Gorge fissures and windy beaches

Saklikent-- Patara

Distance: 40 km
Time elapsed: 3 hrs 50 min
Average speed: 14 km/ hr
Max speed: 49.3 km/ hr
Temp: 38 C
Weather: cool morning inside the gorge followed by hot afternoon biking.

We slowly departed from our gozleme stand/bunk and easily biked the remaining stretch of village road to the Saklıkent Gorge. Now a popular tourist attraction, there are plenty of cushioned tea dens and restaurants to accommodate the tourist groups passing through. We arrived quite early and entered the gorge, where sunlight never penetrates. The main challenge is crossing a leg-numbing icy river, where a team of young Turkish boys are waiting to hold your hand for a small tip, and from there we were pretty much on our own to wander up the ribbon corridor into the heart. The walls are covered in muddy handprints and graffiti from years of tourist declaring their country or date of visit.


Water from the gorge forms ribbon rivers


Entering the gorge-- goodbye sunlight!


Contemplating the beauty...?

Gorge exploring is like a fast food playland for adults; climbing and jumping around little pools of water and rocks. We made is as far as one of the big pools, only a few of the 18 km tunnel, where groups of people slid down into the water. By then crowds were filling in and we decided it was high biking time.


Not for the claustrophobic prone


We stayed dry!

Once outside the heat suprised us! The road away followed next to a clear river- perfect for tubing Chris assures me- and then up into the wooded mountains. We met a family out gathering hay from their field, who then passed us in their tractor.


Can we hitch with you?

Only a few very dry villages on this side, but thank goodness they are well stocked with water machines. Bless the public official who created them.


Ice cold su

We stopped at Xanthos, an area with ancient Lycian ruins (circa 450 bc), including an amphitheater, church, and some if their iconic birdhouse-like tombs.


Ancient theatre at Xanthos


Iconic Lycian tomb

From there it was an easy ride down to the coast, to another larger set of Lycian ruins and a beautiful stretch of beach. The area is called Patara, and happens to be where Santa Claus was born; once inside the archaeological park we were free to explore the ruins, dotted with old village homes and livestock, and the 50km stretch of sand. But only until 7:30 pm because this is a turtle nesting area and people are forbidden to be there at night.


Resident of the Patara village, getting her cows some su


Patara ruins are some of the largest Lycian remains


This little date palm grove felt very Junglebook-like

The beach was incredibly windy; hurricane force winds chopping up the water and moving the sands like mini sahara desert waves. After an hour we had to vacate, and found a nearby abandoned house to camp at (the neighbor told us it's safe and we won't be disturbed by the park guard). We set up on their grape splattered porch, and slept to the sound of strange animals and mysterious night creatures sneaking about, munching on rotting grapes I presume.


Santa Claus' village and a turtle nesting area


Free grapes! Was a nice camp spot

In the morning we went to the beach, though we has no food except a bag full of grapes from the house. We swam in the giant waves a few hours then I rested inside our tent (escaping the hot sun) while Chris built a sandcastle. Someday I'm gonna publish a coffee table book full of his sandcastle medinas from around the world.


City of sand

Left Patara in the late afternoon, sun bleached and starving. Out on the highway we found another roadside restaurant with raised platforms and cushions. They cooked us up some chicken and an omelette, and we chatted with the young guy who spoke a little English. Very quickly the sun set behind the mountains and they said of course we could sleep there! So we did just that, exhausted from the day of sun and sunk into a comfortable sleep to the sound of the family's Turkish television.


Food and a bed? Teşekuler!