After a great meal last night and a late breakfast that included gozleme we took the day off trekking and went to the beach. It was about a 3 km walk across a dry river bed and along a road which was the backs of all the elaborate hotels and resorts facing the beach. Many had water parks with great slides and fountains etc. one was even situated on the non beach side of the road but had its own bridge over the road to its private bridge on the other side of the road. Most were so large the had little golf buggies the guests were using to get around. We found the public beach and hired our sun lounges and hit the water. Coolish but very clear with the usual pebbles and severe drop off to deep water after about 10 mts. No wonder the resorts all had pools. There was no possibility of young kids paddling in the sea. We sat and watched as the resort people played around on banana boats and paragliding..
We then headed back into town and past a huge hotel complex only to be beaten by the one across the road. It was a huge building in the shape of a ship. We actually thought it was a shopping complex and went inside only to be followed by security who asked if we were guests. We then realised it was a hotel and went out. The town had a long boulevard about 1 km long going away from the beach. Filled with shops and designer outlets but there was hardly a person in the street and no shoppers. How the retailers survive is beyond me. Finding lunch was equally puzzling. The only restaurant we could find away from resort alley was only serving their light menu which was basically a breakfast menu at 2 in the afternoon. After some dish which was a type of scrambled eggs and cheese baked in the oven we walked home to wait for Tuncay our next host to pick us up. An hour up a mountain road. Tuncay is a retired pilot and seemed to remember that there are no traffic lights in the skies so why bother with them on the road. He drove straight through a red light on the highway. He then managed to overtake several times going uphill on hairpin bends and blind corners. At times I thought our decision not to walk was a bad one. Maybe we had cheated death yesterday only to be wiped out today.
Tuncays accommodation is back to the very basics. We are sharing a bathroom with someone but not sure who. It may be Tuncay, his gentleman friend, another guest yet to arrive, Tuncay or all three. The guide said an informal home with better that average food, that his wife and son spoke better English. Well the food was the worse on tour. Dinner was rice and butter beans and salad and there is no sign of a wife or son. In fact I’m sure no woman has been in this house for a few years. It took us at least half an hour to work through the plan for the next two days but with the help of google translate and some drawings of cars, walkers and hotels we finally got there. The proof will be if we and our luggage get to Antalya in two days time.
Jane treks Lycian Way 2022 