It’s our last day of vacation and we’re both sad to leave this beautiful country and ready to be home with clean clothes. We’re just not looking forward to readjusting to eastern time. We had the morning until 12 to do our own thing. We slept with the air conditioner on all night, but in the morning we opened the French doors to our balcony and it was lovely outside. The hotel is charming, but also a little tired. Mom spoke to a man who was staying there for 5 weeks and said it was quite inexpensive…25 euro.

After breakfast, we decided to put on our bathing suits for a quick dip in the Mediterranean. The four of us walked to our little private cove, and we had the place all to ourselves. It was lovely. The water was nice, but was either cold or warm in spots. We wondered if there were underground springs. Mom took photos while Cathy, Brian and I went in. Not being a huge swimmer, Mom opted to stay dry.

Afterwards we showered, finished packing, weighed our bags and found we should be fine for international travel, but will see if we have any difficulties flying to Istanbul. Once at the airport, we did have to pay for one bag (42 lira…not too bad).

After we checked out, we sat in the courtyard for about 15 minutes before it started to rain. Our first downpour during the whole trip. Not bad eh? There was a night or two when it rained, but we’d already gone to bed.

We hit the road again for Fetihye to see the Lycian rock tombs, drop Cathy and Brian off at their hotel, eat lunch, and then be dropped off at the airport.

The cliffside tombs were so cool. Mom and I decided not to climb up. We were clean, cool and didn’t feel like getting sweaty walking up the 223 steps, knowing we had a plane to catch that evening.

The tradition of burying the dead in a house-type tomb started in Anatolia during 3 thousand B.C. and continued until the end of the Roman Empire. Tombs shaped like cubes and rooms, sarcophagi, tumulus, mausoleums and rock tombs are the best samples to the different cultures in Anatolia. The rock tombs are special features in the Anatolian tradition of burials. Rock tombs from various Anatolian civilizations existing in 1.000 B.C. are in abundance. The ancient Lycians liked to live with their dead nearby and bury them high on the rock (limestone) as a place of honor. They were family tombs and the largest in Turkey.

Next we said goodbye to Cathy and Brian…mom hopes to visit them during the winter when they are down in Clearwater for three months. They were wonderful to travel with. We had lunch with the rest of our new Canadian friends and headed to the Daloman airport. Sezgin came into the airport with us to ensure we got off smoothly. We head to Istanbul tonight, and fly home tomorrow morning.

Bye Turkey!!!!!