Wednesday, October 12, 2011

 

Our first stop today was at the ancient city of Termessos, in a national park in the mountains outside Antalya.  Once in the park, we drove about five miles on a switch-back road up a mountain and then walked farther up a steep trail to the site of the ruins of the Pisidians, a militaristic people who repelled Alexander the Great in the fourth century B.C. Two centuries later, they allied with Rome while retaining their independence.  Earthquakes have taken their toll on the original structures, but much remains to marvel at.  Temples, cisterns, gymnasia, houses, a meeting hall and baths were all visible.  We spent several hours clambering over toppled columns and other stonework, much of it elaborately carved, some of it overgrown. 

The theater, built into the rocky mountain, was made even more impressive by its setting high on the mountain, surrounded by other peaks and swirling fog and clouds; it was just fabulous!  The site also included many sarcophagi and tombs, some carved into rocks high above.  The soldiers’ necropolis looked as if hundreds of massive stone sarcophagi had been tossed around by a giant, but the scene was actually the result of earthquakes.  We had a great experience, with the bonus of a good hike!

After lunch, we headed south on a beautiful highway along the Mediterranean.  Dramatic mountains meet the sea in this area and the road passed through several of them in long tunnels. Because we hadn’t yet had our fill of antiquities, we stopped at the ruins of Phaselis.  This Lycian city, which dates from the seventh century B.C., was also occupied by the Romans and Byzantines.  It is beautifully situated on three small bays, with beaches that now attract boaters, bathers, and picnickers.  The ruins are extensive and include an aqueduct, theater, baths, an agora, and a long main street connecting the harbors; the layout of the city was clear and it seemed easy to imagine people actually living there.  Despite the fact that rained during most of our visit, the charm of Phaselis was irresistible.  We’ve seen a fair number of ancient cities (and are due for a few more in the coming week), but Phaselis easily makes it to our list of favorites.

The last leg of our trip today was a magnificent ride along a road that hugged the Mediterranean coast.  The skies had cleared, the sea was a gorgeous navy blue, and the road, cut out of rock mountains, twisted and curved dramatically.  It was like the Amalfi Drive in Italy, without the traffic and the congested cliff-hugging towns – just gorgeous!  We arrived at our hotel in Kas, a small seaport town, just in time for Tom to snap a few sunset pix from our balcony.

This day was a standout from beginning to end!