Alanya, Up to The Mountain

It is cloudy from the very morning, so I decided to set off for the excursion, because the weather is perfect for such ventures...

Well, I go up to the hill, where on the height of 250 metres one of the main city's attraction is located. It is the castle (The Citadel) which was built in the 13th century. One good piece of news for the residents and all tourists is that in August 2017 the cable car was opened, and it starts right from the beach Cleopatra. The round trip by cableway costs only 18 lira. At the same time the single trip costs 14 lira.

Surely, instead of using the cableway you also may come to the castle by bus, and it is definitely cheaper. Still, the journey by cable car is much more exciting!

On the top I found a small village with the salesmen, who offer their craft products. There are also some cafes to drink beverages at or to eat the traditional food. Undoubtedly, it is cheaper to take some sandwiches with you and enjoy the surroundings on your own.

While walking around the mountain you may meet numerous historic villas in Ottoman architecture, the mosque, as well as the graves and other remains from the past.

Actually, I have not visited the main part of the castle (to be precise, I have not entered so-called seaward castle), because it would take me another 15 lira. I have thought that I have already seen enough ruins for today. Nevertheless, climbing the hill itself is another opportunity to take the great pictures with the view of the Harbour and the Mediterranean sea.

The evening I spent walking down to the harbor. For this time I decided to reach the lighthouse and make some photos at night. The view of the hill with the wall from that point looks gorgeous!

There were so many flowers I discovered in the streets of blooming Alanya! Of course, I used the opportunity to shoot them and to place into my photo gallery.

Alanya, The Fruit Market

Another sunny morning in Alanya. After having breakfast I rushed to the beach. I should be there in the right time, before the sun starts to burn cruelly.

The sea is storming a little. And it is really funny to watch and experience its power.

It is Friday. So, there is the special bazaar organised in Alanya, where you may buy fruit and vegetables. Everything is fresh and for the reasonable price. It is operating till 6 pm, but at the end they more likely will give you some discount, if you start bargaining. 

At home I could enjoy the harvested crop. The bananas and grapes were the best.

There are so many shops, bars and restaurant in the Boulevard of Ataturk. I stayed for the night coffee at the Simit Saray. Americano with milk cost me only 6.75 liras. 

I continue my walking in the shining shopping streets.

Alanya, The First Day is Sunny

The morning is simply beautiful. It is sunny, and the sky is absolutely clear. Now I can explore this place, where I am going to live for ten days.

My hotel is called Kleopatra Togan Suit Hotel. It consists of many buildings, and I was among 'unlucky' people who were sent into the farthest and the worst place of the complex. I cannot say that I was shocked by the hotel, but I was close to this state. Nevertheless, it was to be expected to have such quality for these money.

Actually, I live in the area with the numerous blocks of flats and city hotels. Therefore, everything is within easy reach. You can find here the supermarkets, restaurants and karaoke bars at every corner. Moreover, the main shopping street Ataturk Boulevard is only 5 minutes away from this place.

Another privilege of my hotel is that it is located close to the Cleopatra beach. You would need about 10 minutes to reach the seashore on foot. By the way, it is believed that this beach is the best in the whole Turkey. The sand here is very special in structure, and you probably will not meet this kind of sand anywhere else.

The beach is 2 kilometres long, it is well groomed, and generally it has not deep entrance. In fact, it is divided into several parts that are shared between different hotels, so the guests may have a free lounger and umbrella if they come to the assigned beach. My sector is number 7, but I prefer another one with a gently sloping entrance and without any slippery blocks of stone.

All in all, I am very fond of the beach Cleopatra in Alanya, and this is the thing, which would make me come in Turkey again and again.

Another remarkable attraction in Alanya is the small but beautiful Damlatas cave, that is located at the beginning of the Cleopatra beach (west of mountain with Alanya castle). The cave is full of stalactites and stalagmites, which have been formed during fifteen thousand years. It is also believed that the cave is very helpful for people with asthma decease or other respiratory problems. The thing is that the air in the cave contains relatively high percentage of carbondioxide, and it has 95% humidity with the air temperature of 22–23 °C all year around.

In the evening I went for strolling along the Ataturk Boulevard. In 30 minutes or so I reached the harbour, where I was completely impressed by the shiny night city, especially by the illuminated wall on the top.

Alanya, Arrival

Turkey. Alanya. I have the direct flight from the heart of Siberia to the long-expected seashore. I am aware of the fact that it is considered a low season in Turkey. Nevertheless, there are so many Siberian people, including me, who wish to catch the warm days of the Mediterranean region.

Well, I should confess that eventually I became the victim of a package tourism and all-inclusive system. In the end, I bought the 10-days tour. In my defense, the price was very reasonable. Still, I do not expect to have the supreme service or the food 'a la carte', but I truly want to have a good weather and friendly people around me. I will see...

It is a 15D seat. I am lucky enough to have the seat near the emergency exit, so I have an extra space for my legs. Many thanks to a girl at the check-in desk!

The flight was late for 40 minutes due to the late arrival of the plane. Meanwhile, the pilot promised to deliver us to Antalya in 5 hours and 50 minutes. During this period we have had two meals: a complete dinner with chicken and one sandwich.

21:10 o'clock. It is the Antalya airport now. The time difference with Novosibirsk is minus 4. The temperature outside is 23 degrees. 

Actually, I have the bus transfer with my tour operator. The way from the airport to the hotel took about 2 hours

We had a stop near the supermarket. In the mean time, I am getting accustomed with the Turkish traditions. First of all, at shops they unlikely will show the price, or they may have the common cost for the similar type of drink or food, and this is obviously not a good price for the ordinary buyers. Secondly, Turkish salesmen can be extremely intrusive. And finally, they accept any kind of currency. Here, I have calculated the so-called "ice cream index". For one spoon of the traditional ice cream you would pay 2 dollars, 1.8 euro, 150 roubles or 7 Turkish lira.

It was a full night when I stepped in the hotel. Currently, I cannot understand what kind of the place I am going to stay in. However, my room is clean, and there are at least the towels and the toilet paper. I will study the place in details tomorrow...