Kalkan to Kekova

Kalkan turned out to be a tourist paradise/nightmare, with dozens of cafes and restaurants importuning for business, and expensive mooring (70 Lira (£28) for the night, including water and electricity) though we did have a very nice meal on the roof terrace of Chapter One restaurant. We left next morning and motored down to Kas, which was much nicer. Although still a tourist centre it had the feel of a real village with people living their normal lives. Ismail, who owns Smiley's restaurant at the end of the quay, helped us in and even left us a loaf of bread in the morning.

We walked along to the ancient theatre, which looks out over the sea

where we met a herd of tortoises

We then went into town

where we bought some bowls and two cushions for the boat in a Kurdish shop. At the top of the hill was an impressive Lycian royal tomb

Next day all the flags were out and stands were set up on the quay just behind Mia Hara. It turned out that is was national Youth Day, with patgriotic speeches and young people parading with bands.

We left about 10 to motor (still no wind) to Kekova Roads. On the way we stopped off at Asar Buku, the site of ancient Aperlae,

part of which is now submerged

We went on to anchor in the big shallow enclosed bay of Ucagiz

which is a relatively unspoiled little village (no new building is allowed) with loads of tripper boats on a new big pontoon.

We walked around the village on Friday morning, bought two beautiful cushion covers and are still thinking about buying a rug.

There were beautiful flowers around the houses

and animals wandering in the streets.

Ucagiz is built on the site of what is believed to have been Teimiussa. Some walls remain and a large necropolis, with loads of tombs, including a house tomb (a replica of a house carved out of the rock)

and many others,

some with inscriptions.

We stayed two days in the bay, which is quite crowded but very quiet, swimming, cleaning and repairing.