wind and rain. We walked over to the ruin and then up the hill at the back which took us to the other side - a rocky shore but also with several ruined houses up both sides of the little pass. As we turned to come back we noticed something approaching - a flotilla of canoes. They soon arrived with their support vessel and were coming ashore before we got back to our boat. Many rowers were then donning snorkels and slipping into the water for a little underwater sightseeing. Verhat served us Turkish tea and biscuits and oranges back on board and we were amazed to see our peaceful cove completely filled with over fifty canoes, three of four small support vessels and at least four large gulets surrounding the catamaran. It was time to leave!



Verhat sneaked his way through the boats and snorkellers and we soon were out into the mid channel heading back to Kalekoy (Castle village) or Simena. The clouds had blown in again and the hills looked misty with rain, but it was very light on the covered boat, although we did put on our waterproofs as it was a bit cool. Just before we got back, Verhat pulled the boat across the bay so we could see the sunken sarcophagus that is pictured on the postcards. Then we were back at the quayside and the rain began bucketing down and the thunder rolled.
After a while the rain stopped and we read on the kush in the courtyard. Then we decide it was time for a walk and we went out by the courtyard gate and wound our way along the pathways between the houses, gradually making our way down to the shore. We came across several tortoises, even one small one who was voraciously munching new leaves of a climbing vine, maybe of the morning glory, of which we saw lots drooping over the walls. There was also some bouganvillia, some pelargoniums and ? Lantana. As we walked further along we came to a view of the sarcophagus in the water. Then we walked back a little way and up and up to eventually come out just under the castle with great views across the water. We soon found our way back to the room and the cat was there with her kittens, again. We decided to go down to the cafe for some homemade icecream. The Ks had arrived, and had sheltered in the deserted polytunnels when it rained, but were OK and enjoyed their walk. They went off for a swim and we read a while, then came back to pack and shower and dinner is at 8pm.



We met the Ks for dinner and started with a mixture of mezze one of which seemed to be samphire and also rice, dolmas and pepers in yoghurt. Then Alan and I had chicken which came with rice and peppers. We also had salad on the table. To finish Hassan's wife brought us what may have been halva - a sort of slightly sweet sesame tasting paste; and then we had turkish tea and talked a lot.
And that was the end of the holiday, we leave at 8-ish in the morning by boat to Ukagiz where Dennis (Deniz) will collect us and drive us to Antalya airport; then to Istanbul and the flight to Heathrow.

Ankh Cafe and Pansyon