9th week Cevlic, Karatepe, southern coast travelling west.

Monday, 27th June 2011 Really didn't want to stay here so decided to go along coast for a way, should have gone all the way up, but found myself, feeling the road might be a bit precarious and turned round and went back the way I'd come. Back up the huge mountain

road headed for Iskenderun; and then saw that there was a place called Karatepe up in the mountains that looked good. Well TT took me one way towards Kadirli and then south to Karatepe (N37-15-00(06)? E36-13-10). Well, why it took me that way I don't know. The road was really bad full of pot holes and gravel for the most part. Apparently the local school teacher had mentioned that there were some ruins or something on a hill near him and he was put in touch with an archaeologist who came out and discovered all the freezes, statues etc. at Karatepe. They were marvellous, actually kept in place, some renovation to the two entrance gates and now enclosed by buildings to keep off the rain and elements.

To go back you just had to turn left out on to the main road and keep going, which was far less in miles and a very good road. Why TT had taken me the other way I'll never know. A tortoise was waddling across the road at one point I stopped to take photos, a car rushed to overtake and then screeched on his brakes as he saw what I was looking at. Further down the road there was a sign to another site called Kastabala (Castabala).

It was a very small site, but again it had its own security guard, a number of hangers on. He remembered to dress himself smartly to give me personal guidance around the site. He was a very tall young man and could speak some English, but he walked a bit fast for me. Beside his handcuffs he carried a rather big stick, wasn't quite sure what that was for, until I noticed he pointed at everything with it.

He was very fastidious about litter on his site, however, I wondered as there wasn't that much, when had the last person appeared to look round! Time was getting on, said goodbye, and the other blokes too and exited the site. I came across the sluice gates for the very large canal carrying water from the reservoir at Karatepe I expect. Then came across the sign pointing the way to Karatepe, except it didn't face the way I originally came, no wonder I didn't see it! That night I stopped in Adana, can't actually remember where! Shell shocked too much driving I think. (Two weeks later, remembered I stopped in side road away from main tourist thoroughfare. OK night N37-01-36 E34-19-27)  

St Paul's Well

Restored Ottaman Houses, Tarsus

Tuesday 28th June 2011 I actually wanted to go to the Museum in Adana, but it was closed for two months for renovation; even though I complained bitterly, he wasn't going to let me in. So I went and looked in the rather grand, modern mosque just to the back of the museum. The cleaners were in there, Mustafa, the caretaker I would think, had a lovely conversation with me and he was very proud of his mosque. It was quite opulent inside, but with nobody there, I had a few moments of peace and quiet, to meet with my maker. Having left the Mosque, went back to the van, parked in the street, and proceeded to try to find Ataturks' monument, except I didn't, however I did manage to work my round to a spot where I could get a very good picture of the Roman bridge spanning the river, however, they had dammed it somewhere and what was left was smelly mud. I'm sure the residents felt this was enhancing the need to look at their ancient possession. I think they were inspecting the vaults and bases of the bridge and perhaps renovations were about to begin, couldn't do that with a lot of water around.

Phew, didn't stay long I can assure you. It was a very fine specimen of a Roman bridge. So onward I went, away from the smell. I kept on going down the coast to Tarsus, looked at St Paul’s well,when I could get to it after a lot of youngsters had done their posing and drinking the water from the well, which was supposed to be very special. There were some renovated Ottoman houses behind the well, which looked interesting, but as work was in progress yet again, I couldn't go and have a look. Had long conversation with car park men about fees for parking, eventually found it was 1TL for an hour, not until 1o'clock as they kept telling me. I really didn't understand. He placed another ticket on my van, wasn't going to let me get away with five minutes. Just before I left I gave him 1L and insisted on the payment ticket please! Didn't want a fine when I got back home. Had an ice cream in a café, looked at a marvellous guide book of Tarsus and the surrounding countryside, and decided to go and see Seleke waterfalls. TT didn't know where it was, saw some signs then completely lost it? Turned round found the motorway again and carried on to Mersin. Not a lot there so found Kanlidivane, south of Erdemli and visited there. A religious centre had grown up around this very large hole in the ground, how it got there, don't know. Apparently, it's a natural chasm, but no pagan artifacts had been found there but Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine items had been found. The site had been uninhabited for a long while and then was taken over by Turkish nomads around the 11th century onwards. One building near the graves of the Turkish nomads was a curved structure, covered solid stone arches which was apparently a water cistern and collected rain water used in the summer.

On route I passed various castles, one on an island close by the shore and then came upon another chasm, also nearby reputedly to cure, asthma cave. I decided to head for Dioceasarear (Uzsuncanburc), another Roman settlement with a very large colonnaded street, with columns still standing. didn't look as though there had been a lot of restoration. On one of the tall walls I saw a red squirrel, chattering away and then another on the ground. They scampered away as soon as they felt safe. Lots of pieces of stone friezes with carving of animal heads, very intricate.

Intact arches, more curved roofs cisterns and a shop keeper at the gate sold me a package for 3L of various guide info sheets which I found very useful, albeit, that I had actually already been to some of the places. Great chap this Celal Taskiran, and Professional Tourist Guide P>K>56, 33941 Silifke I wish there were more information sheets like this, plenty of books from 10L up to 30L, you can't by them all! There were lots of women trying to sell various things at the gate. I've given up looking at them because I can't buy anything, my van is already overfull. Went out of the site, past the usual café with all the men sitting there, drink chai and chatting down to the necropolis outside of the main town. The tombs were literally on the road side. A lady with a huge flock of goats got very irritated because I was coming along the road. I waited for her to let her goats through, knowing full well I'd be turning around shortly in order to go past her again. I wasn't going to hurt her goats at all.

Back on the road again I passed a strange looking modern structure, but there were no signs and I couldn't really get a good picture because the road was narrow and there really wasn't anywhere to park. Looked like an Egyptian mausoleum, but obviously not. Came into a town and found this little cat shading from the sun in one of the wheely bins, just about to dive in and see what's there! Lovely bit of coast road, and then of course the inevitable acres of glass/plastic green houses. Unfortunately, I saw lots of vans carrying, very ripe tomatoes, hopefully going straight to the cannery because in this   

heat they wouldn't be much good for anything other than paste or tinned, crushed tomatoes. And, there was a castle up on a hill, don't know which one, probably someone will enlighten me some day. Then Mamure Castle, which I could have stopped at, next time. Further along the road, I thought I had found another lot of ruins, no it was flats, that had been delayed or completely left, an imposing mark on the landscape. The road along this coast travelling westwards was awful, some new, some just gravel, it was very tiring driving along here and practically took all day. Stopped night at N36-27-31 E34-08-14 just by the roadside, couldn't drive any further. Nobody told me to leave so very gratefully stopped here the night and left quite early in the morning, because I knew it was still a long drive up the coast with more dust, gravel and slow driving.

Wednesday, 29th June 2011 Started driving quite early until Manavgat and went to Side. Parked in extensive free car park N36-46-17 E31-23-47 for my walk into town. Lots of tourist shops, how unusual! Too many asking you in for Chai. Quite extensive ruins and renovations, to the theatre, ongoing, quite amusing walking along the colonnaded streets and shops, no change there then in 2000 years. I wonder what sort of tourist tat they sold then! Sorry I am naughty, but I just don't know who buys half the stuff they have on show, I wouldn't give it any shelf space, or the shop's buyer has strange ideas about people's preferences. I was parked by an entrance that took various small buses along to the turtle beach. It was too hot to venture down there. As my experience in Western Australia can never be repeated; that is of a turtle coming within three feet of a crowd of us to start digging. We didn't move for about 2 hours whilst she scrapped the earth, stopped had a look around, carried on and then laid her eggs, finished, covered the big hole and then slid back down to the beach! Can't repeat that! So I don't even try.

Side

Thursday, 30th June 2011 This was the day I decided to go and visit Selge. At first I took the wrong road because TT didn't know where it was. I landed up in a place called Deglirmenozu. a young man showed me where I was, invited me for Chai, but resisted because I had to turn round and go back down a very hazardous road, which should have told me I'd gone the wrong way. I found another road leading back to Selge, but he said not to go because it was very dangerous!

When I got back to the Kanyon, I turned right, followed the lovely scenery until I suddenly saw the road actually then took a very sharp left turn over a narrow Roman bridge, across the canyon to the other side. Whoops, no I wasn't going to get across there, how could I turn back, there was no space. Another young man came across the bridge and guided me across, the turning part to get onto the bridge was a bit hairy to say the least, I had about 2/3 inches either side of me as I crossed the bridge, took another very tight left turn and scrabbled up

Side

the hill, remembering my last escapade up a shiny surfaced road (Morocco) and just didn't stop until I got to a safe parking space. Locked up and came back down to thank the young man, because I couldn't have done it without him. He then proceeded to try to sell me a riverboat ride, which made use of some straps slung across the river, sorry didn't look too good to me. "You wont get wet"; “No thanks, just don't like water”. I had to scamper away quickly because he started to get really annoyed because he couldn’t persuade me. I decided to go to Selge, it was a very beautiful road, bit narrow in places. Pancake rocks, labelled Fairy Chimneys most of the way to the village. The inhabitants were all working very hard in the fields, gathering in their wheat crop.

I followed the signs until I saw the road was a bit too narrow. At which point a lady came out of a house and tried to get me to park in her "drive". A bit narrow also, only thing for it but to back out, back the way I came. She followed me to see what I was doing. When I got to the end, there was no room to park and another lady was about to pounce on me for something or other. That's when I decided, not today, and turned round, said Sorry to both. Before I left the area I found another Roman bridge, good job, I'd negotiated the other one and some pools in which people were having a bathe. Brrr! bet it was cold. I stopped after a while and found a very fine renovated Roman bridge at Aspendos. Walked its length and then found my way to the car park at Aspendos. Asked if I could stay "of course, no problem", no parking ticket tonight, but the guards were allowing several of their friends to hop over the gate and have look see!

The Canyon River Boat trip

Friday, 1st July 2011 Aspendos N36-56-22 E31-10-25 Had a good night in car park, decided I'd better pay 10L for the privilege. The Theatre was amazing, can't really describe the magnificence of it. It was obviously being used for a stage production of some sort, hence all the lights. Took me about 50 minutes to take it all in, and let my mind imagine what had taken place in the past. This site was huge, although it was hot, I did manage to get round the whole site, lots of little side paths, notices etc. I thoroughly enjoyed being here, well worth the trip. It took me at least 3 hours to visit, had late lunch and then went on to Perge, however I got waylaid by another place called Sillyon N36-59-35 E30-58-37 which wasn't on my map. However the parking space wasn't much good here and I was on my way to Perge almost immediately, shame because it looked really interesting looking up towards the ruins.

Leaving the Canyon

Once at Perge N36-57-34 E30-51-12 I knew this was going to be another amazing site. I started off with the Stadium which was outside the city. It was marvellously intact. You just don't realise how much of these ruins are buried under sludge that has accumulated over the years. An earthquake had obviously shifted some of the seating, but it was a very good example. I met an English couple who were staying in the old town of Antalya and offered a lift if the time was right. Another huge city, remarkable renovations and one long colonnaded part right up to a nyphaium at the north end. Amazing. What a day, Aspendos now Perge, will sleep well tonight. I decided to head off to Antalya and find the car park the Belgians had given me opposite the Museum N36-53-03.9 E30-41-00.6. Great no other motorhomes there, plenty of space. Had a look round the various cafés in the precinct, had a meal, but left before the live act which I could hear distinctly in my van. At least it wasn't throbbing disco music, however, slightly on the melancholic side, so I had to get my earplugs out because it all got a bit depressing. Wouldn't be staying here too long!


Aspendos Bridge

Saturday 2nd July 2011 The museum was right across the road. Not a lot of English at first and got quite cross, because there were no guidelines; however, it did get better as I went around. The statues were amazing, mostly from Perge and Aspendos. There was one sarcophagi that the sculpture was exquisite. I even bought a fridge magnet of it! I got caught up in all the information about the majority of these sculptures having been rescued from illegal diggings and artifacts sent off to America during the 50'sand 60's. What a scandal, and the Americans bought them! There was also a scandal concerning coins which had showed up in a shipment that customs officers managed to waylay. Lot of naughty people about! I think the British Museum ought to give back all their foreign treasures! They wouldn't have much left!



Aspendos Theatre, best so far

I walked back from the Museum along the coastal stretch which had some lovely gardens. This whole coastline was specifically designed for the tourist and the Turks who certainly knew how to enjoy themselves. After a while I decided to go on the tram. It was a good journey, saw Hadrian's Gate, the Fluted Minaret and a few other things. Feeling a bit groggy, so stayed on the tram and went back home. Glad I did, had a gippy tummy, last night's meal, no I think it's been there a couple of days, just a bad day today.

Sunday, 3rd July 2011 Felt better. Left to go to Termessos up in the mountains to the north of Antalya. The entrance was at N37-01-06 E30-30-29 charged me 5TL, got there at 8.30 (the book said 8) and it didn’t open until 9.00, closed 17.30 and it was 9 km to the actual site, a bit of a narrow winding road, bit worried about meeting something on the way back. When I got to the actual car park N36-59-18 E30-28-03 I had to park in the open because there wasn't a lot of shade. If I have parked under the trees I think I might have been blocked in. Turks have a knack for parking anywhere! Well, glad I did feel better, what a walk up to the ruins. Hard work.

The walk up to Termessos

However, again a site with plenty of interesting things to see. As I had read up on the history firstly, Alexander decided human life was too costly to take this city because of its elevated and strategic position between two mountains, so instead, he chopped down all the olive trees he could find in the vicinity. Spoil brat. At the time a lot of his generals were warring against each other. I wanted to see the tomb of Alteacea, the local hero back in this time. He was being betrayed by the town's elders because another of Alexander's generals wanted the town of Tremessos. He decided to commit suicide. His body was taken down to the General, whereupon he proceeded to damage the body in the most horrific way, left it for three days and then left for pastures new. The young men of Termessos, really annoyed at the city's elders, brought his mutilated remains back and decided to build an appropriate tomb for him on the hillside. Because of his courage and sense of rightness, I decided to find his tomb. Again a long walk, which I was getting used to by now in the heat. But again it was worth getting there, once it had been a fine memorial. Two sculptures, half there and an eagle to show his importance as an individual and that he was respected by the people.

The tomb

Again those early Christians had a lot to answer for defacing the faces thinking they were idealised "gods". Amazing how each religion has to eradicate the creativeness of the previous belief. Left here to travel down the coast, tried to find a harbour to park, landed up in a huge coach car park at co-ords N36-35-49 E30-34-08 at 35809 miles. Kemur.

Huge car park at Kemur