Patara - Turkey

Today we woke up early and left for the airport. We had pastries and water for breakfast. Next, we went to check in our bags and then made a pit stop to the bathroom. When we got to the gate we waited to board. It was different from the other gates because you had to take a bus to the airplane. In the airplane I got to sit next to Ilayda and Kaija. The ride was only an hour, but I caught  up on some rest before we landed.

When we landed we went to get our luggage, and then head to a taxi bus to drive us to Patara.

It took quite a bit to get there and we all were hot and hungry for brunch. So, we stopped at a restaurant and ate so much of the yummy food. Next, my Dad and my Aunt went to the grocery store and got sunscreen  and water bottles. Then it was time to hit the rode to Patara. Patara is a beach place with a little town and shops. When we got to Patara we went swimming. Then we all  went to our hotel and we rested until we went out to eat. 

We've been spending a week in Patara going to the beach, swimming at the pool at the hotel, meeting new people, and experiencing new things. I learned about the the earthquake that hit Patara years ago and it damaged many of the Acient Greek burial temples and amphitheater. Eventhough these Acient temples and theaters were damaged you could still see them in person and discover the history behind them. It is very important to know all about other countries and your country's history. 

One afternoon my Aunt and I got to go around Pataras' Ancient burial grounds and temples on the Lycian way. I saw where people where buried in the mountain.  The hole had a single room with the body buried on the side of the hole. When they finished buried the person they would cover it with a boulder.  Then, we walked on and we saw where the ocean used to be after a earthquake that hit Patara badly. Next, we went to this burial temple that had some pieces of the columns that stood in front of the temple. On the back side you  could see the inside of the temple. It was really cool,  I got to identify each column's design ( Doric,Ionic, Caritheum,). Also I got to learn a fact about Muslim religion and how they reacted when someone died. I learned  that its traditional in Muslim religion that someone is to stay with the dead body so the evil spirit doesn't tamper with the soul. 

After, Patara we flew back to Istanbul. We were going to stay a week, while our cousins flew back to the states. Stay tuned for our journey through Istanbul! 

A burial ground in the mountain 

Another burial ground on our hike.

A burial temple built in the 3rd century that I saw on my  hike. 

The side view of the burial temple.

 Me with the temple.

A piece from the burial temple laid on the ground.

The side view of the burial temple.

 A sign of information telling about the burial temple. 

Up close to the sign about the burial temple 

A picture of what the burial temple would of looked like. 

Me on the steps to the burial temple.

Me again on the steps. 

My Aunt in the steps.

My aunt again

The sundown of Patara on our hike.

The entrance to our hotel in Patara.

The view from our hotel room. 

Up: Okan, Chayton and left Is my dad and right is Babonne, there my Turkish family.

They are the hotels ping pong table.

The POOL!!!!!!