Myra Add. Pics

Myra

The first Lycian site we visited was Myra (very close to Demre). Surrounded by greenhouses (it's a very big production area for tomatoes), the place is very famous for its graves.

During the Lycian times, very rich people had their front door house sculpted as their grave. It's very impressive and beautiful. In this part of Turkey, you will see hundred of graves like these ones in the middle of the nature.

The site has also a very nice amphitheater that was used for theater representation (not for gladiators fights).

The amphitheater

The family with, in the back, the graves and the amphitheater

the graves

View of the graves

The Lycians

The following posts will be about the Lycians. It's a very old civilization that lived between Fethiye and Antalya. There are a lot of amazing archological sites to discover (Myra, Olympos, Patara, Kekova) that we will present you in a near future...
In order for you to enjoy the visit better, take the time to read the text below (very interesting, I promise).

Lycian Tombs near Kekova

Arena, Amphitheatre

View of Patara

Writing of the Lycians

Hey kids, we've been where Santa Claus was born

Maelle & Paul were so impressed to discover where Santa lived when he was young and before he moved to the North Pole... Especially when we know that Christmas is not celebrated here !!!

Saint Nicholas spent a lot of time in Turkey especially in Demre, where, supposely, he's buried.

It's a very old church that reminds us a lot the one where we got married.

It was also quite a strange feeling for us. The "first church" we have seen here is an antic one.

Labor Day week end

We spent a 3 days week-end on the North West side of Antalya, along the Coast. It was wonderful, the sceneries were so different that we thought we were in an another country...
The sea is beautiful, very clear and with an amazing range of color, from blue to green.
We met turtles, goats, horses, donkeys, cows...
By the look of the vegetation (short trees), we can guess that the summer will be hot...

Ready for the Desert

Termessos

About one and a half hour away from Antalya, up un the hills, there are ruins from an ancient city (about 300 BC). The people living there were calling themselves Solymes. We read that it was one of the ancient city best conserved in Turkey.
We went there around Easter time (quite a while ago already) with our french friends. We were amazed by all we saw.

Above, one of the hundreds of sarcophages (tumbs) you can see up the hills.














To reach the city walls, you have to climb for a little bit which sometimes scares the tourists away.














These are ruins from the "roman gymnasium". Most of the walls are still standing up even after so long. But trees and other plants are growing all over.

Another sarcophage, and a great view....

The theater, on the top of the mountain (1220m) could welcome around 4000 people.
From there, you have an amazing view from the all valley under.