The view from the restaurant!

Yediburunlar means seven noses.  There are seven headlands and bays along this part of the coast, hence the name.  “The Yediburunlar Lighthouse is located in the mountains, at an altitude of 570m, overlooking the sea on Turkey’s South West coast halfway between Fethiye and Kalkan.” From their website.  570 meters is about 1800 feet.  Not sure where or if there really is a light house.  We didn’t see one.

The view from one of the free standing guest houses.

Looking back towards the restaurant from the pool area.

This room was in the main building and was really inviting…had we been overnight guests.

The lighthouse is owned and run by Leon, a South African, and Semra, a Turk. They met on holiday near Antalya and found the site together, building it painstakingly by hand using traditional materials and methods. "We didn’t have any choice," says Leon. "There was nothing here – no water, no electricity, just stones."

They’ve done an amazing job. It’s enough to bring one over all Kevin McCloudy, saying things about how the organic use of materials almost moulds the building to its landscape. And inside it is, if anything, even lovelier: all polished boards, old kilims and embroidered linens.

There’s a generator now, for electricity, but still no water, so every couple of days Leon drives his truck 20 miles to a petrol station, fills it with water and drives back. Meanwhile, Semra cooks delicious, multi-course vegetarian feasts for their 12 guests. It’s as full-on a job as any could be. Their living space is in the room we eat in – which is presumably why they only eat with guests one night a week. I can’t say I blame them, but it makes me fear the communal dining experience all the more.

In the end, though, it’s all quite jolly. I couldn’t do it for a week, and it’s not how I’d spend a romantic break à deux, but the food is delicious, everyone’s friendly and it gives me and my mum a break from bickering at each other.

In the morning, Yediburunlar seems even wilder and more remote. The lush vegetation of Kabak and Faralya is a distant memory. It’s so much starker up here. Water is scarce and the land is rocky, every inch of it terraced and planted with olive trees, and flung here and there are bits of ancient detritus. We spot a vast Lycian sarcophagus in an olive grove and, sitting on the terrace for breakfast, I glance down beyond Leon’s latest piece of handiwork, a swimming pool perched on a ledge beneath the house, and notice rock tombs carved out of the cliff-face below.

"Oh yes," says Leon, casually. "We have our own tombs."

He has also mapped the surrounding paths so you can wander off by yourselves, which we do one day. On another, we join a Leon-led group on a walk up to the ancient site of Sidyma, a great unenclosed jumble of tombs and masonry, simply lying about the place. http://www.guardian.co.uk

It was a bit breezy when we arrived so we did sit inside but you still had that spectacular view

Outdoor dining would have been great earlier in the day.

Starting to set out lunch for our group

I believe this woman is the sister of the owner who was away in Istanbul

Joan, who will be 88 soon prepares a plate for Bill who was sort of trapped behind the table.

Ginny and Colin enjoying a cold beer with lunch

I loved it all, even the spicy green beans though the cauliflower cheese dish was everyone’s favorite.

We pretty much ate it all!  I think there were about 14 of us plus Taṣ and our driver.

Taṣ and our bus driver eating in peace

Stairway from the main building down to the pool and to the guest houses.

A peek into one of the small guest buildings, they have small fireplaces too.

Markers to show the way to Yediburunlar.

It was just a beautiful location.

We then loaded back onto our minibus and headed for home, a couple of hours away.

Atakὄy  Our last “comfort stop” had a lovely “ladies” with Turkish pottery sinks.

Driving to Sidyma on the squiggly line that is the road.

Not such a bad road….especially compared to driving around the mountains of Colorado.

Sidyma mosque

The friendly lady next door…who Gwen just loves! invited us for tea.

Preparing tea

Tea and lovely spinach gὄzleme which was a wonderful snack as lunch wasn’t for another hour and it was already a good deal past noon.

Randal wearing his red leather Kapadokya hat

“Those living in Sidyma (Dodurga) are still very friendly, kind, gentle people (only about 80 people) and they would love to see more visitors.  Some of the young people that we met speak some English. The village is along the Lycian Way walk and the muhtar (village headman) who is also the imam, has told us that anyone may camp in the courtyard of the mosque if they wish.  In case of bad weather, seek him out for permission to sleep in the mosque – he speaks a little English and is a very kind man.  There isn’t a shop in Sidyma, but water can be found at the mosque.  Some of the people of the villagers sell carved wooden spoons of sandalwood (we bought some, they are inexpensive and very nice) and kilim articles woven in the village.  But don’t worry, they aren’t pushy.

Some of my friends recently returned from a camping trip to Sidyma and said that the people there were just wonderful, so friendly and helpful, and that they are the friendliest villagers they have met on their many camping/walking trips in the Turkish mountains (and most villagers in Turkey are very friendly).  The villagers brought them some food and invited them over for tea and the imam had them park their motorcycle at the mosque. My friends found an area near the necropolis to be an ideal camping spot and walked to the top of the hill behind the mosque where the views were spectacular.”

http://www.lycianturkey.com/lycian_sites/sidyma.htm

Walking the stone path to see the tombs….and just to go for a walk!

We headed back on a smoother road but soon Taṣ realized that it was the “long way’round.”

(Not sure if this was part of the Lycian Way or our stone path, but the “Way” takes you from Fethiye to Antalya about 510 kilometers or 356 miles.) 

So we crossed back over a dry stream bed.

Walked the path through the tall grass and returned to the village where most of our fellow travelers were waiting for us.  Only 4 of us had gone with Taṣ while the others took photos in the village and drank more tea.  Both were lovely choices.

Back on the road to Yediburunlar Lighthouse…which is not a lighthouse at all.

   “The history of Xanthos is quite a violent – the Xanthosians twice demonstrated the fierce independence of the Lycian people when they chose to commit mass suicide rather than submit to invading forces.  The Xanthosian men set fire to their women, children, slaves and treasure upon the acropolis before making their final doomed attack upon the invading Persians.  Xanthos was later repopulated but the same gruesome story repeated itself in 42 BC when Brutus attacked the city during the Roman civil wars in order to recruit troops and raise money.  Brutus was shocked by the Lycians’ suicide and offered his soldiers a reward for each Xanthosian saved. Only 150 citizens were rescued.

We made our houses graves

And our graves are homes to us

Our houses burned down

And our graves were looted

We climbed to the summits

We went deep into the earth

We were drenched in water

They came and got us

They burned and destroyed us

They plundered us

And we,

For the sake of our mothers,

Our women,

And for the sake of our dead,

And we,

In the name of our honor,

And our freedom,

We, the people of this land,

Who sought mass suicide

We left a fire behind us,

Never to die out…

Poem found on a tablet in the Xanthos excavations, translated by Azra Erhat

Xanthos became the seat of an archbishopric in the 8th century, but was deserted during the first wave of Arab raids in the 7th century.

http://www.lycianturkey.com/lycian_sites/xanthos.htm

Inscribed Pillar

Pillar Tomb

A completely unique tomb in Lycia, actually two-tombs-in-one – a normal Lycian sarcophagus stands upon a shorter-than-usual pillar tomb.  It is quite tall, only slightly shorter than the Harpy Tomb.  The date of this tomb is disputed, some sources say 4th century BC, other 3rd.  http://www.lycianturkey.com/lycian_sites/xanthos.htm

Clay copy of a relief on the Harpy Monument

Harpy Tomb"; it was previously believed that the winged women figures in the freize were harpies (monsters from Greek mythology with the head of a woman and the body of a bird).  It is now thought that these figures may depict sirens carrying off the souls of the dead.

http://www.lycianturkey.com/lycian_sites/xanthos.htm

Amphitheatre

“Probably dates from the 2nd century AD and is thought to have been built in the same site as the earlier Hellenistic one.  Only the upper rows of the auditorium are missing, having been used as construction material for the northern wall of the acropolis.  The stage building is still partially standing and was once of two stories and decorated with columns. “ http://www.lycianturkey.com/lycian_sites/xanthos.htm

Goats and tiny baby goat (center bottom stair) sunning themselves in the amphitheater.

Acropolis No. 1

On the southwest corner, above the amphitheatre, probably constructed in the 4th century BC.  Ruins of a temple thought to be dedicated to Artemis are found here, as well as the foundations of a large structure consisting of many rooms, probably a palace that was destroyed by the Persian general Harpagus.  From here you get a great view of the entire valley and the Eşen River.

Necropolis 

Lies to the east of the second acropolis, many tombs and sarcophagi with interesting reliefs and lids

http://www.lycianturkey.com/lycian_sites/xanthos.htm

Taṣ with friend.

I walked up the road past the ruins to see what I could see

Esen River flowing by the hundreds of greenhouses.

It was a beautiful time to visit Xanthos with all of the wildflowers blooming.

The white circles painted around the openings in the rock are the dovecotes mentioned above.

An alien version of  Edvard Munch’s The Scream

Karabaş Kilisesi (Black Head Church )

The Karabas Kilise is the first church that you reach after entering the Upper Soğanlı Valley. We assume that it got its nickname, the Black Head Church, due to the dark skin colors used in its frescoes, which are still mostly intact, but with definite signs of wear and some vandalism. In addition to the church, you can explore the adjacent caves where the monks and priests lived and worked.  http://www.virtualtourist.com/

Climbing up to the church

Black hat or halo for sure

“The Karabaṣi (Black Hat) …. Is covered in paintings showing the life of Christ, with Gabriel and various saints. A pigeon in the fresco reflects the importance of pigeons to the monks…”  lonely planet Turkey

Our guide Taṣ made a point of the “black faces” to indicate the acceptance of those with dark skins.  Fodor’s translates Karabaṣi as black hat but my dictionary translates bas as head.    I once read that some paints turn black with time so who knows if the color was even supposed to be black…

“The blackened faces of the images are a result of the oxidation of the natural elements in the paint material that was used. It was these “blackened heads” that led the church to being named Karabaṣ, “Black Head.”  It bears the inscription of 1060 as being the date of its construction.”

http://www.quiteguide.com/   is the site of a Turkish Tour Guide but I still don’t know the correct answer.

One could study a great deal about one little bit of one small place. 

More recent additions of graffiti.

View from the church door to what must be the monks’ refectory.

Just outside the church looking across to the other side of the valley.

Baby rhino related to Randal Rhino?   Cappadocia is a great place to let your imagination run wild.

The Soḡanli River separating the sides of the valley was narrow enough at one place for us to cross.

Taṣ said it was a tradition for families to plant poplar trees at the birth of a son. 

Our guide Taṣ leading us through the caves.

I thought it would bother me going underground in a country with active earthquakes,  but you really don’t think about it.

Taṣ showing us the layout of the caves.

Most of the time there was headroom and often there were rooms large enough for small groups as this was a functioning underground city complete with stables for their animals.

This was about how bright it was and I can’t imagine living there for days.

This is with a flash

A stairway between levels

The stairways were tiny to prevent combat if invaders were coming in.  I had to walk bent over up and down these stairs.

Huge round slabs could be rolled into place to prevent enemies from entering as somehow because of the narrowness of the passage they couldn’t be rolled back. 

For those without guides there were blue arrows to follow so you could find your way out. 

Randal walking along one of the wider passageways

This was a well and there were air shafts everywhere.  In the beginning of the History Channel they talk about the amazing engineering feat this was to allow enough air for more than 1,000 people and to leave enough stone to prevent collapse.  I think I remember Taṣ saying that water had to be carried in which would make sense so the enemy couldn’t just poison your well from above.

A dining room for the monks with student “cells” off to the sides.

This is also with a flash; it was mostly pretty dark in the caves.

When we emerged from the caves everyone opted for some fresh squeezed orange juice!

Driving to our next stop, Soḡanli Valley we passed the Taurus Mountain Peak in the distance.  Not sure if it’s Mount Hasan or Mount Ereiyes (ancient Mount Argaeus, 12,852 feet [3,917 metres]). 

I’m stopping here because I took dozens of photos at our next stop which just might be my favorite; Soḡanli Valley

It wasn’t my birthday but I have to say I really enjoyed this lusciously chocolate cake!

Zehra and Gwen lighting the candles

Sune with arm around Gwen;  Mine posing for me; Mary and Alex looking on.

Sune and Mine blow out the candles.  Sue, Heather , Gwen, Alex and Diana look on.

Dishing up the cake!

Happy Birthday Mine!

There were about a billion people at our potluck.  Many were in Marmaris awaiting the arrival of their boats that had been shipped from Thailand to avoid the Somalia pirates; still a problem for cruisers.

I had made some smoked mussel hors d’œuvre and amazingly they were all eaten.  You slice mostly peeled cucumber.  Then you slice hard boiled eggs and put a piece of egg on each cucumber slice.  Top them all with one or two (out of a tin) smoked oysters.  We used our brand new super duper egg cooker that Stella had given to Randal while he was in China.  It worked perfectly and the eggs peeled really easily.  As it was really crowded and the weather was warm I spent most of the evening outside with several folks I’d just met, two from Providence, RI.  I ran back in for the cake ceremony.

Tuesday Morning

This morning Mary and I walked to the Arts and Culture Center to check out the new exhibit.  Adding together all of the time Randal and I have been in Marmaris, never has the small historical site near the Arts Center (once the public fish seller’s place) been open.  Today it was and I had my camera so here are some photos.

  “Marmaris regained a new park. This is an archeological park. 8,342 m2 area known as the İyilik Kayalıkları (Rocks of Goodness) and 2,100 m2 area on the slope of the hill in town centre declared as protected area and opened for visitors under the name İyilik Kayalıkları Archeological Park. Some remains from 4th century BC are being exhibited in the park.” http://www.suprememarmarishotel.com/marmaris2.php

4^th Century BC is the most important part…

Mary with two huge pots…maybe original?  Maybe replicas? 

Pink and blue knitted vests… and blowing dandilion fluff.

It seemed their mom was cleaning up a bit in the park but the gate was open before they arrived.

The looked like sweetpeas sort of and smelled like spring.

Lots of cactus surrounding the rock hillside behind the park.  Mary and I climbed up one day during the winter but I didn’t have my camera.  Good views of the whole area from there.

The new exhibit at the Arts and Culture Center I think throught he 17^th.

I think it says Friends of the Marmaris Photo Association…but don’t quote me.

The photos were of some stunning scenery around the Marmaris and Fethiye area; many snow-capped mountains.

Sema Nohut was monitoring the exhibit.  I asked if I could take a photo and she thougth I was asking her to take my photo.  I should have let her as her photos are really good!  I didn’t want to take photos of the photos; didn’t seem fair

In the hallway is a permanent display of old photos of Marmaris before the quayside and the marina were built.

Avanos street art as seen from the bus one morning..

Cavusin Seramik

Kapadokya, and particularly Avanos is famous for its pottery.  You can tell we visited this workshop at the end of a long day because the moon was up as we were leaving. 

Hittite type wine vessel  and a “master potter” demonstrating how it was made using a traditional kick wheel that he turns with his feet. 

This man became a master because as a boy he “hung around” an older master indicating he wanted to learn.  So he was taken on as an apprentice.  His son maybe will learn. 

Some of the pottery of Avanos is made from red clay and some from white.  “Here, they produce two types of ceramics; the white clay ceramics which contains silica and the red clay ceramics which is high in iron. The river is the source of the red clay, while the white clay is drawn from the white volcanic soil.” http://olivejourney.blogspot.com/2011/11/avanos-ceramics-at-its-best-avanos.html

Pottery shop owner showing a finished piece.

This actually isn’t how they are really made.  The circular central part is made first and then the spout and base and handle but each piece must dry before they are attached or they will break.

Showing how it is hollow to hold the wine.

Why the design of the circular vessel…to make pouring the wine easier.

Now it’s Katie’s turn!

Not bad for a very first attempt!

The artists decorating the wine vessels in more modern designs.

Paints and brushes

These were in the room of less expensive pieces.

As were theses.

The room of the most expensive pieces where I just peeked in so not to destroy anything with my backpack.

Explaining the patterns.

Between Mary and me we remember that the number of rows and the designs had something to do with the family of the potter…or something along those lines….or maybe the family it was created for? 

Pattern book of traditional designs.

Earthquake balls

My souvenir, a 5 TL handmade  little bowl!

This is not a bowl, this is a nomad hat with attached scarf which I bought the second day we were in Kapadokya.    It was my other souvenir and when I wore it lots of locals gave me a “thumbs up.”  You’ll see photos of me wearing it in later emails

A cookie bouquet!

Irina and Leslie taking photos.

Not sure who was inside, but having once worn one of these bunny costumes for a Literacy Volunteers program at Tanglewood Mall years ago, I know how roastlingly hot they can be.

Joan, Collin and Irina in their Easter Bonnets

Leslie, Craig, Collin and Penny

Penny Irina Collin and Joan took part in the Easter Bonnet Contest while, Penny’s dog Lucy looks on.

And the winner is?

I got stuck being one of the judges which I pretty much wimped out on and just went along with Ginny who had a pretty good argument for her choices.

4^th place, 2^nd place, 3^rd place and Joan the winner.

She had emptied the eggs and then put them back together which we all thought was a pretty difficult thing to do.

Joan and the Easter Bunny who was really eyeing her hat!

Easter Egg contest winner!

ὄzgὕr, the Harbor Chief’s son found some eggs too.

I taught him how to turn up the bottom of his shirt into a basket to carry his loot.

Showing off his Easter Eggs to Gwen.

And there was food

Lots of food

A proud dad with his son

I had taken a photo of the dad but he asked if I’d take a photo of them together.  Of course!!

Music

Everyone, everywhere in the world knows, “almost heaven, West Virginia.”

And dancing

An Edward Hopper scene with the lone woman up on the balcony

Actually just proof that non-electronic books are alive and well in the world.

Uranos Hillside Restaurant

Sitting on stone pillow covered seats at stone tables..

We were serenated by this musician and Turkish diners who knew the words to his songs.

“the content of the pot which was slow cooked beef stew or testi kebab is an Anatolia dish served in Gὄreme.  It’s essentially a large pot that is sealed in bread dough and put into an oven for an extended period of time.” http://anlinhsu-foodendine.blogspot.com/

We had some grilled eggplant and soup and then Randal and I opted for the grilled fish.  At the end there was baklava!

The proud chef

Open Air Museum with its rock churches.  No photos were allowed inside the caves to protect the fragile wall frescos.   Some caves we could take photos but without using the flash as the light is just enough to cause certain bacteria to activate and destroy the paintings.

“Bacteria are abundant on and pose a serious threat to ancient rock and cave paintings. The microclimate in these caves cannot be regulated as well as it can be in museums, with the result being that art that has survived for thousands of years in sealed caves is being destroyed in a matter of years by invasive bacterial species. Cave art paintings have been genetically tested for bacteria and have been shown to host a variety of unknown bacteria, some of which could be potentially harmful to these ancient paintings, which use the paintings as substrates during growth, produce destructive metabolites, or simply cover the paintings. The results of these tests suggest that new preservation measures need to be taken to ensure the longevity of the paintings, whose environment has already been altered significantly by the presence of tourists, who introduced foreign microbial populations, and artificial lighting, which led to the growth of algae and colonization by bacteria.”

http://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/

I was fascinated with her multi-colored dreadlocks.

Comic Relief!   The office of the Jandarma or Smurfs houses. 

http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMFZ6F_Jandarma_Pasabagi_Turkey

This was our first stop and rather than wait around and actually listen to what our guide Taṣ had to say I headed for the path through the stone structures.

http://www.goreme.com/pasabag.php tells about Pasabagi

Fairy Chimneys or an army of stone soldiers?

They sort of look like stone Dervishes with their huge turbans and flowing capes.

Stone hats on stone heads….

“In every block of marble I see a statue as plain as though it stood before me, shaped and perfect in attitude and action. I have only to hew away the rough walls that imprison the lovely apparition to reveal it to the other eyes as mine see it.”   http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1079389/

An unfinished Michelangelo sculpture?  Or a male version of the Pieta? 

Exploring the stone houses.

Thinking about this, cave homes make sense as there wasn’t an abundance of trees and the stone was soft enough to be carved into.   Just as in Pueblo Colorado, caves were used for homes to take advantage of the climate and the resources.  Our guide Taṣ believes from his studies that Hittites were the first people to actually live in the caves.  “ Cappadocia lies in the very heartland of Hittite country whose relics are present in many locations.  The Egyptians called the land ‘Kheta’, the Israelis ‘Chet’ of ‘Chittim’;  the Hittites called their country ‘Hatti.’  Cappadocia  by M. Ali Birant

Kὄrhan and Taṣ entertained themselves with a game of backgammon while Mary looks on,

These cave structures housed a religious community  I think we’re at the Gὄreme Open Air Museum

“Persecuted by the pagan Roman emperors, and their cesars of the Orient and fleeing for their lives the early Christians sought and found safe refuges among  the rugged hills of Cappadocia where they settled and lived in remote monastic colonies like Gὄreme, Zelve, or the valley of Ihlara.  They decorated their rock-cut churches and dwellings  with colorful frescos, many of which have survived the calamities of the bygone centuries to our delight.”  Cappadocia

Rock Church fresco

A stone cross carved into the cave

A snack and souvenir stop….Turkish ice cream is an acquired taste.  It has sometime called mastic in it which resembles chewing gum…..sort of.   Terry gave it a try.  Our cruising friend Cindy had some family with her on this trip.  Her sister, niece and niece’s pal, all from Florida.  They were a great addition and were willing and eager to try everything.

Then it was off for a quick stop in Ortahisar.

http://www.goreme.com/ortahisar.php

Next  email, lunch under a mountain