After surviving
the “scenic shortcut” from Ölüdeniz to the Yediburunlar Lighthouse and having a
fun one-night stay high up in the remote mountaintops, we spent an additional
four nights on the Turquoise Coast continuing to bounce from place to
place - namely, the towns of Kaş, Çirali and
Antalya - as we traveled along the shore. (Make no mistake – apart from
our “scenic shortcut,” the roads in Turkey are generally very good so renting a
car to tour the coast is a great choice.) No offense to Çirali or Antalya,
but our clear favorite among these towns was Kaş,
a coastal fishing and yachting town that spills down a hill
and into the deep blue sea (population: 7,000). On our way there from the Yediburunlar
Lighthouse (a one-hour drive), we made a stop mid-way to check out Patara
Beach, a twelve-kilometer expanse of golden sand and one of the longest
stretches of unbroken beach in the region. It was a perfect day for the
beach, not a cloud in the sky.
Under such
conditions, however, it was also an incredibly hot day and the sand beneath
our feet was fire blazing hot. As such, after a few runs in and out of
the water, where we moved lazily with the current, letting it carry us in and
out, we sought refuge in the comfortable shade of the nearby beach bar.
Our oasis was an open-air establishment with long picnic tables and a
high-pitched, thatched roof where we shared a few cold beers, enjoyed the
relaxed vibe and snacked on some local food. This woman was churning out these delicious looking stuffed crepes.
Back on the road,
we were in awe of the beautiful coast as we approached Kaş.
We checked into
our hotel - conveniently located on the water - and quickly hit the shore ...
after all, it had been hours since our last dip in the sea.
Interesting beach though, it consisted of pebbles and was not very
big (at least the spot that we visited). But, several platforms of
decking – outfitted with lounge chairs, beach umbrellas and a string of cafes –
had been constructed along the neighboring rocks providing additional access to
the sea. It was something different, and the scene worked just fine for
us.
After a couple of
hours, Brian, Lindsay and Aman decided to go scour the nearby marina for a boat
that we could rent the following day for a sea excursion. Such
day trips are popular in Kaş with loads of
leisure boats going out each morning during the busy season. The
itineraries vary, but most trips feature stops at nearby ruins and small
offshore islands. We knew that if our idyll on the coast was going to
include a boat excursion, Kaş was the best
place for it. We did not have anything booked in advance, but hoped to
get a good last minute deal by dealing directly with the boat owners at the
marina (instead of making arrangements with some overpriced tour operator in
town). It turned out to be a good strategy (one that we would recommend
to others), as shortly before dinner, we were confirmed to spend the next day
on the Ilayda Yatcilik, a fine-looking 19-meter sailboat. Traditional in design, it had two masts and
was made of wood.
Our group arrived
at the port the next morning at 9:30 a.m., as agreed with Nihat, the Captain of
the Ilayda. Most boats left at 10:00 a.m., he explained, and by leaving a
half-hour before the rush, we would avoid the crowds at some of the more
popular spots where everyone was heading. We piled onboard, greeted our
crew of four and proceeded to get settled in the forward of the boat, which had
a large deck equipped with bright blue full-length cushions for our lounging
comfort. This works, we remarked happily to each other, taking in
our digs for the day. As we rummaged around for our sunblock, books and
other necessities, the crew raised the anchor and we were soon off, cruising
(in the lead) through the perfectly serene, impossibly blue waters of the
Mediterranean, gazing at the tiny green islands that dotted the horizon. It
was going to be a good day.
Not more than
thirty minutes later, we dropped anchor again in a small, quiet cove.
Our first mate
(the Captain's son):
Okay, said the Captain. Time for
swimming. We grabbed the colorful, styrofoam "noodles" that
we had procured during a pit-stop on our way to Patara Beach the day earlier
and jumped in.
The water felt as
nice as it looked, and we bobbed around for a good while before the Captain
called that it was time to go. More day-trippers, incoming.
We climbed aboard
and made way to the next stop. More swimming, followed by a visit from
this little old lady, who appeared out of nowhere when she saw our boat coming,
armed with scarves and handmade jewelry for sale. She had decent stuff. Plus,
you had to admire her go-get-em sales approach. We gladly gave her some
business.
As the boat
continued to the next and next and next location, the day went on in this lazy
fashion: lunch, nap ... swim, beer, nap ... swim, beer, nap. During
our final swim of the day, the boat's chef (who incidentally had been doing an
outstanding job all day long) jumped in the water as well. He had a
platter of fresh cut fruit that he laid carefully in a life preserver and
floated over to us. What service! Stellar ending to an amazing day.
Back on land, we
stopped at a rooftop bar overlooking the marina to watch the sunset.
And at night, we
meandered through the narrow, crooked streets of town, which were only wide
enough to accommodate foot traffic. Town center was a busy yet quaint
cluster of restaurants, bars, and cafes, in addition to countless shops
catering to tourists with impressive displays of jewelry, ceramics, backgammon
(tavla) boards and colorful lamps.
Here we are, last
night in town, enjoying some delicious street food (i.e., "jacketed
potatoes"):
Çirali and
Antalya were great as well. While Çirali was an agricultural village with
a rustic, bohemian charm, Antalya was a proper city with an urban feel.
Çirali:
Antalya:
In all, the
Turquoise Coast was a cool mix of places, each of which had something different
to offer and presented plenty of opportunities for great fun and good laughs.
In fact, we are still chuckling about the one morning in Çirali when Aman
and Brian decided to go for a drive and, before Brian could even get in the
car, Aman spotted some woman running frantically down the road and trying to
flag him down. She thought he was her airport transfer…
Last day together on the coast, the Turkey road crew and our trusted Caravelle. Good times guys!
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