On day 24, we continue out of the Dilek National Park to Didim and visit the remains of the Apollo sanctuary of ancient Didyma quite close to the centre of the small town. Unfortunately, the entrance to the site is being renovated and so we can only see the collossal temple columns of the cult site, which are up to 20 metres high and 2 metres in diameter, from the outside. However, as we can also admire the slightly lower excavation site from the outside, we invest the entrance fee that we save in two large teas (Çay) and drive back to our beautiful pitch with a sea view.
We continue southwards and stop briefly in Milas to buy some excellent fresh fruit and vegetables at the weekly market. Leaving Bodrum to the right, we now head up through the rugged mountains and back down to the coast, where we find a nice pitch near Ören, again by the sea. Unfortunately, the wind has picked up a lot these days (gusts of up to 60 km/h according to the app) and it has also become noticeably cooler. We somewhat regret having mothballed our thick blankets and clothes, but solve this inconvenience with a (reasonably prized) hotel stay in the nearby tourist town of Akyaka, which is not yet very busy at this time of year. After seven days without a hot shower (only the sea and beach showers…), this feels like pure luxury and reminds us once again how valuable hot running water, always available electricity from the socket and the security of four walls and a lockable door are, which we so often take for granted in everyday life, or even ignore.