July 26th: With a rented car we drive to Marmaris. First we also want to see the country and second the Rolex rainer bought in Marmaris already fales. On the way back we tour along tzhe Lykian coast. For lunch we find a reataurant in the middle of a forest serving mainly fresh trouts. The tables stand in the middle of the creek, nice and cool.

We pass a thermal spring with supposedly 38 degree hot water. Even Alexander, the Great cured his soldiers from all kind of deases. The people are quite nice but the place looks a bit rotten, that's why we didn't stay for the night.

Further along lies the impressive Saklikent Canyon. 300 Meter high rockfaces surround a roaring river. The mud is also be said as medicative.

Along the road one restaurant follows another, no guests at all. We are the only guests in the Prasise Motel. There is no aircondition, the rooms are boiling hot. No way to open a window because of the many mosquitos. The fan blower brings only hot air.

July 27th: Her you can find lots of "old stone" of Lykian origin. Tlos was one of the most powerful city of Lykia. The inhabitants controlled then the whoel Xanthos Valley. The tombs in the rock face are richly decorated.

The city of Pinara also counted like Tlos to the sechs most important <lykian cities. Pinara is located a bit remote amongst many pine trees. The tomb of the king is still easy to reach but then one has to climb from stone terrace to stone terrace. The location of the actual city one can only guess. Behind the last terrace a 400 meter rockface rises up vertical interspersed with 900 tombs.

Letoon used to be the main sanctuary of the Lykian Union. It is named after Leto, the mother of Artemis and Apoll.

Xanthos is part of the world cultural heritage, but it is not easy to find. But the Harphyien monument and the famous sarcophagus we can also see from outside. We are not very impressed, most likey we have seen to much by now. That's why we take the mountain route back to Finike.

 

August 1st we fly back to Germany.