Fortunately the fire teams and local people managed to put the fire out before too much damage was done but still approximately twenty thousand square meters of olive grove have suffered damage.

In the above picture you can see that the two fire engines have got up right close to the perimeter of the fire.

Below is a third engine providing safety to the nearby homes which have been endanged by the blaze.

With the help of the helicopter support, the flames are dowsed with sea water and rapidly brought under control. The fire was pretty much under control within an hour and a half, although quenching work continued for another couple of hours to ensure that it did not start up again.

Its very sad to see the land damaged by fire, below is a photo of the area before the devastaion. Notice how green and pleasant the land is. It is good that no-one was injured by the blaze, however, certainly there would have been loss of animal life. There are many wild tortoise in this region as well as rabbit and a type of fox. Some will no doubt have perished.

The result after the fire is clear - many of the olive trees will have been severly damaged. On a positive note though, the land will recover. It will take a few years but gradually the olive trees will send out new sprouts, fresh leaves will appear and the trees will even start to produce olives again.

Here is an interesting shot of the helicopter as it passed overhead. Notice that it seems to have a double set of rota blades. Looks like a new machine - so its good to see that there is investment in protecting the environment.

The carnival is a week-long event starting with a Beach BBQ at the Koca Calis Surf Cafe on Saturday 31st May. The Beach BBQ will consist of juicy steaks, chichen and kofte with some fantastic salads and fruit dishes.

The SurfCafe will be hosting this relaxing and fun night out on the beach. we’ll be provided with disco dancing mixed with the sounds of the waves gently lapping around the edges of the bay. I think it going to be a great night out!

The Surf Cafe which usually provides wind surf and kite surfing tuition is located on the northern edge of calis … but no need to worry about transport as SurfCafe will be providing a free shuttle bus service every 30 minutes between the Metal Bridge ( water taxi office ) and their establisment in Koca calis.
The shuttle service starts at 7.00pm.

The cost of the Beach BBQ meal is just 15 YTL and a proportion will be donated to the carnival charities. For tickets and information please ring: 0533 855 49 19

Happy partying!

The present location of Vals bar is very central, close to the new Fethiye Cultural Centre.

Vals Bar has become a refreshing focal point for many English residents as well as tourists where a cool beer, a pick-me-up cup of coffee or something a little stronger can be enjoyed while you catch up on whats going on.

As we can see from this photo that Val has a good range of spirits, wines and cocktails - something for every pallete

If you need a snack tor a meal to go along with your drink then Val can always get something brought over from one of the nearby cafes.

There is something else about Vals Bar thats very interesting and really useful - she runs a free lending library of over 2000 English language books. The extensive collection has been built up over the years by the generosity of visitors who have given books that they have finished reading so that others can benefit from them.

There is no charge to borrow the books, just remember to return them and when possible drop in some extra ones

The spirit of giving doesn’t end with lending out books, Val is also part of a group of individuals that donate to needy causes. There are several orphanages in Fethiye and they have been provided with needed exercise books, clothing and other materials that really help to make a difference to the childrens lives.

The old peoples home in Fethiye has also benefited from donations of wheelchairs,bedside furniture, carpetting and mosquito screening.

Another project that received valuable help was the Fethiye Freinds of Animals Centre that looks after stray dogs and cats. There is on-going support from English residents and tourist that want to do something positive for the local community.

If you want to help out - its simple, just buy something useful, and drop it in at Vals Bar. As the pile grows into a worthwhile donation - it is sent off to a local needy group who will benefit.

For more informatoin - just drop into Vals Bars and have a chat with her.

Turkey’s weather here in Fethiye is getting to be as changeable as the UK !

Welcome to sunny Fethiye in Turkey !
Take a look at this:

Looks like a river right?

and this:

Well this is no river !
This is how our road looked and if we follow it up to the ever so nice little natural water spout…

… as you can see it is slightly overflowing.

The water is supposed to come out of a channel under the arch, like you see in these photos that were taken before the rain.

In fact, usually the natural spring is a delightful area that is used by the families as a social chatting point, often one of the neighbours makes a pot of tea and they sit under the tree for the afternoon.

Incidentally, most of the locals fill up water bottles here for their drinking water. They all have piped tap water but they prefer the taste of this natural mountain water and they have been drinking it from this source for the past couple of hundred years.

But if you came here today and wanted to explore around the “cesme” you would have some difficulty climbing the stairs!

Going up to the next level didn’t get much easier:

Well at least summer is on the way so hopefully that was the last of the heavy rains - but who can tell the weather is getting so unpredictable.

I remember my first summer here in Fethiye some 9 years ago. The sky was blue and clear from the day I arrived in late May right through until October. I don’t think I saw any clouds at all the summer and I thought “WOW” maybe the clouds are kept out because we are surrounded by mountains. well things have changed !!

I guess that’s a strange title!

But I think its well deserved.
This is a specially designed house just waiting for the next earthquake to happen.

Look at these photos:

Do you notice anything missing ?

Look carefully and you will see that there are NO concrete columns AT ALL !!!

Incredible but true !
However the master genius who designed this house in a designated High Risk Earthquake zone ( Zone No. 1) has used plenty on concrete somewhere else.

Yes, he has used it for the base and for the floor between the lower and upper level flats. So that’s about ten tons of concrete carefully laid on top of these fragile Turkish “wafer-bricks” with no supporting columns.

So when the next earth-quake ( or even maybe a heavy lorry passes) the family that will be renting the downstairs flat will get very nicely quished flat in this “human sandwich” house.

Ne güzel !

Spring has sprung,
The grass has grun,
And I know where the birdie is!

The bird is on the wing,
But that’s absurd,
The wing is on the bird!

Well, I don’t know who wrote that but every spring it comes to mind !
What a sad person I must be !

Any way I have been out and about and took some great photos of Fethiye waking up to the spring rays of sunshine. The wild flowers are blooming and insects are humming.

The falcons or eagles are also “on the wing”. I managed to get a couple of pictures of them as the soared above my house.

I took the following shots on the road above the Fethiye quay. In fact you can see the boats in the background in one of the pictures.

On that road just opposite the Horizon Hotel, I scrambled up onto the forested area and took these pictures of wild flowers.

The first one is my favorite picture , the graceful lines of this slender plant are marvelous.

Notice the fallen pine cones - how splendid they look next to the blooming wild flowers!

And here is some moss covering that was so bright green and fresh, it looked good enough to eat !

Photographs of the lagoon of this astonishing crystal-clear lagoon and a beautifully photogenic grey-white beach adorn almost every Turkish travel brochure.

Olu Deniz is now in a conservation area and new development is strictly controlled. A small entry fee is charged to the lagoon beach itself, which is well suited for children and has shaded areas, pedaloes, cafés and showers.

On the other side of the sandbar, Belçekiz beach is a crescent-shaped stretch of pebbles and sand set in a backdrop of beautiful pine-clad mountains. The seafront has unrestricted free access with plenty of shops, bars and restaurants, many with roof-top terraces.

The resort of Oludeniz appeals to both the young crowd as well as retirees and families. There is a astonishing diversity of activities and interest to cater for all tastes.

Why is it called Olu deniz ?

Olu Deniz literally means “Sea of the Dead“, and it’s name is attributed to the following legend:
Once upon a time …a father and son were out on a fishing trip and got caught in a vicious storm. They were in mortal danger of sinking. The son claimed that if they approached the rocks ashore they could take shelter in a cove that he knew of. The father on the other hand asserted that their boat would be driven onto the rocks and get smashed by the breaking waves and that they would both die. The father was convinced that there were no coves around nearby. In his terror of running around on the rocks, the father knocked his son (who was at the helm) into the sea with an oar and took over the helm himself. Just as the ship was about to hit the rocks on the cape, she turned into this calm, smooth watered bay. The son drowned in the stormy waters and thus the cove was named Sea of the Dead – or Olu Deniz.

The Mediterranean resort of Oludeniz is situated just a few minutes drive from Fethiye and offers spectacular scenery in conjunction with an active night life making it a lively place to spend a holiday.

Perched on the mountain plateau overlooking Oludeniz, the resort town of Hisaronu is packed with bars, nightclubs, gift shops and restaurants. With their beautiful, rugged surrounds, both Oludeniz and Hisaronu are fast becoming realised for their potential as an outdoor activity destination: the beach at Oludeniz offers a huge variety of water sports, there is para gliding from Babadag Mountain onto the beach below, and a selection of boat trips depart regularly from Oludeniz or Fethiye for a day exploring the scenic coastline. The numerous paths that wind their way along the hillsides offer fantastic views and sights, including the fascinating Greek Ghost Village of Kayakoy, which was evacuated during the Turkish-Greek population exchange of 1922.

Shopping: Oludeniz has several souvenir shops sprinkled along the Belcekiz beach seafront, and many of the resort hotels and apartment complexes boast their own gift stores. For better value, however, catch a dolmus into nearby Hisaronu or even Fethiye, where it is possible to enjoy haggling for bargains. Good buys are leather goods, carpets, jewellery and fake designer sunglasses, watches and the like.

Restaurants: No-one need go hungry in Oludeniz, no matter what your taste in food, and if you do manage to exhaust the resort’s possibilities, there is always Hisaronu just a few kilometers away inland with a vast array of different nationality restaurants. Some recommendations are the White Dolphin, for sunset views and cheap, delicious fish dishes Buffalo’s Steak House, renowned for its T-bones; Blue Star Pride, offering good Turkish cuisine; and the Belcekiz Beach Club A la Carte for an exclusive Mediterranean night out.

Nightlife in Oludeniz is more low-key than in the nearby resorts, concentrated more on chilling out in beach side terraced bars than frenetic clubbing. Those looking to party the night away can take a short trip to Hisaronu or a little further to Fethiye and find plenty of action. Among the most popular seafront bars are Buzz Beach Bar, the Sugar Shack and Crusoe’s. Most of the local resort establishments offer live evening entertainment for guests as well.

Oludeniz with its stunning blue lagoon is renowned as the most beautiful beach in Turkey and therefore the water is the main attraction, particularly for para gliders who come from all over the world to glide over the turquoise waters from atop the Babadag Mountain. Most visitors are tempted to try out the sport with reliable local operators. Diving and snorkelling are other popular activities. If water sports and sunbathing is not for you, there are dozens of possibilities for excursions in the surrounding area, including a 12-island boat trip, visits to various interesting Greek and Roman archaeological sites, the famous ‘Butterfly Valley‘, the Secret City of Sakl?kent or the ghost town of Kayakoy. Another essential experience is to enjoy a Turkish Bath, available in many of the resort hotels.

If you belong to a club or have an interesting event or place that you would like to share with others, please contact me at this email address : Guide.Fethiye at gmail dot com. Or you can click on “register” and make your “post” directly on this webpage now

Please take a browse through our various pages and categories. These sections will be expanding over the next few weeks as visitors add their posts and comments.

Getting there:
From Fethiye, there are two routes to get to Kaya Village – or Kayaköy. If you have your own transport or have hired a car , jeep or motorcycle then the easiest and most pleasant route is to go from the back of Fethiye town centre and take the road up past the famous rock tomb of King Amyntas.

The road is sign-posted with the brown “historical interest” sign-post to Karmylassos. This is the old Greek name for Kayakoy. Driving on the one-way street from the center towards the fire-station, you will see the sign post on your right hand side.

Then follow the road up past a tomb in the middle of the road and keep going straight up the hill and follow the zigzag climb up and then down to find the kaya village valley.

The alternative route is to get on a dolmus at the central (big white) mosque. Ask for kayakoy dolmus and it will take you there via the Ovacik - Hisaronu route.

Why its there:
The ancient settlement of the Lycians was called Karmylassos ( or Karmillassos or Carmylessus) . Pretty much all of the building work from that very early period, with the exception of the old tombs, were destroyed over the years by earthquakes, erosion and newer settlers using them as building material.

Kayakoy (Greek: Levissi ) was built on the site of the ancient city of Carmylessus (Karmylassos) in the 1700s. It experienced a surprising renewal after nearby Fethiye which at that time was known by the name of Makri or Meğri, was devastated by an earthquake in 1856.

Again in 1885 Maki (Fethiye) was hit by a furious fire that damaged most of the buildings and there fore again many moved to Levissi. Most of the present stone buildings appear to date back to around the time of these disturbances i.e. 1860-1890. Certainly small church is dated at 1888.

Outside the larger church there is a sign that states it is a seventeenth century church. It may have been built that early but it is more likely to be later than that. Definitely the courtyard was not completed until 1910 as there is a date written in the pebbles.

What’s there:
Among the some 3000 buildings have been found 5 doctors, 3 pharmacies, 1 school, 2 big churches and more than 10 small monastries. The stone houses, churches and chapels, schools and work shops we find are a typical example of Mediterranean architecture. These old villages were often built on top of the slopes in such a way that sun light was not deprived from the neighbours and the narrow roads all connecting with one another.

In fact at Kaya Village we have a magnificent open air architectural museum of earlier times.

Why its empty:
In January 1923, there was a population exchange agreement between the Turkish and Greek governments. The intention of the agreement was to try and avoid future cival disturbances. The agreement led to the Greek people living in Turkey being sent to Greece and the Turkish people in Greece being transported to Turkey. The Turks that arrived from the Western Thrace part of Greece preferred to settle nearer the land that they farmed and as there were fewer of them, this was allowed.

The great earthquake of 1957 which destroyed much of Fethiye also damaged some of the old Greek houses in the village of Kaya koy, however as they are built on solid rock, the damage was very minimal. In fact many of the old chimney stacks are still present and even the roof rafter settings are visable. It seems that the timber roofs were all removed or rotted.

You can enjoy a afternoon ramble among the paths that wind around the old buildings. Some of the old Greek stone houses have been carefully restored to provide very atmospheric and interesting holiday homes. In fact some of the stone houses in kayaköy are available for renovation and would make for an unusual but interesting place to live.

As you tour through the ruins of Karmillassos or Levissii, now known as kayakoy, notice that some of the walls still have the remains of brightly painted rendering on the outside of the houses. You will see bright reds, pastel blues and greens as well as yellow.

You will also see the mosaic floors that were meticulously laid by the craftsmen of Kaya Village – especially in the top Church Yard.

Now just for a moment, imagine how colourful and charming his little community must have been : it’s narrow streets filled with activity and the laughter of children coming back from school. Or at harvest time when all laboured together in the fields and in the evenings came back to these homes and shared meals of fish and wine !

After an afternoon of adventure among the ruins you can relax at one of the many small typical Turkish cafes where your are assured of a warm welcome. Sit and enjoy one of the many varieties of Gözleme (traditional Turkish pancakes) on offer with a refreshing Ayran (cool natural yogurt drink) or a hot Elma Çay (apple tea). On the other hand – its also a fine opportunity to enjoy the refreshing and restorative powers of a glass of Effes:)

Lycia is the historical name of the Tekke Peninsula, which juts into the Mediterranean on Turkey’s southern coast. The mountains rise steeply from the forested shoreline and tiny bays, giving stunningly beautiful views.

The walking route passes many antique sites where once a bustling village or small town existed. Many of theses old stone buildings were in fact built by Greek residents who lived in the south west of Turkey up until 1922 when there was a forced population exchange between Greece and Turkey.
The Trekking Route.

The Lycian way is a 509 km route-marked footpath around the coast of Lycia in south western Turkey. It runs from Fethiye to Antalia. The route has been graded as medium to hard due to the fact that the route often decends down to one of the delightful bays and then rises again to head inland. The easiest region is the one that starts near Fethiye. The route gradually gets more difficult as it progresses towards Antalia.

As you ascend out of Fethiye, by diverting slightly by a few hundred meters, you are rewarded by spectacular views of the gulf of Fethiye and the islands and bays.

The best season for trekking is either in spring or autumn; February-May or September-November.
Although the Lycian Way can be walked in summer, plenty of water and sun hats are needed as the temperatures can exceed 40 C in the shade !

The route mainly follows footpaths and goat or mule trails and the rocky limestone makes the ground pretty hard so good walking shoes or boots are recommended.

Many parts of the Lycian Way pass close enough to towns or villages that have available accommodation, these are: Patara, Kalkan, Kas, Myra, Finike, Adrasan, Olympos, Cirali and Tekirova.
Some nights you may be able to stay in a village house, or camp out.
There are plenty of camping places dotted all along the route - most with drinking water. These are not “campsites” as such but just suitable areas where you can pitch a tent without needing any permission.

The forest are littered with hundreds of Lycian sites of temples.
Here is the base of one such ruin.

Some of the highlights of the Lycian Way are:
• Spectacular walks on the slopes of Baba Dagi, beneath the flight path of the paragliders.
• Stunning descent to Faralya, above the cliffs of Butterfly Valley.
• The 12km long beach at Patara.
• Incredible views over the coast from above Kas and Kalkan.
• The castle, harbour and sunken ruins at Ucagiz.
• The church of the Angel Gabriel in the hills above Myra.
• A breath-taking ridge top walk to Finike.
• Staying at the lighthouse at Cape Gelidonia.
• Climbing the flaming Mount Olympos - 2388m.
• Splashing in the canyon at Goynuk.
• And the ruins of hidden Lycian cities.
• The friendliness of the villagers and the quaint tumble-down houses in deserted corners.
• The deep wooded valleys contrasting with the white rocks, and the blue Mediterranean sea