An Ancient Town and Boating Around
Merhaba, well Mel and I are still behind on ourselves. Bear with us until we can catch up wont you.
This installment is hopefully a short one, no real promise, as we moved from Gallipoli to Marmarus on the southern coast. Our first stop was Effesus, the remains of the ancient Roman city. Once again we had a guide and we were thankful of him being there. Effesus is massive, mainly restored but very impressive. We walked from one end of the city guided all the way with information about the fountains, temples, theatres and homes. We visited the public toilets which was a marble bench with holes cut in it for you know what. We admired the carvings on the pillars and the workmanship of this early city. Effesus has had a turbulent past. It was conquered many times. The Cimmerians in the 7th century bc, the Persians, Alexander the Great in 334bc. 287ad by the Lysimachos (sp) then Rome then the Goths in 262ad and so on. We visited the huge amphitheater and were given a demonstartion of the acusics by our guide and Jenny who sang to us from below. We climbed right to the top and we could even hear the words he wispered in Jenny’s ear. Fantastic!
After hours of driving without getting lost we arrived at the port of the old town of Marmaris. Boats boats and more boats everywhere, somting like 1000 boats live in Marmaris. Selami dropped us of my our new home for the next week, our very own Gulet (pronounced how it sounds, we are not in France you know). Our very own boat with a captain and a cook thrown in. Ahhh, excuse me while I reminis. Hmmmmm. Anyway we loaded up the boat, raced down to the cabins to score the pick of the crop and then settled on deck to start relaxing. No more mini bus for a week, not that Selami was a bad driver but the games of Eye Spy got to the point where it was just ridiculous. Eye spy with my little eye something beginning with R. ROAD!
We numbered off; No 1. Skipper — Jenny Mel’s mum ands Enfant Terrible on the trip (always misbehaving). 2. Bob Mel’s Dad and man who knows how to hide the rum. No 3 would be Mel my beautiful travelling companion and Girlfriend. 4. Is me. 5 is Tracy Mel’s younger sister. 6 is Mike her boyfriend. 7. That would be Ann the big strong woman and finally 9 is Carole. Carole is always No 9 as history shows she is always the ninth person on the trip. Trish is No 8 altough she could not make it after being stranded in Boston, so No 9 kept her position because it would have been too confusing to start calling her No 8. To top it off, on the boat we even discovered No 9’s number in numerology is, you guessed it, 9. So that’s everyone formally introduced.
The boat was big enough so you didn’t have to duck, weave and climb around. The Stern was a sitting area with a dining table. On top of the Gulet big cushions to laze around under the sun on and inside spacious cabins, well as spacious as you can have on a boat with our getting silly. For the next week we sat in the sun went for swims and ate glorious food supplied by our great cook Ismail.
Here is the summary.
Day one
We motored early to a secluded bay east around the coast. We swam and sat in the sun. That afternoon we were approached by a smaller boat offering a tour of the river and surrounding area. We though why not and Jenny, Bob, Ann, No 9, Mel and I headed off across the bay and up the river. We weren’t exactly sure where we were going but found the trip over the bay and river pleasant. We almost didn’t make it up the river as at its mouth was a sand bar that made the water very shallow. We scraped over with ease and headed up the river spotting turtles. In the cliffs of the hills by the river were massive temples carved into the face of the rock. We Eventually the driver of the boat stopped us at a pier in the middle of nowhere. Looking at each other we hopped of the boat. In front of us was a sign stating we had made it to the mud baths. Mud baths? There was a framed photo of Dustan Hoffman with the staff at the entrance so we figured if it is good enough for Dustan, Why not us! So we paid our 1,000,000 entrance fee (that’s like a dollar) and walked in to be greeted by dozens of mud caked tourists standing in the sun like fresh worked clay statues. We plunged into the sulfur pool for a soak and then hopped into the grey muddy waters. Picking up mud from the bottom we caked each other from head to foot with thick mud. Then we stood in the sun for 20 minutes while it dried. The mud tightened and it became a strange sensation to move. Eventually the mud turned a light grey-green and we were done. A quick shower and scrub and we felt refreshed and strangely clean.
We stopped of at the ruin city by the river but with Effesus still fresh in our minds we decided to head back tot he boat while it was still light. Coming our of the river however was a challenge. The tide had dropped a little and the sand bars we almost had trouble with coming in we posing a bit more of a problem for some boats going out. Three boats were sitting idly with thier engines going full tack while worried tourists sat on board wondering if they were ever going home. Our Captain crank the boat up to full throttle, which wasn’t a hell of a lot anyway, and headed for the bar between two stranded boats. Us knowing a little about boats and what to do in low water moved to the bow of the boat. Slam! we hit the bar, well not exactly with a slam but I cant think of a better word. Slowly slowly slowly we grased over the top and were away again. Great fun, we waved at the tourists still stranded and said ‘goodnight’. Well we didn’t really cause that would have been nasty.
Day 2 3 4 5 …
Well for the rest of the trip it was a vigerous routine of; get up when we wake up, eat a delicious breakfast, motor somewhere new, anchor the boat (sometimes even over other people’s anchors, naughty naughty captain), go for a swim, read a book, go for a swim, eat lunch, go for a swim, have a beer, eat dinner, have a few drinks, play 500 go to bed. It was hard I tell you and I could go on and on and on about it but here are some of the highlights.
Kapi creek: Eating dinner on shore at a marina in the middle of nowhere. We were the biggest boat there and the looks on some of the neighbouring yachtie’s faces as our big Gulet started reversing towards them was priceless.
The Ice Cream Man: Every day a guy in a speed boat would come around the bays offering his wares of Wall’s Ice creams. Day one we said no thanks, day two one person got an ice cream, day three two people bought ice creams, day four everyone got ice creams, day five and you knew it was getting pretty late in the day when someone panicily askes ‘has anyone seen the ice cream man yet?’
The Coast Guard: On two occasions the Military Coast Guard paid a visit to our Gulet. Oh oh were being kicked out of the country for being too loud! It tunrs out the Captains of the boats knew each other, and that coast guard boat! What a boat it was! This was one of my own personal highlights of the Gulet trip, mainly because the boat was decked out in all the kit. We were invited aboard by the stern looking Captain who didnt look easily amused and we happily jumped rails and had a look around. This is a slick boat let me tell you. Thin and pointed and built for speed. Inside at the helm there were two ‘pilot’ seats that you strapped yourself into and had instant access to the GPS, Sonar, Map system you name it. I think the Captian was quite happy to find us pointing at something and saying ‘GPS?’ then pointing at the depth finder and saying ‘Any fish?’. The first time I saw him smile. Down below there were comfortable looking beds, a kitchen and a bathroom. The beds were equipped with harnesses so you can strap yourself in. Why? Well when this boat goes it can go!! Breakneck speeds like you would not believe. This was a boat! And to finish of the tour, I got to start it. Both engins! Brrrrrrmmmmmmmm! Oh the hospitality!
Well that about wraps up our time on the boat. Apart from Ann and I kicking Bob and Carole’s ass at 500 (we wish don’t we Ann), Ann, No 9 and I discussing the love life of the Captain and his many women with him late at nights, Playing the Stand On The Stern Line And Fall Off games and the other silly things our unused minds came up with. All in all it was great fun, alhough a shock to the system to do nothing for so long.
The next email will be along very shortly I hope. Mel and I are actually in Greece at the moment, I still have one more week to tell you about in Turkey that perhaps was the most magical week so far, Capadocia! Just wait you will see, especially as soon as I find a phone line I can use to get my damn photos off my camera!!
We are doing well and having a ball as usual! Whats news back home? We are really in the dark over here, Anyway, write again soon.
Love Mel and Vaughan