Breakfast by the Sea

I'm enjoying a civilized breakfast in Dalyan, on the seacoast of southern Turkey. From here we could take a boat through a sea of reeds to the ruins of Kaunos, once a major city in Lycia (or Caria, I can never keep them straight). Just across the river from Dalyan are the temple-tombs of Caria (or Lycia), classical temples carved into the face of a cliff, as in Petra. Each temple was a tomb intended for three people, laid to rest on platforms resembling the couches used in formal banquets.

Boating along narrow channels in the forest of reeds inspired scenes in Quillifer, in which my protagonist travels through a sea of reeds in order to reach his home town of Ethlebight.

In this photo I'm suffering from a terrible attack of strep throat, which made it very painful to eat the lovely breakfast brought up by the landlord. Despite the strep I enjoyed a memorable day on or near the water.

April 2009