Iztuzu Beach

Just outside Dalyan is the glorious Iztuzu beach. Famously preserved from developers by a campaign to protect the breeding grounds of the endangered loggerhead sea turtles headed up by David Bellamy (I can just imagine you all stroking your non existent red beards and doing Tizwas style impersonations of the great man himself!).

The beach is only open to the public between 8am and 8 pm then we are rightly chased off to let the sea turtles lay their nests. The beach is divided up by ropes and cages are put around nesting areas to prevent sun umbrellas impaling the eggs.

There's a turtle hospital set up by the university in a typically Turkish understated way, and we were allowed to see these enormous turtle at close hand. Some are a bit worse off at the moment but I am sure they are in the best place. Looks as if the students running the place have camped there for the summer. What a rewarding job!

We didn't make it to the beach until around 4pm as the girls wanted to play in the pool and sunbathe. It's the first time I have seen fully clothed Muslim women swimming in the sea. Just beside their almost naked children and husbands....didn't seem fair to me.

Just pouring an EFES beer and settling in for the night. Thanks for all your lovely comments. Sorry I haven't replied individually....crap Internet! Xxx