Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => Travel / Places to Visit => Topic started by: ranunculus on June 04, 2009, 11:22:21 AM
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A series of images from our recent trip to Olu Deniz on the Turquoise Coast in Western Turkey. Ostensibly a beach and pool holiday with our two year old grandson Ollie and his proud parents I managed to incorporate a couple of flower spotting opportunities into the midst of all the splashing and sunbathing.
We joined a bone-shaking safari-truck full of paragliders to the summit of Babadag and watched as they bravely launched themselves into the abyss, then we spent an hour taking in the magnificent scenery and wonderful array of plants at the top before descending (at breakneck speed) through forests full of enticing but unidentifiable (at that speed) plants that now demand a more leisurely return visit at the earliest opportunity.
I managed a couple of early morning strolls out of the town and was amazed at the potential for further floral exploration in this beautiful area.
The sun shone brightly all week and daytime temperatures reached 80 degrees F.
This was our first visit to Turkey and any unspoken doubts were quashed within minutes, the streets were spotless, the locals were unbelievably friendly, the countryside was simply stunning and the hotel and dining were certainly up to the standard of any comparable Mediterranean tourist resort.
I will begin with some images for Maggi, Lesley and the Pudsey Piglets ... just a sample of the desserts that we had to endure during our seven days ... life is tough for some of us.
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Just a couple more on the culinary front and the we can explore the area ...
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Glad you posted this so near my lunchtime, Cliff; it means I don't have to wait too long before I can assuage the cravings!!
Little Ollie certainly looked to be having a grand time too, which was the object of the exercise, of course.
Just as well he's a bit young as yet to read the labels on the herb stand ::)
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Cliff
glad you enjoyed Turkey it is a wonderful country with delightful people. You were perhaps a little late for Baba Dag. Next time can I suggest an early ride up,taking lunch a lot of water and a leisurly walk down. Most of it is as you say through forest and reasonably cool.
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Cliff, charming photos but I get hungry.
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Thanks folks ... I have many hundreds of images that could appear here, but I am unable to label any of them. I didn't have time to identify any of the plants and all the locations are within fifteen miles of our resort; Olu Deniz. Many of the images may be of introduced species (I will include plants growing in gardens, roadside verges, scrub, parks, etc.) and I make no apologies for including some common plants (figs, passiflora, etc.) and cultivated species. I am one of those photographers who cannot resist any suitable image and you may have to accept the wheat along with the chaff I'm afraid. I will try to identify any special locations ... hope you enjoy?
They will probably appear in chronological order, but time will tell ....
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Butterfly Valley visited on a boat tour that called at six beaches, bays and/or islands
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Last batch for this evening ...
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Cliff,
Fantastic series of photos. Some beauties in there, even if a few I have no recognition of. A1, A4 and A10 stand out to me, plus the wonderful Dracunculus, and the orange "climber" whose name escapes me right now (Tecomaria or something?).
So.... anyone know what A1 and A10 are? The first reminds me of a 3 dimensional representation of a fractal, but those spikes look nasty! :o And A10 has the cutest hair style! ;)
Thanks for the wonderful pics, Cliff. 8)
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Many thanks Paul. The allium has been occupying much of my research of late, there will be some nicer photos of it later in the series, but I have yet to label it to my satisfaction ... any offers please?
Hundreds more images to follow - the next batch starts here ...
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Next batch ...
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Next batch from Western Turkey ...
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Final batch for this evening ...
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Wonderful pictures once again Cliff !
You're giving me the "holliday feeling"...
I can think of one or two places you've pictured where I could spend a few idle hours... 8) 8)
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Many thanks once again, Luc ...
Next couple of batches from Olu Deniz. We visit the top of Baba Dag during this visit ...
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Cracking pics Cliff, puddings and plants, what more can you ask for!
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Many thanks my friend ... a few more from the summit.
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Re pic A83, previous page: I had no idea there were lemmings in Turkey , especially not such brightly coloured lemmings.... :-X
nor, re A93, did I realise there were furry white cabbages up in the mountains ;)
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Fantastic as always, Cliff. The view from the summit is breathtaking.
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Fantastic as always, Cliff. The view from the summit is breathtaking.
Yes, thank you for the show!
I'm especially interested in the plants shown on pics A 84 to A 88 - a Legousia ?
and in the pink daisy from A 89 - is there a name for it?
Gerd
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VERY interesting series Cliff! Lots of sweets (not for me :'( ), breathtaking landscapes and lots of (many unknown) plants.
Really something to start with on an grey, wet, early morning like here :D
Looking out for more to come.
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Hundreds more to come, Luit. Many thanks for the kind comments everyone.
My apologies, Gerd, but my only reference book for the area is the Blamey/Grey-Wilson tome; 'Wildflowers of the Mediterranean', which isn't a lot of help with either of your queries.
Assistance for Gerd and yours truly please folks?
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Two more batches from the summit of Baba Dag ... plants follow soon.
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Final batch today ...
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Two more batches from the summit of Baba Dag ... plants follow soon.
Cliff, what could be a better combination than sea, mountains and sun? All your photos show a Turkey I knew nothing about - it's beautiful and I just love the shots in this batch and the next that show timeless images of driftwood and 'Bonsai' trees together with sprinkles of tiny wild plants and staggering views. Thanks for all your postings :)
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Many thanks, Robin ... back to Baba Dag ... I forget where I'm up to sometimes? ;D
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Next batch from Baba Dag summit ... and from A135 back down in the resort town of Olu Deniz.
Many hundreds of shots still to process ... we could still be visiting this glorious part of Western Turkey at Christmas (quite appropriate perhaps)?
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We keep enjoying them Cliff !! ;)
By the way - at what altitude is Baba dag summit plse ?
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I forget where I'm up to sometimes? ;D
Ooh, I see ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Or are we supposed to lie down, when looking at your pictures
A135 ??? ???
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Cliff, that does not mean that I don't like your pictures ;)
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Many thanks, Luc and Luit ... Baba Dag is at an elevation of 1,969 metres (6,460 FT). (It looks a little taller if you lie on your back, Luit). ;D
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Actually Luit ... A135 WAS taken in the portrait mode and was intended to be upright.
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Something for the puzzle thread then Cliff. Which picture is the right one?
It looks a little taller if you lie on your back, Luit
In my case that would just look 5 FT higher ;D
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Actually Luit ... A135 WAS taken in the portrait mode and was intended to be upright.
This shot might explain the viewpoint, Luit? :D
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That is very FRIENDLY Sir!
Today I learned that I must learn a lot more about how plants are growing :-[ :-[
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The next few batches of images were all taken in the deserted 'ghost town' of Kayakoy - an amazing and hauntingly beautiful place to visit. Some of the images feature plants and insects spotted in the isolated village.
Kayakoy deserted village
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Thanks for all the wonderful touring, Cliff.
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Haunting photos, Cliff, a sad story of displacement and desertion in what sounds as if it was a perfect city to live from everyone's point of view ;)
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After a lengthy delay some more images from Kayakoy in western Turkey ... my apologies but I can't firmly identify many of the plants ...
KAYAKOY, WESTERN TURKEY
pix 7 and 8 Onopordum boissieri
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More from Kayakoy ...
Western Turkey
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The "ghost town" photos are terribly poignant, aren't they?
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It was a sad, beautiful and atmospheric place ... I will post the final twenty images from the 'ghost village' before moving on to happier locations in Olu Deniz.
KAYAKOY - FINAL IMAGES
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Final images from Kayakoy ...
KAYAKOY GHOST VILLAGE
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The "ghost town" photos are terribly poignant, aren't they?
Looks as if Clint Eastwood or Lee Van Cleef could appear at any moment from between the ruins... ;D ;)
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The next few batches of images were all taken in the deserted 'ghost town' of Kayakoy - an amazing and hauntingly beautiful place to visit.....
When I saw "ghost town" I was expecting some images of Rochdale but this one is very pretty ;D
Great pictures as usual Cliff.
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Only just found this series of photos. Brilliant!
Image 20, on previous page 9 Reply #39 on: August 31, 2009, 09:19:05 PM...... is Asteriscus a plant quite often in garden centres, in May and June, in recent years
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Wonderful great pictures as usual Cliff. Thank you.
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Many thanks folks ... back to the coast at Olu Deniz now ...
OLU DENIZ - THE COAST
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That's a great hot air balloon ;D
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That's a great hot air balloon ;D
All the way from Shanghai, Mark! :D
Final batch for this evening ...
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Cliff, this left village of Kayakoy is definitely interesting but also a place to feel
very lonely. Good that there are some flowers here and there to cheer up!
Your pictures are great as always.
Picture 18b might be Ononis ?natrix
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great stuff, cliff--looks like a wonderful holiday, and some great plants! a couple of lovely white plants in the first couple of pages, and lots of little bright things, too..
no wonder the alpine nursery lists are so full of turkish plants!
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Cliff, it's wonderful to revisit this thread in which you have capture the timelessness and beuaty of this wonderful region in Turkey. It's a country I would love to visit one day as your photos are truly enticing and inspirational 8)
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Many thanks ... so glad you are enjoying the images ...
A few more from the resort of Olu Deniz.
OLU DENIZ
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Stunning pink Nerium oleander bushes, which I remember so fondly from my time in Libya, where they are very widely grown. Whole plant is horribly poisonous, of course, but then it is easy to leave it be!! It is so pretty with its spiralling buds and scented flowers.... I just love it. 8)