LAST STOP, ALANYA

As we rolled into our final destination, The  rocky promontory in Alanya  which juts out from the Turkish Riviera, was bathed in the orange and purple light of the setting sun.  From a distance you could see the medieval castle walls that laced around and across the peninsula. Human settlements dating back as many as 20,000 years have been found in the caves surrounding Alanya, but the castle and its 140 towers date back to 700 BC, a fortification against pirates and marauding conquerors. It has been home to Hittites, Greeks, Romans, The Byzantine, Seljuks and Ottomans.  Cleopatra Beach is rumored to have been bequeathed to the famous Egyptian queen as part of her dowry from Mark Anthony. Today, it is a retirement mecca for Northern Europeans.  The turquoise sea laps at the long wide beaches stretching out on either side of the peninsula.  Mountains stand guard on the north flank. It was breathtaking.  

It appears that Alanya is developing according to a plan, unlike other Turkish cities which seem to be trying to overcome chaos.  For the most part, the hotels and apartment buildings under construction appeared to constrained by western-style building regulations.  We travelled along a road grid that was at least partially understandable. A broad corniche extended for miles, decorated with gardens, fountains, parks and cafes. It was one of the most attractive seaside towns we have encountered. Clearly, the folks from Scandinavia agree, as more than 10,000 of them make their home here.

Antalya was a beautiful end to our Mediterranean meanderings.  We toured the castle and old town at sunset.  The only glitch was was the access road.  You guessed it. ...another passage too narrow to accommodate the crush of tourists.  By the time we reached the pinnacle, we were tired from holding our breath.  And at the half way point on the way down, we sat for 20 minutes while a double decker tour bus tried to push its way through a skinny bottleneck in the road.  After 9 days in the mountain ranges fringing the Mediterranean, we had exhausted our tolerance for driving.

For the next two days, we stayed in a huge hotel at the far end of the eastern beach, which sat high on a hill overlooking the whole eastern shore of the city. While the hotel interior was a little worn from overuse, the outside amenities more than compensated for the threadbare towels.  The night of our arrival we took a poolside table on the deck overlooking the harbor.  Live entertainment and free drinks were part of the package. We sipped contentedly, enjoying the the distant lights and the moonlight dancing on Mediterranean. The singing and dancing  continued well past our own midnight curfew.

We spent the day lounging on the seaside deck, diving off the platform  and swimming in the aqua stillness of the sea.  A little shopping, a good meal and a premier league soccer at the sports bar brought our vacation to an end.  We were ready.

Ready, except for the drive home...6 hours to Ankara, and you guessed again...the first three hours were over and  through those damn Taurus mountains.  On the map, it was marked as a highway....lets just say that that terminology  exaggerated its functionality.  Perhaps we should have flown, but then think of all the adventures we might have missed.  For now, we are glad to be back in Ankara!