Antalya - Fethiye 🇹🇷. Day 1

My first day in Turkey has been so relaxing 😊. 

This morning after a great sleep I went for a wander to Hadrian's gate, walked through it including on the grooves in the stone made by chariots!  129AD - hard to fathom.

Then through the streets of the Old Town with Ottoman era housing to the lookout beyond.

Views over the ocean to the snow capped mountains with Cairo on the other side.

I continued exploring, and made my way down to the Roman shipping port…the port is still used today, mainly for tall ship style tourist boats. 

I walked around the harbour and then up the steps and back through the old town again.  It's a really pretty area with palm trees, warm sunny 20 degrees and the bazaars were setting up their rugs and souvenirs.

Back to the hostel to collect my pack, a nice chat with the staff and kitty cuddles and then to the tram.  Such an efficient system and 40c a ride is a bargain.  The tram stops directly at the bus terminal too.  The hostel receptionist had recommended a bus company and as you enter the building the reps are all encouraging you to choose their bus company.  It's quite amusing 😊. I held up my sticky note with the bus name on it and, Mr ‘Proud as Punch’ stepped forward and took me to the counter to buy my ticket 😂. $10 for the 3hr ride with an official emailed receipt too.  

The bus driver and his assistant even wore shirts and ties!  We set off and an announcement came that complimentary refreshments would be served 😳. Tea, Coffee, water, ice tea and Pepsi and choice of a sweet or savoury biscuit.  The assistant wheeled a little trolley up the aisle.  Even had seat back TVs and USB charging.  ✅

The bus ride to Fethiye is spectacular through the mountains.  On my side of the bus were views to bare rocky mountains and then valleys with apple orchards, a river and finished with pine forests.  The other side of the bus had views to snow covered Turkish mountains.  

I will stay in Fethiye on the coast on a ‘Workaway’ assignment, volunteering at a hotel in exchange for accommodation and breakfast and lunch.  The owner had arranged for the receptionist to collect me from the bus station.  My tasks are from 7.15am to help set up the breakfast buffet for 8am, clear tables and reset and then pack down afterwards and prep for tomorrow's brekky.  They usually do dinner too but not in the off season.  After then (11.30am ish) my time is my own.  The hotel is lovely and I have a king size bed room.

I had arrived late afternoon and the owner suggested I go for a walk.  We are one block from the beach and so today I decided to head north along the beautiful palm tree lined promenade. 

There is an incredible parklands area with playgrounds, sculptures, seating, gardens, basketball courts, gym equipment etc and it is well used.  I spent half an hour on the gym equipment and then chose one of the lie back chairs to watch the sunset over the water and small islands.  From the promenade you can see the water and islands in front and then surrounded by mountains, some snow capped. 

 

I chose a seafood restaurant meal tonight and the owner was so helpful and kind and I chose a fish and then in a short while my salad arrived with olive oil and pomegranate molasses 😊.  Relaxing music playing and the yachts in the marina gently bobbing. Two little kitties joined me once my fish arrived and I may or may not have accidentally dropped a few bits of fish while I ate.

Feeling very blessed as Day 1 has been wonderful 😊