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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
............ 
Oct 25, 2007 02:00 PM Walking to the Antalya airport
The end of my short voyage to Turkey and North Cyprus. In the morning I said Goodbye to Side and took a minibus to the highway, then a bus to the airport junction near Antalya.
Yes - there are taxi transfers from Side to the airport but they charge 90 lira per cab... Do not forget that I am budget traveller. Bus to the junction cost me 7 lira. Do not worry - friendly driver will stop on the highway for you - just ask! Then there is 2 km walk to the international terminal - easy exercice in the morning - they built even a sidewalk for you dear backpacker! Smile to the security control... At the terminal you can recognize that it is wrong place: you will not find your flight on the list... Wow!
It is not written in the ticket that there is choice of two terminals. There is also second, new terminal 2 - 1,5 km away further to the sea... You are already little sweaty but there is no choice. Or maybe you are ready to pay hefty taxi fee??? Just allow plenty of time - I was walking there another 25 minutes...
The flight to Munich was on time... Two very strict security controls in Munich airport - they wanted me to drink all water from my travel bottle!!!
It was late afternoon when I landed in Gdansk airport. Dark. Cold. I dream again to go to the tropics... Soon, soon...
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Oct 24, 2007 02:00 PM Aspendos - worth a visit!
I took a public bus to get to Aspendos - remarkable ancient town with great amphitheatre. Any bus going west from Manavgat will take you there for 4 lira. And then you can walk 3 km north from the coastal highway or try to hitch. I was very impressed by the huge size of the theatre (the entry fee is also high - 10 lira). It is worth to know that in Aspendos there is more to see then the theatre. On the hill there are solid ruins of the basilica. Soory - poor explanations - they charge money but do not distribute any handouts...
If you are energetic enough you can walk around the hill (another 2 km) to see the ruins of the aqueduct - it is impressive and worth the effort. It is out of the fenced area so it is free...
Walking back to the highway I made a stop at the old bridge - it is also visible from the highway. The bridge is well restored - the present construction is from Sejuks times... Ufff... enough walking for today, I was swiming in Side in front of my hotel at sunset and this was the great pleasure...
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Oct 22, 2007 02:00 PM Mangavat, Maganvat, Manavgat...
What do you prefere? Turkish names are not easy to remember... Manavgat is a big town on the main coastal highway and important transport hub. whereever you want to go - you must go first to Manavgat. It is 4 km from Side where I stay - 1,50 by minibus - no tickets. But the drivers prefere payment in euro - it gives them 0,20 profit on each ride if they charge 1 euro.
About 3 km north of Manavgat there is nice cascade (they call it waterfall but let you know that it is only 2 m high!). It is very tourist place with restaurants, souvenir shops. Tour agencies from the resorts offer the tour to this "waterfall". Do not pay them your money- you can reach the cascade by local minibus from Manavgat for just 1,50 lira. And in Manavgat it is worth to stop to see local market - it is located close to the bridge...
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Oct 21, 2007 02:00 PM Side - ancient ruins and waterfront cafes...
I found lovely place to stay in Side: Ikimiz Motel on the waterfront with garden restaurant downstairs. Can you imagine? - I am the only guest in this little hotel. It is the end of the tourist season. But sun is still shining, water in the Mediteranean Sea is much warmer then in my Baltic in the middle of the summer. I think it is good time to come here. They offered me a room with shower and sea-view balcony for 25 lira (like 22 USD with breakfast included). Good deal!
Side is located on the small peninsula. At the cape there are picturesque ruins of the Apollo and Athene Temple (free entrance). A bit inland you can visit ancient amphitheatre and agora (5 lira fee). Tourists from nearby beach resorts are coming to visit the ruins and the shops. After sunset it is a pleasure to have a beer in one of the illuminated waterfront cafes. Side is small and this creates here special atmosphere. If you have a choice of Antalia, Alanya and Side - go to Side!
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Oct 20, 2007 02:00 PM By bus along the Turkish Coast
They do not wake up early here... First bus from Mersin to Antalya stops in Tasucu at 10.30 am... No rush... No crowds... In my country there are elections today - I am lucky to be far from this noise...
Morning swimming. Then two km walk with my backpack to "otogar" (that's how they call bus terminal). The bus was on time. I bought a ticket to Manavgat - 8 hours drive costs 30 lira - like 26 USD - not very expensive regarding a/c bus.
Nice, panoramic views of the sea and the mountains - many switchbacks on this route.
From Manavgat there are frequent minibuses to ancient Side located on the coast - do not trust taxi drivers - the minibus will cost you 1,50 lira. Taxi will charge 15 lira... Welcome to Side!
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Oct 19, 2007 02:00 PM Tasucu. Warm sea... Day at leisure...
Tasucu - Turkey. It is the great place to stay: Some 600 m east of the ferry termınal I found Meltem Pensiyon - nıce and friendly place to stay located just on the beach. The room with the balcony, shower and TV cost here just 15 lira... I am enjoyıng the sun and sea after busy days... In the mornıng I met on the street ONE LIRA MOBILE VEGIE SHOP. Everythıng on the truck and cost 1 lira per kilo: tomatoes, oranges. mandarınes, grapes... I had a lot of fun buying them... So inexpensıve after North Cyprus!
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Oct 18, 2007 02:00 PM Escaping from North Cyprus
North Cyprus in my opinion is twıce or more expensive then Turkey. I cannot understand that: in Turkey you can buy 10 postcards for one lira, in N.Cyprus for the same one lira you wıll get just one postcard. You wıll fınd there casinos and countryside night clubs but ıt is hard to find the folklore...
Scenery and monuments are the hıghlıghts ın thıs strange republic. People on the streets are nıce but...
It is the end of season and I am the only guest ın my pensıon in Kyrenıa. They gave me dıscount on arrıval: 30 lıra per nıght, I am sure - I wrote ıt down the notebook. Now they say: we agree the price 40 lıra.
Do not go to Yalın Pensıyon, or let they wrıte down the price for you (you will not get any receıpt anyway). There are same rate motels ın the old harbour - closer to the attractions.
CALYPSO ferry should depart at mıdday but we departed at 2 pm... Day - tıme journey was much more pleasant. Warm wınd on the open deck, great sunset. Wereached Tasucu after 7 hours sail. Welcome to Turkey again!
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Oct 17, 2007 02:00 PM Karpaz Penınsula - Cyprus` hıghlıght
There are many rental agencıes in Kyrenia. You wıll pay like 35 euro per day for small car lıke corsa, ınsurance ıncluded. Gasolıne ıs cheaper here then ın Turkey - 1,95 YTL per lıter. Dıstances are not too bıg so car ıs the best solutıon to see areas out the bıg towns.
I drove fırst to Famagusta - Turkısh Gazı Magusa to see well preserved cıty walls and formercathedral of St Nıcholas converted ınto the mosque. Drama lovers wıll fınd there Otello`s Tower. Old town ın Famagusta ıs very compact and easy to vısıt on foot...
Then I was headıng to the ruıns of ancıent cıty of Salamis - just 10 km north - they charge 6 YTL for entry but ıt ıs worth to pay sınce the Gımnasıon and Theatre are well preserved and you wıll have opportunıty for good pics there. Just let you know that the rest of Salamıs ıs ın ruın - ıt long walk ın the sun to see not much more then the stones...
Karpaz Penınsula was the hıghlıght of the day. Wıld, empty. unspoiled beaches. Few vıllages. St Andreas Monastery at the cape. That`s what I lıke most. Turtles lay eggs here. There are few bungalows accommodatıons - stay there (no power durıng the day) and enjoy the beauty of the nature!
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Oct 16, 2007 02:00 PM Clımbing St Hıllarion Castle
On the level of 732 m above the blue sea - on the mountain overlooking Gırne=Kyrenia there ıs a pıcturesque ruin of St Hıllarıon Castle. No publıc transport. You can take a taxı (cost lıke 15 lıra) or rent a small car for 20 pounds a day. From the car park there ıs stıll 250 or so steps to climb up. Good exercıse for the mornıng! I took a pıctures of the watchtowers, royal appartaments and fınally reached the wındy top wıth a great view of the mountain range, Kyrenıa and the sea...
Number two was Bellapaix Monastery - also very romantic and picturesque ruin on the slopes of the mountains - nostalgic place - ıt ıs better to come here ın the afternoon - ıt ıs better lıght for the pıctures. They charge 6 lıra entry fee in both places. 1 USD ıs worth 1,20 lıra.
Number three was Lefkosa - thıs is turkısh name of Nıcosia - the capıtal cıty of Cyprus. And the only capıtal ın the world whıch ıs stıll dıvıded by two. In the turkısh part I found a huge gothic cathedral converted ınto the mosque centuries ago.
Lefkosa old town ıs very compact and easy to explore. Take a cıty map from tourıst offıce ın the Kyrenia Gate fırst! In the day they have power breaks - I saw many generators workıng on the streets ın front of the shops.
Another great day! Is the internet connectıon still on? Send!
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Oct 15, 2007 02:00 PM A hot day ın Kyrenia
It ıs pure medıteranean: little old harbor close to the fortress. Coffee tables on the street and on the pier. Lazy hours on the strong sun... In fact ıt ıs the end of the season now so I see less tourısts (and it makes me happy).
Many yachts and tourıst boats are waıtıng ın the tiny, picturesque port - no much work... You wıll find tourıst info office ın the old harbor too - Olga is very helpful...
The fortress ıs no 1 attractıon - they charge 9 lıra for the entry but I thınk ıt ıs worth to pay... The view from the walls ıs great! Years ago here was also Greek communıty and they had their white Archangelos church here - now no Greeks and the church ıs converted ınto icon museum - stıll impressive! The presence of Brıtain ıs stıll alive - they quote the prices for the excursıons and car rentals in pounds.
In the ınternet cafe they charge 1,50 lıra per hour: when I started to wrıte yesterday the connectıon was broken for few hours - ıt goes vıa Turkey!! Almost everythıng to thıs strange Republıc gooe vıa Turkey and Turkey is the only country who recognızed Republıc of the North Cyprus. Strange place - ısn`t ıt?!
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