Today we came to Dalyan. It was a long and hot taxi ride, with few points of interest other than some marbles quarries. There was, occasionally, fine landscape, and at the point at which you break through the hills to the coastal plain there was a stopping point by the road which was also a convenient location for rubbish tips. So there were a dozen or so people hanging over the steel railing, rows of parked car, an enterprising juice and cigarette stall, and three immense metal skips overflowing with rubbish and stinking in the Aegean sun. The view was certainly impressive, several hundred metres below a flat plain and vivid sea beyond.
The final bit to Dalyan was a little more interesting. First, there were the curious Aegean chimney pots, crowned by tiles stacked against each other like houses of cards. Second, there was the small road to Dalyan, through lush fields along a still brown river which reminded me of being back in SE Asia. Finally we got to Dalyan to our hotel, which is one of those quite generic aparthotel types, but run by a small quite lovely family and comfortable as though designed by real human beings.
Dalyan is quite the tourist spot – especially for British tourists, so we shall see how it is.
After unpacking we went for a walk along the river with restaurants and bars (mostly closed) on one side and tall cliffs on the other. Certainly a beautiful spot. If you go one way along the river you reach the sea. If you go the other way, you reach a lake.
Just as we got to the actual town (our place is a little way out), the river turned a bend and the rock tombs cut into the cliff, faced like monumental temples, appeared. While around this area were Irish pubs and restaurants promising a full English, at this bend was a public park with a sculpture of a sea turtle laying eggs, and a tea garden. Presumably from the age when it was considered right that the most beautiful spots should remain public.