Happily my flight to Antalya landed on time this morning: 01.30, and 15 minutes later I had bought my visa, gone through passport control and then, since I didn’t check luggage, right through customs and out to find my waiting ride.
Breakfast as seen from above.
And then I went to bed, sleeping until my normal-ish time, waking up, and going downstairs and into the courtyard for breakfast.
One thing I really hate about this kind of breakfast situation is that people seem to want to talk to each other and I want to eat my breakfast, drink my tea, and otherwise be left alone. Which I successfully managed to do—I had an issue of the Economist and I hid in a corner eating my vitals and not participating in the general conversation.
After breakfast I gathered my things and made my way out into the city—first to find currency exchange and then to do something—ultimately caught the tram and headed out to the Antalya Archaeology Museum, which gets good reviews from the sources I consulted. It was excellent and I had a grand time looking at the exhibits—and it was perfect because the weather this morning was cloudy. Warm, but cloudy, which make for crappy photography outside.
Dancer
Tying his shoe
It seems sort of surreal, doesn't it?
Once I was done, I walked back to the city center, meandering in and out of the many parks, buying bottled water, and then finding a café overlooking the harbor. I had an amazing view of the cliffs (but not The Cliff) as I ate my lunch and started writing postcards.
Seriously, this is what I saw while eating lunch.
Lamb Sis. Excellent and cheap, even with the view.
I wish I had a better camera to capture moments like this.
I’ve had a lovely day, although I returned to my hotel at 5 in order to take a nap- I’m exhausted, and this is actually a good thing. See the complete set on Flickr: Antalya Day 1.
Tomorrow I’m going further afield.
gosh, i wished i wasn’t envious.
Looks like you’re off to a good start — enjoy the rest of the trip!
1) I am SOOO jealous…..what a beautiful place to be!
2) Chaz would love to check those statues out!
3) You ate your “vitals”? Sounds disturbing!
I’m fascinated by the food. Do you think this is a typical Turkish breakfast or do they cater more to what they think Germans/Europeans want? What is the darker stuff in the bowls next to the sliced meat, and in the white tureen with the lid? And don’t forget, it’s dangerous to strink to the border.
Anke – you should have come with me.
cliff – Thanks, I’ll do my best
mateo – It’s great. And you caught a typo of sorts. I meant “vittles”. Sorry….
Michele – This matches the breakfast at the Turkish hotel I stayed at for my friend’s wedding–and there they did not deal with non-Turks very often. I think we were the first Swedes/French/Americans to ever stay at the hotel. I’ve labeled everything on the Flickr photo page (just now)–but in answer to your question — the darker stuff is jam and the white tureen has yogurt. Turks love yogurt.
Have you seen any mulberries offered? I loved those in my cereal at the resort in Kumköy. Took me a while to find out what they are though.
I have not seen mulberries, but I have had a fruit that’s a lot like a plum, but not a plum, that I really like. It has multiple stones in it. The tour guide did not know its English name, but the plant is the Lotus plant?! I don’t know what it really is.
Great view for lunch. What do you mean “bought my visa”?
US citizens visiting Turkey are required to obtain a visa. In most cases this visa can be obtain at the border for either USD20 or EUR15. You hand over the money to a special visa desk, they put a sticker in your passport, and then you head to immigration/passport control and enter the country.