90 Days in Turkey Spring 2022

[frwjd]

Wee've visited Turkey several times; mostly with a Land Rover and a tent. A couple of years ago we took our Bessacarr and had a great time. Mostly off-site camping. We agree that finding a decent "wild" site is difficult as main roads have barriers or ditches, or both. However we managed and went all the way round, so to speak. Our website has a section on the places we stopped at complete with coordinates, description and photo. Hope it helps.

Turkey

Places in Turkey The downloadable file contains Google Earth Placemarks of Night Stops, campsites, places of interest and Aires in Turkey. The colour and/or shape of the placemark icons is of no...

bessyonthemove.weebly.com

Thanks, that's a great resource.
Yes, off-grid spots are easy enough to find.

 

[frwjd]

Day 133
Saturday 19th March
Good morning!
It was a very cold night and there is an icy wind blowing outside.
I'm late posting as we have had a busy and productive morning, more about that in Wendy's evening round up.
Nothing planned for the day, we've taken the washing to the laundry and will be keeping ourselves warm in Dippy III.
Oh yes, we will be out having a little celebration later.

Day 133
We went back today to re-visit the apartment we saw yesterday at Calis Beach.
We'd wondered if sleeping on things had given us a different take on our idea of applying for a short stay permit to give us longer to explore this lovely country.
We looked at every possibility, from every angle. It's amazing how many "What if....." questions two people can come up with.
We took photos. We checked where the sun will come up, go down. Queried what furniture there will be in place. Assured ourselves that the steps up to our level are shallow enough for me to get up them easily. Watched a man levelling the soil around the pool and setting out plants ready to go in the soil. Confirmed that there wouldn't be a problem with parking Dippy. Decided where our sun loungers would go on the large patio!
The owner was there today - he works in Germany usually. Some of his family members will be in one of the apartments too and will act as onsite caretakers.
We sat and discussed costs and deposits and legalities which will all be checked out with Gurkan - the gentleman who is dealing with our permit application.
We came away more than satisfied that this apartment will be a good option for us. Together with the permit, it will give us the extra time we want to explore more of Turkey plus a place where when the travel tiredness kicks in, we can chill out properly and comfortably.
It also gives an option - as it has a second bedroom, for friends and family to come out for a few days and catch up with us!
An appointment to take it onto the next step has been booked for Monday. We'll keep you posted!

 

[frwjd]

Day 134
Sunday 20th March
Good morning
Another bright and sunny start here but only 11C forecast and that very cold wind is still with us.
I think we'll be concentrating on keeping warm today
Fancy a dip? see photo below

Day 134
We had an un-rushed start this morning! The sky was grey, the wind strong and chilly and the sea was an iron grey colour and choppy.
Unusually - there were no fishermen in sight! They usually start early - and noisily but although cars started passing by at the normal time of 6.30 there was no-one in sight when we opened the curtains.
Showered, dressed, breakfasted and some frustrating but necessary paperwork later we decided to go in search of bread (and possibly beer too, in case the bread got lonely in the shopping bag!)
The sun had come out by this time and the wind had dropped too, so it was just pleasantly warm. We set off out of the road we're parked on and turned right over the wooden bridge over the water.
It's a pleasant little walk - shops and small bars/restaurants on each side of the road. Some are open, some are shut, with their tables and chairs stacked high in the windows.
A few people about but not many - it is Sunday after all!
We liberate the beer and bread and bypass the buckets and spades and flip flops - the tourists will be here in their hundreds soon!
As we amble back we can smell something familiar to so many Brits. We look at each other and then follow our noses - No - it can't be. Can it? Are we hallucinating?
No - we're not! It's fish and chips!
The shop ahead of us is behind a couple of fishermen lining up their nets along the river bank, checking for holes and then gathering them in ready to take back aboard. We bypass them and head inside.
THIS - is an old fashioned fish shop! Counters and stalls are taken up by - I don't know how many fish of all kinds! The smell is incredible! Depending on your feelings about a mass of whole, uncooked fish it's wonderful - or ghastly!
This is how fish shops were when I was young! In Walthamstow, we had not only a fresh fish shop but also a fresh eels stall outside in the street. The eels wriggled around in great steel trays filled with blocks of ice. You chose what you wanted, they were hauled out, chopped into bite size chunks in front of you and handed over for you to take home and cook.
The same was done with the fresh fish - whole or filleted you chose what you wanted. The difference to the eels is that the fish were already dead though!
A young man beamed and came over to us - what would we like? Fish and chips? Certainly! He explained that it came wrapped in bread - not batter - with salad. (We asked him to hold the raw onion!) He apologised that it might take a few minutes, as all the fryers were full but to please wait on the verandah and they would bring it!
Minutes later we were sat at a wooden table overlooking the water that flowed past and into the sea to our left. Cormorants were bobbing up and down grabbing fish and gobbling them down as they surfaced, then ducking back under water again. No need to fly high and dive in - there were fish aplenty here!
A duck and drake paddled over and are fed from bits of bread dropped down to them. They flap off indignantly when a cormorant surfaces right underneath them!
There's a poster on the wall showing which fish are available and John takes a photo - it will need translating into English though!
When ours arrive (sardines) the smell is incredible! The fish is crisp and salty and we wolf it down hungrily.
There are several English voices around us so we're not the only ones to appreciate this place! When we leave and thank the manager/owner he tells us he can't shake our hands as his are too slimy and smelly, but he's glad we enjoyed the food and to please come back again! We will!
The walk back is only a short one but in the time we've been gone the car park has filled to almost overflowing with cars and lots and lots of campers! They fill the road all the way to the end, the cars mostly walkers and families enjoying the sea air - they will move on later but it will be interesting tomorrow to see how many travellers are still here with us!
There's been a distinct lack of fishermen along the shoreline today. The scene is taken over now by children riding small bikes up and down the road in defiance of the cars - one even still has his training wheels on!
I mention to John that there's also been fewer fishing boats and that in our time here we've not seen even one of the yachts go sailing out. As soon as I say that 2 fishing boats chug past and a yacht too! It doesn't have it's sails up though so I pout and say it doesn't count!
As I started to write this post, the sun had been slowly sinking down towards the silvery water in the bay. I know from past evenings that the shallow line of the far off mountains will conceal it finally dipping it's toes into the sea, but at that moment it's vivid orangey glow turned the sky to fire!
Red sky at night.......

 

[frwjd]

Just found a shack by the sea displaying a Fish and Chips with bread sign.
You can either choose your fish from the fresh display in the front of the kitchen and they cook for you it or, as we did, just ask for fish and chips.
Ours arrived and was fresh sardine fillets on crusty bread garnished with lettuce, onion and tomato.
Two of those, a small plate of chips, two cans of coke and a bottle of water cost £5.75.

 

[frwjd]

We enjoy getting messages from you and also prompting your memories of similar trips and visits!

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[Dutch 68]

Day 116
Wednesday 2nd March
Good morning!
Another wet day here and just 11C forecast. Much better weather starts tomorrow!
We're moving on today, no far, just to a campsite on the coast where we can hitch up to their electric and fill with water as well as draining grey and black water.
A few snaps of Dalyan below. This Dalyan is on the Turquoise Coast whereas the last Dalyan we stayed at was north of Izmir.
Have a good day

Torrential rain and thunderstorms here. We've moved 30 minutes away closer to the sea, floods everywhere. Better weather from tomorrow, we hope.
This is a beautiful spot, next to the river and a short walk to the sea.
EHU, showers, WC, water plus grey and black water drain.
Sarigerme, Turquoise Coast, Turkey
£3.24 a night!!

Day 116
The rain poured down for most of the night and we also had new neighbours arrive - quite late and very noisily!
While we were having breakfast 2 Tour coaches parked up. 5 people got out of one and disappeared up the road. The 2nd one had just a driver - who proceeded to wash his coach down, the rain washing the suds away.
Half an hour later a crowd of teenagers trouped onto the car park and were herded onto the coach - a school trip off out somewhere. The 2nd coach - now sparkly clean left soon after.
We'd finished breakfast by then. Ham and cheese toasties! The packet containing the ham was supposed to be veal ham but the picture on the packet more resembled a Yak! John decided that was what it tasted like too.
Early afternoon came and the rain showed no sign of easing off so we decided to move on. We're off to a parking spot with electricity at Sarigerme. As we leave town the road narrows and we have to squeeze past an oncoming car - we take the branch of a low hanging tree with us!
The roads are flooded but passable. The scary part is that the roads have really large potholes and with the water covering them there's no telling just how deep they are. John manouveres expertly along the route though and there are no mishaps.
The climb into the mountains takes us along winding, narrow roads with occasional passing places. The mountain rears up above us on one side with waterfalls spouting out and to the other side the road drops dizzyingly away.
We pas several groups of large white plastic containers at the side of the road. They have letters on each of them. At a guess - they mark where people are living so that things can be delivered/dropped off? Although we can see no houses, just vague tracks and lots of vegetation it's the only reason I can think of!
The descent starts again and we pass flooded fields bordering the flooded roads. Around a bend we come across a lady leading 3 cows! She has an umbrella keeping her headscarf and cardigan dry but her baggy trousers are soaked through and her open sandals are caked with mud. She beams at us as we wave at her and take a photo of her cows!
The next few villages are almost deserted. There are some houses showing signs of habitation but the majority are ramshackle ruins. There are more than 20 For Sale signs along that stretch of road.
We're catching glimpses of the sea now and it's not long before we find the car park John has read about. A guard at the entrance beams at us and asks are we staying for the night and do we want electricity -Yes and Yes, I tell him. 60TL per night which is £3.24. There are toilets and showers, water and chemi loo emptying as well - all included!
The car park is quite flooded, with islands of dry-ish bits. The rain is still pouring and we now have thunder and lightning thrown in for good measure!
We circle the car park trying to find the electricity points and the guard appears with an umbrella and points the way. There's a huge, yellow All Terrain vehicle the size of a tank and with 4 ft high tyres - we park next to him!
The next couple of hours were spent sitting and waiting for the break in the weather that John's app has highlighted. When it appears, we're ready and waiting for it, raincoats and hiking boots to the fore!
The electricity points are inside the toilet block and we run out our various linked up leads across a sea of mud and water. The man from the yellow tank tells us his lead is hooked in the tree and it has a spare socket if we find we can't reach the indoor one. A kind offer! Unfortunately, having connected to it we find that we have no power coming through.
We had to wait for the rain to ease back a bit before John can brave the elements and try again with our own connection. Success!
Various devices are connected and are soon charging up. Unfortunately, having given it a head start, I turn on my HP laptop to find that although it's "charging and ready to go" light is on and flashing - it refuses to start up! I bought it Christmas 2018 and had this same problem in the summer of 2020 so I'm really NOT impressed!
The last time it happened I had to get onto the HP Support Helpline - who managed to access it remotely and fix it but I was on the phone line with them for 2 hours! The first 30 minutes were spent navigating the system until someone could help and to be fair, from that point they phoned me back so from then on the call was free. However this is not something I can afford to do anymore.
I'm lucky that John doesn't have a problem letting me share his laptop!

You should write and publish travel books , you would earn a few bob, your writing style is very good, so enjoyable to read, thank you for sharing

 

[Rapphil]

You should write and publish travel books , you would earn a few bob, your writing style is very good, so enjoyable to read, thank you for sharing

My thoughts exactly and in particular for those of us that don’t do fb.
surprised by the lack of ‘likes’ on your posts, readers if you are enjoying the post why not show

 

[Lesanda]

I wholeheartedly agree, well written and good informative content, I like having the brief intro and then the detailed rundown afterwards, perhaps a few more pictures if your data allowance will run to it. Well done.

 

[nicholsong]

My thoughts exactly and in particular for those of us that don’t do fb.
surprised by the lack of ‘likes’ on your posts, readers if you are enjoying the post why not show

I also do not want to be on FB.

I am guilty of not making a 'Like' when I have, often because I read two chapters on the same day and move on.

You two obviously like Turkey, which is why you are trying to extend your stay.

Even with your enthusiasm I am yet to be convinced to want to return there, politics aside. The reason being that I had several run-ins with Turks; one being about employment when I was flying there; others were attempts to extract money, from taxi drivers trying to take a longer route to the airport when I did it every day; others were e.g. Port Police trying to charge 'overtime' for after 1700 on Fri when I had started the process at 1630; then other charges which were not legitimate. They never got any of it.

I can balance the above comments with the following story. I arrived with my boat in Kusadasi Marina, checked in and asked the Marina Manager in which order I should visit the 5 offices that are required(as I knew it is different in each port - why?). He notated them on the form - wrong! So at Port Office I made my point. Later having completed the check-in process, and then at the last office pissing off the clerk by saying 'I now want to check out of the port', because I was only there to prove I had left Greece for tax reasons. When I got back to the Port Office the Junior officer said the 'Boss' wants to see you and lead me into his office'

There sat the 'Big Man' at big desk, picture of Attaturk on wall behind, but not a paper on his desk. I am thinking what is coming now?
He opens up, in immaculate English 'Mr. Nicholson, I must apologise that you were given the wrong information about check-in procedures at Kusadasi. I have telephoned the Marina Manager and told him he must perform better in future. My officer is preparing your papers. Have a good trip'. A gentleman.

Indulge me for one small anecdote: one of the offices was 'Port Health' - I found 'Sani.....' which I assumed was it, but the previous guy stopped me and pointed to the hamburger shop, where there was a fat guy munching, he indicates to put paper on the table, scribbles a signature without stopping chomping; that was port health clearance!

It is difficult to respect a country like that, but at least I had one good experience.

Geoff

 

[frwjd]

Some lovely comments there, thank you.
I post in the mornings just to give an idea of what we might do.
In the evening Wendy posts her review of the day, I've passed your comments on, thanks again

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[frwjd]

Day 135
Monday 21st March
Good morning!
A beautiful pale blue sky was hiding behind the blinds this morning.
Another dry day forecast and just 11C although the last few days have always seemed much warmer than forecast.
An important day today.
We're meeting with the landlord and agent of, hopefully, our new apartment as well as our residency expert. Need to get our biometric photos done on the way there.
As soon as our residency permit application is started we can get back on the road and continue our eastwards journey.

We're all signed up for our residency permits. The interview is next Wednesday.
Tomorrow we sign up for the 6 months lease on the apartment.
The day after we're off traveling in Dippy again

Day 135
Today started with meeting 2 lovely Canadians touring in a Polish van! It was good to have a chat with them in between washing Dippy's floors.
John's been to Canada before so they swopped some stories about different areas. I haven't been - yet! Who knows what the future holds though? A year ago I didn't think I'd be here in Turkey!
We took a taxi to meet up with the agent handling our rental apartment. Unfortunately, despite giving the driver the written address we were meeting at - we got dropped off at the wrong place!
We'd left in plenty of time though so it gave us some time to survey the area around the imposing Town Hall and see what was there. Plenty of shops of all descriptions, clothes, stationery, books, shoes and handbags, wine, and several little food shops. Also a MM Migros and the usual gamut of cafes and bars. It was very busy!
Having found Kerem, we set off for Gurkan's office to get the permit paperwork under way. Our passports were photocopied and forms filled in to get us registered with the Tax office. According to Gurkan - Day 1 of our residency starts today!
We were given our new address - obviously, this is needed to get the permit but up to this point we hadn't known what it was!
We'll all meet up at Gurkan's office again tomorrow, where the Landlord will meet us to sign the 6 months lease contract and for us to hand over 6 months rent plus a months deposit.
The Landlord will then take the contract to a Notary for signing - which will cost us 300 TL and hopefully - that's it! We'll move in as soon as the work is completed.
On Wednesday March 30th we go back to Gurkan's office again, for the residency interview. Not really sure at this point what to expect but we'll know by the time we go.
It's been a rollercoaster few days and my head's still spinning!
We came away with lots of boxes ticked and lots of notes taken and walked back to Dippy via the long beach road. We stopped for a repeat of yesterday's delicious crispy fried sardines wrapped in fresh crusty bread - just as delicious second time around!

 

[frwjd]

Day 136
Tuesday 22nd March
Good morning!
Another bright sunny day. I hope the forecasted 11C is as warm as yesterday's 11C!
At around 2pm yesterday we officially became residents of Turkey, not citizens!
To celebrate I bought a small (ish) Turkey flag and it now proudly hangs in our rear window.
I've been awake since 5am and today we sign the contract on our apartment and pay 6 months rent up front, I wonder if the two are connected
Some snaps of Fethiye below.

Day 136
An interesting start to the day!
Trucks had been passing since 6.30ish this morning - the heavy type that had been in use along the road from us. We opened the curtains to the sight of the ferry pulling in alongside the jetty and a line of men carrying potted plants! At that moment, a truck passed us going down to join them - also filled with plants.
I watched as the men stacked them into the ferry, then went back for more, the ferry slowly beginning to settle lower in the water with the weight!
Two men joined forces with one enormous plant - more of a tree really! It was more than twice their height and they staggered slowly along with it swaying alarmingly with each step. The weight of the tree combined with the soil in the pot must have been incredible.
At one point the wind caught it and it looked as though it may be a case of "Man overboard!" but at the last minute they managed to stop it swaying and lowered it to the deck and safety!
Twenty or so minutes later the ferry slowly got underway, with plants stacked in every available space - it looked like a floating island as it passed us!
We stowed everything and filled with water, emptied the chemi loo and ditched the rubbish - then moved 100 yards away off of the site and onto an area along the beach. Dippy was going to stay there while we went to get the rental lease signed and notorised.
The agent, Kerem, landlord Ali and his sister Ummu met us at Gurkan's office. Gurkan has been handling our short term residency permit and also drew up the lease paperwork to make sure all was well. Ummu will be onsite at our new apartment too and acting as Caretaker so it was good to meet her.
During discussions, we were told that there has been a big influx of Russian and Ukrainian applicants acquiring property, so everywhere is extremely busy!
Once all signatures were exchanged and the notary had done his bit, we all went to have a celebratory coffee and do the Bank Transfer - this was the hardest part I think - due to internet connections etc!
We were glad to get back to Dippy and take a deep breath! It's been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster this last week or two. The rain started as we left the beach and headed for the mountains once again - back on our travels while the last jobs are done at the apartment. The furniture arrives over the next couple of days and the internet was in place today.
We headed for the D400 - again - and one of the first sights we saw was an open backed truck filled with a tree, upright and complete with roots and all! All lashed into place and swaying in the wind.
We passed several small villages, quite dilapidated and with rubble filled fields surrounding them. A man had been gathering wood and was taking it back on the footwell of his scooter - his legs splayed out to the sides.
A lot of the fields we passed were full of dumped construction rubble and a couple of people were picking through it - looking for whatever they could re-cycle, I imagine. An elderly lady was foraging, gathering greenery into a bag.
At some point we moved onto the D350 and the road veered from being terrible to being very good, bone jarring and teeth clenching to smooth as butter! Spits of rain flick here and there into icy particles as we drive past signs for Snow Chains!
The high rock walls at the side of the road are unstable and a section of about 25 yards or so has come down and demolished the retaining wall - a temporary row of great heavy blocks is in place.
As we round a sweeping bend and begin to drop lower the great flat plain below comes into view, with a long scattering of housing across it. The snow capped mountains make a beautiful backdrop beyond it.
We came here a week or so ago but from the other direction! This area is mostly a drab grey colour as there's little green vegetation. Grey rocks, grey sky, grey Silver Birch and Eucalyptus trees, grey ripped polytunnels not in use, grey pigeons and - a grey donkey! He's tethered and cropping whatever he can reach.
Things have a bit more colour to them as we reach Sogut and the trees are now green firs, the houses have orange roofs and many of them are painted greens or blues of various shades.
The grey rocks of a few miles back are now tinged with browns and greens and - for some reason - there's a giant plastic red tomato suspended 20 feet above the roadway! Surreal! A half a mile away there's a 2nd one - this has an advert for the local tomato growing company alongside it!
2 blue tractors plough the same field - going in opposite directions to each other. They've been very busy - we quickly pass 5 more fields which all look newly ploughed.
We pass a huge quarry with a lot of machinery operating in it and within a few miles we go through Hacilar - which seems to have been mostly abandoned or demolished due to the new road we're travelling on, which dissects it.
A little further on there's a large encampment within the trees to our right. It's made up of tents, yurts, caravans - a whole community of non-houses. The cliffs above them are full of caves - some of them are man made I assume as they have stone blocks framing the entrances.
We're running out of daylight driving time rapidly as we reach Burdur and drive past a massive Army barracks. When we see a restaurant sign we pull in rapidly and check if we can stay overnight in their parking space if we have a meal - Yes, we can!
Grilled chicken wings on flat bread - delicious!

 

[frwjd]

Day 137
Wednesday 23rd March
Good morning!
Temperatures dropped below zero last night and, as we're back in the mountains, won't get much higher today.
We're in the Turkish Lake District around Isparta, very mountainous and lots of snow about, hopefully we will avoid it!

Day 137
It was bitterly cold last night but the gas central heating did a fantastic job! The traffic was continuous unfortunately, with the worst of the heavy lorries between 11.30pm and 4.30am. It was actually a relief to get up!
We left our parking spot outside the restaurant and set off to find a parking spot to cook breakfast. We headed up the mountain away from town and were soon passing little pockets of snow here and there. The run off of water that spills down the rocks had turned into mini ice waterfalls, glistening brightly in the early sunshine.
The road soon became very steep - and icy too and we decided to head back down rather than risk an accident. A smooth about turn set us retracing our steps back downwards until we were able to pull over and get the kettle on - everything looks better when you've eaten!
We were soon on the D685 - an unrelentingly straight road with either fields or solar panels to the side of you, depending on if you're the driver or the passenger. The fields were mostly empty along this route - but cultivated and ready for planting.
A large Spa and Resort Hotel - (the sign says) is all alone and looks to be very empty. How strange to have something this big and fancy in the middle of nowhere!
We start to pass through Isparta, this area is famous for it's rose water, sugar beet and general agriculture. The D685, as with many of these enormous roads, splits the community into 2 halves. One side is modern and high rise and the other is older, scruffier 2 storey houses. We get tantalising glimpses of snowy mountains between the high rises - that's where we're heading!
An enormous pink rose is suspended at one of the roundabouts and litter pickers are out in force, moving between the gardeners planting flowers in the centre beds.
We leave the town behind and are back in the countryside again, scattered lone houses and then a cluster of close together buildings - not exactly big enough to even be called a village, more of a farming community.
No matter how dilapidated the housing is, if there's a piece of land attached it always seems to be immaculately tilled and edged. It's an indication, I feel, that the people may not have money to spend on their dwellings but they have the time and pride to make the best of their land!
The road weaves left and right and far below you can see that the road is mirroring the weave of the river. Two elderly ladies come towards us leading a donkey piled high with firewood on his back.
The road deteriorates to "poor" with double parked cars and dirt and rubble scattered across the road into the town. A little further on there are hundreds of stacked paving bricks ready to update the road - which leads up the mountain to our destination, the Ancient City of Sagalassos.
We start to climb upwards and pass a tractor coming downwards loaded high with stacked red and gold embroidered restaurant chairs. 2 men cling desperately to the furniture - I'm not sure if they're trying to keep the chairs from toppling out or themselves! One of them waves a greeting to us - or is he waving for help! His friend grabs him before he can fall out!
The road upwards is steep and precarious! The road signs indicate "Sharp bends", "Steep incline", "No overtaking", and one that I'm sure indicates "Don't plummet to your death over the edge!!!"
Thankfully, we don't meet anyone else and are quite relieved to reach the top. What an amazing view!
The ruins themselves are some of the best I've seen, I think. It's history boards tell me that the Roman Baths here were instigated as a Public Health project, ensuring that it was available to everybody!
The facilities were used for maintaining social contact and interaction, bathing and hygiene, with Public Toilets and proper sewers! The Gymnasium encouraged physical activity and social gatherings in contests.
The down side - it seems - is that as there were no disinfectants in those days it was a breeding ground for germs! Swings and roundabouts, I guess!
There was a 2 storey Nymphaeum some 17 metres tall and complete with fountains where people could sit and relax. This was angled so that it could be seen by visitors as they entered the city. It also contained a 4 metre high statue of Apollo. The carved reliefs are still very clear in many places.
The cemetery is visible here, and wasn't exclusively reserved for the rich people, it was open to anyone. The funerals were kept plain and simple and no grave goods were included, the bodies being interred directly into the earth. Only children were buried with any grave goods, usually just a simple finger ring.
To get to the next level up is a bit of a climb, but not too bad. The steps are modern and shallow (at first) then as you get higher they are the original stone steps and quite steep. There is a rope handrail - however the rope is just attached to a wooden post which has been set into a bucket of cement for stability! It's NOT stable! At the least pressure - it falls over! Don't say I didn't warn you.
Once there though - it's great! A huge circular platform - almost a stage, with columns and a backdrop of portico-ed arches. Again, the view is stunning. There's lots to explore in this section but I had to skimp it.
The levels then go up yet again, and then even further but yet again, we had run out of time! Definitely recommend this for a visit, sturdy shoes needed and due to the height of the site itself it's not only breathtaking but also - it takes your breath away! Inasmuch as your head and heart tell you to slow down!
We descend to the car park and retrieve Dippy - off to the Antioch of Pisidia next!
The road down is as hair raising as the road up, especially as we're obviously a big vehicle. Luckily we only pass a couple of cars and both times we were at a wide section of road.
We pass a field where there is a random table and 3 mis-matched dining chairs just sitting there! Why? It's like it's waiting for Alice and the Mad Hatter to come along with a teapot!
As we come round a bend a lake fills our view completely! It's the most stunning turquoise colour and is ringed on all sides by snow capped mountains. It's stunning! It's breathtaking! It could be the front cover of a Travel Agents brochure!
We pull over for a couple of photos and just sit there for a while taking it's beauty into ourselves. It's Lake Egirdir and is Turkey's 4th largest lake with a surface area of 168 square miles and it's elevation is 3,009ft.
Eventually we have to pull ourselves away and carry on, but tiredness is overtaking us both now so when we stop for fuel and LPG - and find ourselves lower down but still next to the Lake - we decide to eat at the restaurant across the road and stop for the night. The setting sun turns the mountains and the lake to fire - and then blinks out!

 

[frwjd]

Day 138
Thursday 24th March
Good afternoon!
A very late start for me. I woke at 03:30 with stomach cramps, as they are now known. Feeling better now but something is still amiss. Had a Covid test but negative.
It was -3C during the night and the forecast is just 5C today.
There are many snow storms around us in the mountains so today's travels are cancelled anyway. We have snow chains but I have no intention of using them.
We will just take the short trip to the Antioch of Pisidia.
A few snaps of Lake Egridir below.
Good to see the UK is enjoying a warm spell! Have a good day.

Day 138
John was poorly last night so I left him to sleep for a while. As I looked out over the lake I could hear furious honking - in two levels! The geese that live in the petrol station opposite had decided to wander slowly across the road for a morning dip - the cars were honking at them to get them to move and the geese were honking back!
I have no affection for geese - those of you who have been with us for a while may remember Day 77, when having been chased mercilessly by one I barely made it through Dippy's habitation door in one piece!
The sky is grey and overcast today and the lake has 3 distinct layers to it's colours. Close to the horizon are two thin strips of green, the first is darker than the second and then the rest is a silver grey colour. There's a stiff wind blowing and it lifts little white caps to the waves.
The hill to my left mirrors the lake with stripes of 2 greens, the darker shade is the trees and the lighter is the bushes. The grey is made up of the rocks and the lines of white snow mimic the white caps of the waves.
I ran a CV test on John when he woke and he has the all clear. Still not feeling 100% and very tired as he was awake for hours during the night but we'll see how the day goes.
We leave at about 1.30pm for the Antioch of Pisidia, the snow starts within the first few minutes! Plan B is always in our minds and it's my job to record not only what I see but also to watch and remember wherever I see a possible bolt hole for an emergency and/or a suitable reversing place for if the Sat Nav takes Dippy somewhere too tight to continue.
We're hailed a couple of times as people think we're a bus - it hasn't happened for a few days! I love the fact that the stops here often have old sofas for people to sit on while waiting for buses.
This area seems to be an apple growing hotspot going by the number of advert banners showing pictures of apples on the polytunnels. At Gelendost we pass 3 sites where tip-up lorries are dumping apples directly onto the ground! Not exactly delicate!
The motorway design takes us past the signs for our destination, then across the motorway and back on ourselves to the D695. The snow flurries have come to nothing but it's bitterly cold outside. Pockets of snow lie along the road edges.
We find the site and get our tickets - £1.25 for the two of us. The icy wind is blowing right through us as we start up the steep incline. It's slippery underfoot and that's not helped by the fact that the construction vehicles on site - trucks and caterpillar tracked diggers - have churned the soil into great rucks which have frozen solid!
The information boards are interesting and tell us that the site dates from the 3rd century BC. We turn to view the site - and it's very - different! It's as if the site is still being excavated. Blocks of stone are stacked on top of each other but don't seem to match anything!
Everything is very higgledy-piggledy as if the excavation is underway at this very minute and the archaeologist is saying "Pile it all up over there and we'll sort it out in a minute!"
Carved blocks are on their side, stacked on top of ones that are upside down, or back to front. Like a child's blocks when they're too young to build anything and just make a pile! It has no context for you to use your imagination to make sense of it.
The ground is very uneven and I feel like a mountain goat as I leap from one block to another to make my way towards the theatre. It's small, evidently only seated 5,000 in it's heyday and all that there is now are the stone seats.
"The Street" is evidently 85 metres long. Again it was very difficult going with not a lot to see. The wind has increased and the uneven ground has deteriorated further - so I chicken out and turn back.
I gather that the excavation in the 1920's was abandoned after less than a year due to arguments between the team - maybe this explains it's feeling of "unfinished business" that I get from it? Both before and after the excavation, a lot of the site was "robbed out" to be used in other places - it shows!
Either way - despite how much I love this type of excursion I feel that enough is enough and I ask John if we can move on. A disappointing visit.
We head of for the 2nd visit of today - with high hopes that this one will be better! We're off to Eflatunpinar - say that 3 times in rapid succession after a couple of drinks!
The journey is uneventful, just flat plains as far as the eye can see and eventually onto a road that is just 2 cars wide with deep ditches along each side. The fields are a rich red colour and have been newly ploughed ready for planting, a couple of tractors still going.
We turned in, not sure what to expect and found a pool and a carved monument. Wiki tells us that -
Eflatunpinar is a cold water spring where a replica of the Hittite Pantheon has been built, depicting 5 mountain gods and the storm god and sun goddess. There are also sculptures of lions, deer and bulls which were found in the filler basin.
We hadn't realised that there would be nothing else, other than some fencing to keep the cows out and a couple of curved wooden bridges across the spring. It seems a long way to go for something so - small?
So - today has been a lot of travelling with not as much at the end of the day as I would have hoped. I'm not disappointed, exactly, but it's a warning to us that all is not necessarily as we expect it to be. Our other visits have been very atmospheric where today's were a little underwhelming! However - if we'd not gone - we wouldn't have found out!
We're parked up on the side of Beysehir Lake and have had a lovely meal at the local restaurant. Our landlord has sent John photos of our new furniture, bed, tv, washing machine, dishwasher and fridge freezer, all delivered today. It's bitterly cold outside but the heating's on in here and the kettle will be on as soon as I sign off! I forget we're 3 hours ahead of UK!

 

[frwjd]

Day 139
Friday 25th March
Good morning!
Another freezing night and a very cold day ahead of us, just 6C forecast. It's still another bright and sunny start to the day though
Today we plan to visit the largest Neolithic site ever found at Catalhoyuk and the Ottoman-Greek village of Sille before spending the weekend in Konya.

Day 139
Much more peaceful night on the lakeside at Beysehir. It was bitterly cold though and the heating barely coped with keeping us warm enough to sleep.
We woke to beautiful clear blue sky and sea and the wind has dropped too, which is a help. John's still not feeling great but wants to crack on so we have a quick breakfast and set off for the D330.
There's snow along the road edges and the further we travel the larger the snow patches grow. There's only a scattering of houses as we pass the agricultural areas - the land is flat and you can see for miles.
We eventually pass some signs for industrial businesses of some kind but the arrows seem to point into nowhere so they must be some distance away from the road!
Then we pass a real oddity! It's a stone masons business, which usually sells all sorts of garden ornaments, fountains, arches, gateways, wells, statues.This one sells - gravestones!
There's a small increase in the amount of houses we see, some are inhabited but most are just ruins. As they increase we see Konya set out below us. It's Turkey's 7th largest city with a population in 2021 of 1,356,000, it's impossible to see it's boundaries from here.
We travel through the city centre - the air quality is horrendous, the cars are triple parked, the houses go from ramshackle piles of bricks with washing hanging from the windows to 12 storey high tower blocks.
We slowly ease out of it and see men sitting outside bars drinking tea and chatting while they smoke. As we pass a fruit stall a young man is juggling 5 oranges to the delight of 2 small children.
There are a lot of pet shops and a lot of vets businesses! On the shady side of this busy street there are piles of snow that have been cleared into an icy heap.
A large mosque is under construction, it's tall minaret pointing like a finger at the sky. Lots of wooden ladders are leaning against the walls. Health and Safety seems to have no place here as men climb laden with materials that spill and fall with each step upwards.
All along this road it seems to be a series of shops all selling the same goods - all plastic and in all shapes and sizes. Buckets, bowls, brooms, rakes, chairs, rolls of pipe, wheelbarrows.
As we exit the main part of town there is a team of 8 women all weeding, planting and watering the central reservation. The railway has been consistently to our right and the left is endless construction sites and rows of heavy duty construction vehicles and supplies.
We pass a "Sut" factory - Milk! The billboard shows a cow and a sheep so that gives us a clue that it's not goat's milk! Litter pickers are trawling the laybys just before we reach a field containing several gigantic Satellite Dishes.
To our left is a row of new houses - in fact it's 12 houses in 12 rows equalling 144 brand new houses! They're all identical! Then we pass the next batch. Then the next! I think there was a total of 5 batches of 144 houses - that equals.........a lot! A whole new town in fact! There were a couple of parked cars but on the whole they weren't inhabited, maybe not even completed. No curtains, no plants - nothing to distinguish one from the other.
A long time ago there was a song "Little boxes on the hillside, little boxes made of tick tacky and they're all made out of ticky tacky and they all look the very same". I think the architect for these houses must have taken his cue from that song! Depressing!
We enter Cumra - where almost all of the houses to each side of the main road have collapsed roofs showing just above the wall that boundaries the road - all due for demolition probably. We go under the road via a tunnel with great icicles dangling just above our roof and then follow the brown sites signs for our destination.
The caretaker pops out of his little house and tells us that the site is free to visitors! The Turkish government pays for it all.
Catalhoyuka was in existence in approx 7,500 BC and a reconstruction of what the houses would have looked like is too intriguing to ignore!
It's made of mud and has small step over openings to get inside. However - the real ones were accessed by the roof via a ladder then through a hole in the roof onto a ladder that took you down inside! Can't allow the visitors to risk life and limb and then sue for damages! Each room is small, and has 2 side rooms off - which were store rooms.
Another bigger example shows you the large family version - several interconnecting rooms which leave you a bit disorientated! It was actually quite interesting and very well done. One room showed the sleeping platforms and another a small baked mud oven.
A quick slog up a slippery muddy hill took you past the exhibition centre - which had information boards and a few artefacts, to a giant shelter which covers the main event - the remains of some of the buildings!
If you wanted a new house. or it needed too much repair work, the best option was to collapse the house! The collapsed remains then formed the foundation for the new house - recycle-re-use! The highest point is 21 metres high - that's a lot of houses! Inside the shelter you can see the layers of each house over time.
When people died, their remains were buried - usually under the sleeping platforms of the current occupiers! As many as 60 people were buried in one house. In 2004, the skeleton of a woman was uncovered, she was cradling the skull of a man in her arms.
I'd been unsure about visiting this site - I'm so glad we went! It didn't have the carved stones, the mosaic floors, the high arches and imposing theatres of the others we've been too but what it had was atmosphere!
As we went back through the nearby village - many of the houses were made of mud! The chimneys were made of mud. The ones that had fallen into disuse and had great holes in the walls showed that they were built the same way the 8,000 year old ruins we've just seen were made.
We made our way into Konya and have set up in an enormous carpark opposite a very big mosque and with 3 other mosques all within view - and sound! We're the only people here despite there easily being spaces for over 100 vehicles.
Cars have driven through - using this as a short cut to somewhere but the only people who parked were 3 men who took a rug out of the car and spread it on the ground. The call to prayer had sounded just a short while before and i thought that maybe these men were going to pray.
No! They photographed the rug from all angles and took a video of it. Then rolled it up and put it in the car again. They then brought out another rug and repeated the process - then the same with a 3rd rug! Then they drove off! I have no idea of why!
We walked to a nearby cafe and had a delicious meal of meatballs, salad and bread chased down with Coca Cola then grabbed some supplies from the nearby shop.
John's flagging now so I think it may be an early night. We did a 2nd CV test before we went for the meal - negative, so it's not that. Hopefully he'll get a good night's sleep and pick up a bit tomorrow.

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[3DOM]

Lovely read of your travels, i feel as if i am with you.
Hope you are both feeling better.

 

[frwjd]

Day 140
Saturday 26th March
Good morning!
A sunny 6C forecasted here in Konya.
Feeling a little better after a good nights sleep but Wendy isn't feeling great this morning
There's lots to see in Konya but we'll see how we're feeling after breakfast.
Hopefully we will be ok for tonight's performance by the Whirling Dervishes

Day 140
Well, John was feeling just a little better today but still not right! Whatever it is - it got me too! CV test done just in case - negative!
Either way - we weren't up to much and wanted to see the Whirling Dervishes this evening so we spent the day just chilling.
We set off on the hunt for a restaurant for dinner and found - The Hilton Hotel - that'll do! Whatever this bug is it doesn't affect our appetite, so I tucked into a grilled salmon with salad and John had a massive Burger with chips and a beer! I also had a delicious rice pudding and a Coke.
Both absolutely delicious but as this was the Hilton, we waited in trepidation for the bill. It was the most expensive meal we've had in a very long time - £16.20!
We walked back to the Cultural Centre of Mevlana - which happens to be about 50 yards from Dippy, and slowly move up the queue to the ticket office.
The tickets are 30TL each. Then John realises that he used almost the last of his cash at the Hilton - he proffers his card but it's refused, cash only unfortunately. He tries to buy just one ticket for me, telling me to go in and bag 2 seats and he'll find an ATM and join me. The man lets us in for what John has in his hand -waving us through with a smile. How kind!
The auditorium is circular and has 15 tiers of seats - not sure how many seats in total but it's a lot. By the end it was probably about 25% full.
There is a prayer mat on the ground opposite us and a man takes up position there as the dancers move slowly into place to one side of him. I'll call this man the "priest" as I'm not sure of his correct title - I mean no offence by it.
There are 20 adult men and 4 boys. The distance makes it hard to tell the boys ages but they're very early teens at most.
The dance performed by the Whirling Dervishes is based on a sect started in the 12th century as a form of physically active meditation, focusing on God while listening to music and spinning.
The dance is called the Sema and the clothing worn by the dancers is traditional. The tall hat is representative of the tombstone of the ego, the white skirt is the shroud of the ego while the black cloak is the worldy life, which when it is removed allows the body to be re-born.
The music starts and the men remove their cloaks, dropping them to the ground. They step forward one by one and bow to the priest, who kisses the side of their hat. They then step past him, beginning the turning of their dance slowly, the skirts of their costume flaring out.
The circle spreads out as each new dancer joins them. Their right hand is slightly raised, their head rests almost on their right shoulder, their left foot keeps them on terra firma as their right foot skips over it with each turn, their skirt flaring and fluttering.
The circle rotates slowly round the arena until it has come full circle.
The gracefulness is an astounding surprise to me! I was somehow expecting the dancing to be wild and frantic - the dance of warriors I suppose. This is graceful, and peaceful and completely hypnotic! This is worship!
The music changes, but still has the same rythm, the same beat and the dance is repeated again and then again. It's completely atmospheric and almost hypnotic. I can feel myself relaxing completely. I spoke at the beginning of this description that the Sema was a form of physical meditation - it most certainly is for those of us watching the performance!
Then it's over, and the dancers go back to replace their cloaks around their shoulders and move out of the arena as quietly and calmly as they entered it.
The silence from the audience is deafening! Then some start clapping. Not the raucous cheering and clapping and foot stamping of a pop concert but the gentle applause of an awed audience.
John and I just look at each other. One word "WOW!"
I know that some of our readers have already visited Turkey and i know that some of you have seen the Whirling Dervishes already - for those of you that haven't - you absolutely must!

 

[frwjd]

Day 141
We were up and on our way to Konya before breakfast as we wanted an early start. We found another car park to add to our itinerary and having settled Dippy in we went in search of bread. We found a bread stand but the shops weren't open et so we helped ourselves and left the money on the shelf!
We sat and ate and watched the cemetery on the other side of the path for any signs of life! None - luckily! Our first stop today was to be the Konya Archaeological Museum - smaller than anything we've been to so far.
I wondered if we'd be disappointed - far from it! It was absolutely gobsmacking! There were slabs of mosaic floor leaning against each other and propped along the wall - but there was also almost an entire floor of beautiful mosaic laid out along one wall.
There were various display cases of artefacts, pieces of jewellery, daggers, vases, pots and other items. A section of mud wall had been preserved, complete with the red hand prints that had been put there centuries before! So similar to the aboriginal hand prints we saw in Australia and also on the cave walls in Bushman Bay in Zimbabwe.
A skull and some bones had been uncovered during the excavations, they had been encased in plaster and decorated with red paint, some hair still clings to the skull!
There are a lot of sarcophagi of all shapes and sizes both inside and outside the museum. The marble carvings are so incredibly detailed and beautifully preserved it's as if they're new, you can feel the love and care that went into making them.
The absolute top notch one though has to be the Sarcophagus of Hercules! Each face is as individual as any real crowd of people would be. The fighters depicted on the sides are detailed down to each flexed muscle as they battle each other. The grim determination on their faces - this isn't practise, this is War! This is to the death! The fallen have agony etched onto their faces, the victor has elation carved into his!
Then I spot something! No! It can't be! Can it? Oh yes it can! How can I put this politely??? One warrior is "defecating" on his enemy!
John thinks I'm mistaken! Then he thinks I've made it up! Then - he agrees I'm absolutely right!! The message is clear as day - " I **** on you!"
We wander out into the garden area, it's surrounded by more sarcophagi, more carvings, all as beautiful as the ones before. It's quite emotional seeing the skill and the love that has been used to almost bring them to life. Modelled on real people and animals and now immortalised in marble.
We head back into town and go to a mosque that has been turned into a wood and stone museum. The Ince Minare Mosque Museum.
The inside is a series of small rooms that you have to duck your head and lift your feet over a step to enter. The main part isn't very well lit bit it improves as you go round.
The examples of carved wood -one of my great loves - are stunning. There are 13th and 14th century wooden doors and window casements from various castles and the Konya Fort and once again, the craftsmanship is beautiful.
A stone carving from Konya Castle shows a lion attacking an elephant, the elephant is being dragged down to the ground, a winged angel and great slabs of stone with inscriptions carved on, all of them have all come from Alaeddin Hill and the Fort.
We leave and walk back to Alaeddin Hill but there's not a lot to see and no park benches of any kind to sit and enjoy the sunshine and take a break so we head back.
We get back to Dippy and are pestered by teenage beggars. We've seen them refuse food from people so on principle we don't give money. They circle the car park approaching everyone. They're wearing good clothing and have smart new trainers on their feet so
aren't very believable!
We're soon heading out on the D696, snowy mountains ahead, snow drifts to our left and to the right are what almost seem to be sand dunes, the hills are so softly defined that they seem as if they'll flow down onto the road at any minute!
200 kms from Antalya we climb higher and the snow is piled to the side by the snowploughs We're at a height of 5987ft which John tells me is higher than Ben Nevis at 4413ft.
At this point Dippy suffers a setback - her gears won't engage. I'll let him fill everyone in on this as I don't have the technical knowledge to relay it! All I know is that at one point John managed to very skilfully get us off the road and onto a layby without tipping us over!
We limped along the the D400 and near to Side where we managed to park up near a restaurant for the night. We had a delicious meal - but were fleeced by the fact that the price wasn't made clear that we were being charged in Euros NOT Turkish Lire! A good meal that left a VERY bad taste in our mouth!
We need to be up at 6.30am to set off to get Dippy to a repair shop early tomorrow. It's now 10.45pm. Goodnight all!

 

[frwjd]

Day 142
Monday 28th March
Good morning!
I love the mountains but prefer the temperatures near the coast! 11C during the night and 18C forecast for today.
We had an early start and are back at Sahil Karavan as they know someone who will have a look at our gear linkage problem.
Typically it fixed itself within ten minutes of arriving at Sahil!
We're still hoping to complete our journey back to Fethiye today.

I have a special post dedicated to our sat Nav.
Some of you will recall that it has been utterly useless throughout the trip.
Until a month ago, something changed, there wasn't an update and I don't know what affected the change but she is now utterly brilliant, not put a foot wrong
Sat Nav rules ok!

Day 142
Not a good night for either of us - both awake in the small wee hours and dozing rather than getting a proper sleep. We were on the road by 7.15 to get Dippy over to Sahil Karavans to try and get her gears sorted out.
The sun was shining as we left, passing polytunnels full of tomatoes in some fields and of bananas in others. The sun also lit up the distant mountains, making the snow glow.
Groups of children are already up and waiting for the school buses along the roadsides as we enter town and join the heavy traffic.
Suddenly, the truck in front of us veers to the right and immediately overturns, spinning onto it's side so that the cab is facing us. It's momentum pulls it into the oncoming traffic, and brakes screech as drivers try to avoid them.
John managed to get us out of the way and we swerve round them. The windscreen has shattered and glass flies everywhere. Neither driver or passenger have seat belts on and I have a full view of their shocked faces as they scream in terror, tumbling over each other in the cab!
Cars are stopping to help and a few who are in front of us start reversing towards the scene. We know that if this was England we might stop and help - we're both trained First Aiders - but with not speaking the language we're better off leaving it to others who can!
As we near Sahil Karavans, the gears start to ease - typical! We get there and explain and Mr. Sahil Snr. jumps into the cab before I can get out and drives off - with me captive in the cab!
For the next 10 minutes Dippy's subjected to all sorts of tests on her gears up and down a road, weaving in and out of traffic, and then onto a piece of wasteland.
The diagnosis when we got back was that it's ok at the moment and nothing can be done until the problem arises again and can be seen/heard/felt! Understandable.
We're under time pressure as we have to be back in Fethiye for Wednesday for our residency interview so can't hang around and wait for it to be examined further. We'll come back another time, when - we're fairly sure - the problem will have come back!
Before we leave, we run a quick list of possible future jobs past them and are told that none of them present any problems, just get ourselves sorted out and return when we're ready.
We're soon back on the D400, and John tells me that the gears don't feel right again. The sea is off to our right and there are a couple of tankers and a cruise ship moored in the distance.
A few miles on we pass under 3 tunnels under the mountain - not long after we emerge from the last one there's a police car doing a traffic control stop - with an armoured car parked at the side of him - for support?
We forgot to ask at Sahil Karavans if we could fill up with water so we're watching out for the tap signs that run along the motorway side. We spot one at one of the little "shrine" points and pull over. As I step out holding one of the plastic water carriers, a police car cruises alongside me. I beam at the Policeman - he doesn't smile back but just lifts a hand and acknowledges me.
We're back on the road 20 minutes later and pass a whole field of bee hives, there must be over a hundred of them! Runny honey is easy to buy here but I haven't seen any set honey. The polytunnels stretch out on each side of us again and I can make out tomatoes on one side and possibly bananas? on the other.
The bus terminal is to our right, full to bursting with large and small vehicles and towering over them is a vast array of multi storey apartments 10-12 floors! All have shops below them and the shopping area is absolutely vast!
Then we're out the other side again and the sea is glistening to our left, with beautiful, expensive looking villas along our right hand side. The villas all seem to have large gardens and large gates to keep people out!
Two men are cutting great lengths of bamboo and stacking them beside a flat bed truck which is already filled to bursting. Just past them the orange and lemon groves start again and then end abruptly as we reach Finike and travel through the centre.
When we reach the Harbour, we're treated to a fantastic display of yachts, it's absolutely crammed! All sizes are here and there are very few empty spaces. Interestingly though, there's not even 1 of them out on the beautiful blue sea!
We start to climb up and away from the town - the sky is completely cloudless and as I look down, I can see a scattering of little islands dotting the blue sea. A beautiful cove appears as we go round a bend, white stones for the beach and a brown wooden boardwalk.
This road is steep and twists and turns in sharp curves high above the water. I spot the sea cave I saw the last time we made this journey and the steps leading down the cliff face to reach it.
A driver with a death wish tries repeatedly to overtake the truck in front of us - repeatedly slamming his brakes on as the approaching cars swing round the bend and nearly take him out. There are black skid marks over all of the road where people have had close calls - especially when the goats appear and wander across the road to graze on the cliff edge.
There's been a rock fall and the wire netting that helps catch it has done it's job well but is bulging out into the road, making itself a hazard.
Eventually we reach Myra, where there are some stunning rock tombs easily visible in the cliff face. First though, we have a deliciously refreshing drink of Pomegranate and oranges, freshly squeezed. The drink seller asks how much he would have to pay to buy a motorhome like Dippy and is amazed at the figure! We leave him pondering how to earn enough money from his current job and wander up the street of tourist shops to the entrance gates.
The theatre here held a modest 10,000 people and has nothing of note other than it's seats! The carvings on the various scattered blocks are good and well worth a look, many of them are formed with masks of faces. However, the faces all appear to be screaming in horror, their mouths agape and their eyes round and popping. No gentle, benevolent features, these!
Swags of garlands are held up by figures, some male, some female. Some wear high conical hats, one has several plaits and another has Pan-like horns! All 3 have proper mouths rather than open mouthed screams!
The site was built about 4th century BC and has been Greek, Lycian, Byzantine, Greco Roman and Ottoman depending on which century you choose. Saint Nicholas (Santa Claus) was buried in Myra but his remains were stolen in 1087 and spirited away! Someone stole Santa!
A tour bus has arrived and spilled out a host of visitors - this is a small site and is suddenly feeling claustrophobic - time to leave. On the whole - the site is small and doesn't take long to get round. An hour is more than enough time.
We travel on to Hosgeldiniz and find the Likya Beach Bar. After a couple of cold drinks on the stunning beach we park next to them and go back to eat there in the evening. A fantastic meal beautifully cooked with delightful staff!
We're hoping for a quiet night. We're hemmed in on all sides by cars and can't make a run for it in the night if we wanted to! I can hear the waves lapping onto the beach, but nothing else. Peace!

 

[frwjd]

Day 143
Tuesday 29th March
Good morning!
We had a much better sleep and the temperature was a cosy 11C with 18C forecasted today. I confess that 18C is my limit
We're continuing our journey back to Fethiye today and will probably take a leisurely four hours including stops.
Tonight we're hoping to spend our first night in our apartment!

Day 143
We left our overnight stop after a better night's sleep than we've had recently. A Fire Engine had appeared next to us just before we left - no emergency though, it seems to have just stopped briefly and then moved on. We passed it not long after leaving, parked at the side of the beach road while 2 firemen hunted for something along the beach - very random!
However - 20 minutes into our journey back to Fethiye I wondered if I was actually still asleep and dreaming it all because - we then passed a tractor parked at the side of the road with a trailer attached, which a young man was filling with plastic sacks. Nothing dreamlike there? No - except that the tractor was wearing a suit of pink flowered fabric! Not just a cover draped over it - it had been made to measure and had a fringed border too!
It was very pretty but not exactly - normal? You know how people say that things happen in threes? Well.........
We're tootling along, minding our own business, 50mph, admiring the scenery, come round a bend and.........a man runs straight at us, shouting something incomprehensible in Turkish, arms waving frantically as a second man desperately tries to herd a stampeding flock of black sheep who are hell bent on reaching breakfast on the other side of the road! Grass is always greener etc etc etc......
We stop and wait but these sheep are on a mission and nothing is going to stop them! Half the flock go forward, half go backward. Both men are now shouting at the sheep and waving their sticks in the air and we're sat with tears running down our faces, while I desperately take notes so as to be able to write this in tonight's post!
The man trying to turn the flock back on themselves now gives up, there's no stopping these wooly wonders and he goes with the flow and follows them across the road, looking very - sheepish!! You are allowed to groan at this point!
Carnage averted we carry on, both thinking of how many ways you can cook a sheep and how big a freezer we could need!
We're soon looking down on Polythene city - polytunnels in their thousands, they stretch on in all directions for miles. As we go through Gurses we see more ruins of houses than inhabited ones.
A little further on we see a Police control point ahead. We've always been waved through before but this Policeman decided to ask us to pull over. He wants to see our passports and John's driving license but having flicked through them he seems satisfied and having asked us when we arrived in Turkey, he waves us on.
We pass a road sign with a picture of dogs on - a minute or two further on we pass 12, all lying sunbathing along - and in - the road! Just afterwards there's another Police stop point, but they wave us on.
As we drop down into Kas we pass 5 cyclists all puffing their way up the steep hill towards us. Their bikes are hung around with more luggage than we carry in Dippy - I assume it's tents and camping equipment.
Soon afterwards we pass a woman who looks to be in her 50's at least, backpack on, trekking poles and arms pumping and a huge smile on her face - she's thoroughly enjoying herself! About 50 yards behind her is a teenager, similarly dressed and burdened - but with a scowl on his face - he's NOT enjoying himself!
We drop down into the town centre and all is well until we come up to a double parked flat bed truck! He's blocking the traffic, but we could have got past if only some idiot on his phone in another truck hadn't tried to push us out of the way - and got jammed. Neither of us could go forward - or backwards!
Two men on a scooter are caught up in the jam and one of them hops off and reaches through the parked trucks open window - repeatedly sounding the horn! No reaction. No driver running back to apologise and move out of the way.
So the man opens the door, jumps in and drives it forward enough to untangle the mess! Well done! We squeeze through and having untangled ourselves we park a little way out, opposite the harbour and put the kettle on.
There's a stiff breeze blowing off the sea and the yachts bob up and down on the choppy water, pennants fluttering madly, while the wind makes the taut sheets sing and hum as they vibrate.
Coffee over we set off again, spiralling up the steep hills overlooking the harbour. A catamaran is in the distance, coming in towards the harbour. Above us the houses cling to the edge of the cliffs with the tenacity of goats - I doubt I'd be comfortable living so close to the crumbling edge!
A truck comes towards us, it looks - wrong - somehow. Once it's nearer I realise it has nothing covering it's engine! The day is continuing as it started - I'm now watching out for more sheep!
We arrive at our apartment to find that the furniture is in place and we have beds, wardrobes, sofa, table and chairs, washing machine, dishwasher, fridge/freezer, cutlery, glasses, crockery, coffee maker, microwave, oven, hob, tv, and curtains. A security gate is being welded into place at the entrance. A lot has happened over the last few days and it looks lovely! Our landlord and his sister have worked really hard.
They apologise that the shower still needs to be plumbed into the water system tomorrow and there is also a man coming tomorrow to get English tv set up for us, something we thought we'd have to arrange ourselves.
We thank them profusely and decide to leave them to it and take ourselves off for some groceries, sardines in bread and a parking spot on the beach at Calis Beach - which we then do.
Whilst sat here, the man who sells something similar to bagels from a tray balanced on his head came past. One of the resident dogs followed behind him then jumped up and nudged his elbow. It almost ended in disaster but for the man's reflexes! Once the tray was back in place the dog was rewarded with a bagel - cunning plan!

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[nicholsong]

I have just read the last 3 days but particularly enjoyed the last sentence of post #169 (Day 142)

'Peace' - just what I need at the moment. Thanks

Geoff

 

[frwjd]

Day 144
Wednesday 30th March
Good morning!
It's a beautiful day and 21C forecast.
A lazy morning ahead then a taxi into Fethiye for some shopping and our interview for our residency permits. I believe we will have our passports checked and our fingerprints will be taken

Day 144
A slow start to today. A good night's sleep here at Calypso Beach and it was nice not to have to rush. We were going to our residency interview this afternoon so I checked and re-checked that I'd got our passports and the paperwork before we walked down to get the taxi into Fethiye.
We'd also made a list of little items that needed more than just a market shop - notebooks was high on the list as I get through them at an incredible rate with the notes I take during the day for the evening's post.
We had a look around and got to grips with what shops there were that were a little away from the main road. We'd seen the fish and fruit market before but it was worth another look to see the fresh fish laid out on ice and the butcher's shop in the next row.
We strolled around in the sunshine, and came across a small, shallow pond with a battered rowing boat in it. There was a duck nestled asleep on one end of it, and several Koi Carp swimming around. A goose poked it's head up from where it had been huddled in the shade and made me jump! I'm not sure if the Carp were there for decoration or whether they were on tonight's menu!
We were on the lookout for a pair of swimming shorts for John to enjoy the swimming pool when it's ready and spotted some likely looking ones across the road.
Further investigation confirmed they were suitable - until we asked the price! The salesman changed the price mid-sentence. UP not down, that is! His face was a picture when John handed them back and said a very firm "NO, we'll go somewhere else." We're all for bartering but the price he was starting at would have bought us a month's groceries!
The spices in the covered market were tempting us to linger but we had an eye on the clock all the time. We drank in the smells - nutmeg, cinnamon, cumin, allspice, oregano, mint, cloves, ginger. The baskets were all overflowing with colour as the stallholders tried to waylay us into giving them "just one minute" of our time.
The covered area was bedecked with colourful umbrellas hanging from the roof high above us. Clothes shops were the mainstay down this street, everything that you could ask for in the name of fashion. Bright colours dazzling the eyes of the shoppers as they checked the price labels and tut tutted and then moved to the next shop.
We looked at some cookware, but until we move into the apartment we're not sure what we'll need, so note the prices and then move on to the next section.
We're back out on the main street again and the majority of shoppers here seem to be women in their late teens/early twenties, all in jeans and t-shirts and trainers. The bags they carry have branded names on them, mostly fashion shops rather than sports shops.
Burger King is doing a roaring trade, the queue spills out onto the pavement as people queue for their lunch in the hot sunshine. The traffic is absolutely manic and pushes home to me the reason I hate big cities!
We still haven't found anywhere that sells stationery of any description and I long for a WH Smith's. I know however that if I found one I'd soon be in the book section browsing the historical romance novels and not looking for notebooks, pens and wallets!
A quick Cappucino later we head for Gurkan's office. He's busy when we get there - as usual - and has 2 other English couples busily doing paperwork, possibly for the same reason as us.
He welcomes us and speaks to his secretary, who will escort us to the Government office that will take us through the next stage. He tells us to return to his office afterwards.
We dodge traffic with her to get to the other side of the road and up past some bars and restaurants. People are drinking in the beautiful sunshine and chatting with friends - it has a lovely atmosphere.
Into a cool office building and up the stairs and we're there. We sit with some other people who are also waiting for the same reason as us. They're slowly called in and then it's our turn. The secretary leaves us, telling us she'll see us back at Gurkan's office.
The official checks our passports and scrutinises them against our faces, then photocopies them. I'm fingerprinted first - it's electronically done so not messy. The little machine is cleaned with alcohol wipes first then he takes my hand as he rolls each finger repeatedly several times. When he's satisfied, he asks me to sit down as he takes photos and loads them onto the computer along with the fingerprints.
John is taken through the same procedure and then we're done! That's it! We're told that in 7-10 days time the permit cards will be delivered to Gurkan's office and he will notify us to collect them. We come away slightly stunned that it had all been so quick and easy.
We go downstairs and find the secretary waiting for us. She phones Gurkan with the news and John and I head off to celebrate - by going to Migros for the shopping! We buy some swimming shorts for John and some bathroom scales! I also get a new pair of slippers for me so that I can have a pair at the apartment as well as a pair in Dippy - I'm spoilt!!
The taxi drops us nowhere near where we asked him to - even showing him a map didn't help! We walk the rest of the way and decide to have a meal before going to Dippy so we don't have to come out again.
There are English voices at the table next to us and they quickly realise we're English too. Some of them are Southerners - like me and some are Northerners - like John - a good mix!
We tell them we've just been granted our short stay permit and they tell us some of them have been here for 14 years! This is a regular haunt for them - and having tasted the food I can understand why! John had Turkish Beef Goulash and I had Pasta and Chicken in a mushroom sauce. Both were fantastic!
One of the ladies had read some of our blog on Facebook and told the group about what we were doing. We were also given some good tips about where to get the notebooks I need and how to find the market for our fresh fruit and veg. Another tip was for a good butcher's! Thank you all of you for the chats and the local info, it was much appreciated. Hope to bump into you all again soon.
John was checking his phone and found he had missed calls from Gurkan as he had the volume turned down! It turns out that the permits will be posted to our apartment not to Gurkan. If we're not there to receive them they will be taken to the Post Office and we will receive a text message asking us to go and collect them in person. We then need to take them to Gurkan's office ourselves for him to add the address.
Appetites satisfied we headed back along the beach for home - Google Fit has been very pleased with us just lately! Tomorrow we will hopefully spend our first night in the new apartment and will need to transfer things from Dippy up the stairs to the apartment, so it may be very pleased with us again!

 

[frwjd]

Day 145
Thursday 31st March
Good morning!
A grey but warm start here with 21C forecast
The sand from the Sahara is due to blow in today and tomorrow so we'll wash Dippy at the weekend.
Today we will try to find the Thursday market in Ciftlik, our new village home. We might also take a look at some garden furniture.
Tonight should be our first in our new apartment
A few snaps from Fethiye below.

Day 145
We woke to another grey day! Grey sky, grey sea and grey mountains have all blended together. Hopefully, it will brighten up as the day goes on! Our apartment should be ready today so we're looking forward to having a base while we carry on travelling around Turkey.
While we're eating breakfast I mention to John that a man has been walking past us several times in the last 15 minutes or so, each time getting a little closer. Then - he disappears as he bends down out of sight, right outside our window.
John leaps up to check as the man hurries off. It turns out that he's looking for the puppy that lives on the street here. The puppy has a nest in the long grass next to our parking spot. It seems that the man just wants to check that he's ok!
We need to kill a little time before driving over to the apartment , as we know that the last of the jobs were due to be completed today and we don't want to get under anyone's feet.
Chores done, we decide to go and look for the street market in Ciftlik we've been told about. It took some finding, but we eventually park up and John goes for a quick look see.
It didn't have much that John was hoping to get so we travelled a little further on and found the butchers that someone had recommended.
More successful this time! He came away with a shoulder of lamb, 4 Lamb Henry's and some chicken shish! Next stop MMM Migros!
More success here! Vegetables and fruit, crisps and biscuits, laundry detergent and softener, bathroom supplies - we're on a roll!
Unfortunately - no Notebooks! I'm down to the last page of my current one - having used up 6 already, and have been looking in every shop and supermarket we pass. I would never have thought it would be so difficult!
What I DO find though - is a Turkish flag! John has been desperate for one to hang on the balcony when we move in, and now we have it! He's a happy man.
We go for a cappuccino and some biscuits to celebrate and then set off back along the D400. We pass a roadside stall/shop selling hand woven baskets. The reeds are all propped up against the wall and a man is sat weaving them into shape ready to sell.
Some years ago, my daughter and I went to a day course for basket weaving - it was harder than I expected. I did ok though, but she did much better! John has also done this - before we met - and did a really good rendition of a hare!
In no time at all we're pulling up at the apartments. Our landlord Ali and his sister are there busily working and they welcome us in to see how much has been achieved.
We're not disappointed! The tv is in the process of being set up, the balcony has a table and chairs for us to enjoy the sunshine. The kitchen appliances are in and working, the cutlery, crockery, glasses, kettle, coffee machine, microwave etc etc are all ready to go - it all looks excellent!
We sit on the balcony and look over at the mountains in the distance. Some builders are working on 2 new houses that will soon welcome our new neighbours. Polytunnels over to our left grow the best tomatoes - we're told by a neighbour.
We retreat back to Dippy and start to gather together the basics we need for tonight while Ali takes photos and a video of the completed apartment. The apartment on the ground floor will soon be finished too and ready for weekly/monthly lets.
We've eaten, and John is christening the apartment with a bottle of wine. He's taken some photos to add to this post so you can visualise us - in situ!

 

[frwjd]

Day 146
Friday 1st April
Good morning!
We both slept very well, what a comfy bed!
An overcast start but the sun is shining through and the forecast says 27C today! Too hot for me
Ali, our landlord, is calling this morning to take us to the police station, a form to fill in I believe.
We have lots of washing to get on with and several new gadgets to come to terms with, teen-ager required, apply within.

Day 146
We both had a really good night's sleep - the bed was fantastically comfy and whatever noise there may or may not have been wasn't loud enough to wake us up!
We had a very leisurely breakfast and met Ali for the trip to the Police station, which we then found wasn't necessary for today. It's a registration form which needs to be produced along with the permit - which won't arrive for a week or so.
As we were up and ready we transferred a few things from Dippy to the apartment and then went exploring! We had a shopping list too, so decided it was the ideal way to discover our new surroundings.
First things first though - get the washing on! It's dials and instructions are - of course - in Turkish. I know what temperature I want and what spin speed and time - but having done that I can't find the button that will start the process off.
John's phone translates the various words but still no luck. The one that seems to be the favourite is one I've already pressed a couple of times - to no effect. I go to find help and run into the landlord, so I ask if his sister is around. He gallantly tells me she's busy but he will come and try for me! He assures me that when it was fitted it had been tested and had worked ok.
He tries the same buttons as me. Then tries them again. He's puzzled! Then - a brainwave! Opening the cupboard under the sink he finds that the water tap has been turned off after it was tested!
We set off for the shops - via the pet shop! How did that happen? John wants to make friends with the local stray dogs so will do it the tried and trusted way - via their stomachs! One had already been in trouble this morning for pinching the seat cushions from the garden seat to use as his bed!
I must be honest here and say that although I love dogs as much as he does I don't agree with encouraging them with food. Past experience with dogs who wanted the food we were carrying has made me very wary of them!
Dog treats collected, we drove around, slowly widening the search area for the things we needed. We certainly found out one thing! The fact that a shop has big technicolour posters of the items you're searching for in their windows does NOT necessarily mean that they have them - or have ever had them, or will have them in the future! It just means that someone - somewhere has thought about having them!
We searched in ever increasing circles, and had a lovely drive. We certainly got to grips with where things were and where we'd already been - and where we hadn't.
Everywhere was very busy, including the beach areas. So far, we've not seen much activity along the beachside areas but today it seemed that the world and his wife were there!
We passed through a small, villagey type of area on our drive, and my eye was caught by something up a steep side road. An elderly woman was walking uphill, backwards, dragging half a tree! She'd tug and then take another backwards step, then tug again. Slowly, but surely, that tree was going home with her!
All too soon, we were back. We got a couple of cold drinks and sat out on our balcony watching the builders across the way working on 3 new houses. Some sheep were grazing nearby, the chickens next door were clucking - but no sign of the dog! John tucked the treats away for later - or tomorrow!
A tractor delivered a trailer load of topsoil for the garden - we sat and reminisced about our respective gardens and allotments from before we met each other. We both miss having a garden, and our dream is that at some point in our lives we'll have one again.
The washing was done, the sun was still shining - but the wind was too fierce to hang anything out with any confidence that it would remain within reach. We just sat and chilled out until it was time for John to cook tea. Chicken shish! Our first cooked meal in our apartment - done to perfection and absolutely delicious.

 

[frwjd]

Day 147
Saturday 2nd April
Good morning!
A bright, sunny day and 23C here today
The local street dogs woke Wendy up early, I wonder if it was because our neighbours were up early because it's the first day of Ramazan?
Today we have washing, drying and ironing to do. We also have sitting in the sun and a slow roasted shoulder of lamb on the agenda.
Hope you have a good weekend!
Ramadan Mubarak!

Day 147
I'm sure we've all been there! The dogs kicked off at something like 4am and woke me up. At 4.40 I gave up trying to get back to sleep and was worried about waking John up with my tossing and turning so I got up!
In my previous life, if this happened, I would often get up and do the ironing! With 6 of us in the family plus extra clothes for my "extra children", there was always a pile of it waiting for a sleepless night to urge me towards the ironing board!
The problem was - the iron and ironing board were in the corner of the bedroom, tucked neatly down the side of the wardrobe! There was no way I could have retrieved them without causing a disturbance - so go to Plan B.
With a steaming mug of coffee next to me I retrieved emails from friends and family back home and overseas and answered all of them with a good catch up. Some of them don't do Facebook and I felt a little guilty as it had been quite a while between them writing and me answering them!
I hung out the washing in the pale sunshine, the mountains across from us were shrouded in mist, cats were washing their paws in the garden below me and there was no sign of the dogs at this point.
I made a list of things to do, and then another one of the more urgent jobs and then added some things to the shopping list! Shopping tends to be a bit haphazard as we're either tight on time or can't park Dippy near the shops we need. With this base it should be easier!
7.30am - the builders working on the 3 new builds opposite us are dropped off in a mini bus and get to work immediately - no "Put the kettle on, we'll have a brew before we start, and a fag, and maybe spend an hour on the phone and by then it will be tea break!" They arrived - they started work!
They scampered up the ladders to the upper level and things went up and things came down, no slacking with these workers. It makes sense really - it's still cool at the moment but as the day wears on they'll be roasting amongst the cement and metal on the flat surface - no shade!
The dogs arrive outside, looking for breakfast no doubt - or maybe mischief! They're not in my good books after last night but I try to justify it by thinking that dogs usually bark for a reason!
As I think this - their ears prick up and one flies down the road, barking ferociously. The other two are in hot pursuit and the cats scatter - yowling!
Whatever the dogs saw is on the wasteland over to our right and they chase .....something! The chickens next door flutter their wings and cluck furiously, scolding them. The cats stroll calmly past the gate - I swear they're smirking! Were the dogs set up?
John joins me and we have breakfast - then both go back to sleep for a couple of hours! When I wake up I have a battle with the "Rainforest" shower - I forgot that the taps turn the opposite way and all I get at first is cold water. I eventually win! As with so many things with this apartment - I'm impressed.
I study the dishwasher - I've had one before but this is not only different to mine - it's also in Turkish. I'll wait for John to Google translate it for me after dinner tonight - I can't link my phone to our wifi system and refuse to pay the roaming charges my provider will want from me.
The rest of the day passes in a gentle blur as we both relax and do the little odd jobs that so often have to wait when you're travelling. It's nice to feel the pressure ease up.
Outside, the pool is being cleaned ready for use - I'm not a great swimmer - although we have photos of me surfing in Cornwall in the 1970's wearing children's orange armbands while the beach lifeguard hurls abuse at me to "Get out of the ***** water if you can't swim!" - but I'm looking forward to getting in it!
More washing has been done and is dry and ready to go. John cooks in the oven for the first time - lamb shoulder - delicious. Washed down with Prosecco and about to be followed by Halva!
The dishwasher is humming gently in the background - Yes, I got it working. I'm feeling quite smug!

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[frwjd]

Fethiye Tuesday fruit and veg farmers market

 

[frwjd]

Turkey's street dogs, love 'em or hate 'em!?

https://www.dailysabah.com/.../stray-dogs-stir.../news

 

[frwjd]

Ramazan (Ramadan) started today, what's it all about? Please read on ....

Ramazan Explained - Inside Out In Istanbul

Every year Muslims around the world take part in Ramazan when for thirty days they allow no food or drink to pass their lips in daylight hours. True believers are also required to abstain from sex. Doing without is a personal statement of faith and shows solidarity with those who have very...

www.insideoutinistanbul.com

 

[coroner]

Day 147
Saturday 2nd April
Good morning!
A bright, sunny day and 23C here today
The local street dogs woke Wendy up early, I wonder if it was because our neighbours were up early because it's the first day of Ramazan?
Today we have washing, drying and ironing to do. We also have sitting in the sun and a slow roasted shoulder of lamb on the agenda.
Hope you have a good weekend!
Ramadan Mubarak!

Day 147
I'm sure we've all been there! The dogs kicked off at something like 4am and woke me up. At 4.40 I gave up trying to get back to sleep and was worried about waking John up with my tossing and turning so I got up!
In my previous life, if this happened, I would often get up and do the ironing! With 6 of us in the family plus extra clothes for my "extra children", there was always a pile of it waiting for a sleepless night to urge me towards the ironing board!
The problem was - the iron and ironing board were in the corner of the bedroom, tucked neatly down the side of the wardrobe! There was no way I could have retrieved them without causing a disturbance - so go to Plan B.
With a steaming mug of coffee next to me I retrieved emails from friends and family back home and overseas and answered all of them with a good catch up. Some of them don't do Facebook and I felt a little guilty as it had been quite a while between them writing and me answering them!
I hung out the washing in the pale sunshine, the mountains across from us were shrouded in mist, cats were washing their paws in the garden below me and there was no sign of the dogs at this point.
I made a list of things to do, and then another one of the more urgent jobs and then added some things to the shopping list! Shopping tends to be a bit haphazard as we're either tight on time or can't park Dippy near the shops we need. With this base it should be easier!
7.30am - the builders working on the 3 new builds opposite us are dropped off in a mini bus and get to work immediately - no "Put the kettle on, we'll have a brew before we start, and a fag, and maybe spend an hour on the phone and by then it will be tea break!" They arrived - they started work!
They scampered up the ladders to the upper level and things went up and things came down, no slacking with these workers. It makes sense really - it's still cool at the moment but as the day wears on they'll be roasting amongst the cement and metal on the flat surface - no shade!
The dogs arrive outside, looking for breakfast no doubt - or maybe mischief! They're not in my good books after last night but I try to justify it by thinking that dogs usually bark for a reason!
As I think this - their ears prick up and one flies down the road, barking ferociously. The other two are in hot pursuit and the cats scatter - yowling!
Whatever the dogs saw is on the wasteland over to our right and they chase .....something! The chickens next door flutter their wings and cluck furiously, scolding them. The cats stroll calmly past the gate - I swear they're smirking! Were the dogs set up?
John joins me and we have breakfast - then both go back to sleep for a couple of hours! When I wake up I have a battle with the "Rainforest" shower - I forgot that the taps turn the opposite way and all I get at first is cold water. I eventually win! As with so many things with this apartment - I'm impressed.
I study the dishwasher - I've had one before but this is not only different to mine - it's also in Turkish. I'll wait for John to Google translate it for me after dinner tonight - I can't link my phone to our wifi system and refuse to pay the roaming charges my provider will want from me.
The rest of the day passes in a gentle blur as we both relax and do the little odd jobs that so often have to wait when you're travelling. It's nice to feel the pressure ease up.
Outside, the pool is being cleaned ready for use - I'm not a great swimmer - although we have photos of me surfing in Cornwall in the 1970's wearing children's orange armbands while the beach lifeguard hurls abuse at me to "Get out of the ***** water if you can't swim!" - but I'm looking forward to getting in it!
More washing has been done and is dry and ready to go. John cooks in the oven for the first time - lamb shoulder - delicious. Washed down with Prosecco and about to be followed by Halva!
The dishwasher is humming gently in the background - Yes, I got it working. I'm feeling quite smug!

Welcome to freedom I'm so jealous I still have to wait a while longer before finishing work for good .Driving down to sedyi kemmer not far from u next Sunday with our dogs jans staying a couple of months I fly back to work then back out June for the long drive back using car as more practical for getting the miles under our belt with the time constraints.enjoy your stay in Fethyie its got a lot going for it including being a year round town

 

[frwjd]

You'll be free soon enough and are still a making the most of your opportunities

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