August 8, 2023
Side
We didn't rush off this morning because we only had a short distance to cover. So we lingered over the breakfast included in our hotel bill. Turkish breakfasts have lots of variety with mostly fresh fruits along with cheeses, olives, tomatoes, cucumber, chillies and bread. With no internet available in our room we also used the opportunity to catch up on emails, Facebook etc and doing enough research on our forthcoming climb up to Konya to frighten the hell out of us.
We hit the road some time after nine thirty and endured ten kilometers of the D400 until we turned off at Gündoğdu. The road was much quieter for a few kilometers until we entered the sprawl of all inclusive holiday resorts and hotels that stretched all along the coast. After mostly flat riding over the previous days the latter part of today's route provided a few short undulations that helped our legs understand what lies in store for them in the days ahead.
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While there are some new and opulent hotels in Side, compared to those closer to Antalya most seem slightly older with some looking a bit tired (as do many of the guests). Our hotel for the next two nights seems to be the most tired of the lot, slotted between far more upmarket establishments and just a hundred meters from the beach. However the cost of accommodation there is only a fraction of that of its neighbours.
One of the reasons for us visiting Side was to give ourselves the opportunity to dip our toes into the Mediterranean. So this afternoon we enjoyed a relaxing swim. The water was warm and calm, a bit like that off the Mozambique coast but without the jellyfish.
Later we cycled off to take in some of the ancient city. There are ruins everywhere, mostly in rather poor repair but the sheer amount visible in amongst the existing buildings in the old town are amazing.
Today's ride: 32 km (20 miles)
Total: 134 km (83 miles)
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