Kusadasi: Bird Island
Trip Start
Sep 29, 2008
1
4
14
Trip End
Oct 12, 2008
Kusadasi, Turkish Aegean Coast, Turkey
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Having been to Ephesus in April, we opted to explore Kusadasi. Most businesses weren’t open when we started our walk and the streets were pretty much deserted. We headed to Pigeon Island (or Guvercin Adasi) at the peninsula end of the bay. The island can be reached by a mole and is an easy walk. It has a castle and swimming beaches and from the island you can get a good view back across the bay to the harbor of Kusadasi. The castle was constructed by the Ottomans to secure the shores and for preventing attacks from the sea. The castle was restored and strengthened in 1824. Poking above the trees crowning the island is the crenellated central tower of a 13th century Byzantine castle. The fairy-tale towers and battlements of fortified walls encircle the entire island, dipping down to meet the sea and running along the island’s hills.From the island one can have a panoramic view of the city.
The city has an interesting marina which is fun to walk through and note the flags of dozens of nations flying from the yachts harbored there.
We walked about 8 miles throughout the area and by the time we returned to the ship, the crowds were encompassing the town.
