Day Three, Dalaman

DALAMAN, Day Three July 21

This was a day to enjoy the beach.  This part of
Turkey is the center of the Turquoise Coast. 
Truly named for the color of the water.  This is dry country but enough moisture comes off the water to sustain the reforestation of the hills with conifers.

The loggerhead turtle has its nesting grounds in this area.  It is an endangered species so that sections of the beach are off limits to protect the egg-laying sites.

Pomegranates are a principal crop here.  On our way to the beach we stop at a sort of native preserve and pomegranate juice place.  There is a curious collection of birds and a place where the turtles come up to be fed scraps of bread.  There are some turkeys pinned up as well as a peacock.  Now here is a question:  what do Turks call the turkey?   

They call it "the India bird."  http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97541602  The early colonists referred to virtually everything from that part of the world as "turkey" and called the American fowl the Turkey coq.  Poor understanding of both geography and zoology.  So we saw the India bird and then drove on to spend a great day at the beach.  It was 40˚ C. Now the sands at 104˚ F are pretty rough to walk on. But my the water felt so good.  It was quite a lot saltier than the waters around New England.  I am not sure why.  Logically it seems to me that the waters around the world should all equilibrate in saltiness.

Another good day.
 
Sean and Forrest at the turquoise waters