The Trip That Keeps Growing: 29 April 2025 Dalyan River Boat Ride • Cleopatra’s Bath

This morning, we had another van ride to the town of Kaunos where we boarded a boat to cruise up the

Fishing Wier

Dalyan River, named for the fishing wiers (dalyans) that have been used by locals for centuries to support their fishing industry. Fishing wiers are obstructions that are placed in tidal waters, either wholly or partially across the river to direct the passage of or trap the fish.

There is a legend about how the river got its name and it revolves around the incestuous love of Caunus and his twin sister Byblis. They were both the children of the daughter of the Carian king Eurytus. Byblis fell in love with her brother, but he rejected her and ran away to a distant land that he named Kaunos. Desperate, Byblis went searching for him only to be rejected again. It is said that her many tears of sadness became the Dalyan River.

Our first stop on the cruise was to see the Lycian-style ornate tombs cut into the cliffs. These tombs, known as “tombs of kings,” were in the shape of Hellenistic temples. The Lycians believed that the dead were carried to the afterlife by mythical winged creatures they called angels, so they placed the dead in geographically high places open to the sky so the afterlife angels could find them. These tombs were generally one or two levels, holding more than one body (most likely family members). The outside of the tomb was decorated with reliefs depicting the life of the deceased as well as the main events of the time. And like the Egyptian pyramids and tombs, most of these tombs were also looted.

Lycian Tombs

Beautiful Lake on the Way to Kaunos

We then just enjoyed a leisurely cruise up and down the river for about an hour before returning to Kaunos, an ancient seaport city that dates back to the 9^th century BCE. While in the town, several of the men, including Bill, went to a Turkish barber for a haircut and a shave. This was quite a procedure. After completing the shave, the barber would dip a Q-tip in alcohol and then set it on fire. He would then gently wave the Q-tip around the outside of the ear to burn off ear hair. Bill said he could hardly feel the Q-tip – it did not burn the skin at all. After the haircut, the men all received a shoulder and neck massage. Bill’s barber was new, just out of a 4-year school that trained him to be a barber. It was quite an experience.

Our Boat on the River

View of the River from the Boat

Translation - -How happy is the one who
says I am a Turk - the motto of the
Republic of Turkey

Bill Getting a Shave and Haircut

The Finished Product

Part of the Fishing Wier

Boat Turned Into a Sumer Garden

Turtle Statue in Center of Kaunos

Burning the Hair off the Ear

View of Our Cove

Returning to the ship, we had lunch and the captain sailed the ship to one of the sheltered bays in the area. There about 6 or 7 of our group took a hike up the hill (or small mountain) and then back down again to where the sunken ruins of Cleopatra’s bath are found in the water close to shore. Legend says that Mark Anthony gave Cleopatra the entire Turquoise Coast as a wedding gift and had these thermal baths built for her as part of the gift. However, archaeologists put the age of the ruins to 400 years after Cleopatra’s death. You used to be able to swim in the ruins (there are a few thermal springs in the area), but that is not allowed today.

Two of our crewmen took myself and several others in our group who did not do the walk over in a dingy so we could see the ruins. It was quite a busy day and the rain that had been threatening finally arrived.