Adventures of Thésée: Road Trip Part 2 - Turkish Riviera, Marmaris, Fethiye, Kas

Road Trip Part 2 - Turkish Riviera, Marmaris, Fethiye, Kas

Saturday 26th November... Day 7 to 8

Linda - It was a lovely sunny morning as we departed Kusadasi for a 140 mile journey south to Marmaris. We drove along the shore of Lake Bafa where we crossed from the province of Aydin, and into the province of Mugla. At our journey's half way point we stopped off in small town called Milas, for coffee and what was becoming everyone's favourite cake 'Baclava'. It was a nice little place with very friendly car parking wardens who insisted that we did not have to pay the said fee to park on the main town street.

Day 7 - Hello Milas

A very odd finger statue here in the town square

Nice buildings on the main street

After leaving Milas we travelled through some beautiful wooded countryside with fantastic coastal views and descended into Marmaris. It felt exciting as we drove down the promenade looking at the yachts at anchor, and telling Alan and Yasi about how we had anchored there during the summer. We reached the hotel, and were pleased with our choice as the lobby and reception area were stunning. Our rooms were also fabulous and large.

Checking in

Very grand

Looking up to the higher floors

It was late afternoon so we took some time to rest before taking a short taxi ride to the Old Town. It had been a lovely warm day and the sun was starting to go down. We ate on the seafront watching the sunset in what turned out to be a marvellous restaurant. So good, that we went back to the same place the following night too.

Our sunset views

Coastguard quay

Octopus statue in the marina

A short walk to try and find the castle before dinner

Tiny hotel doorways

Quaint alleyways

More steps

On Sunday Dean drove us around the bay, up a scary mountain road, and then down the other side into Turunc. A small bay that we hadn't visited before. In the summertime it's a tourist hotspot, but today all but a couple of cafes were open. Still, we had a nice walk along the shore. Then we drove back up the scary road, and down the other scary side and into Icmeler..... another summer hotspot for sunseekers. This year there was a very large forest fire here in Icmeler and vast amounts of trees had been completely destroyed. The landscape now barren after all the trees had been chopped down and moved.

Day 8 - Turunc

We found a tunnel leading out to the sea

Dean took a tunnel walk

Then Alan

Ataturk statue

Waterways in Icmeler

Terrible Titanic Twosome

Back in the hotel lobby

Monday 28th November... Day 9 - 10

Another new day, another new destination. This time just an 80 mile drive to Fethiye, with a stop off in Gocek for a coffee and walkabout. But before we left Marmaris we made sure to call in at the Import Shop to buy a stash of real back bacon, cheddar cheese, bisto gravy, baked beans, and a few other goodies.

We had only booked for one night because we were unsure of the plans for the rest of the week. Our hotel was 'Yacht Boheme Boutique Hotel'. A bit more expensive than we had been paying, but it was in a good location by the marina. When we were checking in, the receptionist announced that he had a surprise for us. He was going to upgrade our two double rooms to the Honeymoon Suites! Yasi and I were excited. The hotel was already looking promising, we could tell by the lovely decor in the lobby.

So off we went to be shown our Honeymoon Suites. Wow and double Wow. Our suite was gorgeous. All open plan, with a freestanding bath tub too and quirky pipeworks. Electrically operated window blinds, and extra large balcony with comfy chairs, all overlooking the marina too.

Our Honeymoon Suite

Open plan bathroom and shower beyond

Quirky bathtub

Looking from the bathroom

Extra large balcony

Marina views

Swimming pool and hot tub below our balcony

Alan and Yasi's suite was decorated very similar to ours, just a different shape, and they had a swinging chair too. Dean tried it out. I''m not sure he enjoyed it by the look on his face.

We ate dinner at the sister hotel 'Yacht Classic', then Alan went into town to watch the football. We found out next day that the James Bond cast had stayed at these two sister hotels whilst filming beach scenes for 'Skyfall'. And in fact there were signed photos of the cast on one of the walls in our hotel.

Breakfast at Yacht Boheme

The bar and pool area. Shame it was raining.

We loved the hotel so much that we asked if it was possible to stay another night in the same rooms for the same price, and the hotel said we could.

The following day was sunny and perfect for a short drive to Fethiye's holiday resort of Olu Deniz. We missed out on this when we were sailing past during the summer. There's a large lagoon here which is connected to the sea by a narrow opening. No motor craft are allowed in the lagoon but yachts can anchor outside in the right conditions.

When we arrived we parked up and walked down a small path to one of the beaches. There were a few old caravans along the pathway which I presume are for rent in the summertime. The beaches were super, a truly lovely place. But I can imagine in the summer season it would be absolute mayhem.

Caravans for holiday rental

Pathway to the beach

Alan surveying the views

The beach at the lagoon

Here comes Dean

Surrounded by mountains in almost every direction

Is that raft safe?

Afternoon sun over Olu Deniz lagoon

Time to move on

After our short beach ramble we drove to the main beach about a mile away. We had already seen people paragliding, and it turns out they were landing on the main beach. This went on for quite a while and was great to watch. Alan and I briefly considered having a go, but I thought it was not a good idea.

This one just landing

....then another touchdown

Not many tourists at this time of year

Another one coming in to land

We found a hip cafe to have an Efes beer

and watch the landings

Tiger cafe bar

Storm brewing out at sea after another warm and fun filled day

On the way back to the hotel we took a slightly different route and came across this abandoned hillside village near Kayakoy. Once inhabited by the Greeks until the Greco-Turkish war, and subsequent Treaty of Lausanne in 1923 when all the Greeks were exciled, and has since been a ghost town.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kayak%C3%B6y

Wednesday 30th November - Day 11-12

We were having such a good road trip that we decided to extend the car hire for another six days. The journeys between destinations were getting shorter as we neared our home port of Finike. Day 11 we left Fethiye, stopping off at Kalkan for midday coffee and stroll. It was our first visit to Kalkan as Thesee is too big to get into the small harbour here. The weather had been changeable and in Kalkan it poured down. But we took shelter in a cosy summer house belonging to one of the cafe's on the harbour front, and waited for the rain to abate.

Kalkan harbour before the downpour

Girls on tour

Kalkan harbour entrance

Strikingly pink flowers

My cappuccino, I think. Had so many I can't remember.

Dean had booked us a small hotel in Kas for two nights. It was a thumbs up from all four of us, simple but with everything we needed. We arrived quite early on the afternoon and took the obligatory walk into the town. Dean remembered that we had seen a 'Peaky Blinders' cafe last time we were here, and took us to it to surprise Alan and Yasi. Obviously Alan and I being Brummies this was a necessary place to be visited.

Cafes on the way into Kas town

Sidecar attraction at this restaurant

Unusual sea styled graffiti

Ominous water spout appearing off the headland!

In the cafe

Can't mistake which way to the 'ladies loo'

One of the guests in our hotel recommended a place for dinner. We found it eventually in the backstreets of town, and were very happy with the meal, wine, and service. Yasi was still trying to find another Efes pint glass that had previously been given to Alan, but she had broken by accident. She wasn't going to give up until she found one!

Next day was quite good weather. We had been planning to go on a day boat trip to the Greek island of Kastellorizo (AKA Megisti, and Meis).The island is only 1 mile off the coast of Turkey here in Kas, and is the eastern most Greek island in the Dodecanese.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kastellorizo

However, we when we enquired about the trip we were told that they only do them on Saturdays during the winter season. It was quite disappointing because not only did we want to take Alan and Yasi there, we also wanted to test out our residency cards. Instead, we decided to drive around the small headland which encloses Kas marina. We found an ampitheatre. Apparantly this is the only ampitheatre in Turkey that faces directly out to sea. And of course there were a number of cats to be fussed as always. The weather was improving and a short stop at a stony beach was too good to miss. Then just opposite a sandy swimming beach. No swimming for us though, just another coffee stop in the sheltered beach cafe.