ARTEMIS
Day 13 – Selcuk to Serenci (Nov 23)
We departed the hotel to see the Basilica of St. John just a block away from the hotel and do some provisioning before heading up into the hills to get to our cabin in Serenci about 10km away
We shopped at several markets to get what we needed and I found the site of the Temple of Artemis on the way to the car, and just down from the basilica.
The basilica and the fortress above were terrific and the views of the valley below were not what we expected them to be. As we came down from the Basilica to fetch some provisions, we came across t he very small, albeit a UNESCO site!, temple to Artemis. The roses blooming around it were really nice.
Before leaving to go to Serenci, we wanted to find and visit a train locomotive museum we’d seen marked on a billboard by the road just outside of Selcuk. It took a bit to find it but once we did, it was a fun stop. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g293976-d600483-Reviews-Camlik_Locomotive_Museum-Selcuk_Izmir_Province_Turkish_Aegean_Coast.html
We headed out of Selcuk and followed the signs to Serenci. It was a long 8km climb on many switchbacks in the road, with very little room to navigate an opposing vehicle going in the other direction. When we got to Serenci, it too was all too many tiny roads, with some difficulty managing a vehicle, tractors with carts included, going the other way. We’re hoping when we drive away to other sites that there’s another road to follow.
We called the hotel – to come down and fetch us. We followed Mustafa back to the hotel. What a fabulous place! Our cabin was spacious with a great fireplace, and table outside under the pine trees. It’s so wonderfully quiet. http://www.booking.com/hotel/tr/kayserkaya-cottages.en-gb.html?aid=311984;label=kayserkaya-cottages-OQakFNpfhZnQmyDRperHTAS32434200193%3Apl%3Ata%3Ap1%3Ap2%3Aac%3Aap1t1%3Aneg%3Afi%3Atikwd-28634229123%3Alp1012783%3Ali%3Adec%3Adm;sid=26f9b921e6e4193b9563124f69c88195;dcid=1;ucfs=1;room1=A,A;srfid=2777ffaf3413a716b70bbe0b384e2576e6cd3866X1;highlight_room=
What was really nice?????!!! There was a washing machine and we did a full wash. I had enough clean things except for my zip pants that had only been worn one day to get everything else washed up. It’s a comfort to know you’ve got a few clean things for the next couple of days!!
We enjoyed the setting, had a fire with some cocktails, wandered down to the lodge for dinner and are now back enjoying another fire before heading off to sleep. Really nice, relaxing day and a great spot to spend the next few days in. We really like this cabin!!!
Tomorrow may be a long day as we try to get to the mineral baths at Pamukkale as well as the town in Aphrodisias. Have to see if we can do both in one day.
BASILICA OF ST JOHN
TRAIN MUSEUM
CABIN
