Bodrum and the Turkish Coast

On the Road

After Afrodisias, we left the ruins behind us (more or less) and headed for the coast.

The road to the coast takes you through some lovely rural areas.

If you're "lucky," you might even encounter some interesting road blocks.

The roads in the less developed areas could get a precarious at times - and driving through the little towns and cities is no fun at all - but we eventually made it to our destination.

The Coast

Bodrum is a major coastal city that has been around for 1000s of years. In fact, it's actually the site of one of the original (no longer extant) seven wonders of the world - the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. The Mausoleum is just a pile of ruins now, but at one point it was apparently one of the most impressive architectural feats in all of the ancient world.

Our hotel, located up on the hillside overlooking the bay, offered a spectacular view of the surrounding area. From our table in the dining area we were able to watch the sunset over the sea. (The restaurant itself also made some wonderful local dishes that were among the best we ate during our trip.)

The 15th century Bodrum Castle at sunset

The city of Bodrum

The next morning we took a drive along the peninsula and stopped at one of the small local beaches.

Yes, my eyes are closed. My eyes are always closed.

We didn't have a lot of time to spend on the coast, but I enjoyed the chance to experience some more of Turkey's abundant natural beauty.

After about 24 hours by the sea, it was time for some more flying - to one of Turkey's most famous regions.