Pamukkale (throw in some Fear, Relief and Panic too)

Pamukkale was not on the trip plan, well it was a hopeful stretch but since we've been riding hard every day (300-400km) we fit it in.

Limestone and calcium sediment coat a whole mountainside 

Feels like school chalk

The entrance to the park is comprised of stepped pools of cool water and goowey silt, we made it before all the tourists so got some great photos and had a park guard following us around telling me to take off my shoes. Oops

Neat set of 'drums'.

But I jump ahead, the night before we stopped at this great camp/hotel and decided on rooms for the price, except that laundry (2 loads) was nearly as much as the hotel and the best part is I did it myself!

It's a hell of a racket.

$15 per load. (final price, started at $20)

You load

You put your soap

You take out

You hang to dry

You fold

Then we went walking around town and ran into 3 BMW riders all on 1200 bikes with Turkish flags attached.

2 Germans and one Turkish rider. One Mechanic, One Translator and One Princess.

Local "Margarita"

OK back to the next pile of historical rocks.

Neat Lycian tombs

The creepy necropolis. Play hide and seek here in the middle of the night.

Lovely orchid looking flowers here.

Next stop was Bodrum where I found this man making a beautiful tiled mosaic (in 100F weather)

Downtown was full of restaurants and they all heckle you with "Yes Please" and shove English translated menus in your face...but this little pizza place had no such nonsense and it was full. Then I sighted the HANDSOME man working the place and turns out he's Kurdish (reminds me of my very handsome friend Anton)

And the cook. BTW the food was fabulous. I had spaghetti bolognese and it was delicious with a Turkish (or should I say Kurdish twist)

This town had loud music thumping from bars shoved next to each other with dancers contorting in frightening positions that I suppose were to appear sexy.

Got a little turned around, my GPS stopped working but we eventually made it back to camp where the falling letters on the entry sign tells it all! (it was a semi-dump)

Filled with trailers, I think people park them here and leave them all year and just come here for a month or two for summer holiday.

Again, next morning up before the hungover revelers and enjoyed the place

And that my friends is the Ferry to Datca we did NOT catch.

I was ever hopeful and stayed to the end trying to convince them there was room (and there was) but when the main man in charge started talking on his walkie talkie and I heard "problem" I decided to eat breakfast instead of go to jail.

So we were faced with a long hot ride through never never land but fortunately found one of these roadside fountains. I had no idea what they were for and only struck me as an incredible waste of water but boy was it refreshing. Now this is minutes after some maniac in a mercedes crowded me from behind in a very dangerous way, then when I gave him the sign to not stick so close he started to crowd me more (if that was possible) so I gave him the universal sign of stupid and he got even stupider. It was a heart thumping moment....but strangely whenever the drivers are real jerks they are always in expensive cars.

Finally had good gozleme at this place and took a nap to the cacophony of locusts. 

Then on to Caunos for an expensive boat ride that had to have a single cylinder like my bike. (sounded like a lawnmower)

I found out I don't have a zoom lens but if you click on the photo and blow it up to 200% you might be able to see the carved out tombs or if you are lucky of the kid puking off the side of the boat.

Next stop Fethiye where Manish and I got separated. We bypassed the tunnel for the winding road through the forest and when I came out on the other side I didn't see Manish waiting for me as he usually does. There was a nasty single skid mark going right off the edge on a hairpin turn so I started to wonder then told myself to relax and just keep going.

From this point the story turns rather nasty but let's say that he's fine, I'm fine and I had this great dinner with some new friends I made on a dive boat.

Hard to see but 2 turtles playing next to the boat.

Headed out to do some diving. 

I've been diving for 4 years now, never one problem, always been complemented on my technique, skill and buoyancy. Not today.

I think the exhaustion finally got the best of me, we were going down and at about 30 feet got a lot of water in my mask (it was too loose) then was fighting a too heavy weight belt and felt the world closing in around me. I have never felt so scared. Good thing I was diving with the instructor who knew exactly what to do. He saved the day and possibly me as I was beside myself with panic and fear.

The second dive went much better but the water and marine life is quite disappointing, don't think I'll dive again on this trip. I've been spoiled with Belize and Thailand.

Next stop Kas

Food in Turkey (oh and historical sites)

Well not yet officially but in one day.

Many of you know I"m a foodie and eating here is always somewhere between good and excellent.
Usually baked, stewed or boiled but rarely fried or greasy. Truly healthy.
This photo is of Menemen which is eggs, tomatoes, banana peppers and probably crack. Highly addictive, difficult to kick and a must every day.

So I had to stop at the city sign of Menemen to mark my love of this dish and it was a good thing too since it helped me get the grumpy hoteless in Pumakkale to make some for me instead of trying to feed me the 'tourist' breakfast which consists of a plate with artistically assorted jams and jellies in small plastic containers and a couple sad olives and a slab of cheese and white bread. Yuck!

Our "Cancun" hotel was awesome early in the morning...everyone asleep with the beach to ourselves.

View from top of the city.

First historical site (remember we skipped to ridiculous wood Trojan horse) and pressed on to Bergama.

Ancient Roman amphitheater.

Hot Hot Hot

Stopped for refreshing soda water with cherry where one of the locals pitched me in French about the dreaded carpet seller...

Next on to Foca. Harbor town.

Oops, I skipped Yenifoca. So the travel book touted the excellent campsites along the water. Pffffttt! Is all I have to say....rabbit excrement, dog excrement, sheep excrement....going to the bathroom without stepping on a bomb was not easy. There's still rabbit poop attached to my shoes.

This Turkish symbol around the BMW emblem was genius.

He showed us to the downtown area where we had breakfast....

....with lots of kitties.

Heart attack on a plate. I think this is whipped butter and honey.

And another kitty on Manish's leg.

Charming cobblestone grape leaf shaded streets.

Now I'm not sure what the obsession with bank card machines but this gas station topped off the guinness book of world records.

Stopped at a roadside fruit stand to get nectarine juice all over my chin and neck. Neat cabins for eating in the shade

Next stop Esphesus. This is a Roman milestone, in ancient times they were created with the Emperor's name responsible for building the road and when a new Emperor was crowned they would 'flip' them and put the new name, rotating the old to the ground.

The most famous part, the ancient library without tourists.

Mobbed with tourists and one Special Agent Nancy, on left side near column in the shade. 103 F

Ah, another stop and dip in the water after a long day of riding.

Next stop, Pamukkale.