WEDNESDAY 25 MAY: Day 21 by Jane

Antalya, Old Town

So, we left Kas (think Santorini and St Tropez), and drove to Antalya along the coast road with the Aegean sparkling away beneath us.

Now, Antalya has been the unexpected trump card of the trip, so far. We had no idea that it was such a beautiful city. It has a kms long strip of clean beach, turning into a perfect small natural harbour. It's been an important port for centuries and has a wonderful walled Old Town which is heritage listed and is where we stayed. Booked a hotel online the day before, and fell on our feet. Here's just a quick taste of breakfast in the courtyard.  

breakfast in Antalya

 We really enjoyed this delightful Ottoman city, and walked heaps around the cobbled streets. Felt like I was in Medieval days. The main gate into the Old Town was built for Emperor Hadrian (he of the wall between Scotland and England) but the feel was more Middle Ages.

Next move was the flight to Cappadocia, and another world entirely. Ian drove us out of the City in the early hours of the morning, and found the airport easily. 45 minutes of clear flight over snow capped mountains and we land on the Silk Road plains of central Turkey.

Cappadocia cave hotel

Where we are staying in what is described as a 'cave hotel', though we have both begun to describe it as 'the dungeon'. It's hewn out of rock, you step down into it, and it has a high barred window. But we don't get locked in at night and the food is excellent!




We have now had a 'hamam' or traditional Turkish slap up and scrub down.  And we are spending the next couple of days exploring this extraordinary area of volcanic outputs called Fairy Castles and learning about the early Christian fugitives who made their homes in  underground towns here.

A veritable town in the "fairy castles"!