Phaselus and the Sundance Hippies

Yarnataş to Phaselus

Distance: 28 km
Time elapsed: 2:15:00
Average speed: 12.4 km/ hr
Max speed: 56.3 km/ hr
Temp: 43 C
Weather: humid morning, dry blazing hot afternoon

Do you know how loud and territorial geese are? They make incrdible
guards!

After waking in the cool shade of pines I went out in search of water for tea, stumbling upon a flock of sleeping geese. With their heads twisted completely backward to rest across their backs, one of them heard me coming and started a honking fest; then they all joined in. Too close!

I chatted with the cafe owner for awhile (he gave me hot water instead) then we rode back to Çıralı, stopping first by the mosque for some su.


Thank you mosques of Turkey for all the cold water

That's when we found an avacado tree! We had seen fields and fields of avocados, too tall for the taking, but here was our very own public supply. Ahh how much we have missed avocados while living in Albania, this will make for an awesome picnic.



Not native, but still tasty!

In town we stopped at one of the outskirt corbasi restaurants, where Chris was presented with a gourmet spread of lentil soup, pickled vegetables, spinach salad, bread, and peppers. He also fit in his daily supply of yogurt somewhere in that belly (but not the full 750 g, I had some too).

Then we were off for a pleasant ride through the pine-filled mountains. Truly it was beautiful, not too steep, and full of sporadic village homes. As the heat increased so did our elevation. We conquered 11 km straight uphill, resting a moment at the top before joining the highway.


Nice road!

From here on out we had near virtual bliss. Approximately 4 km fairly level, through startling vivid mountains shrouded in greenery (similar to the Flagstaff/ Prescott region). Then one tough very vertical km, after which we took a pomegranate break.

Then -whoosh!- 12 km flying-gliding-sailing smoothly downhill, coasting almost as fast as the cars nearby. When these moments come all of the grueling work climbing uphill is suddenly forgotten and it's aaaallll worth it.

We pulled over at a riverside restaurant, a fairly upscale joint. Not realizing until afterward why perhaps they did not serve us the complimentary cups of çay, we went to town on the succulent puff of fresh lavaş bread, dipping it into the plate of mezes (think vegetable-spread tapas selection) and çoban salad (hmm çoban does mean shepheard in shqip but albanians call it a village salad...). Chris also enjoyed a deliciously overpriced ala balik (trout fish) baked in a clay pan.


Mezes and Lavaş= yummy

After our late lunch we finished coasting down to the turnoff just past the town of Tekirova, where we hoped to find our way onto an empty stretch of beach near the Phaselus ruins. Upon arrival, we learned this stretch of black sand has become part of the Sundance resort. I use the term resort loosely. This super lax atmosphere was full of young Turkish guys and gals, picnicking families, and longtime expats. Actually we never figured it out. I couldn't see a hotel and all the 'structures' (no real buildings) were pretty lowscale and wooden that they blended in. It sounded like a mess hall was hidden somewhere beyond the bushes. But overall the brownness of the area caused the entire beach to look like we stepped into an aged 70's fashion magazine, where people are so carefree they are almost oozing over eachother. Kinda weird.


Sundance resort cove

Chris and I sat at the outoor bar for most of the evening, drawing and writing to the Turkish hippie music selection, then grabbed our tent and found a spot on the beach.


Quiet night

As we went to sleep fireworks began exploding over the hill separating Tekirova's cove from us, the final night of Bayram.



We woke early and climbed the cliff to Phaselus beach, getting in early enough to explore the ruins before any tourists and even the ticket guard arrived. A few boats bobbed in the quiet cove, I think they are chartered by families or small groups of friends.


I'd like to float here

Phaselus itself is one of the coolest ancient cities I have ever seen. Archaeological evidence would have us believe it was first settled by people from Rhodes, then became Roman and later taken over by Alexander the Great. Apparently the residents had for many centuries flourished as traders (known for being shrewd) and did not care too much about who ruled over them, so they generally suffered few wars or attacks. Later the city became Byzantine, but fell into ruins during the 7th century Arab raids. Never really got back on it's feet afterward.


Aquaduct through the forest


The Agora is lined with inscribed stella

But can you imagine what it would be like to live here in the 3rd century bc? Several agoras (shopping streets) full of goods from the entire Mediterranean region, a theatre perched near the water, boats bobbing in the tiny coves... I hope people spent their days fishing, splashing around in the many coves, then crawling out to wash off in the nearby hamam...


From the amphitheatre looking down over the crumbled agora and main street

Seriously cool. We grabbed supplies (read: tomatoes, fresh market cheese, lavaş wraps, peanuts and roasted garbanzo) from Tekirova, then biked back to the site (this time paying at the entrance). Spent the afternoon surrounded by Turkish families out for Sunday picnics; lots of samovars and a family near us played a cd of some very soothing acoustic guitar music.


Trees are better beach umbrellas

We swam again in the wind-whipped waters until around 7 when the guards cleared the beach to close the park. We snuck off to the edge of the beach an hung out legitimately away from the ruins, camping not too far from those bobbing boats.