The summer of 2018 ...

After the excitement of Turkey not a lot happened but we did get down to the beach at Lancing a couple of times and a first swim in the English Channel happened. I love swimming so I'm quite surprised it took so long. Still Atlantic but such a different experience to Cape Town, and a million miles away from the Mediterranean where my most recent swimming episodes happened.  But first, a walk around to check out the surroundings. 

Lots of beach cottages, some quite decorated, others just lived in.

 

A long pebbled beach. When I first saw these beaches I was outraged - how could this be considered a beach?  But with a bit more experience I've changed my mind. First of all, no sand, anywhere. Imagine that? Not in your bathing suit, not on your towels, not on your feet. The pebbles also offer a  subtle massage and are surprising warm and comfortable to lie on. Not particularly comfortable to walk on though.

 

The next trip down to the seaside, Judy and the dogs joined us. As with pretty much everywhere in England, as long as you bring along poo bags, dogs are welcome.

 

With the water so calm and flat quite a lot of watersports were happening. Everyone I spoke to warned against the current, but I have to say I didn't notice any on either of these occasions. I did notice however that when the tide came in, it happened really fast. Pinch myself to not be too complacent xx

Do you see the wind farms in the background?  Flying over the channel I was astonished to see the size of these windmill fields (it spans 28 square miles!), especially in one of the busiest shipping channels in the world. This is called Rampion Offshore Wind Farm and is 8 miles off the coast.

 

This next seaside jaunt we even persuaded Matt to join us (he maintains he was conned). It was a bit later in the season and much cooler. There was a very fresh wind running with the sea horses.

 

A man in a suit hanging out in the shallows. It was a bit odd...

A quintessential English Cafe. No card machine, ice creams, boogie boards, tea and bacon sandwiches. Really good. That was it pretty much, summer.

Turkey June 2018

Just a note here, this post has taken on a life of it's own and is MUCH longer than I intended. So, get yourself a cup of coffee and settle in for a read ...

Kaş 

Last view of the cats of Istanbul, very early in the morning we were heading to the airport and down to the Turquoise Coast and the beach!

We hired a car at Dalaman airport and (carefully - being right hand drive and driving on the wrong side of the road for all of us) headed to the coast. This was the first view of the sea. Could not wait for a swim!

But lunch first. Fethiye.
Fethiye is located on the ancient city of Telmessos and was known by that name until 1934.

Beer at lunchtime - in this climate a necessity.

There are numerous rock tombs in the hills and mountains around the city. This is the 4th century BC Tomb of Amyntas carved into a bluff in 350 BC by the Lycians, and an easy walk from the road. Delphi and Jacques walked up but it was mid afternoon, really hot and I cheered them on from the shade of a white mulberry tree.

Eventually, after getting lost, language barriers, misunderstandings, we found our way to our villa and were presented with this view....  worth it.

A couple of kilometres outside of Kas, it is perfectly located with it's own semi private cove. No beach, so no waves, just perfect swimming.

First swim happened very shortly after arriving. The first of many.

A main house with the lounge, dining, kitchen and patio, the bedrooms are off to the side in a separate wing. Each bedroom with it's own bathroom and view of the water and airconditioning. Paradise. (Derya Beach Villa on Airbnb - thoroughly recommended)

Stray cats which we adopted and fed.

Neighbourhood dog that checked in on us regularly.

Home for a week. A few days during that week I opted to stay home while the boys went exploring. Can you blame me? I do like ruins and exploring but not when it's too hot. Then I'd rather just swim and hang out in the shade.

But not all the time. I did manage to stir myself and I was very happy that I did!
 Myra ...

In the province of Antalya, situated near to the town of Demre, Myra consists of a spectacular Greco-Roman amphitheatre in remarkably good shape.

 

 

Many of the decorative theatrical masks remain.

The rock tombs date to the 4th century BC and are carved into the mountainside. Today they are rough hewn rock but in 1840 an explorer described them as painted in red, yellow and blue. 

   
Hidden away in one of the rooms behind the amphitheatre we found sheep! Keeping as cool as they could on a really hot afternoon. I sympathised.

St Nicholas Church, Demre, Antalya

Built in AD 520 the church and the tomb of St Nicholas were built on the foundations of an older church where St Nicholas served as Bishop. Now days it is a museum and an ancient Byzantine church which has been excavated after having been completely buried by silt. St Nicholas was the inspiration for Santa Claus.

Being 16 feet or so below ground level, it was wonderfully cool.

Dog doing what dogs do ...

Heading home, the mountain road overlooks Demre - plastic tunnels growing tomatoes, as far as the eye could see. It is called 'protected cultivation' and we saw it throughout the countryside, not much open farming at all. I suppose economically it makes sense, but it's not attractive. Progress, they call it.

 

 Mostly for me it was a really relaxing holiday

We did stay home for dinner a couple of evening, but mostly we went into Kas and tried somewhere new each time.  My personal favourite - Turkish pancakes, gozleme. I would go back just for these.

Shopping happened ..

A few more tombs ...

And before I knew it, it was time to go home (minus the camera which got left behind in the car and made it's way home to me via South Africa in December!)

Some notes, South Africans can apply for a free visa online. www.e-visa-turkey.com. British citizens can also apply online, but it costs approximately £12, or it can be purchased at the airport when you arrive if you forget to do it beforehand (guilty). The local currency is Turkish Lira. We are already planning another family holiday, perhaps not this year, but next year definitely.