TURKEY

This is my first Blog entry since we entered Turkish waters six weeks ago.  I have found it hard to formulate my impressions of this vast country bearing in mind that we have only seen such a small part of the coastline.

The ubiquitous and wonderfully vibrant Turkish flag

We arrived in mid-July to intense heat that inhibited much exploration off the boat., our most pressing need was to stay cool, which we did by frequent dips in the water or by catching sea breezes as we sailed.   Our arrival also coincided with European school holidays as coastal towns bulged with sun-hungry tourists and yacht charters.  August also brought the month of Ramadan where devout muslims fast from dawn until dark, the fast being broken by ITFAR the evening meal.

Having said all of the above, the Mediterranean coastline is majestic and hauntingly beautiful.  

The Tarsus Mountains form a backdrop with multiple layers of blue undulations which abut an ancient looking coastline; the cliff formations and abundant ancient ruins both combine to convey this impression.  I have failed dismally to get this on camera – the distant blues just fade into the sky……….

At times the coast looks soft and green with pine forests descending to the shore but a few miles further it becomes a huge rocky mass  growing out of the turquoise seas. 

Although there are lots of tourists, most tend to stay in towns that have been purpose built as holiday resorts. Fortunately we were able to find quiet spots to hide away.

Of course, we are not tourists, just two spoilt individuals wanting this beauty all to ourselves.  In the next blogs I describe some of our journey………