Mark & Jen's 'Around the World' Travel & Photography Blog

There are so many ways to see a country — maybe wedged against a few locals on the not-so-express bus, maybe through the ruins of civilizations long since passed, maybe through the eyes of the cheery-eyed shopkeeper at the baklava shop (or the “Turkish Naturel Organic Viagra Market”), maybe through a barber that surprises you by using a flaming cotton ball to burn your ear and nose hairs off, or maybe, while trekking along the awesomely rugged Mediterranean coast. For the last week, we’ve experienced (mostly) the latter.

Descending into the pollution of the capital, Ankara, we were already hastening our plans to get out. (As it turns out, it probably wasn’t pollution after all — just a thick haze of Turkish cigarette smoke looming over the city.) Into the countryside we went.

Turkish “Naturel” Organic…. / Just another Byzantine church / Goreme, Cappadocia / Lycian Way, Mount Olympos in background

We have done some amazing trekking in Turkey so far. In Cappadocia, Spotty the Dog (included in the price of our pension ) guided us in and down and around valley after valley, through the eeriest sandstone formations we’ve seen. The cliffs contain thousands of Byzantine churches (4th-11th centuries AD) carved inside the rock, some with full-color paintings still visible. We explored deep inside the caves, with Spotty waiting patiently for us outside. How many times in my life can I say, “Ahh, look, it’s just another Byzantine Church.”?

In Olympos we picked up a few pieces of the Lycian Way. Prized as one of the ten best treks in the world by the Sunday Times, the Lycian Way meanders for 500 km up and down and around some stunning forested hills–all along the turquoise Mediterranean coast. Wildflowers were blooming everywhere–deep purple orchids, brilliant red poppies, fragrant French lavender, supple Lamb’s Ears, and dazzling white asters. The countless cyclamen that lined the track were just preparing to unfold. Below us, the deep blue of the sea sparkled. Combined with fantastic Turkish home cooking at our pension and a number of western travelers to chat to, we have enjoyed trekking along and then sitting back and chilling with a cold beer or a glass of Turkish wine. I heard a rumor that calamari is on the docket for dinner tonight….

Lycian Way / Lycian Way / “Just another Byzantine church” in Goreme, Cappadocia / Eternal flames at Chimera in Olympos