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Thursday, May 16, 2013

1 Day trip to Antalya, Turkey

This is going to be my last post of this month and i'm off to holiday again....WOO HOO!!!! sayonara adios Dresden. Anyway Antalya, It's really a nice place to visit, the place looks more organize, cleaner and everything is alot more nicer compare to Manavgat, well it should it's the largest city on the Turkish Mediterranean coast or the more glamours name the Turkish Riviera.

Like most tourist who stay at the neighbouring town (at least that's what i think because of the insane numbers of hotels outside of Antalya), we travel to Antalya by bus for a 1 day trip. We took this "express" looking bus from Manavgat to Antalya. One can take this bus from the Otogar (main station). Don't have to worry about where to buy the tickets because you buy them on board.
By the way, this bus also stop half way to Aspendose, but only by the highway side. So you would still have to walk all they way in


it cost 10TL/ pax for 1 way, and it's a 2 hours ride. It's comfy but it can get really crowded. Some people need to stand all the way to Antalya. To make sure you have a seat board the bus on the main station.



@ the Antalya Otogar's Tourist Information



Antalya otogar


from here we took the tram to the old town, if i remember correctly the tram stop is called, Ismetpasa.
i couldn't remember how much was the tram cost. I got to say that their Tram card system SUCKS big time. once you've purchase the ticket you are required to wait behind for 1-2 minutes for the machines to recognize your card. Talk about dumb system. If this happens in Japan i bet the suicide rate will tripled


Antalya's old town



No thanks to our lousy hotel who serve lousy food.
This is what they should serve in the hotel and not German food. Guys,stick to what u know best


found this great restaurant in Antalya, serve really good kebab...mmm cost about 9TL for 1 kebab platter


after our satisfying lunch, Start with the Kaleici Trail



start from the clock tower of Ottoman era





and behind the clock tower is the 18th century Tekeli Mehmet Pasa Mosque


going down


alot of small shops around the are selling the usual stuff



next the symbol of Antalya, Fluted Minaret


and this odd looking tree


moving on...



more shops


and more shops





yacht harbour, here you can have boat ride to see the Duden Fall
because it was kind of low season, the boat ride price drop from 30TL that was what they offer the 1st time to 5TL.... lol sorry we are just not interested


because we can already see this small waterfall...so...


zoom in



Boon @ yacht harbour


panorama view




light house





it's really beautiful here


no wonder it's called the turquoise coast







lovely



this shot here does reminds me of Nice



going up hill


thank god there was a juice bar....i was thirsty


pure pomegranate juice.....hmmm....no it's damn sour ><


view from the top overlooking the yacht harbor. A really nice spot to chill with a drink and just enjoy the amazing view


Mermerli beach





next stop is the Hidirlik Tower, a 2nd century fortification in the Karaalioglu Park



me enjoying the sun @ Hidirlik Tower


panoramaview




next is the Broken Minaret, it was originally built as a Roman temple in the 2nd century AD and in the 7th century it was converted to Byzantine church  of the Virgin Mary. Then it was destroy and repaired again, then turn to Mosque and the Minaret was added. then mosque turn to church....and i'm confuse now


at the end the mosque was destroyed in a fire in 1846 and what was left is the minaret


moving along the narrow walk way


and this place reminds me of Venice, minus the sinking building




more small shops


Hamam, the Turkish bath. It's basically a steam room where u butt naked or a towel on you and some Turkish guy will come and give u a bubble bath and some massage. Make sure it's not crowded. You don't want people to be staring you when you get your junk rub 



moving on


the Hadrian's Gate



it was built in the year 130 in the honor of the Roman emperor Hadrian, who then visited Antalya


and that's the end of the Kaleici trail







to the Cumhuriyet Square


the Ataturk monument @ Cumhuriyet Square


view from the Square



us @ the square


once last kebab before headed back to Manavgat


did i mention the stupid tram system? look at those people waiting


we were not sure when was the last bus back to Manavgat so we leave about about 4pm something. It was also another pack bus back. Thanks god we have a seat. by the time we reach Manavgat's otogar it was about 6:30pm and it was already dark..We had no idea how to get back to our hotel since it's late then bus driver was kind enough to drop us at the highway near our hotel, and we walked 1KM back to our hotel form the highway in the dark and in time for our dinner @ the hotel.

Turkish are really friendly, nice and honest people in my opinion. So far the Turkish that I've met are really sincere. I don't think i will be back to Antalya anytime soon but i would like to visit Turkey again in the future.. Maybe Istanbul?

~ hoscakal ~



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