True Mach on Four Wheels

I wonder if the Soviet poet knew the patriotic "I do not need a Turkish coast, and I don’t need Africa", From what refused? After all, it is necessary, as you need this blessed coast, where running from the mountains pine drops to the antique marble, and from the coastal serpentine, the types of which are familiar – happiness

And now it’s time to assure readers that in the preparation of this article, the author did not use the sponsorship services of travel agencies or other interested commercial structures and paid for everything from his own pocket. About times, about moral

The idea was simple and based on sober calculation. Spend ten days of vacation, first, warm, secondly, in motion (those who want to know the reasons for such mobility, send to my article in "Following" N 34), thirdly, without coming with invitations and visas. South Turkey: warm, extensive, close, not too expensive and outstanding visas right on the border for $ 10, answered all criteria. Some doubts caused a very attractive image of a southern neighbor, associated in an ordinary consciousness with shuttle trade in cheap consumer goods and hordes of loud vacationers in the club hotels Antalya. However, their own experience suggested that "Chelnotokov" There are practically no in southern Turkey (they go to Istanbul or Izmir). From the crowd of compatriots and called in leather and jewelry shops, which welcomed every person of the Slavic appearance by the exclamation "Come in brother!", You can get rid of the experienced way, sat behind the wheel of the leased small agent.

Tickets for charter flights to Antalya not deficiency and cost from 250 to 300 dollars. And after the three-hour flight before Shero, representatives of rolling office, it is easy to make sure that even the all-knowing British and German guidebooks are mistaken, warning about the high cost of renting cars in Turkey in large international – the most reliable – firms. No wonder it says that East is a delicate matter. Price List Price Lists, and Fifteen minutes can be released in Sunny Mediterranean Square Temporary owner of a new little minor to the Turkish assembly of dollars for 30-35 per day.

For a short fluctuations regarding the route immediately retreat when looking at the map and memories of seaside pines in the vicinity of Kemer. Of course, west, to the Aegean coast, the cradle of Hellenism. Then north, to the ruins of the Milet and Ephesus. Finally, through sparkling lime terraces of Pamukkale and Mountain brands back to Antalya. A simple calculation showed that in 10 days this not reaching up to two thousand kilometers the way can be done without a special rush. And even afford some luxury, such as day-diving on one of the nearby Greek islands.

Perhaps it is such a high-speed name that the 40-kilometer way from Antalya to Kemer deserves. Blowing out of dusty large-boring neighborhoods, the seaside highway dives into pine gorges, and embossed yellow pointers appear on the roads, which in Turkey celebrate historical and natural sights. In the cozy Kemer merchants from the shops open until late in the evening drink tea and slowly talk to the neighbors. In the restaurants at the berths for yachts are served baked with cheese shrimps, and in the tents of the sprawling among the pines "Park Nochevnikov" – Real Turkic lepts Gezlem with Ayran.

Large coastal complexes are filled with groups "Batch tourists", wearing disgust to disgust "Swedish table", And evenings crowding around pools. But in the vicinity of full of small hotels and guest houses, where you will be offered quite a decent shelter (from 20 to 60 dollars per room, including breakfast; approximately the same prices around the coast). However, even this is a blessed place (no wonder it was here in Doellinsky antiquity there was a religious center almost with all Malaya Asia, where, according to legend, there was a source of living water) – no more than shelter for one night, after all, ahead – Faselis, Olympus, Kash.

If you want to feel like a resident of ancient Mediterranean, come to Facelis under the evening. 15 km from Kemer you drive under the pine crowns of the reserve, and the road will end in an ancient aqueduct. Numerous excursions, sailing here on the boats, send the ravoisy hour in four. And in a small antique city on the peninsula, three bay comes silence. Pine needles falling on the amphitheater steps. Shine distant Top Takhtaly. And you can volatile in warm water a small bay, where in 330 g. to N. NS. Winter Fleet Alexander Macedon. Catch the last rays of the sun on a dry pine slope. And imagine that the sail on the horizon is a ship from Rhodes or Cyprus, driving wine in exchange for fragrant flower oil, which Facelis famous.

You can get to the neighboring Olympus in a narrow 15-kilometer serpentine, and then on the country road (recently improved: now instead of the bridge, here is a bridge, and you can drive not only on the jeep). The beauty of the gorge, challenged by local scouts and Western lovers of an extraordinary holiday – life in the huts on the trees, justifies shaking on Ughabam. Numerous, although preservedly destroyed monuments of the Lycian, Hellenistic and Byzantine periods are preserved in Olympus. In the Middle Ages here was asylum of formidable Cilician Pirates.

But the road is not waiting. After all, in a hundred kilometers to the West – the famous rocky burial demre, next to which, in the ancient world of Lycia (now Kale), preached by almost 17 centuries ago, was preached by one of the first in the history of humanists, and the most popular Saint Rus – Nicholas, which in Western Europe for a long time "Running" On the New Year’s Santa Claus and Canon Nikolai Mirlijsky. The church was preserved, where he was elected a bishop, and the Roman sarcophague, from which in 1087. The saint’s relics were stolen by the Italian merchants who made "trophy" Cathedral of his native city Bari. Part of the stolen returned and is located in the Archaeological Museum of Antalya. And the land plot on which the church of St. Nicholas, another 1750 g. was acquired by the Russian government, which was renovated by a monument and opened here an Orthodox monastery.

After the Demrement of the highway, it turns around the narrow seaside eaves, from time to time, opening small deserted bays and guaranteeing the thrill with fastest riding lovers. And a ten-meter-meter descent to porridge, with blue spins of the mountainous islands on the horizon, becomes the last chord of a long journey, after which it is so happy to rush into the cool clean water of the bay, go through steep, smelling spices to the streets and try only catchy fish in the restaurant. Kash – almost the only corner of the Turkish Mediterranean, where there was no organized Russian vacationer.

Causes – Distance from airports and lack of large hotels, and therefore group tourism. Even the most advanced local traders, having walked out Slavic speech, capable maximum for greeting in Polish. Kash – British Vary. Prices in pounds, the public is individualistically configured lovers of scuba diving and pickles to the islands from England, Canada, even Australia, less often – from Germany and Israel. And here is the most beautiful antiques. And the largest selection of masks, sucker and scuba. After all, nearby – the ancient city on the island of Kekova (can be saved on a rented boat), underwater caves and protected bays.

The tip of the Lycian Peninsula after porridge is literally stupid by archaeological monuments. However, the limited human ability to absorb impressions makes himself knowing. On the fourth day, there were no ancient tombs, no cruise ships and tourist crowds. And very by the way came to rest on the sandy fellows of Olyu-Deniz – "Dead Sea", What is here to be referred to as the scenic lagoon in 18 km from Fethiye. The natural beauty of this wonderful corner of the order is traveled by holidaymakers from among the local residents, abundance of motels and loud music. Therefore, the next morning we, without regret, continued the path to the north – in Marmaris, where the Mediterranean Sea meets with Aegean.

Bright sun, lamb waves, Tight wind three thousand years old, surrounded by the mountains of Marmaris’s bay gave the Fleets of the Phoenicians and Greeks, Romans and Crusaders, and in a relatively recent past – admired the famous Admiral Nelson. The road to the city descends on 40-kilometer piggy pines gorges. The neighborhood of Marmaris is one of the most beautiful southwest of Turkey. In the very city, almost no monuments of antiquity, but full of excellent restaurants, the old and new markets offer a lot of souvenirs, and from berths every day they sail to Rhodes familiar to Sochi and Novorossiysk "Comet".

45 minutes of the journey (a ticket costs about $ 35, the Greek authorities admire the day-haired excursions without visas), and you are immersed in the atmosphere of the medieval city of Crusaders filled with cheerful people and music, where you are particularly able to feel anything that is not comparable of the patience of the Mediterranean civilization Unity – from Odessa to Alexandria and Barcelona. Already for this it is worth going to Rhodes.

Having stepped onto the hard ground and being driving, keep the way along the narrow peninsula Radio, almost 100 km outstanding to the west of Marmaris. From the mountain road, entering between the wonderful beauty gorges, at the same time the Mediterranean and Aegean seas are visible. And the most involuntary lovers of antiquities can get to Cape with the ruins of an ancient book, the most, where the sculptor Prapkitel is praised incomparable Aphrodite. Earth incarnation of the Goddess of Love, the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra, also loved to relax in the arms of the kings nearby. For the convenience of Cleopatra, a small beach was specifically made from the sand brought from the Nile (preserved until now).

This part of the Aegean coast is strongly cut. The abundance of coves and islands creates ideal conditions for yachtsmen and lovers of increasingly popular 3-7-day cruises on small local schoones (cost from 80 to 200 dollars). For motorist, complex topography is extra dozens, if not hundreds, kilometers of the path between the seaside neighbors Marmaris, Bodrum and Kusadasi.

Bodrum (in the antiquity of Galicarnassos) became famous for the Grand Tomb, erected in the middle of the 4th century BC. NS. For the local king of Malsol, an unfulfilled widow artemisia. Mausoleum, as the ruler named, began to call the construction, was considered one of the seven wonders of the world. Today, there are few people who have survived all pompous tolls. The city itself turned into the largest youth part of the coast, where the discos will rattling, and the streets are filled with an excited cosmopolitan crowd.

In the afternoon, while the main local contingent is poured, it makes sense to visit the perfectly preserved Castle of the Crusader, built from the stones of the Mausoleum itself, – Museum of underwater archeology. And further north, to cities whose names are reminded of a school year of history: Milette, Ephesus, Pergamum.

Small Asia – the current Turkey – the land is historical. It is here Alexander Macedonian destroyed Gordiyev Knot, the legendary king of Midas with a touch of his hand turned any item in gold, the Trojans beat with the Greeks, the waves of conquerors and pilgrims were rolled here by millennia. And here, on the shores, there is no remarkable river Meander (Menderes) today, a whole bouquet of bright antique culture centers.

In a hundred kilometers north of Bodrum, after a huge lake Chamich, turning from the main highway towards the sea, in half an hour, you turn out to be in "Triangle" Ancient cities – Didima, Mileta and the prince, next to which one of the most beautiful sandy beaches of the Altikum in Turkey. To visit everywhere with a relatively tense schedule unreal. We make a choice in favor of the most famous – Mileta, and not mistaken. Among the cotton fields suddenly arises a massive acropolis on the deserted hill. In Roman times here was the second after Alexandria Center Asia. Today, at the dry steppe winds of the amphitheater, where 20 thousand spectators were once placed, and Caesar and Anthony were seen among the columns among the columns, lizards were heated. The statue of the river god Meander, as and two thousand years ago, meets the ancient baths who are overgrown with a barbed shrub, who once mentioned in honor of the wife of the emperor Mark Abrelia Faustina.

Unlike the deserted, and from this even more impressive millet lying on 100 km north of Ephesus has long become part of the tourism industry. Almost every day in the nearest port of Kusadasi mooring cruise liners, arguing thousands of tourists here. If you add hundreds of buses with tourists from all over the Aegean coast to them, it is easy to imagine a multilingual collision on the ancient stone streets of this city monument with a truly wonderful story. Conquerors of Cyrus and Cresis visited. In 356 BC. NS. The famous local temple of Artemis is one of the wonders of the world – burned in the hope of becoming a mad heostrate.

In Ephesus preached. Paul, and the city became one of the first centers of Christianity. It is not by chance that it was after the crucifixion of Christ brought Maria Sv. John, here he was a vision of the apocalypse, and here Maria lived the last years of life. Her house in the vicinity of the city has survived and serves as a place of pilgrimage for Catholics. Archaeologists roll over one hundred years and reconstruct Ephesus. Footprints of this reconstruction is not only a wonderful restored facade of the famous Library of the Roman Cleasant Governor, but, unfortunately, and concrete patches on columns, making local archaeological treasures a few buttiffs.

To visit one day in two ancient cities means lubricate your impressions of both. The exit – to spend the night to the ride to Ephesus at a pleasant resort Kusadas, where, fortunately, there are no historical monuments, and even better – in its surroundings. Here, in the motel on the sea shore, alone with waves, stars and wind (the rarity in this densely populated part of Turkey) can once again remember what you saw. And say goodbye to the Aegean Sea – on, to Antalya itself, the road goes on river valleys, through the steppes and mountains.

Two-hundred-meter modern route from Ephesus to nothing noticeable industrial Denizli became one of the busiest tourist routes of Turkey thanks to Pamukkale – a natural miracle in the vicinity of this dusty 300-thousand city. You can do all the way right away, but if you are not too hurrying, it is worth turning to the right 100 km euch of Ephesis after the town of Nazilly. Picturesque 40-kilometer road will lead to ancient Aphrodisias. In this city, antique stadium, impressive columns of the temple, Odeon are surprisingly preserved. The cult of the goddess of love did not disappear here and after the arrival of Christianity, and only in the Byzantine times the authorities managed to end the authorities with heresy, turning the pagan temples in the church and renaming the city of the city of Stavropol (Crossograd).

Pamukkale, translated from Turkish "Cotton Castle", rightly considered a natural monument of world importance. Here beating from the mountain Calcium hot springs covered the slopes with snow-white sparkling in the sun stalactites. Stray barefoots on these labyrinths who have fallen crowds of tourists (the entrance to the shoes is prohibited – Calcium slopes are black) pretty prevail to truly feel the beauty of this place. However, as in the case of Ephesus, it is also impossible not to visit here. In Pamukkale, it makes sense to spend the night – to Antalya the path is not. There are many small hotels with our own thermal pools, a good choice of restaurants.

And again on the road. 300 km through a deserted scorched steppe and mountains. The road, except for the plots due to the repair, is quite decent, in the entire cheap roadside restaurants in the foothills, trout and surprisingly delicious pellets are served. And at the end of the way – again pines, sun rays on the slopes, warm water of the Mediterranean Sea. Airport, too loud voices of tanned compatriots in the plane, Sheremetyevo and a small Moscow rain.