Selcuk, Turkey

St. John Basillica, Selcuk

Selcuk Citadel

What I remember (in 2024)

Stayed at Artemis Guest House (Jimmy's Place).

Saw St John's Basilica, Selcuk Citadel, and the Byzantine Aqueduct.

A went to the Selcuk Hamami and I have a straight edge shave at a local barber.

Dinner one night was at Artemis Pide Salonu (probably affiliated with the hostel).

Pamukkale, Turkey to Selcuk, Turkey

Afrodisias, Turkey

Afrodisias

A & I in Stadium at Afrodisias

Theater @ Afrodisias

Stadium @ Afrodisias

What I remember (in 2024)

Again just so much history, and no one around to see it.  Afrodisias is about an hour from Pamukkale and buses regularly run out there.  This open air one-time-city is a UNESCO World Heritage site.  Again there just seemed to be no one there.  We walked outside early and checked out the ruins of this 3000 year old city.  It's like the Forum in Rome, without the tourists.  There is also a museum on site, which we spent the heat of the afternoon in.

Fethiye, Turkey to Pamukkale, Turkey

Hieropolis, Pamukkale

Travertine Pools, Pamukkale

Me @ Travertine Pools, Pamukkale

What I remember (in 2024)

We checked into Aspawa Pansiyon straight of the bus, and then headed out to see Pamukkale straight away, as the next full day would be spent at Afrodisias.

We went up to see the Hierapolis, but I think time was against us to go in.

We did however go to the Travertine Pools.  Where was everyone?  Again, maybe because it was late afternoon, but there were very few people around while we there.

On the way back to the Pansiyon, we stopped for a feed and the owner was telling us his son was currently in Australia.  He wanted to show me where, so bought out his address.  The guy was living in Coogee.  Small world.

Fethiye, Turkey

Kas, Turkey to Fethiye, Turkey

St Nicholas Island

Church Ruins, St Nicholas Island

Us @ St Nicholas Island

St Nicholas Island

What I remember (in 2024)

I think it was on the way to Fethiye, we stopped in Oludeniz for a day, and took a boat tour around the area, and to St. Nicholas Island.  (I say that because I think we had a full day in Fethiye, but only 2 nights.

The boat tour was fantastic.  Just the best weather, we hung out with a Czech/English couple.  The crowd on the boat were fun, and the places we stopped were amazing.  Oludeniz itself it tourist paradise.  You name the water activity, you could do it.  Jet skis, para sailing, boat tours, canoes, everything.

Kas, Turkey

Amy @ Kas Amphitheater

Kas Amphitheater

What I remember (in 2024)

We were big fans of Kas.  This beautiful seaside town at the bottom of the surrounding mountains almost felt untouched by tourism.  

We stayed at the great Ates Pension, with its outdoor common area, where they would serve dinner each night.

We would go into the crystal clear water, off the rocks, which then had a ladder for you to climb out of.  We spent time at the Amphitheater and were nearly the only ones there.  This beautiful open air theater, looking over the water, and noone there to see it.

Olimpos, Turkey to Kas, Turkey

A in Kas

Kas

Olimpos, Turkey

What I remember (in 2024)

Olimpos was a renowned backpackers stop in Turkey.  It was seen as a getaway from the city and a place to cut loose, usually on a multi night boat trip.  We had planned on doing a day trip on a boat, but we both ended up not well and really only left our tree house room at Turkmen Pansiyan to walk the quick walk to the beach.  We had a quieter experience than most in Olimpos, but still a couple of nice, quiet days.

Olimpos, Turkey

Olimpos

Olimpos

Side, Turkey to Olimpos, Turkey

Side, Turkey

A & I, Side

 

Side Amphitheater

Me @ Side Amphitheater

A & I @ Temple of Apollo & Athena, Side

What I remember (in 2024)

Side was a small seaside town.  We stayed at Pettino's Pension, as it was owned by an Australian woman and her Turkish husband.

As you walk into the town, from the bus station was when we first saw it, you walk down the Colonnaded Street, before coming to a fountain in the middle of the one lane road leading into the town.  We were told that under the fountain is thousands of years of archeology, and many years ago it was discovered.  At the time the government told workers to fill it in and forget about it, as this was the only road in and out of Side.  You could believe this, because right beyond the city's entrance is a beautiful old amphitheater.

We spent a day at Small Beach and an evening at the Temple of Apollo & Athena while we were in Side.

Kizkelasi, Turkey to Side, Turkey

Entrance to Side

Us @ Small Beach, Side

Kizkelasi, Turkey

Amy on Maiden's Island, Kizkelasi

Korkyos Castle from Maiden's Castle, Kizkelasi

Kizkelasi from Maiden's Island

Maiden's Island, Kizkelasi

What I remember (in 2024)

I don't know why we picked Kizkelasi as a spot to spend a couple of nights, except for the fact that it is right on the coast.  We picked a hotel that gave us a oceanfront balcony.  It took a while to get him to let us stay.  Apparently there is a US military base close by, and this is a town they like to come and let their hair down.  Making it trouble for some proprietors.

We found out the first night, that they like to hang out at the beach bar right under our balcony.  Fortunately the electricity cut in and out all night, and put an end to the night relatively early.

When we weren't on the beach we took the boat ride out to Maiden's Castle (150 years off the beach) and over to Korkyos Castle, at the east end of the beach.

Konya, Turkey to Kizkelasi, Turkey

Us from our hotel balcony, Kizkelasi

Maiden's Castle, Kizkelasi

Konya, Turkey

What I remember (in 2024)

I really remember nothing from Konya, but what I have highlighted in my Lonely Planet is that we stayed in Mavi Kosk Oteli, right in the middle of the city.

Right near the hotel was the Mevlana Museum, home of the whirling dervishes, and the Selimiye Camii, which we probably would have gone to on the day of our arrival.  The next day, it seems we walked up to Alaettin Tepesi and went to Alaettin Camii, the Villa of Sultan Kilic Arslan, and the Karatay Museum.

I also have that one night we ate at Sifa Lokantasi.

Goreme, Turkey to Konya, Turkey

Goreme, Turkey

Amy & I, Open Air Museum, Goreme, Turkey

Open Air Museum, Goreme, Turkey

Open Air Museum, Goreme, Turkey

Open Air Museum, Goreme, Turkey

Me, Open Air Museum, Goreme, Turkey

What I remember (in 2024)

We stayed in a youth hostel, that had a pool.  This was always great at the end of a days' wandering, but that pool was freezing.  Thank God it was warm outside.

Just walking around Goreme was a sight in itself.  With the honeycombed rocks, that were at one time homes, and the ability to find places up high that would give you a great panoramic view of Cappadocia.  We had to settle for this as we didn't have the money to do a popular balloon tour.

Our last day, we walked a mile east of town to the Open Air Museum.  The photos above highlight some of the great wonders of this place.

Goreme, Turkey

Underground City, Derinkuyu, Turkey

Selime, Turkey

Ilhara Valley, Turkey

Agzikalahan Caravanserai, near Aksaray, Turkey

What I remember (in 2024)

A & I took a tour to an underground city with Turtle Tours, which saw us makes stops in Uchisar, then on to Derinkuyu to tour an underground city.  A stop in then in the Ilhara Gorge to enjoy a green oasis in the desert.  On to Aksaray to see an old market place, Agzikalahan Caravanserai.  The final stop was Cavusin, just north of Goreme.

Ankara, Turkey to Goreme, Turkey

Our Hostel (with pool), Goreme, Turkey

Us, Sunset in Goreme, Turkey

Ankara, Turkey

Ankara, Turkey

Anit Kabir aka Ataturk's Mausoleum, Ankara, Turkey

Anit Kabir, Ankara, Turkey

What I remember (in 2024)

We only had 2 nights in Ankara.  Big city, which we weren't too impressed with.  

Came in to the Bus Station and headed for Otel 2000 for our accommodations.  Not great, but about $12 a night.  

We visited Anit Kabir, the massive mausoleum for Ataturk, located in the park built around it.  We also visited the Ethnography Museum and the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations. 

We also had a night at the movies, sssing Pearl Harbour.  The movie was in English with Turkish subtitles, meaning we weren't sure what the Japanese soldiers were saying.  The theatre was packed, and they had an intermission.  During which it felt like every person went out to a 20 man balcony to smoke.  It was great how A & I reacted differently to different scenes to the Turks, must have translated differently.

Safranbolu, Turkey to Ankara, Turkey

 

Gas Station On The Way To Ankara, Turkey

Safranbolu, Turkey

Karauzumler Evi, Safranbolu, Turkey

What I remember (in 2024)

For an unknown reason, I stopped keeping a diary after the first week in Turkey.  So memories come from photos and what is highlighted in our Lonely Planet.  

In this World Heritage City we just wandered around for a couple of days.  It was beautiful.  Our hotel was right next to a mosque, so the call to prayer early in the mornings, with the bright green light that the mosque had (for an unknown reason), was a real heart starter.

We visited Karauzumler Evi, an historic Turkish wooed home.  Also had a great view of the city from Hidirlik Parki, where we also saw the Tomb of Ahmet Lutfi.

Safranbolu, Turkey

Amy & I, Safranbolu, Turkey

Safranbolu, Turkey

Amasra, Turkey to Safranbolu, Turkey

It is still relatively cold again this morning. 

We’re up early to get to the dolmus back to Bartin.  Almost immediately we were put on a minibus to Safranbolu.  This ride was uneventful, but the mountainous scenery was something else.  The bus dropped us off at the top of the old part of town (Carsi).  A short walk down the hill and a lady from Hotel Terras guided us to a place to stay.  The hotel is a small room which is quaint.  It overlooks the main square and once we are settled in we went on the hunt for lunch.  A small café nearby did the trick. 

Hotel Teras (behind brown building in foreground), Safranbolu, Turkey

After lunch we spent some time wandering around town.  All the buildings here were built during the Ottoman rule and have caused the town of Safranbolu to be World Heritage Listed.  We continued walking, including to the abandoned shell of a palace in the west.  Then, to the graveyard to the east.  Both places are on hills overlooking the town in the valley. 

Palace, Safranbolu, Turkey

We spent the late afternoon napping in our room.  

Dinner was had at Kadioglu Sehzade Sofrasi.  It was Turkish pide for me.  On our way back to the room we bought some Turkish Delight to snack on during the late evening.