Just Relax

I have felt rushed from the moment we got here and I did not quite realize it until we arrived in Kas. It began in Kusadasi, the feeling that things will get done with time; that it is alright to just sit and take in the surroundings. Istanbul felt like a frenzy. There was so many things to experience, it became overwhelming at points. The knowledge that by taking too long at lunch, which is inevitable considering how laid back the culture is, one museum or another would close before we got there. Kas, however, is a completely different atmosphere. It is absolutely breathtaking, nestled away in the mountains, sitting directly next to the Mediterranean. It is definitely a tourist location, but seems able to maintain the atmosphere of a small Turkish fishing village. I do not think I have ever seen water this blue before, you can see the rocks at the bottom of the various coves they took us in to swim on our boat tour. We climbed through Sakilkent (Hidden City) Gorge, “belly” rafted down to the entrance, and spent late afternoons at the beach, what could be better? Every ounce of tension has completely disappeared from my entire body, and for the first time on the trip I’ve been able to relax and enjoy.