Swimming in the crystal water of Oludeniz was amazing. It was like swimming in an aquarium. The beach…lt’s the most beautiful beach l’ve ever seen
Boat Tour in Beautiful Dalyan June 18, 2008
Dalyan canal through which water circulates between the Mediterranean and Köyceğiz Lake winds its way to the sea, via a small network of lakes and waterways.
Through the rustling reed beds rising between 3-4 metres in heigh. With its mixture of salt and fresh water, this wetlands have become home to a vast number of fish and other waterlife. Many speices of birds which feed on them.
You meet to Mediterranean, after around 30-40 minutes wonderful boat travel. Dividing the delta is the İztuzu sandbar stretching for six km. With fine sand and turquoise sea.
Theses tombs are the resting places the kings of Caunos. They are carved in the style of Lycian rock tombs. There are two types of tomb to be found in Dalyan. Simple chambers, cut in to the rock face like a room and more elaborate temple tombs. Many tombs were built with false walls placing valuables behind them so as to fool robbers, eventually this was to no avail as all the tombs were emptied of their treasures.
Rock tombs can be seen along the Lycian coast, but best examples of them in Dalyan.
Dalyan has many therapeutic hot springs. The waters which contain radioactive elements and sulphur are believed to cure rheumatism, skin, liver, spleen and bowel complaints, as well as being beneficial for nervous and digestive disorders.
The Sultaniye Thermal Bath which is famous in Turkey, the water is 40 degrees C. The water used since Hellenistic times.
The mud baths are also said to remedy rheumatism as well as cleanse and beautify skin. Once you have covered yourself in the mud, than you wait for few minutes to dry it. You clean yourself in the sulphur pool. Mud bath is also at a temperature of 40 degrees.
The ancient city of Caunos grew on the border between Lycia and Caria. Caunos had a particular culture was an independent city state.
The city sprawls over a broad slope overlooking the sea and delta. At Caunos there is an Acropolis surrounded by the city walls, a theatre (which seats 1500 ), Four temples, an agora, shops, harbour, Roman bath and cistern, Some of ruins are still underground.
You can visit Caunos at any time. First you will have to cross the channel via a rowing boat, then 10 minutes walk to the city.
The Caretta Caretta turtle is designated as threatened on the Federal Fish and Wildlife Endangered Species List.These turtles with their large heads and reddish brown shells come to Iztuzu Beach to nest from May to September. They have yellowish to white undersides and can measure up to 3-4 feet in length. The turtle reaches maturity around 15 years of age, they can weigh between 150 and 300 pounds.
Adult turtles are meeting in lake of Dalyan Delta few weeks before the female lays her eggs. They are feeding before sex. Famela chooses a boyfriend. Their sex takes some hours and other turtles stays far away. You can hear their sounds.
The Caretta Caretta Turtle, returns to the beach where they themselves hatched. The adult female may lay several clutches each season, usually she will lay eggs every two-three years.
Lycia Trip Starts June 17, 2008
What’s LYCIA?
The ancient coastal region of southwest Turkey known as Lycia was bordered on all sides by massive mountain ranges, making it a uniquely independent state for much of its early history. The earliest inhabitants may have been native Anatolians mixed in with limited migrations from Crete.
Its proximity to Greece made it a desirable location for early colonists, but the Lycians resisted such attempts. In centuries of Greek domination of Asia Minor only one important colony, Phaselis, was ever established among the Lycians.
The Persians too sought to occupy the well defended territory but found Lycian independence deeply rooted in the culture. In the late 6th century BC, the Persians came to dominate Asia Minor and the surrounding vicinity but found Lycia to be a difficult conquest. When the Persians attacked the Lycian capital of Xanthos, the Lycians fought valiantly, but were eventually overcome. The survivors burnt the city, committing mass suicide, rather than submit to Persian rule.
Xanthos was later repopulated and Persian rule proved to be less dramatic than what was feared. Other than an annual tribute, the Lycians were left mainly to their own devices. Lycia was ruled essentially by a council of 23 federated cities, with certain more established cities having more clout than others.
The cities of Myra, Olympos Patara, Pinara, Tlos and Xanthos occupied the upper tier in Lycian politics. Under Persian ‘protection’ Lycia began to thrive and economic growth took hold. The Lycian alphabet also spread throughout the region in this time period.
WEDNESDAY
Lorenzo and I took a bus to go to Balıkesir from Istanbul. It took 6 hours to arrive. Lorenzo was playing with his iphone all the time so he took many ugly pics of me with it during the long boring bus travel. We planned to start our trip to Lycia next day so we had rest in the house of my parents in Balıkesir and we played with the kitten of my sister called Kekik.
THURSDAY
With my parents and my sister we started our trip at 10 am. On the road we saw very beautiful bays. I was getting more and more impatient to swim in the cold water of Egean Sea ( or Mediterranean.. lt’s just in the corner where two seas meet.) It was easy to observe the climate difference. The weather was veery hot. 7 hours later we were in our hotel in Fethiye. After dinner we strolled in the city center and we planned the next day.
