Blue Cruise at Didyma

Our first adventure after arriving in Turkey was join about 50 others on a day long Blue Cruise along the Aegean Sea off the coast of Didyma.

The trip consisted of a 2 hour bus ride from Izmir to Didyma, a 7 hour cruise, and a 2 hour bus ride home. The cruise brought us to various inlets and coves along the coast. The water was the most beautiful shades of turquoise. It was so crystal clear that we were able to view the various plants and other marine life on the bottom of the sea.

We stopped at 5 different coves where we could swim, snorkel, or just relax in the sun. At one of the stops we were given an opportunity to hop on a huge inflatable banana or inner tube and be whipped around behind a speed boat at horrible speeds until we were all scared out of our suits! WHAT FUN! (not)

At one stop we were treated to a lunch of Köfte, Turkish salad, rice, and drinks. These were prepared fresh by our deckhands at a special picnic area. Delicious!

One of the highlights was a short stop on our return trip to view the ruins of the Temple of Apollo just outside of Didyma. This is one of antiquity's most sacred places and its beauty is still very impressive.

Bob and Debi spent the next week or so recovering from their sunburns! Will enjoyed himself so much that he signed up for the next two trips.

By the way, the whole trip including transportation, cruise, and lunch cost just $15.00 each!

What a life!