I awoke, several times before thinking I would be getting up, and it looked sunny and clear enough outside from my bed. I was happy to stay warm and comfortable for a little longer and I duly fell asleep for about an another hour and a half getting up about 9am. When I awoke for the day I noticed that the power was off again......I hope there is still hot water…..I think I ended up draining the last of the remaining hot water before I headed out.
Today was Grandma Ruby's 90th Birthday so I called to wish her the best - I was a bit emotional since I would have liked to be there for the celebration. She was the most part through a wonderful day, with around 50 visitors coming to wish her the best.
HAPPY 90th BIRTHDAY GRANDMA RUBY
Today was a sightseeing tour on the bike to Phaselis (including a wonderful swim in the Mediterranean). Phaselis was an important settlement having a port for trading timber, slaves and other goods and was significant throughout Western Lycia servicing Greece, Asia, Egypt and Phoenicia.
Phaselis viaduct.
Phaselis hammam (baths) - I'd had a trickle of water for a shower earlier so I was OK.
Phaselis theatre - I enjoyed the show.
It seems Phaselis may be popular with mythical figures.
Following the tour of Phaselis it was time to head back towards Olympos and stop for lunch at Ulupinar. Ulupinar is a series of restaurants in the forest over and beside the river and waterfalls overlooking the fish farms constructed along the steep river below. The smell of fish within the restaurant area is quite strong and off-putting and I am not sure it adds to the authenticity of freshly caught farm fish. The trout I ate was tasty although not as good as a fresh one caught in the Snowy Mountains.
Ulupinar (Caglayan Waterfall Restaurant)
It was a simple and tasty lunch and I thought I had enough time to venture to Mount Chimaera on the way back to Olympos. You pass through a small village named Cirali, which is close to the Mediterranean shore. I was enjoying the ride and took the road that led around to the beach. It was a good spot to stop briefly and take in the view.
Here is my motorbike enjoying the view.
After the brief stop I found the Mount Chimaera parking area and paid the small fee (4TL) to hike up the hill to see the flames coming out of the mountain. It is a decent 20-30mins to hike up the hill to see the flames over some rocky and steep pathways. It is quite interesting to see non-stop gas flames coming out of the ground up on the rocky hillside.
The Mount Chimaera flames area.
Although it was late afternoon it was impressive enough - night time is supposed to be best.
Since there was still some light left in the sky I headed towards Olympos and decided to take the other road at the intersection that takes you to Olympos to see what there was to see further beyond. A little further along the road, despite the bee sting in my thigh, it looked like I would meet the coast again so I kept going and found Adrasan.
Adrasan, when compared to the arrangement at Olympos, was such a big difference. The shops, cafes, restaurants and accommodations are all arranged rather orderly behind the foreshore roadway at a reasonable distance from the street giving a sense of openness and respect to the beautiful bay they face. The beach is wide and spacious and seems rather 'public' instead of being 'owned' by various hotels as was the case in Alanya (hopefully this will not change over time).
Adrasan - a much different feel than nearby Olympos.
On the way out of Adrasan I noticed a cyclist, with a trailer full of gear making his way up the hill. Cycling is another level of travel.
After a hearty meal it was a relaxing evening in Olympos, since it seems very quiet at this time of year. After a good day of sightseeing on the motorcycle I was quite glad to take it very easy. I ventured out to the market and while I was at there I noticed a fellow motorcyclist buying a couple of Efes for the night. After a brief chat I decided to buy a couple of beers and join him at his campground.
At Ada Campground I met Moritz (Honda TransAlp) who is motorcycling east, Lawrence (old Peugeot bicycle) who is riding his bicycle east (who I had seen earlier in the day leaving Adrasan) and Dominic and Andrea (mountain/rock climbers) who were on a rock climbing holiday.
23 April 2012
I was back on the bike back to Aspendos because I 'missed' the theatre when I quickly visited the nearby bridge. Apsendos is a rather impressive arrangement with the city/town set out on top of a hill that is visible from quite a distance away. One of the notable features as you walk around the perimeter of the hilltop town is the lengthy and high viaduct that would have delivered water from quite some distance away.
Aspendos viaduct connected to the hill-top city.
Aspendos viaduct stretches off into the distance at great height.
I wandered around the top of the hill with various crumbling ruins and cisterns around me and ever fainter paths giving me an impression of where to go to get back to the theatre and ultimately the exit.....I ended up following, in the general direction of where I needed to be, what may have been the remnants of streets or building walls that were the only areas not overgrown to find my way to an opening near the basilica.
There was a path in there somewhere
Once out in the open again I could see the basilica and it was then much easier to find my way back to the theatre I had come to see.
Basilica on top of the hill
Waterfall structure
The theatre is truly remarkable because it is so well preserved and also because it is constructed into the hillside. It is easy to imagine that if you were unable to get a 'ticket' to the shows you could still take a wonderful vantage point from high above on the natural rock outcrops and hillside to see the show from a distance. It was apparent how effective the amphitheatre is when the sound carried high up the hill to where I was taking a few photos. The Aspendos theatre is almost completely intact and is amazing to see and be within...…
Aspendos Theatre
Aspendos Theatre
Me and another guy (who is in focus) in Aspendos Theatre
Me in Aspendos Theatre in focus (it helps when someone else presses the button).
Aspendos Theatre
After Aspendos, one of the few other destinations I had researched and not visited, was Khoffner Brew Pub. I had tried to confirm the location the night before and all looked good for a 'lunch break' on the way back to Olympos. Although the GPS was accurate to about 40m, the signage was discrete and I missed it, I turned back and asked at the hotel next door...."Khoffner" so he pointed next door. The Khoffner Brew Pub Beer Garden is not large and without the illuminated neon signage and not a customer or noise coming from the place it was easy to miss.
The GPS seems to be getting better - about 40m+/- accuracy.
Once inside Khoffner, and I had confirmed that they were actually open, I asked for a Pilsner and then the single staff member had vanished before I could order a burger from the menu. It was an odd experience being the only person in the place, since the staff soon had gone somewhere. He came back and I ordered the burger and again he vanished. The Pilsner was a very good example.
Single customer at Khoffner with an empty glass.
Since I was sampling small glasses of beer with my lunch, and the food hadn't arrived, the Pilsner was soon gone. After the staff reappeared I tried the Munchener which was a fabulous beer with more colour and flavour than the Pilsner. It had been a long and slow lunch and they were small beers so I thought I could have one more. I asked for the Weis Beer……
After I watched him try and pour what was the dregs of the keg into my glass with several attempts and scooping off the head he was not happy when I gave it back and asked for a freshly poured beer.
The boss had arrived and he took a while to find another keg, which are located outside undercover next to the bar, of the same beer ready to tap. When I noticed him connect the carbon dioxide cylinder I thought I would 'ask' about the beer. A little bit of English and a little bit of Turkish he understood that I had more than a little idea about carbonation, gassing and pouring beers (having a home brew keg set-up in Australia).
After a while the beer was ready to pour and I had my Weis Beer. Although it was quite good the Munchener was my pick from the Khoffner Brewery Beer Garden.
Harley Fat Boy helps to decorate the place with the beer kegs in the background.
As a parting gesture the brewer offered me their strongest and darkest beer. I tapped my helmet and said I was riding and I had already had enough. I gave in ever so slightly and after a couple of small sips of the Khoffner Dark I was away, glad to have seen Khoffner Brew Pub.
On my Back to Olympos I saw Lawrence almost to the top of the hill after leaving Ada Camping in Olympos about an hour earlier - 10km in one hour uphill with all of his gear.....not bad at all I'd say.
He commented how some places in Olympos wouldn't give him water, instead wanting him to buy it from them, while others welcomed him in and gave him water to keep him going. He is riding a bicycle for days on end, surely some fresh and clean water is the least someone can do.
Lawrence heading off for the day late in the afternoon.
At the bottom of the hill I popped in to see Dominic and Andrea who were still camped in Ada Camping. They had taken it easy on the beach and would be climbing tomorrow. They reminded me of places to see before Kas, such as Myra (Demre these days) and also recommended Dominic's mother's pension (La Valli Pensions) in Tuscany for when I make it to Italy.
I weighed up the options after getting back to Natural Pension/Bungalows and decided to see what time Olympos ruins might be open until - it was 7pm. I decided to do it. Quick wander around Olympos, which is interesting in that it is definitely not a cleaned-up tourist destination. The ruins are either secured to reduce damage or are left crumbling within the forest.
The ruins throughout Olympos seem much more authentic in many ways being overgrown.
Olympos
The beach is also wonderful, and if you chose you could spend a day or two worshipping the sun and the sea here. The beach it was a hive of activity with a massive group of hikers emerging from the forest along the beach and kayakers returning and pulling their boats ashore.
Hikers and kayakers emerged from the forest and sea.
Since it was my last night in Olympos it was time to prepare the plan for tomorrow (and maybe the next day). I sought out some internet and confirmed GPS coordinates for several locations for the next day.
I also posed with an Efes and my motorbike.