Is this heaven on earth Santorini

We arrive at our apartment, which is on the cliff looking over the Caldera in the town of Oia and it's so luxurious and we are so happy. We spend the next six days lying on deck chairs, walking down to the pool, reading, and the occasional Nanna nap. It's famous for its sunsets, and we see a few. We enjoy dinners out at few restaurants each night and the feeling is so relaxed. The staff at the Nostos apartments are so wonderful and make us feel so welcome. The yachts and big cruise ships sail by and we don't have a care in the world. It's been such a wonderful trip and it's been beyond my expectations. Mum, I would travel with you again in a heartbeat, and I know it was so special and I will cherish this forever. Booka, thanks for your incredible love and support, as it has been so wonderful to have this joy in our lives to share, and yes, you finally made it to Turkey! To my blog followers, I hope you have enjoyed the trip with me. I'm getting on the plane now. Goodbye for now. Love Robbie xx

Athenia

We arrive in Greece and we are staying at the Athens Gate hotel as recommended by DC. It's lovely and modern and the view from the rooftop terrace is out to the Acropolis. We have a Nanna nap as we are so stuffed. We call Mum and just catch her before she leaves on her long journey home. Tonight we head to Plaka and walk the streets and find a nice place to eat. In the morning we enjoy the rooftop view over a great breakfast and real cappuccinos. We decide to jump on the hop-on hop-off bus and see the sights. We climb up to see the Pantheon, Acropolis and many other ruins. It's so hot as we make our way around, and the view from the top is amazing. We shop in the afternoon, and also watch the changing of the guards at Parliament, which is amazing to see. Tonight we just eat and head home, as I think we are really keen to get to Santorini. This is my second time to Athens,  and I don't think I would come again. It will be interesting to see what happens after the elections as there are demonstrations and police around all the time.

Our last stop is Selcuk and we say farewell to Turkey

We travel 4 hours today to a place called Pamukkale. I have been looking forward to this as it's the town with the natural phenomena of the white travertines and the ancient city of Hierapolis. We head up the hill where we all have to remove our shoes and roll up our pants and you can't bear to take off your sunglasses. The water is so lovely and warm on your feet. The travertines are a little wrinkled as you walk. Ozan warns us not to stand on the brown parts as it's slippery. The thermal pools up the hill are quite healing and it's seems full of Russians. Oh my goodness some of these European women like a pose, and now they are in very skimpy bikinis posing for their lovers like kittens!! I didn't see the brown spot as I went near the ledge of one of these pools and my legs went completely from underneath me, and next minute I'm fully sitting in the pool, camera and all. Ozan very quickly comes to my rescue. I'm now not looking very glamorous with a wet crotch. We make our way to the top and I hear that Mum has face planted into the pool, camera and all. Her camera didn't have the case on it and it's not looking good. We put a bandaid on Mum's leg, as she has given it a decent knock. We see all the people swimming in the healing pool, and it has all these ruins in the water - a few columns here and there. It's very crowded but Keith and Trevor give it a go. We walk to see this huge theatre and they are doing work to restore it. We make our way down and then make our way to Selcuk by night. We eat out, and the town, which has a population of 29,000, has a nice feel. We are told that the markets are on in the morning - hello shopping. Mum, Booka and I go shopping, and Booka lasts about 10 minutes, so we agree to meet her later. Mum and I enjoy the sights and especially the fresh fruit and veggies, and we purchase fresh nuts and figs and bananas. All the cheeses are amazing. This town is where there is a belief that St John brought the Virgin Mary back to die. Booka, Kerry, Keith and Kellie and I go to visit to her house. Mum and I enjoy a vist to the Ephesus museum, and I must say I think I have had enough of the museums now. This afternoon was great, as we go to this local town called Sirince, and the group tries some local fruit wines (word was, they weren't nice at all). I buy some olive oil products and a guy tells me where to go to get a great Turkish coffee. We then drive down to Ephesus and this is another highlight. It's so huge and so much is preserved but some is just well done replicas. As Ozan is telling us all the history, someone spots a snake in the distant and my girl is on full alert. We visit at about 4pm as most of the crowds are gone and the light is hitting the top of the ruins. We go down to the old toilets and they have a row of these holes dug out in marble like a communal sit. Of course we all sit and Ozan snaps a shot of us straining!! They have the hugest theatre and the last person to play with amplifiers was Sting in the 90's. They don't allow it now, as they are trying to preserve it. Tub quotes some middle English classic and it's terrific. We walk another half hour past Ephesus. We eat at a local restaurant that makes Gozlemes and then we head home as we have to get up at 6.00 am as we fly back to Istanbul.  We check back into our hotel and I dump my huge bag of laundry to be done. Mum and Booka visit the Topkapi place and I decide to take a Nanna nap. Tonight is our farewell dinner and it was superb, as we catch a ferry to the Asian side of Turkey, and we go to this fabulous restaurant that serves Southern Turkish food, and we enjoy artichokes cooked in a light milk, and vines rolled in rice and cheese. The desserts were amazing - pumpkin, olives, figs and walnuts that are all caramelised with clotted cream. We end up back at the hotel and we say our goodbyes and our appreciation to Ozan who has been so fabulous - a beautiful, gentle soul who really looked after us and showed us the real Turkey. We have our last breakfast together and we go shopping at the Bazaar. We all eat together that night, which is a lovely way to end the trip. Booka and I depart early the next day as we are flying to Greece. We go and say goodbye to Mum, which feels so strange as she is going to back to Sydney tonight. We get a lift to the airport and I cry as I will miss Mum.

Hiking part of the Lycian way

We walk up through the old ghost village, and stone houses are everywhere. They built them so everyone could have a view, and we see goats and a donkey roaming wild when we hike and we all make it to the top. We then start our hike along part of the Lycian way and we are to walk 6 kms which takes us 2.5 hours. It's quite rough in parts and it's quite hot, but the views are spectacular. We get over this mountain like goats. I was really struggling towards the end. Ozan tells us to be very careful as the terrain is slippery. Helen goes down, and further down the track, Tub falls straight on his side, and then I slip on my shoulder, but we made it in the end with a few bumps and bruises. We see the magic view of the infamous Blue Lagoon. We walk on ahead and we get to the sea, and it's so blue, and I try and get in, but the waves crash on the shore before the drop of point. They have a lot of pebbles but I managed to get wet and cool down. We see so many skydivers overhead and they all land on the beach. We head back to our villa and I sleep for 2 hours while the others swim and lay around the pool. We all have dinner in the local village where a family makes us the best Gozleme - savoury and sweet. We walk home and purchase some gifts from some local artists. My legs are still throbbing from the hike, and I will sleep like a baby.

Aah, a dip in the Mediterrranean perhaps

Keith, one of the lovely guys on our trip, is a bit of a sports nut and an avid swimmer. I wanted to go for a dip in Mediterranean sea before breakfast, and I was feeling a little uneasy about going on my own. So I decide to call Keith from the front of the hotel up to his balcony. It was very funny as everyone could hear except Keith. Finally we head down a kazillion steps and you walk through the cafe which has steps directly down to the sea. The water was so deep and the most incredible deep turquoise blues. We jump in, and it literally took my breath away and I got panicked but could still swim towards Keith. Strangely he didn't seem to take to the idea of me insisting on him coming towards me to share the warm spot!! What a great way to start the day. The Hotel Linda has an automatic coffee machine and I work out if you put in a cappuccino and an expresso in the one cup, it is perfect. I really sound like a coffee addict!! Today is another casual day where we will spend the day cruising on a Gulet over the sunken city. We have this running joke about Ozan as he tells us quite a bit to clear our minds re the sunken city and not to think it's like Atlantis. We spend the day just cruising and they have these large yoga mats where you can lay on the top deck and rest. We pull into a few different swimming spots and we jump off the boat and swim in water that is so clear I can see the freckles on my toes. Mum is concerned about being on the boat all day as she suffers afterwards with the motion after the ship has docked. She looks like she is enjoying herself and that's what I love about Mum - she pushes through and gives it a go. We share many stories and a wonderful lunch on board, and yes, we did go near the sunken city. Tonight we enjoy a slow shopping time and I pick up some Turkish bath towels, and Booka bought me a lovely string and silver necklace. Kas has been so great and so easy - I could spend more time here. We will head to Kayakoy (population of 150 people) today, and Keith and I decide to take another dip in the sea before breaky and our short 3 hour public bus trip. This is a small village and intially a ghost village. As the result of the Greek Turkish War of Independence, the largest forced migration of about 2 million people followed. The Greek christians went back to Greece, and the Turkish muslims had to leave Greece. So people went back to countries where they didn't know the language and sometimes left great wealth to start again. The highlight of our stay is the place we are going to stay for 2 nights called "Villa Rhapsody" with our hosts Atilla and Sharn. This is an oasis in the middle of nowhere, and when we arrive, we are served up a a beautiful salad, sitting around the bar by the pool. Atilla announces that if we want to have dinner tonight, they will be preparing an African roast lamb dish with plums. Oh ok, let's stay for dinner. Mum and I catch the local bus that speeds by us to the local beach, and enjoy a Nescafé coffee and icecream while writing postcards. Mum has a realisation that somewhere along the way on the trip her Simone Perele bra and knickers have disappeared. We meet for dinner which is on a long table, beautifully set for the 13 of us, next to the pool. The food was magic and the lamb certainly didn't disappoint. Ozan has the guitar from the villa and he plays us some of his own music which was superb. He had written a song to his girlfriend who became his wife when he did his military service, and the other songs were so lovely, as we all listened by the candle light. The villa has all these lovely cats and dogs that were once strays and now they are a part of this wonderful family. The dog jumps up on the lounge where the cat is sitting and the two spar with each other. We all hit the sack, as tomorrow is our big hike!!

On the road again; to Antalya and Kas

We are "on the road again", and this is a song we grow fond of on the bus. We all have plenty of snacks that we share along the way. I must say I have taken a shine to some biscuits which are unfortunately called Negro. We are so lucky with our group as we all look out for each other, and they are so much fun and easy going. We take a public bus to Antayla which is about 6 hours, and the old tray on the bus will make its return. We are warned not to make too much noise as they don't like it. Well, that was until they showed the horror movie where a granny turns into a mad woman possessed, and bites the neck out of a man, and Deb and I scream our heads off. A Turkish lady gave me daggers. We arrive to the Aspen Hotel in Antayla, which is a lovely spot and it's a popular tourist spot with 1,000,000 residents and 8,000,000 visitors each year. Here I should mention about the Turkish bed linen set-up. It's like a sheet and then a cotton throw that doesn't fit over you and your lady friend. Kerry on the trip has nicknamed it the "sheetlet". We have our little tour of the town and it's a mix of old world charm nestled into a marina. We all meet up for a pre-dinner drink, and the weather has turned. We ate high on the cliff and they give you blankets to put over your shoulders. Melbourne could take note of these, but from what I hear, perhaps a doona would be better at the moment. They sell fresh mussels on the street and they drizzle fresh lemon over them while you stand there and eat them. We head off for dinner at a place that specialises in roast chicken. We have all these mezzes which are dips and by the time dinner comes, you are just about done!! They have 2 guys turning about 25 chickens over a pit by hand. The chicken is delicious. Oh, I tried to order turnip juice from the menu and they very abruptly told me "no", to everyone's relief. The next day we walk a few kms to Antayla Archaelogical museum which is meant to be the best in Turkey. When you see all the sights from where they were excavated from, it's amazing. They have the statues of Aphrodite, Zeus and a whole area of the sarcophagus tombs which are so ornate in their carvings. Melinda, I'm through first, and Mum and Tub come last, as they absorb the whole lot. We go by bus about half an hour from Antayla to the ancient Hellenistic city called Termessos and we have to hike up to the Plataeu which is 1,050 metres above sea level. Thank god I have done the pre-hike training by walking in France and Italy with Mum. It was turned into a National Park in the 1980's. Kaye in our group needs a new knee when she gets home but she heroically climbs to the top. The views are breath taking, and the ruins just lying around are amazing. When we get about three quarters of the way up, we come across the stunning theatre that is still in great shape. Tub, we are told, is a singer but we are yet to hear any tunes. Ozan is also a musician. Ozan and Tub head to the bottom and Ozan sings a Turkish song followed by Tub singing Danny Boy which makes me a bit teary as they were so beautiful. The hike to the top was wonderful. Booka and Kaye walk back together, and right before they make it to the bottom, Kaye tumbles. Ozan is great as he stops when we get back on the bus to get a can of cold coke and it's tied around her shoulder. A comfort stop wouldn't go astray. We stop and I try to make my way into the men's toilets which wasn't a good look. We have lunch where underneath they farm fresh trout, which is baked in the oven. Mum and I share stuffed mushrooms filled with cheese. A girl needs this after a hike. We then make our way to Kas, another 4.5 hours away, and we drive through heavy rain and the terrain is ever changing - we go from about 25, down to 13 degrees in a couple of hours. This town used to be filled with artists in the 1970's but it has gotten more touristy now and they have moved away. It has a population of 7,800. I'm looking forward to Kas as it's tucked away in a curved bay hugging the coast 500 metres high, and looking out over the Mediterranean. Ozan and his wife live here. Booka and I have had the best rooms and ours looks over the sea and we have this huge spray of Bougainvillea on our verandah. Ozan takes us on a tour to orient ourselves and he suggests we try the local ice cream, which is described as "burnt milk". I give it go, and let me tell you, it tastes of burnt toast in the morning. Tonight we are in for a treat as we sail on one of the boats, and we find ourselves in a little protected cove on the Mediterranean. We have two lovely guys looking after us, and Booka, who has taken it upon herself to be our drinks girl, as we get a separate tab. As we sail, Booka's hair is flying back like Barry Gibb. We have lovey fresh sea bream and the most incredible salads. He tells us to just the throw the fish bones overboard, and I do, and it completely misses and hits the deck. This night was so relaxing and we begin to unwind in the town that is so laidback as well.

Underground city here we come

This morning we had a knock at the door, and it was poor old Mum who managed to make it up the steps to tell us she isn't well and has come down with vomiting and gastro and won't be coming with us to the Underground city. I'm so glad that we are here for a few days as there is no way she could travel like this. We leave her with dry bread and a can of lemonade as she crawls back into bed. We travel on the mini bus and already, we have a good system of rotation on the bus. The city is amazing and we make our way down to the depths of this place. The Christians at the time lived down here to shelter from the weather and wild animals and a raid by the Arabs in the medieval raids. It has a little church and food preparation areas and a school. A few of us brave it to go down into the tunnels where you have to crawl to get through, and it's a bit claustrophobic at times. We see this valley and they look like a huge penis. Tub, one of the guys on the tour, is a walking encyclopedia and he nicknames it "the valley of the pricks". We also visit a place where hermits used to live in peaked cave dwellings, and this is a place where they didn't want to have contact with the outside world. Milroy, I spotted some black and white chickens and I'm sure they play for Collingwood. This afternoon we have free time. They have a great laundry service anywhere in Turkey - you just drop the bag off and it comes back in the afternoon. Tonight we head to this fantastic restaurant and we had to pre-order what meat we wanted. We enjoy a local dish called "testi kebab" - they are a slowed cooked casserole served in a sealed terracotta pot which is broken open upon serving. I of course had a go at breaking my own, and only a little piece ended up in my food. We had a private room and our host was a real character. Off to check on Mum, who is slightly better, as she has slept all day. We get up to leave Goreme and set off for our next stop which is Konya, a town of 1,000,000 people, so you can imagine it's a little overwhelming. We have to wear long pants and long tops as it's quite conservative here. We get taken to try a simple restaurant which only serves two things - a main and a dessert. We of course eat "tirit" which is a lamb served with small bread pieces underneath, yoghurt, melted butter and a tomato sauce. It's a real light weight meal!! Poor Mum is chomping on her roll with Vegemite that we made at breakfast. On the way, Ozan points out the Turkish Red Crescent and they are running a soup kitchen set-up. I don't want to upset anyone at work but I may shine with a few Red Cross shots!! Ozan tells me that the Red Cross has had the feeling of being a bit corrupted, which I was sad to hear, but he said it was at the time of the big earthquake and they seem a little better now. We head off to a museum, which has the tomb of the great Sufi poet Rumi, who was known as Mevlana and the founder of the Mevlevi dervish sect of Islam, known to us as the whirling dervish. It was really interesting. If you wanted to join them, you had to sit in the same position for 2 weeks and if they thought you could move on, they would accept you for the long training ahead. If you didn't make it, they turned your shoes away from you. A little devastating after 2 weeks!! The dervishes don't sleep - they have a rod that sits under the chin so you lean on it to rest. We go inside the mosque where the tombs are, and a lovely Turkish lady offers us all these mints that are chalky and taste of lemon. The Turks are so generous. We finish the night with our group and no Ozan, but he recommends a lovely home family cafe and Mum even has a little bite to eat. We are served a special family juice that is a deep red and she won't tell us the ingredients but they are all from her garden. The father plays the flute and he is very proud and we enjoy the music.