03.06.2013
It started well and my chirpyness as we breakfasted 'neath a brilliant blue sky was commented on several times. Now, this is usually a harbinger of doom and things can only get worse but today was an exception.....
Initially, today's itinerary had not filled me with great expectations, not sounding too exciting on paper and culminating in a boat excursion from which swimming would be optional....a bit of a challenge for a person of the non-swimming persuasion but who has always hankered after diving off the back of a boat in some inaccessible bay in the Mediterranean. So I packed my bathers whilst Bob refused to on the basis of modesty when confronted with having to change under a towel .........
Also, our route meant retracing our steps 38km back to Demre over the tortuous coastal route traversed yesterday. Much groaning from the drivers. However, we had a new Turkish guide who was interesting and the time to Demre just flew by. From there we went to Myra, an ancient city site from 5th.c BC with the best preserved amphitheatre in. ...........and tombs carved into the rock hillside which was all very spectacular. Then to the church and tomb of St. Nicholas, he of Ho,Ho,Ho and Rudolph fame although there was no sign of any stables for reindeer at all. Original church from 1AD, only restored a few times ( latterly by the Russians who virtually pilgrimmage to this place, St.Nick being a big noise over there.) but wonderful old frescoes and paintings. Then to lunch. We had assumed that this would be on the nearby harbour, but no, we went over the mountains to Kekova, a tiny village which now makes a fortune from boat trips to the outlying islands. The road is narrow, twisty, sometimes vertical and we were in the hands of a Turkish minibus driver........this is the equivalent of British White Van Man. Every other vehicle in Turkey is a minibus (Mercedes of course) and minibus driving is probably the largest employment source in the country. But every driver is an Ayrton Senna with the red mist so a trip over the mountains is grist to his mill.I went to sleep, and woke up in a delightful if somewhat contrived 'authentic' fishing village with about 100+ pleasure cruisers moored on the pontoons.. We had a superb buffet lunch on the quayside then a cruise around the islands to see ruins and tombs and then dropped anchor in a secluded cove for swimming. I've always wanted to do it so I got changed and jumped off the back. Only 2 others took the plunge, but my inability in the swimming department was greatly anticipated. The boat, fortunately , carried a stock of those long polystyrene things that children learn to swim with, so grabbing one with both hands I leapt from the plank at the rear and have never had so much fun in my life. The water was deep , clear and warm and afterwards nearly everybody said that after seeing me, they wished they'd done it. So pish on them, I had a great day.
carefull now, you don't want to over do it ... ;)
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