One of the best parts about travel is all the interesting people you meet along the way. I spoke with Mónica for more than an hour before she mentioned that she’s a television reporter in Spain. So if you ever watch Comando Actualidad on TV1, she’s already a familiar face to you. We had a great conversation, and I owe her a big thank-you for noticing when I’d dropped my phone on the ground!

I just love these old, decaying balconies on Meis. Gentle reminders that everything passes.

Downstairs: drinks store. Hell yeah.

At the risk of becoming a walking advertisement for my favourite places in Kaş, I thought I’d mention the Hideaway, as for my money it’s the nicest boutique hotel in all of Kaş, and I wouldn’t stay anywhere else. They haven’t paid me to say that; I recommend it only because they provide clean, beautiful rooms in a gorgeous setting, and Ahmet and Marie are the best proprietors a guest could ask for.

Balcony view.

The pool, always clean and rarely crowded. Also, lots of shady trees, so you can stay down there all day without getting fed up.

The rooms have a wonderful vintage Turkish feel about them.

The roof terrace bar, with a spectacular view of the Mediterranean:

If you ever get a chance to go, tell Ahmet and Marie that Melissa sent you.

Starting June off on the right foot by giving something back— a free promotional desktop for the Hidden Anatolia project. Available in a variety of screen resolutions, in your choice of English or Turkish.

This is just my way of saying thank you to everyone who has fueled the project so far, and to encourage others to do the same. You can be a patron of the independent art movement, and get cool stuff in return! Check it out and take part.

Now, on with the desktops!

2560×1440 English
2560×1440 Türkçe

1920×1200 English
1920×1200 Türkçe

1920×1080 English
1920×1080 Türkçe

1600×1200 English
1600×1200 Türkçe

1600×1050 English
1600×1050 Türkçe

1280×1024 English
1280×1024 Türkçe

1280×960 English
1280×960 Türkçe

1280×854 English
1280×854 Türkçe

1024×768 English
1024×768 Türkçe

320×480 English (iPhone)
320×480 Türkçe (iPhone)

240×320 English (mobile)
240×320 Türkçe (cep telefonu)

I get a lot of e-mails and Twitter messages from people saying that they envy my life, and while I’m certainly grateful for what I have and the things I’m able to do, May was a sobering reminder that it’s not all wine and roses. I still have problems just like everyone else. I had a moderate health issue that took me out of commission for most of the month, and during the few intermittent days when I was well enough to be up and about, the thought of trying to get caught up on things like writing and photo projects was too overwhelming to deal with.

Things are back on the upswing, however, and as much as I hate summer, I’m actually looking forward to June. I want to get the Hidden Anatolia project fueling wrapped up as much as possible, and starting tomorrow I have a new introspective photo project starting up (details coming soon!). I think the goal is to keep as busy as possible during the hottest months, so that maybe I won’t notice how awful this whole wretched season is.

Also, I’m looking at taking a brief break from the heat— somewhere really, really north. Just for a few days. I’m thinking Arctic Circle.

Anyway, first things first: a lot of people have asked about Hidden Anatolia over the past few days, and a couple of very generous donations have come in, including a second one from LeahAndMark.com, bringing their fueling total to a whopping $200! It’s fantastic to have such amazing support from friends in the community, and you can get involved as well, no matter what your budget. Fueling levels start at just $1, and even at that amount you’ll still get your name published in the official Hidden Anatolia book! The reward levels go up and up from there, and I look forward to having as many fuelers as possible, so if you ever wanted to be a patron of independent art, now’s your chance!

Learn more about Hidden Anatolia and join the project!

I know I’ve said this a million times, but with Meis being only 2km off the coast of Turkey, it’s amazing how everything is so completely different there. Houses like these are of course very Greek, even though the hills you see in the background of the photo are on the Turkish mainland. I love it.

We saw these things in the shallow water near the marina at Meis. There were quite a few of them. I’ve been to the island a million times and have never seen these creatures before. Does anyone have any idea what it is? We guessed it was some kind of eel, but that was just a stab in the dark.

Larger version of the photo

Ridiculously large version of the photo

ETA: It’s a needlefish! Thanks to Doug for figuring it out.

Here it is, the very first confirmed location for the Hidden Anatolia project. I put a lot of thought into what my top priority would be, and the Southeastern Anatolian town of Hasankeyf pretty much ticks all the boxes.

What’s so special about this town that I would want to get there before any other place and get it documented? Well, for starters:

• It has been continuously inhabited for nearly three millennia, and has seen no fewer than nine civilisations
• The modern town is built around the historical ruins, many of which are still in very good condition
• It’s situated on the Tigris
• There is a very controversial dam project underway, and if it continues as planned, the dam would put the entire town and all its history permanently underwater. Everyone would have to be relocated. The completion of the dam has already been postponed because of this controversy, but construction will likely continue sometime relatively soon
• i.e. time is of the essence if anyone wants to come and do any sort of comprehensive exploration in situ
• For some reason, people just don’t go there, except to protest the dam being built;
• This is the one place I would be so, so unhappy about if I missed the opportunity to photograph it while it still existed.

That’s it in a nutshell. There are just so many layers of struggle and triumph there, from the Sumerians to the Romans to the Mongols to the Ottomans, and even up through the struggles of the present day. For me there’s something magical about that, and basically I think we just need to go see it for ourselves, you and me. So that’s the plan.

For those who aren’t familiar, the Hidden Anatolia project is a journey to bring to light the most beautiful secrets of the Turkish mainland, one of the most misunderstood areas in the world. The trip will be documented from the road at hiddenanatolia.com, and will culminate in a coffee table book of evocative images and essays from the journey.

Funding for the project is provided via RocketHub, and with the support of people like you, independent artists and journalists like myself can continue to do work like this for the benefit of everyone. Contribution levels begin at just $1, and are not empty donations— there is a rewards structure in place so that all supporters of the project get something back for their contributions. You can select a contribution level that works well for you, and receive great rewards like a postcard from the trip, a free copy of the Hidden Anatolia book, or even a one-of-a-kind canvas print from the journey. Supporters also get special updates, and the opportunity to help shape the direction of the project.

It’s easy to become part of Hidden Anatolia. Simply visit the project page, select a reward level that appeals to you, and contribute with your credit card or PayPal account. RocketHub guarantees your donation, as well— if the project does not receive full funding, all the contributors get their money back. Become a patron of the international arts community, risk free!

Become a part of the Hidden Anatolia project now

Visit hiddenanatolia.com

Wonderful trip over the weekend to our nearest Greek Island. It’s amazing how different the water looks there, even though it’s only two kilometres off the Turkish coast.

It’s always interesting to read how other people perceive places in and around the Antalya area. In this Guardian travel article, Mehmet Murat Somer describes the nearby town of Side as a “minute, restorative gem” and a “fishing village.” Which seems weird to me because every time I’ve been to Side, it has never come across as more than an overpriced tourist trap, teeming with people who are less interested in visiting the historical ruins (note the lack of people in the above photo, taken in the high season), and more interested in getting drunk and noisy at night clubs. Mind you, I don’t think Somer is incorrect in his assessment— it’s just that I take these little Riviera towns with a heavy dose of cynicism, having lived in one of them myself for quite some time. Perhaps I need to go back to Side in the off season and see if I can find within it this quaint fishing village Somer’s talking about. Link