Marmaris, Turkey - July 26

Ahhhhh, Turkey…can’t say it has ever let me down and today is no different.

As like pretty much every other day…we board a bus and spend the first and last 1.5 hours of today’s tour travelling to and from the tour’s location. I really don’t mind this part as we get to hear the guide’s spiel and also get in a 9 am nap. We have gotten into a bit of a bus groove – we sit close to the back which doesn’t seem desirable to most people and once all are on board and we see no one will need any of the empty seats I move to my own seat. This gives us a bit more room, we both get a window seat and certainly don’t take anything away from anyone. It’s a little bumpier at the back, but we don’t mind that.

not bad waking up to this

After the 1.5 hours drive thought the rather picturesque Turkish country side on the South Aegean Sea we arrive at the Dalyan river where we board boats that take us up and down the river. These boats are simple (read: no facilities) with benches on either side of them and a tarp-like canopy for shade – we don’t need much more. They do of course sell beer.

On either side of the river are many reeds, some resorts and restaurants mostly at the beginning. We turn around at a point (Iztuzu Beach) at a loggerhead turtle breeding ground.

We stop along the way for a look at the rock tombs (seen from a distance from the river.) These are very cool looking tombs built into the side of the rock that look like temples.

"we're on a great big convoy"

Next we get off the boat for a visit to the ruins of the ancient city of Caunos. This is a bit of a small site, but I’m not sad as it is HOT. One thing that is not ancient are the ‘facilities’. I’ve been waiting for when I will finally have to use a squat toilet on this vacation and thought today would surely be the day – no. We used a public toilet prior to getting on the boat and it was western and the facilities here where western. Now I do have to say there were squat toilets at the first stop, but I lucked out with a western toilet. I would be happy to squat if I had to (certainly better than having no facilities at all) but am happier to sit.

rock tomb

Lunch was fish at a riverside restaurant. We had a choice of fish, chicken or meatballs – we went with fish. The guide told us before that it would be cleaned, but that’s about it and that was about it. It was pretty easy to get the meat away from the bones and get a good meal. It wasn’t huge, but reasonable – I can’t see anyone getting fat on that diet. The appetizer was a plate of cheese, what I think was a baba ganoush and other more fattening options. I guess that’s where people could keep up their girth.

lunch

After picking up a bus-beer from a mini-mart, we are on our way home. The view all the way home certainly did not disappoint – mountainous, treed and the occasional village.

Being in Turkey always reminds us of our friend Memet who is from Turkey. We are especially reminded when we see boys selling water, or basically being entrepreneurial and industrious.

We were on the same tour as Ron and Deanna were today. This is the first tour we’ve been on together and will be the last (for this vacation) and it was a lot of fun.

tiny, but delicious

Dinner last night started with a tiny wagyu beef burger. I am typically not a burger lover, but I am a bit smitten. I’m pretty sure my brother would have been in heaven – with 20 more.