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The cotton fields extend from Pamukkale to west of Miletos up to Archipelagos (sea). River Menderes irrigates these fields. This river flows with many curves and turns and always with muddy waters. Sometimes the rocks and the fully silted water floods over the plain. Erosion was always present in Western Anatolia. The earth flows with the water all the time. This is how the bays are filled and the blue is turned to green. |
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| The ancient town of Myus was a port on the shores of Latmos Bay 2500 years ago. Today, the ruins of this town is 40 km inland from the sea. River Menderes flows in a strange way. Sometimes brings in a big flood, sometimes flows very quietly. |
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| Sometimes it turns back, sometimes turns left and right, meandering like a snake, and finally reaches the sea. Even the snakes and fish lose their way in this muddy and aimless flow; finding themselves on the shore and become a prey for storks. This kind of flowing has created the "meandering" motif which then had spread all over the world. The natives call this motif as "the lover lost his way". |
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| River Menderes is born from Dinar (Apamesia); takes in Banaz (Senaros) stream with it as it flows through deep valleys; meets with Curuksu (Lykos) stream on Denizli plain; then others coming from Karia - Vandal, Arpas and Marsias streams catch up with it; finally altogether flowing through Nazilli, Aydin and Soke plains they reach to Aegean Sea. Its length reaches up to 400 km. Menderes means fertility to an extent. The green starts where the river starts, and beyond it is only the steppes. |
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Menderes River used to flow by Priene in the ancient times. Today we can see the part of the ancient river bed. Now it is flowing by the skirts of Latmos Mountains, in front of Sarikemer village and around the ruins of Miletos. Lately, irrigation canals were opened on the plain. This way the fields are prepared easily for the crop and the irrigation is done in a better way. Bafa Lake of today was once Bay of Latmos. |
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| There are lots of fish in its fresh waters. The fish sometimes immigrates between and lake and the sea. Lots of fish can be caught in the canal between the lake and the sea, and the mouth of the river. Caviar is made from the eggs of these fish. |
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| The delta of Menderes is a wide sandy beach. The sea comes up to the knee only. There are huts of the fishermen on this wide beach. They have a very beautiful view from the road going to Didyma. Time changes everything, but creates another beauty through the change. Fertile plains are formed in the bays as the erosion carries the mountains down to the sea. |
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