OVICIK TO FARALYA - 15 km
This may have been our prettiest day for hiking. The Lycian trail begins at 300 meters and we quickly began a zigzag uphill climb with stunning views of the Ölüdeniz lagoon out to the Mediterranean. We saw some paragliders landing on the beach after gliding down from Baba Dagi - a mountain that we passed later in the day. At 950 meters we reached the top of this bit of trail to find some unfinished villas and a small village. We filled our water bottles from the cistern which has natural spring water flowing down from the mountain - seems so strange to be able to drink the natural water - I guess we're too accustomed to 'civilisation' and bottled water. Here we met 2 German girls hiking with full packs for camping - we talked for awhile and walked together for a bit - we met them on and off for the next 3 days as we overlapped each other along the trail. We walked along the shoulder of the impressive snow capped Baba Dagi (Father Mountain) and found out later from others that the other side of the mountain still had 2 meters of snow down the slope.
Along the way, we passed through a small village where some women were selling Turkish pancakes - Gözleme - along the side of the path, so we stopped, ordered one, and watched them prepare it. The dough is already made, one lady rolled it out paper thin, then filled it with a blend of green herbs and veggies and folded it in half. Another lady oiled it and placed it on a rounded dome oven for cooking. She oiled the other side and flipped it a couple of times and then we had crispy flat treat - kind of like a thin quesadilla. While the women were working, 2 small girls were playing, and then the older - no more than 5 or 6 - was put in charge of the baby (who looked to be no more than a month or 2 old). She hefted the baby up, (wobbly head and all) walked it around until it fell asleep and then put it down on a blanket. She obviously had had some practice, but it sure looked like she might drop the baby at any time!
More walking, some downs and ups, until we arrived at Faralya and the Montenegro Hotel. This hotel has separate wooden cabins each with a small bathroom/shower and a great, separate common eating/dining area. Most of the dining area is outside as during the high season, it would be pleasant to be on the terrace overlooking the sea, but now it's inside dining for us. It gets COLD at night here and in the dining room they lit a fire, and while it was great ambiance, unless you were directly in front of it, it gave little heat. We snuggled under lots of blankets as the cabin was cold, and boy was it hard to leave the warm covers in the morning. There was a group of 12 Germans staying there - some walking, some biking, some running (yes, running up and down mountains!). Every single person we met along the trail or staying at a hotel was German!! (Except for Brea who you will meet later on.)
Along the way, we passed through a small village where some women were selling Turkish pancakes - Gözleme - along the side of the path, so we stopped, ordered one, and watched them prepare it. The dough is already made, one lady rolled it out paper thin, then filled it with a blend of green herbs and veggies and folded it in half. Another lady oiled it and placed it on a rounded dome oven for cooking. She oiled the other side and flipped it a couple of times and then we had crispy flat treat - kind of like a thin quesadilla. While the women were working, 2 small girls were playing, and then the older - no more than 5 or 6 - was put in charge of the baby (who looked to be no more than a month or 2 old). She hefted the baby up, (wobbly head and all) walked it around until it fell asleep and then put it down on a blanket. She obviously had had some practice, but it sure looked like she might drop the baby at any time!
More walking, some downs and ups, until we arrived at Faralya and the Montenegro Hotel. This hotel has separate wooden cabins each with a small bathroom/shower and a great, separate common eating/dining area. Most of the dining area is outside as during the high season, it would be pleasant to be on the terrace overlooking the sea, but now it's inside dining for us. It gets COLD at night here and in the dining room they lit a fire, and while it was great ambiance, unless you were directly in front of it, it gave little heat. We snuggled under lots of blankets as the cabin was cold, and boy was it hard to leave the warm covers in the morning. There was a group of 12 Germans staying there - some walking, some biking, some running (yes, running up and down mountains!). Every single person we met along the trail or staying at a hotel was German!! (Except for Brea who you will meet later on.)
