I do know that they are beautiful....
Wednesday, 3 April 2013
The Frescoes of Demre
I have no information to give you about these frescoes. Maybe they depict St Nicholas' life and the miracles he is said to have performed, but I don't know.
I do know that they are beautiful....
I do know that they are beautiful....
Santa Claus is Turkish?!!
From Cirali I caught a minibus along the coast to Demre - a dusty, uninspiring town.
I had a 3 hour wait there until another bus took me to a tiny coastal village called Ucagiz.
Close to the bus station was the Church of St Nicholas (the patron saint of Russia) and better known to the world at large as Santa Claus.
(Am I the only one who didn't know Santa was a Turk?)
I didn't really fancy it but with nothing else to do I decided to have a look.
Things got off to a bad start with a fairly cheesy statue of Father Christmas being hugged by a bunch of kids.
But, once inside the small, atmospheric church things quickly improved
This is the sarcophagus in which Saint Nicholas is said to have been lain to rest. It was broken into by Italian merchants in the 11th century and his bones were supposedly taken to Bari.
The main part of the church housing six unexplained columns and a simple altar was strangely affecting
In places, there were nice mosiacs on the floors
But, for me the best thing about the church was its many frescoes, which are the subject of the next post...
I had a 3 hour wait there until another bus took me to a tiny coastal village called Ucagiz.
Close to the bus station was the Church of St Nicholas (the patron saint of Russia) and better known to the world at large as Santa Claus.
(Am I the only one who didn't know Santa was a Turk?)
I didn't really fancy it but with nothing else to do I decided to have a look.
Things got off to a bad start with a fairly cheesy statue of Father Christmas being hugged by a bunch of kids.
 |
| "eski kaşar" (Turkish Cheese) |
But, once inside the small, atmospheric church things quickly improved
This is the sarcophagus in which Saint Nicholas is said to have been lain to rest. It was broken into by Italian merchants in the 11th century and his bones were supposedly taken to Bari.
The main part of the church housing six unexplained columns and a simple altar was strangely affecting
 |
| Columns...? |
 |
| Altar |
In places, there were nice mosiacs on the floors
But, for me the best thing about the church was its many frescoes, which are the subject of the next post...
A Fond Farewell
This morning I had my last breakfast in Sima with "Herman The German" and "The Drunk Master"...
After that I walked to the far north end of the beach and followed The Lycian Way path to the top of the headland.
It was a little misty today but this gave the views a luminous, magical quality.
Looking down into the neighbouring bay I saw these two beautiful, small islands looking like cat's eyes.
Tomorrow I will leave Cirali after a wonderful week and head west.
PS The last time I saw Voltar he was storming towards the bars of Cirali combining his eerily accurate impression of Donald Duck with a Teutonic rendition of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"!
Farewell, Sir!
 |
| "Herman The German" receives The Word of God |
After that I walked to the far north end of the beach and followed The Lycian Way path to the top of the headland.
It was a little misty today but this gave the views a luminous, magical quality.
 |
| Looking down on Cirali Beach |
Looking down into the neighbouring bay I saw these two beautiful, small islands looking like cat's eyes.
Tomorrow I will leave Cirali after a wonderful week and head west.
PS The last time I saw Voltar he was storming towards the bars of Cirali combining his eerily accurate impression of Donald Duck with a Teutonic rendition of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"!
Farewell, Sir!
Three Charming Ruins
1. Olympus
Olympus is just a short walk down the beach from my hotel.
It dates from the 2nd Century BC when its populace worshipped a Vulcan called Hephaestus!
I spent a whole day clambering around the site meeting nobody except four Kuwaitis who were walking this part of The Lycian Way.
We got on well after I initially ruffled some feathers by asking them if they were Israelis.
2. Phaselis
Phaselis is also just off a beach but I had to take a bus to reach it.
I misunderstood the bus driver's directions and climbed off the highway, surfed a small avalanche of stones down a steep rocky slope, then ended up crashing through dense, thorny undergrowth until I eventually reached the offramp road I should have been on all the time.
The upside to this unpleasant shortcut was that I avoided the ticket office and saw the site for free...
The highlight of Phaselis is a well-preserved theatre...
Strewn around the surrounding forests are pieces of masonry, parts of columns and such like...
3. Our Man in Lycia
Finally, due to popular demand...just a few of many sides of your author and guide...
Olympus is just a short walk down the beach from my hotel.
It dates from the 2nd Century BC when its populace worshipped a Vulcan called Hephaestus!
 |
 |
| Sarcophagus |
I spent a whole day clambering around the site meeting nobody except four Kuwaitis who were walking this part of The Lycian Way.
We got on well after I initially ruffled some feathers by asking them if they were Israelis.
 |
| Kuwaitis attempt stream crossing &"Abbey Road" homage |
2. Phaselis
Phaselis is also just off a beach but I had to take a bus to reach it.
I misunderstood the bus driver's directions and climbed off the highway, surfed a small avalanche of stones down a steep rocky slope, then ended up crashing through dense, thorny undergrowth until I eventually reached the offramp road I should have been on all the time.
The upside to this unpleasant shortcut was that I avoided the ticket office and saw the site for free...
 |
| Main Street |
 |
| Roman Bath House |
The highlight of Phaselis is a well-preserved theatre...
Strewn around the surrounding forests are pieces of masonry, parts of columns and such like...
3. Our Man in Lycia
Finally, due to popular demand...just a few of many sides of your author and guide...
 |
| Smooze... |
 |
| Puzzling... |
 |
| Always ready for anything... |
The Stairway To Hell
First, some Greek mythology for you...
The Chimaera was a fearsome, fire-breathing monster of Greek legends, made from a combination of three animals - lion, goat and snake.
She was the sister of Cerberus, the three headed guard dog of Hades, and the multi-headed Hydra which was famously killed by Hercules.
Interestingly, her father was Typhon, known as "the father of all monsters" - logically, this must mean that this bunch were her siblings, too!
The Chimera was eventually killed by the another Greek hero called Bellerophon riding Peagsus the famous flying horse...
So, why am I telling you all this (apart from any excuse to publish the Bellerophon photo)?
Cirali is said to be the birthplace of the legend of the Chimaera.
Nearby there's a hilltop, now called Mount Chimera, which is lit up by naturally occurring fires.
An unknown gas escapes from underground, and spontaneously combusts when it reaches the air.
Apparently, these flames aren't extinguished by strong rain, and if a vent becomes blocked the gas just finds a new route to the surface.
Currently, there are maybe a dozen flames on the hill - they are even visible from the sea.
The Mount Chimera has inevitably been called "Hell On Earth".
To get there I had a 30 minute torchlit climb up a white stone staircase.
Contrary to popular wisdom the way the Hell leads upwards not down.
Finally, off in the distance I see the fires...
And finally I arrive...
The Chimaera was a fearsome, fire-breathing monster of Greek legends, made from a combination of three animals - lion, goat and snake.
 |
| Chimera |
She was the sister of Cerberus, the three headed guard dog of Hades, and the multi-headed Hydra which was famously killed by Hercules.
 |
| Cerberus |
 |
| The Hydra |
Interestingly, her father was Typhon, known as "the father of all monsters" - logically, this must mean that this bunch were her siblings, too!
 |
| The Boss! |
 |
| Mothra & The Peanuts |
 |
| Gamera...Bless him! |
The Chimera was eventually killed by the another Greek hero called Bellerophon riding Peagsus the famous flying horse...
 |
| A photo of Bellerophon... |
So, why am I telling you all this (apart from any excuse to publish the Bellerophon photo)?
Cirali is said to be the birthplace of the legend of the Chimaera.
Nearby there's a hilltop, now called Mount Chimera, which is lit up by naturally occurring fires.
An unknown gas escapes from underground, and spontaneously combusts when it reaches the air.
Apparently, these flames aren't extinguished by strong rain, and if a vent becomes blocked the gas just finds a new route to the surface.
Currently, there are maybe a dozen flames on the hill - they are even visible from the sea.
The Mount Chimera has inevitably been called "Hell On Earth".
To get there I had a 30 minute torchlit climb up a white stone staircase.
Contrary to popular wisdom the way the Hell leads upwards not down.
 |
| Climbing the Stairway To Hell |
Finally, off in the distance I see the fires...
And finally I arrive...
 |
| The chimaera |
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