A typical view of a street in Antalya, Turkey.

The city is located on the Mediterranean ocean. It’s natural fortifications resemble those of Dieppe in France. The city is perched on dramatic and beautiful cliffs. Walks, promenades and quaint parks weave in and out along this impressive coastline. The buildings in the old city all look as if they just received a fresh coat of paint. The shops display colourful shawls, pillow cases and rugs. Above all, the people of Antalya are welcoming, relaxed and friendly.

Rugs for sale in the old town in Antalya. This area is extremely picturesque and caters to tourists in every way.

The beautiful, well kept buildings of Antalya. Notice how the upper floor sticks out further then the first floor?

In fact, having just joined CouchSurfing 10 days before arriving, Chris and I were aware of a monthly CouchSurfing meeting occurring while we were in Antalya. We were also aware that Ben and Pen, the Australian couple we first met on our Gallipoli Battlefield Tour, were also in the city, so of course we had to meet up with them. On purpose we hunted down the hotel they were staying at. We enjoyed our breakfasts and dinners with them. We also visited the Antalya Museum which does a wonderful job of taking you from the stone age to more recent finds from Turkey. The museum costs 15 Turkish Lira ($10 CAN). My advice is to make sure you are well fed before you go to the museum because they do not have any food on site and the security will not let you re-enter even a few minutes later if you leave (not the greatest customer service). We unfortunately had to rush through the museum because we were feeling very faint.

An example at the Antalya Museum of the traditional Turkish blue tiles.

An example at the Antalya Museum of the traditional Turkish blue tiles.

The ancient civilizations of Turkey use to bury their dead in large pots. Here is one such individual on display in the Antalya Museum (15.00 Turkish Lira/person)

This is an ancient burial pot from Turkey. It stands roughly five feet tall. Observing the burial pots on display in the Antalya Museum, I was amazed at how small the majority of the pots are, and curious to know just how big the pot would have to be to hold me or Chris. Huge!

We enjoyed the company of our friends but Ben and Pen left Antalya before us, catching the bus that night to Cappadocia. The morning after they left Chris and I were 80% sure we were going to get the bus that night to catch up with them but while enjoying breakfast Chris piped up and said, “I forgot to tell you something...” He mentioned the .CA contest and I agreed that we should enter. In order to do so we would need to stay and work on the development and full production of the video in Antalya. We brain stormed for hours at the hotel.  For a break we headed to a cafe with the view of the sea. While enjoying our Efes beer and throwing ideas back and forth a man approached us. He asked if he could sit with us and chat. This had not happened to us before, so not wanting to be entirely rude I said he was welcome to sit next to us but that we were busy working. “Working?”, he questioned. After I mumbled a few other things and Chris too was trying to explain he said, “Let me guess. You’re Chris and your Laura.” Chris and I were both shocked and our minds frantically tried to figure out how he knew that. “The blog? Surely not.”, I thought. Then Chris said, “Turker”. And so it was!

Turker is an ambassador on CouchSurfing. We had e-mailed  back and forth a few times but had not planned on meeting. He was persistent and determined to find us. Apparently, while strolling around Antalya with his mom and sister he looked everywhere for us. He said he saw us go into the restaurant. At least he was pretty sure it was us. So the three of them sat at another table on the side walk level and when a table became available on the patio where we sat they changed tables. Whipping open the ever handy cell phone he signed onto CouchSurfing and had his mom and sister compare our profile photo with us. They agreed, it must be us and he was right. Can you believe it?!

Needless to say we put the video work aside and had the most enjoyable afternoon hanging out with Turker and his mom and sister. We chatted as we finished our beers and with Turker as our guide we hopped onto a city bus to visit the local waterfall. We returned from the waterfall just in time to catch the 6:30 pm nightly light and water show at the cities main downtown park. I haven’t seen such a wonderful display and synchronization of water and music since Disneyland.

It just so happened that it was also the day of the CouchSurfing Antalya meeting. So, promptly after enjoying a lovely meal with Turker and his sister, we went to the designated bar to meet and meet and meet. In the course of the evening and into the wee hours of the morning Chris and I made conversation with many locals and some other travellers who came to the meeting as well. We could not have found a better way to start meeting the CouchSurfing community.

In Antalya the pomp-trees come equip with buttons to hail a taxi. Amazing! I think this is something Canada should pick up, perhaps not the pomp-trees but I’m sure an Elm or Blue Spruce would do just a good.

The next day I was hit with my first case of food poisoning which left me toilet/bed ridden for one day and night. With determination, between visits with the toilet, I put on a smile and we filmed the footage you see in our .CA video entry.

The next day it seemed my visits with the toilet were over so we decided to catch the 10-hour night bus to Cappadocia. All in all it took my stomach  five days to fully recover from my first experience with food poisoning.

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The remarkable pigeon holes in Cappadocia are meters above the ground to keep the birds safe from predators. The people who cared for the pigeons, and collected their dropping for fertilizer, use to climb up passageways carved within the stone mountain. Some pigeon holes even feature wonderful painted decorations like the ones see here.

The dramatic landscape of Cappadocia (enhanced with some post-processing).

Cappadocia from up high.

The mushroom-capped rocks of Cappadocia. There is one valley full of these geological rock formations which is known as the “Valley of Love”...

Thousands of years ago humans carved homes into the rocks in Cappadocia.

In Imagination Valley in Cappadocia, you can spend an entire morning looking for shapes in the rocks.

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1. The 50-millimeter Canon lens bounced down the Ihlara Valley
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I spotted this lonely locust on the ground near the beach in Olympos, Turkey.

The landscape around Olympos is truly amazing. If you are looking to get away from the daily grind and hurried pace of life, come stay in Olympos for a week or two in February.

Wild flowers are starting to show their colours.

Chris spotted this little fellow while we walked along the beach in Olympos. He was about 5 inches wide.

Turkish people put plants in whatever they can get their hands on.

The magnificent beach at Olympos. It’s a great location to find handsome men, like the lone-stallion featured in this photo.

The ancient ruins at Olympos straddle this river, which flows out into the ocean only meters from where Chris is taking some photographs.

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3. Tree House Paradise

It all started when the four of us, Ben, Pen, Chris and I piled out of the car to hike the Ihlara Valley. I had hiked the valley 11-years ago with my mom, dad and two friends, so it held a special place in my heart. To help you with the THEN and NOW feelings I was having, here are some photos.

We spent five hours hiking and exploring the Ihlara Valley with Ben and Pen. I hiked the same valley with my parents and two friends back in 1999. See the next photo.

Laura, on the right of the Ihlara Valley sign 11-years ago. My friend Lindsey on the left.

Hiking through Ihlara Valley with Chris, Ben and Pen in 2010.

Laura (15-years old) and her friend Casey, hiking the Ihlara Valley in 1999.

Laura and Chris at the same location and view point at the Ihlara Valley as Laura was 11-years ago.

Group shot at the Ihlara Valley view point. Laura, Casey, Lindsay and in the back Laura’s mom and dad.

We were extremely excited to hike the valley because of the tunnels, pigeon holes and churches carved into the steep cliffs.

One of the many rock-carved churches found in the Ihlara Valley.

This is a painting on the central dome in one of the rock-carved churches in the Ihlara Valley. In the past many of the churches were painted. However, over the centuries most of the frescoes have been vandalized or faded.

While hiking we came across a conveniently placed restaurant with log stumps for seats and each table equip with the Turkish necessities, an ash tray and sugar cubes.

A conveniently placed restaurant along the hiking trail of the Ihlara Valley.

Above all, we were especially excited to locate a hidden mosque the owner of our hotel told us about. We hike further and further into the belly of the Ihlara, never boring of the magnificent landscape.

The Ihlara Valley in Turkey.

Rounding a curve we were suddenly surrounded by giant cliffs. High up we could see carved doorways. Was that the entrance the hotel owner tried to describe? And is this the cliff edge he haphazardly marked on our map with an “X”?

The Ihlara Valley in Turkey.

Without further hesitation we pulled out our headlamps and flashlights. One by one we entered the small, claustrophobic tunnel. What a discovery! We had found what appeared to be an old well, a barricaded door, a small church and two grand rooms measuring 5 by 10 meters. Only twenty more meters down the valley we found the mosque.

A mosque carved into the cliffs in the Ihlara Valley. This is a sight rarely seen by tourists. It’s off the beaten trail.

...I stared as a red shinny apple and my 50-millimeter Canon lens dropped-off the mosque steps.

“Oh no...” , I muttered. Time froze as both apple and lens gain speed with their descent, each one bouncing harder and further the more it crashed down the Ihlara Valley. The apple, like a runner in a marathon only feet from the finish line, flings itself off the hill directly into the gushing river below. “Oh no...” I think, being even more intelligent than I was a few moments ago. “Perhaps the lens will stop bouncing. Perhaps I’ll be lucky enough that it just stops and doesn’t follow the apple into the river. Or perhaps because of the ten bounces and bangs this unprotected 50-millimeter Canon lens has just endured down the mountain side, I should hope it puts me and itself out of misery by landing in the river.”

What does the lens do? It stops-dead 2/3 of the way down the hill. Collecting the lens cap which popped off at the top of the hill, I slowly make my way down to my injured 50. “It might still work”, I think. “Sure. It’s little.....and tough?” I pick it up. Its glass eye starring at me, still intact. “Um?” Chris tries the lens on his camera. “ERROR”. My heart sinks a little. “Darn it. I’ve already destroyed a lens and we’re only two months into the trip.”

Two days later I try the lens out on my camera and the most amazing and impressive thing happens. It works! It’s been a week since my poor 50-millimeter rolled down the Ihlara Valley, but remarkably it is still producing quality photographs! So for you photo buffs out there who need sturdy, reliable equipment, I think this one passes the test.

Updated on March 28, 2010.

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Chris enjoying Turkish coffee at a cafe by the coast in Fethiye, Turkey.

Pen and Ben, our Australian buddies we first met on our tour of the Gallipoli battlefields, and then again, by chance, two weeks later in Olympos.

A tracker crosses the river, the only path for vehicles to get from our hotels side of the river to the other.

Chris preparing dinner with Petrit and Gloria, who we met in Selcuk and traveled with for two days.

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Our tree house, in all its glory. I just hope it doesn’t rain while we’re here because there is no glass or protection on the top of our door.

Chris and I are in Olympos. Yesterday, it took us 5.5 hours to get here by bus.

The hotels here are called tree houses because of their style of buildings. The entire area has a very relaxed, almost Caribbean feel. Little roofed wooden platforms line the river. In the high season they are all covered in rugs and cushions, but since it’s the slow season only two are equiped at our pension. I am sitting on one right now. A light breeze slowly moves my hair. The sun beams strongly on my white Canadian skin. The rhythmic, continuous flow of the river is peaceful. There are a few hammocks in the main courtyard. It didn’t take Chris too long to find them.

For 50 Turkish Lira (around $38.00) Chris and I get our own little “tree house” which is a wooden shack on stilts with a mattress, sheets, 2 pillows and 3 blankets. The bathrooms are communal. Included in the price is breakfast and dinner! Last night dinner was probably more food than we usually eat in two nights. It started with a lentil soup, followed by two different types of salads, and for the main course a heaping plate of couscous, and a chicken vegetable dish.

Chris looking very serious, even though he’s chillin’ by the river.

The pillow-covered platforms by the river. A lovely place to spend the day.

The communal sinks at our tree house hotel, Saban Pension. Ah, to get to know your neighbor.

Lemon and orange trees grow between all the shacks and tree houses here at Saban Pension. Visitors are free to eat as many as they like. I suppose when we’re desperate it’s a cheap option for lunch.

I think we all know what Chris is doing, and I think most of us are jealous.

Roosters are everywhere, just like cats.

Ben and Pen are in the back left corner. They are an Australian couple we met during our tour of the Gallipoli Battlefields and happened to meet again here in Olympos. It was a lovely surprise.

Upon arriving last night we were surprised and happy to run into a couple we met during our tour of the Gallipoli Battlefields almost two weeks ago. They are a lovely and friendly Australian couple who are currently ten days into a hike known as the Lycian Way. The hike is about 500 kilometers long, but it is not necessary to do the entire hike. Lots of people just do part of it as a day hike. During the hike there are some places to stay to take a break and to restock the food supply. That’s how we met them here. It’s one of their breaks.

I was excited to come back here where there is a mountain that burns fire, otherwise known as Chimaera. I saw the mountain 11 years ago when I came with my parents and two friends, Lindsay and Casey, but was excited to see it with my best friend/husband.

Just after arriving last night, we walked 1.5 hours one-way (3 hours total) with 4 other tourists, including Ben and Pen, up Mt. Etna — the mountain with the Chimaera flames. It was a lovely evening to be in such a mystical place with fire spewing from the mountain, the full moon and the ocean in the background. In another post we’ll put some photos and  video clips of the fire on the mountain. Find out what happened when Chris dumped a litre of water on the eternal flame...

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