TURKEY

Before I explored the famed transcontinental nexus of Istanbul, I headed south to explore the ancient ruins of Ephesus in Selçuk before jumping onto a Turkish gulet for a multi-day sail in the Mediterranean.

Selçuk & Ephesus

After touching down in Istanbul I immediately headed south to a small town of Selçuk where a well-traveled Turk had opened a great little hostel/backpackers. Selçuk sat on the edge of the fantastic ancient Greek city of Ephesus. The ruins include the Fountain of Pollio, Temple of Hadrian, Curetes Street, a stone amphitheater and the stunning Library of Celsus. Enjoyed a few belts of that strong Turkish tea afterwards.

Fethiye

Fethiye was a major destination on my 2-week Turkish tour as it was the launch point of a 4-day, 3-night sail of the Mediterranean aboard a Turkish gulet. The seaside city itself was surprisingly beautiful with some cliffside ruins carved into the rock that offered great views.

The Turquoise Coast

Typically built in coastal Turkish towns of Bodrum and Marmaris, the ‘Gulet’ is a traditional design of a two or three-masted wooden sailing ship. A pair of these boats set out from Fethiye for a 3-night, 4-day ‘blue cruise’ around the southwest Turkish shores known as the Turquoise Coast.

I ended up on the party-hearty craft with bunch of hard-drinking Aussies. The Turkish crew of 3 did the navigating, cooking and menial work. Unreal voyage with a stop at the town of Kas to get some space and walk on Terra Firma and check out the nearby stone Antiphellos Theatre.
Sunsets on the Mediterranean..? Fire in the skies.

I disembarked at Demre and got my way to Antalya for a flight back to the ancient megacity of Istanbul to wrap-up the tour.