Ghost town and the Blue Lagoon

Leaving Kas, we head along the coast road through mountains.Close to the town of Fethiye, we stop at the remains of the abandoned town of Kayakoy. Now only a stop for curious visitors, It is sad and slightly eerie to see the remains of stone houses, chapels and churches. The broken walls and stone roofs still stand, but nothing else remains of the former occupants except for the occasional ghost of colour on some walls. Weeds grow where people once lived; but they were moved in a 1920's Turkish/Greek Government agreement of population exchange. The ghost houses reach a long way up the mountain.

The largest and most complete of the ruins is the cathedral, but it is closed for renovations. Surely not for anyone to come and pray - but for tourists to take home photos and memories.

Lower down the slope a few structures remain intact including one of the old homes, open for viewing. It is hungry work clambering up the slopes and through the ruined town. Some enterprising locals have set up shop with lovely hand crafts and open air restaurants. Lunch of gözleme, also known as Turkish pancakes, is lovely under the vine covered arbour.

 Sadik and Murat(who makes a friend of a curious puppy) also enjoy the relaxing break in the shade.

Back in the van and on our way to our next hotel, the idea of a swim in the blue lagoon sounds idyllic. Some of the group opt instead to go to a cafe at the marina. It is Sunday and the beach parking lot is full. Sadik circles hopefully but in the end those of us who decide to swim have to do a long walk in the blistering heat to the lagoon. After some searching we find change rooms. There is a big sandy white beach beside the sea, but Murat has told us we should experience the clear water of the Blue Lagoon. It is lovely and there is some shade, but the beach  is small and very crowded. When we settle on a spot to sit, we take turns watching our belongings and floating around in cool waters of the lagoon. Peter and I are spoiled by the wealth of fresh water lakes in Canada, so by comparison this seems nice but not all that special.  Perhaps it's the heat, but when we rejoin the others on the bus, we make a point of telling Murat that of all the stops en route to our evening destinations, this one could take a miss. 

We have no idea what to expect in our next destination; the popular riverside town of Dalyan. This town has a different vibe. Our hotel is well-situated on the river beside the long wharf where numerous boats solicit tour business from the holiday makers.

Our room is nice and spacious and right over the front door. One of the friendly local dogs greets guests with a lazy thump of his tail. He doesn't bother to move from the front mat, which clearly is his territory.

A quick stroll around town shows us the many ways that the locals court the tourists. Shops and restaurants line the walking streets near our hotel. Their are endless entreaties to stop and sample the wares. The place is awash with restaurants, each one with a greeter extolling the value of his establishment and I am curious to see how Murat will choose one from the vast selection for our evening meal. Although dinners are seldom included as part of the tour activities, most nights we follow our trusty guide's lead to a good local establishment, and enjoy the group camaraderie.