Alright. Somehow it’s already late on what was supposed to be a very relaxed day in Fethiye. Weather has pushed back our hike startdate by a day, so we’ve had some time to get ourselves together, but somehow I haven’t managed to write anything down. Always seems to be busier when you’re traveling with someone. Anyway. Tomorrow we leave for a week or two or three of hiking on the Lycian way, depending on how we like it and where/if we stop. But the last few days have certainly been eventful. A combination of hitchhiking and busses took us first west to the northern Aegean coast, where we camped in a lovely olive orchard (orchard? Grove?) and walked the deceptively-signed road to a local waterfall park. The surrounds were beautiful, but not enough to compel us to stay, so the next day we  meandered south and east, arriving in the small city/large town of Kuracasu around 10:00 pm. This isn’t a town with much in the way of accommodation, being off the normal tourist track, and we weren’t inclined to pay, but we managed to find a beautiful little olive grove within the city limits, just beside the river bank. We stumbled over the furrows and found a perfect little nook to hide from the nearby apartment buildings and occasional traffic.

Some apartment building’s backyard.

The next morning dawned warm and golden, a perfect day to explore Aphrodisias, the destination that had brought us to this out of the way place. We found delicious breakfast at a shop patronized by a few old men, and started walking towards the ruins. A very enthusiastic museum attendant convinced us with his friendly waves to stop by the city’s small museum, with some interesting and beautiful displays of local trade products and crafts. The view from the hilltop outside of town was well worth the walk (the promised bus never materialized), and just as I was getting tired of the sharp descent, a friendly local gave us a lift for the remaining ten or so kilometers.

Aphrodisias is apparently fast becoming the most impressive Roman ruin in Turkey, as excavations and improvements continue. It was truly a sight to behold. Remarkably intact and abandoned until the tour busses from Pammukale showed up around 12:30, wandering around the city and lunching in the massive (35,000 seat) stadium made for a spectacular morning. The place was infested with tortoises too, and they are both entertaining and cute. Besides the restored gate and the massive stadiu, and site is huge, with columns sprouting from the fields behind almost every bush. It’s the first place of its kind that I’ve been too that’s intact enough to give you a real sense of what it might have been like when it was whole, and even that vague impression is astounding. The scope and the elegance of the place, built so long ago… you realize a little of what Rome might have meant. The on-site museum was overwhelming – apparently Aprhodisias was the primary producer of marble sculpture for the entire Roman empire, and the museum is stuffed with statues and busts in excellent condition.

Restored temple gate.

Apparently the biggest and best-preserved stadium anywhere, but plaques tend to exaggerate.

And then onward. Another hitchhike-bus combo brought us (and me back) to Fethiye, and a shower and proper bed. After two days, though, I’m ready to get back outside. The food here can’t compete with the wonders we’ve lucked into so far, though we did find a bulk store selling massive bricks of pistachio halva for next to nothing, which should be rather pleasant on the trail.

And I’m out. Short on colour, but it’s bedtime so I’ll have to flourish it out later.