Day 9; Kalkan

Wandering around the ancient cityscape of Patara I am reminded again that some of the fundamentals of life just don't change. Even as I type this message on my smartphone I am reminded of the messenger called pheidippides who ran 25 miles from Marathon to Athens to announce a key battle victory. Admittedly, after he shouted Victory (or Nike as it would have been back then) he collapsed and died unlike my smartphone. And why is today's marathon 26.2 miles? Well, that's a story for a different day as is the history of modern day Antalya and Muğla, or Lycia as it was known.

We are familiar with triumphal arches in Europe. Marble Arch, Arch de Triumphe, the Brandenburg Gate and here is an early version. 



The old lighthouse is being reconstructed and the real reconstruction is half way there.
More raft than boat.
There are two theatres here and they are situated next to each other.

After Patara it is an 8 hour walk to Kalkan my next stop. The route loosely hugs the coast and at one point I am tempted to take a shorter route inland but perserver with the prescribed plan. It is the building works along the coast that tempted me to cut it short as these photos are from the same spot. 
Anyway, I take the proper route and am rewarded with beautiful coastal views.
On the way to Kalkan I get some great views but if you recall from yesterday's post I loop back to an earlier point from yesterday. From here I can either take the stated dangerous rocky route which includes a rock climb or take an easier route. I am hot and tired and on this occasion I opt for ease and safety. Why am I saying this? I'll take easy and safe every day of the week.


Despite some good paths, the walk does take the predicted 8 hours and I arrive at 6pm with time to shower and recover. I pick out a restaurant nearby with good reviews but somehow fall into a different one which (someone politely informs me) is self-service and they do excellent stuffed aubergine; KUŞHANE TENCERE YEMEKLERİ is the place.




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