Monday 27 July 2009

Kalkan - Turkey

FuFu World Tour


Kalkan, seen from the top.

Turkiye 7th - 22nd May 2007
Kalkan, Kas, Pattara & Saklikent, Antalya - Part Six



Kalkan, a town on the Turkish Mediterranean coast which averages of three hundred days of sunshine a year. The area includes many historical sites and many fine beaches. The word Kalkan in Turkish means `shield`, Kalkan is an old fishing town, and a safe harbour between Kas and Fethiye. Also it is famous for its white-washed houses, descending to the sea, and its brightly coloured Bougainvilleas.







The beach.




EFES, the local beer.

Kas is a small fishing, yachting and tourist town, a district west of Antalya. As a tourist town it is relatively unspoiled, aslo as itself is a quiet pleasant town with its blue sea and narrow streets scented with jasmine flowers. There are plenty of little guesthouses, quiet cafes serving home cooking, or small bars to relax after a day's scuba diving. Kas has an annual arts festival, jazz concerts in the Roman ampitheatre.



Beach at Kas.


Group of pupils were having their rehearsal marching for the coming Sport`s Day.


That is a Greece island.

From Kas, you can enjoy the view of Sea of Mediterranean. Here you are able to clearly see the Greece`s islands. Going to Greece territory is pretty near from Kas.


FuFu waved to the island.


Kas has many other places of historical interest and it has spots of natural beauty - a number of interesting caves, some of them underwater. The mountains behind the coast offer countless places for trekking, climbing and river rafting.




The Roman ampitheatre.


Kas, seen from the Roman ampitheatre.

I saw gang of kids hanging outside a shop. They shouted `Suzuki`, `Japon`, and `Honda` when i passed by. Guess they might have though that i was from Japan. Anyway i quickly took out my camera and snapped a nice shot of them with a Isuzu`s pick up.



We caught up a van to Patara from Kas. On the way to Patara, there has lovely views of the surrounding hills and beaches.



On the way to Patara.

Patara beach should not be missed with its gorgeous landscape and great swimming. It is a national park and home of many birds, also the breeding ground of the endangered loggerhead turtle, the second most important sea turtle nesting beach in Turkey.


Walking to Patara Beach

The Patara beach is an 18km long strip of sand border on its end by mountains and along its length by sand dunes and the large marshy area which once was the celebrated port of Patara.


Patara Beach.





The name Patara is still attached to the numerous ruins of the city. The town walls surrounded an area of considerable extent. They may easily be traced, as well as the situation of a castle which commanded the harbour, and of several towers which flanked the walls. The situation of the ruins is still apparent but it is a swamp, choked up with sand and bushes. Only the theatre was well preserved.


Ruins of the Patara.



The theatre.

We only spent roughly one hour in Patara because we had to catch up the last van back to Kalkan at 4pm. It was still early for dinner and too late for teatime either but we still had cup of coffee and fruits outside the house when we arrived home.




Turkish Hi-tea, tea and fruits.



After that, M`s mother needed to prepare dinner. I was so curious to know what was she going to make and went in the kitchen. For your information, the kitchen is women`s territory in Turkey. I then begged her to let me help her to make Turkish style yaprak sarma, one of the famous Turkish cuisine. First, had the rice with ketchup and spices ready, then roll it up with a dried vine`s leaves.






The dinner was great! We had pizza, dolma, bean curry, and yaprak sarma. That was because M`s brother had come back. The cacik was not my bowl of yogurt. Cacik is an authentic Turkish dish of seasoned, diluted yogurts eaten throughout the former Ottoman world. It is made of cucumber, dried mint and olive oil then diluted with water to a low consistency and garnished with sumac.








Well, as a guest and being treated like a VIP, i forced myself to finish it. Three of the youngsters enjoyed the dinner very much. We were so full and decided to walk the tourist town near the habour of Kalkan.




We had Turkish ice cream at Aubergine. Wow, the texture was way too good! I wonder how the ice cream was made, which results in a smoothly yet sticky and creamier textured ice cream. Thumbed up.




When we arrived home, mother was making Turkish style vegetarian puff while father sitting on a couch watching news. I was not allowed to help this time as M`s father was there. I was just sitting there and watching how the puff was made while enjoying cay, Turkish tea.



Turkish style puff.


The VIP room for FuFu.

I wanted to mention my VIP room in Kalkan, it was so spacious, clean and i had a good rest for the two nights staying at M`s house. I would like to give a big hug to M and her family again if i ever had a chance to visit Kalkan again. Çok tesekkur ederim (Big thanks in Turkish).



Finally came the time to leave and say goodbye. After having breakfast with M`s parents and brother, M`s father insisted to show Necla and me the Saklikent and we went there by car.


Sculpted limestone canyon walls.

Saklikent is situated between Fethiye and Kas, has not been discovered until the villagers living in this region discovered twenty years ago. Saklikent literally the hidden city in Turkish, is the longest and deepest gorge in Turkey. It is 20km long and steep and narrow that the sun does not penetrate the water, leaving it deliciously icy cold in the summer.





Once inside, water sculpted limestone canyon walls soar above you. I could see the sky occasionally. I felt myself on a different planet among high rocks. And i didnt really feel the Mediterranean`s distresting heat in this canyon. Saklikent is a canyon which is unbelievably beautiful, mystic and fascinating. Anyway remember to dress up appropriately as you will easily get wet.


Restaurants line up along the river.




M`s father sent us off to the bus stop and we took express bus back to Denizli. He told me the door is always open for me and invited me back to Kalkan when i pay Turkey another visit in the near future. He told Necla he wanted me to be his son. I wish he was a billionaire, so i would be given some property. LoL. Well, the bus service in Turkey is damn so good as cay will always be served when it stopped over at a place for you to answer the call of nature.


Cay, Turkish tea is my favourite.


Group of Turkish women hanging around outside a mosque.

21 comments:

张绅和 said...

小姐和夫人,看起来相当的友善和好客.
晚饭一点也不马虎,还挺有道地风味呢,看得我也流口水了.
小孩们也好纯洁哦!!
土耳其-果然不是虚享起风情美誉,那远观希腊彼岸轮廓,真的美不胜收.

你介绍的很好!
去外地,就是要看到该地最美的一面,我想你也看到的已有就不离十的程度吧!

期待你丝路之旅!!加油!

~珊姑娘~ said...

那些海水真的很清!!!!!!!
很美的地方!

Nick尼克仔 said...

大佬啊~
海边海边海边!!!
怎么这么好啊~
我也很想很想很想去海边啊~
最近一直被人讲我很白
真个很病态
所以下定决心去晒个古铜色
哈哈,学你这样~
这次看到很多美食诶!
你的朋友和朋友的妈妈
真的很好客
而且还是出奇的好人
这世界上没有几个的咯~
大佬真的长得很像日本人咩?
Suzuki,Toyota...哈哈~
应该是说你像汽车~
怎样啊
有好多了吗?
应该快回来了吧?
记得要好好照顾自己
毕竟现在病毒横行
稍微不照顾自己就会中招了~
所以一定要好好照顾自己!
加油哦!
期待你下一个介绍!

ladyviral said...

Wow! I love the sceneries! So beautiful! And the food looks yummy too! Fufu! I am jealous!!! I wanna be there too :o.

Akira 思胜 said...

好喜欢那边的海水和天空呢! 都好蓝哦!

Mavis Ng said...

海水很清,很想跳下去游水= =''

还有,他们都很亲切的招待你哦~真的很不错~

Jia Xin said...

好爽吧?
haha
感觉很棒哦这个地方..
你说介绍的地方
看了都想去...
应该是个世外桃源吧?

Ken said...

A 'WOW' photos of Turkey!
Wish to go some days...

Yih Yann said...

It's really good to have fren that can bring you go around the place.

小雪 said...

我喜歡那個hi-tea的地方
也是住的地方吧~
還有河邊也是很特別~

小闷瓜 said...

好喜欢哪儿的海边;
和这儿的感觉完全不一样d.

GeOk kEE好きな♡ うち said...

Such a fantastic place, love the sea & the beach!

雪芬四海为家 said...

嗨,你好,从SK部落的友情链接看到Turkey这名词,就撞了进来。

啊!Turkey, 不知几时可去游一游....

Kaijun said...

海水的清澈度好高呀,真的是太美了~
土耳其,我终于看到土耳其的风景了~~

佐瑟琳 said...

过完了忙碌的二十天,我又回来了~
^^
那酒瓶很口爱叻~

这一个天空和海,我爱上了。。。

三吉 said...

看起来你在那里享用了不少美味的土耳其餐哦。。。

毛毛 said...

海水怎么和天空一样的蓝呢!
看了那些照片~ 感觉好舒服
谢谢你的分享

Le-1502 said...

天啊,好山好景好风光!羡慕死了!看得我好想到哪去旅行阿~介绍得真好!

紫绵羊的心与情 said...

thanks for the sharing.....it's such a beautiful country.....and their special foods.

Ayie said...

i love this post...the harbor, ocean...ruins! those are places and sights that truly capture me.

Kalkan Villas said...

The view and the places are amazing! I am glad you had the chance to visit this marvelous destination!