Since I keep getting asked, the suit bag and my bloody hiking boots are in a hotel in Istanbul. So nice to be without them. Today I went to a place called Saklikent Gorge. It is an 18k long gorge that has a river at the bottom that varies in depth. I walked up for about an hour and a half, but was beaten back because I had my backpack with two cameras in it. I was treading water with my pack in one hand when it occured to me that no matter how hard I tried, I wouldn't be able to scale the four foot waterfall with A) one hand B) nothing to stand on. Retreat was inevitable. Oh well.
A few things that I have learned in Turkey. There is no such thing as an Express Bus. No matter where you go, the bus will stop for anyone who needs a ride on the side of the road if there is room in the bus. ANYONE. The guide book says the bus ride is 30mins, that would be if they DIDN'T STOP. An hour and a half. Grr. Another observation. The Turkish people are very aggressive and nice. In Pammukale, a tout wanted me to stay at his Pensyion (hotel) sight unseen. I told him that I would look at the place, but would see others as well. He asked for his pamphlet back. I handed it to him, he told me I didn't deserve it. I told him that was probably true, asked him which bus was to Pammukale, and he told me. HUH?? So strange.
Tomorrow I am starting my advanced open water SCUBA certificaion. Deep dive, navigator are required, then I am going to do multilevel, search and recover and night diving. Two, maybe three days, then trudge my way up the coast.
That is just about it from here. The weather is hot, Uma Therman is in town, I told her to stop following me, and hopefully France will lose tonight. This is not a shot Edward, it's just, well, they are like being the Yankees.