The next time you are travleing between Koycegiz and Fethiye (whenever that may be) then a visit to the Saklikent Gorge is a must.
Our beloved Fez bus arrived and the first order of business was lunch, HOORAY! I ordered the fish and was presented with a fish deep fried and whole - skin, bones, head, eyes and all. I think he was even smiliing at me. I proved my aisan family proud as I quickly and expertly sliced my fish in half and pulled out the vertebrae and bones in one seift movement. Apparently my skills were so impressive that I then had to do the same for everyone else who ordered the fish.
Following lunch we "rafted" and explored the gorge. Our rafting adventure involved an inner tube and a double ended paddle. A combination which is dangerous or non-practical when you're petite. The problem is you're arms barely extend over the tube, the paddle tips barely reach the water, and you therefore only spin in circles. Thus I gave up the paddle effort and stuck with the free float getting stuck in tree limbs and sandbars along the way. Our float ended at a mud flat where the Von Trapp siblings (refer to entry 'Family Ties') began a HUGE mud fight in which no one was immune to our massive mud balls, not even those in white shorts (sorry J). After an immense rinse off (mud in places not even fathomable) we began our hike through the gorge.
The Saklikent Gorge is a national park and for the low and well worthy price of 3 YTL you can explore this beauty. The gorge walls are so high and can become so narrow that there are spots which the sun never penetrates! Being the monkez that I am, I loved climbing all over the rocks and up the small waterfalls. Poor Amanda (due to her jelly shoes, true 80's style) it wasn't long before she slipped off the rocks and into the toe-numbing waters. Being the fun loving self that she is, she turned it into an adventure and while the rest of us cautiously climbed down the rocks and avoided the water pools, Mandy slid down the waterfalls and rock slides. The only bruiser (literally) was when her sliding adventure was halted by her backside abruptly colliding with a large, hard rock! OUCH!
Bruised tail bone and all, we enjoyed our adventures within The Gorge!
