Day 8; Patara
Last night I ate well and as I had access to a washing machine I did a full wash; all very domesticated. There is no breakfast provided this morning so I go in search of food and it was an easy decision to stop at the first market I come to. The options are limited in villages and consist of dry goods such as rice and fresh tomatoes. Doritos and two snickers bars for breakfast and some biscuits for the journey.
An Australian on a scooter stops for a chat as I head out for the day and he comments that September is a good month to walk as it's nice and cool. It is 8:30am and I agree with him knowing that by 10:00am it will already be hot for me. The walk out of town reminds me that this is a holiday villa town.
As I ascend out of town I find the view I had been looking for yesterday; one that shows the extent of the greenhouse city with the Letoon and Xanthos historic sites sat in there somewhere. I have been skirting this greenhouse city for three days now though mostly from afar in the scrub on a hillside.
The guidebook had promised an easy walking day, but long. After 2 hours I am still waiting for the easy bit, and since when were long walks classed as easy.
Turkey is a big country and the landscape matches the country's scale. So much so that it is easy to put in a strong half day hike and feel like you've barely broken free of your previous night's stopover.
I am getting used to the dogs here, where they might appear from and the level at which to take my tone of voice to keep them at bay. They are unlikely to bite but a bit of proactive instruction will hush them. Picking up a stone and demonstrating a willingness to throw it is the usual deterrent taken by the locals. As much as I am trying to boss both the landscape and the dogs I think I'll always be somewhat cowered by them both. I had a tetnus injection after a dog bite last year so I feel reassured.
I am back on the aqueduct which is usually barely visible in the scrub.
And we are back to the coast. From here I take a big loop round to Patara then come back to approximately this spot.
The siphonic system is an extension of the aqueduct and allows water to flow uphill provided the pipes are airtight and the siphon effect can take place. If only they could devise something similar for walkers.
You can just about see the 'polo mint' blocks above and some have fallen to earth below. It appears they fit together like lego blocks.
Ahhh! Here's the easy bit, 500m of flat, clear, shaded path. Bliss.
The whole point of the walk is to visit the many tombs and some are simply hidden in the countryside.
And some are in town.
I mentioned the big loop I am taking. The pin on the right near where the noose closes marks the Dangerous rock path! which I am due to tackle after Patara.
I have just worked out that tomorrow is an 8 hour walk and I have various Patara sites to see. It will be a long day.
