Food, Glorious Food

Tuesday 25 June 2013

Along with the hospitality of the Turks an abiding memory for most visitors has to be the fantastic food in Turkey and I defy anyone who comes here not to put on weight. Whether you are buying from a roadside stall or the weekly market, a tea house or bakery, a traditional pide salonu (pizza restaurant), a simple 'tost' hut or flashy restaurant, you can be sure the food is fresh, flavoursome and always good value. 

'Afiyet olsun' - 'Bon appetit'                             Our colourful collage of Turkish food

Yesterday, after breakfast, we set off for the seaside resort of Ören where we feasted on a huge 'tost' each for lunch. This consists of half a loaf of bread, stuffed with an assortment of fillings - we had cheese, tomato and salami, although köfte and fish are popular fillings too . This is then squashed flat under a heavy weight and cooked on a griddle.

On our way back we tucked into an early evening selection of meze's (starters) at Captain Ibrahim's restaurant on the beach in Çökertme, overlooking the large bay which slowly filled up with yachts and Turkish gulets on their way up the Gulf of Gokova.

It took me 3 months to lose about 2 stone while we were working in France. I think it has taken less than a month to put most of it back on here in Turkey - d'oh! As well as the occasional meal out we have been spoilt with Annie's fantastic food - she turns a fridge full of raw ingredients into a table full of delicious dishes in no time at all. 

We are leaving Annie & Teo's today and will be heading north to the border with mainland Greece where I am hoping the food won't be as tempting. Back on the road - and back on the diet!

Pool rules....

Sunday 23 June 2013

Dave and I probably have a bit too much time on our hands.

Remembering the poolside posters from our youth.........

  

we set about to create our own version........

WILL PATRONS 

KINDLY REFRAIN

FROM 

THANK YOU !

 Annie & Teo haven't blown the whistle on us yet......

(bottom RHS is Dave 'smirking' - much healthier than 'smoking')



 

Famous Five's Adventure

Friday 21 June 2013

We are still at Annie & Teo's. Our excuse, as if we needed one, is that we are sitting out a heatwave as the temperature has been up to 38 degrees over the last few days . Having been lazing around the pool for days on end we decided if we were going to get out and do something we needed an early start and a plan! Both were a bit of a shock to the system. So at 7am the five of us were up and away, stopping to buy fresh simits and ayran (Turkish yogurt drink) in Mumcular on our way. 

 
On arrival at Lagina we parked up under an ancient olive tree, said to be 2500 years old, and tucked into our breakfast before setting off to discover the ruins.This was a new adventure for the 'Famous Five' as none of us had been here before and there is very little information on the internet or at the site itself. Another free site and one we had all to ourselves as it is some distance away from any major road. Partly excavated it has an interesting history - which Annie & Teo gleaned from the friendly and hospitable site warden over a cup of tea in his hut.

The Famous Five in 2013

Dave and Teo (aka Dick & Julian) solving the mystery of the carved stone symbols

Stratonikeia, a short distance away from Lagina and said to be linked by a sacred procession way, is a site which we had visited together in the 80's. Annie has been back a number of times since then and has watched the site emerge with each period of excavation. It has been occupied during many era's from the ancient Greeks to the Ottomans to the 'modern' Republic. Only a few people live in the village now as most were moved out to make way for the huge lignite mine that spreads across the nearby land. The photo below shows the ancient ruins, with Ottoman engraving on one section and 'graffiti' from the Republic era on the lower blocks.

The theatre which is thought to have seated 15,000 is, even today, still being excavated. The two photographs below, taken over 25 years apart, show how much work has been undertaken in excavating the site but it is a slow process. 

Kath, Dave & Annie exploring the site first in the 80's

The theatre today - still being excavated

As the temperatures soared we headed back to the van and tried to find a riverside spot for lunch  but the fast new dual carriageway has very few quiet shady stopping places unlike the spot we managed to find in our younger days.

Dave, Annie & Kath (plus Brian under the table) in the 80's

In Uyku Vadisi (Sleepy Valley) Dave and Teo walked up through a gorge in search of some caves only to find them locked. Annie and I saved ourselves the effort and waited in a shady cafe beside a waterfall enjoying refreshing drinks until they returned. Another steaming hot day meant Dave had no hesitation in cooling off under the pummelling water on his return!

Back at the house we all tucked into a glass of Annie's lovely home made Ginger Beer - yes even me!! 

  

All quiet on the Western front

Tuesday 18 June 2013

In the news headlines recently there have been some dreadful scenes of the clashes between demonstrators and police in Istanbul and other major cities across the country. Some visitors are understandably questioning whether it is safe to travel to Turkey.

We've been here before. We know how big the country is, we know what to expect when we get here and we have never been put off travelling to and around Turkey. 

The Turkish tourism industry has been here before too. A number of unexpected and unpredictable events in the past have resulted in making foreign visitors nervous to travel to Turkey. These have included the Gulf War, major earthquakes, 9/11, attacks by PKK terrorists and most recently the Syrian war. Slowly but surely the tourists return.

Here on the western coast of Turkey though, where we have been travelling for the past month,  we have seen nothing of the troubles  - the beaches are beautiful, the harbours are bustling, the town centres and markets are buzzing and the people are as hospitable as ever.

Bodrum castle and harbour

Kırdak beach - quiet bay south of Fethiye

Gümüşlük

Mazı beach

Boats on Bafa Lake

Sarsala bay

Our friend Annie, an avid Radio 4 'The Archers' follower, told us that a recent storyline saw the characters cancelling a trip to Turkey in favour of one for Montenegro. After our recent trip through Montenegro we know which country we would go to faced with that choice! Turkey is a fantastic holiday destination and we are finding it hard to tear ourselves away and get 'on the road again' heading for Greece.