Just the two of us (part 2)

[janeb]

Just the 2 of us (part 1)

Didn't think I'd blog this time, work has left me so tired that I didn't think I'd have the energy. But 24 hrs in Kalkan and I'm good to go!

Can't promise to wax as lyrical as Antler - what amazing posts. Thank you so much Antler 

Well to start; we arrived around 4 in the afternoon.  The sun still beating down as we arrived in our home in the Old Town for the week. A lovely apartment for just the 2 of us. We're intent on a week of relaxing and recharging those batteries and what better place to do that than Kalkan 

First job on arrival ( after unpacking obvs! ) was to walk up to the Carrefour supermarket to get the T's and C's to go with the Gin and Vodka.  Somehow we forgot to get extra water!

For our first night we've pre-booked Mussaka. Just one problem! We needed to go to Black and Gold, to Botanik, Moonlight, and the Fountain Bar, hic hic. Just a little tipsy by the end of the evening!  Silly me I should have mentioned our meal; Roquefort steak for both of us, yum it was delicious   

Day 1

Spent on our terrace by the pool.  A very hot day helped by our purchase from Lidl's - yes I bought a Water Hammock! First challenge would I get to level 1 - just get on the darn thing  YES she can!! Whoop whoop  I'm away and so is Richard ( my better half)  we're agreed it's the best purchase ever The day morphed into what I know, and hope, the rest of the holiday will do - just chilling by the pool.

Oh no - I'm in trouble! Forgot the ordinary aftersun, just bought the shimmer one, Richard looks lovely all shimmery   

That evening we walked passed the Old Town Residence, our beautiful accommodation for our holiday last year. Lot's of great memories made with Rachael, Jimmi, Dina and George. This  evening took us via Black and Gold to the Olive Garden,  Not sure who is unable to make an individual decision but once again we had the same meal - we went for the Goat - absolutely delicious. Just time for some preliminary handbag shopping - I've got my eye on one or two lovely things. Finished the evening with a Mojito and a G and T in Botanik. A perfect end to a perfect day.

Linkback: https://www.enjoykalkan.com/forum/index.php?topic=12883.0

[annie the tourist]

Sounds like a wonderful first day, you had me transported back to kalkan, so disappointed to awake and find myself still in the uk. Roll on our second trip of the year in October.
Enjoy your week, look forward to reading all about it
)

[annie the tourist]

Sounds like a wonderful first day, you had me transported back to kalkan, so disappointed to awake and find myself still in the uk. Roll on our second trip of the year in October.
Enjoy your week, look forward to reading all about it
)

[Lizilu20]

What a wonderful start to your holiday. We are on the red eye this year so no chance for a mooch round the town when we arrive. I think even the soup kitchen will be closed when we get there.
Well done for your stamina checking out the bars, I can't wait to stagger round them too!
Look forward to your next instalment. 

[kalkan4eva]

thanks for posting janeb....how I would love to arrive in Kalkan in the daylight hours - very jealous! Love that you squeezed so many drink stops into your first night - well done you 2!
Saw those water hammocks in Lidl at the weekend - what a bargain. Let us know how it holds up over the course of your holiday.
Looking forward to hearing more about your stay

[Bob & Jayne]

Thank you for posting Janeb, please keep them coming, lovely reading about your holiday, and look forward to more.  Enjoy!

J

[Christina]

Hehe, egged on by Bob and Jayne - who are the loveliest couple you could ever wish to meet - I've got my Lidl water hammock all packed and ready for launch next week. The cocktails at Botanik are some of the best in Kalkan, and my personal recommendations would be a) Syrian Rose - a gin-based drink with pink grapefruit and fresh rosemary, and b) Strawberry Margarita - which my fab friend Maria from BSG and I drank till the sun came up one hot night in May while sitting at the bar with a crowd of locals. After staggering back to our apartments, our lovely 3 terrace dogs were waiting for us, and we decided it would be a great idea to play chase with them round and round the building. Unfortunately, poor Henry the oldest dog forgot to turn the corner and skidded full length into the pool. As the cockerels began to crow and the call to prayer began, we all called it a night and went inside to bed.

[janeb]

Day 2 and 3

Sitting on the balcony before heading off to Moonlight for some people watching and then to Sofra for dinner..

Yesterday was spent mostly, as always, by the pool.  But oh no, the water hammock as sprung a slow puncture, so those of you who have bought one from Lidl's don't forget your puncture repair kit!

As mad dogs and English men (and women) do we set off in the heat of the midday sun and ambled down to the harbour for lunch in Aubergine, where from a table overlooking the harbour we watched the few boats that hadn't left harbour and reminisced about our day on the Neptune last year. After lunch we made our way slowly up to the greengrocers I suggested to Richard that he could leave me sitting in moonlight as he dashed up but he wasn't keen so onward we trekked. Tomatoes and salad veg bought we made our way home. Goodness it was hot.  First stop once home was the pool! 

That night as we made our way via Fountain to Black and Gold's summer party. All was not well in the town, the police and the tax inspectors were raiding the bag shops, most had closed with their shutters down and the windows bereft of bags, other shop owners were busy reducing their stock.

A gentle day today. Just relaxing. We made salad for lunch with our newly purchased tomatoes, quite delicious. Off to dinner now.

[kalkan4eva]

Oh no....and Oh no!
The Lidl water hammock with a slow puncture - bad news. I hope you can get it fixed. Try the DIY shop that used to be Kartin supermarket - next door to Lime. I think its called Marshalls now - they may have some strong rubber backed tape.
The bag shops being raided This is the end of life as we know it....

[Lizilu20]

What!!! 

Not liking the sound of raided bag shops and hope you get your hammock mended. Good advice there K4E.

[itstime]

Don't worry too much. There was much excitement on Wednesday as we watched them hurriedly emptying the windows and closing. Gendarma and apparently some lawyers taking a "keen interest" They were closed for a few hours but open again in the evening. Was all rather exciting :-o

[janeb]

 :)vLast night at Sofra.Well the food was good; Sofra was the very first restaurant that we experienced in Kalkan so we thought if appropriate that we should go back.  Service a little erratic, music not so good, it was live music night, the guitarist was obviously talented but very somber. So not quite the romantic evening we had envisioned 

Today; a lovely day by our pool.  We watched the hang gliders swoop down, it's the first day I've seem that here. Today was very quiet;  all our neighbours are out for the day. The ones with the small children I can cope with and enjoy their exuberance  in the pool with the other family with 4 young adults who don't seem to appreciate the needs of others less so. So it was good to have the pool and our poorly water hammock to ourselves today; we've realised that although our apartment is lovely, we miss the interaction, when it's just the two of us, with our Turkish friends.

Bought some goodies tonight, beatspill wireless headphones for our granddaughter. A Mulberry purse for our friend who celebrates her 40th birthday very soon. Really enjoyed some retail therapy.

We were in Doy Doy tonight, a lovely meal but service slow and not the sort you expect in Kalkan. Richard enjoyed the Roquefort steak and I had the Doy Doy Steak.  Both very good but somehow the restaurant was lacking in service and atmosphere.  Best meal so far was, and tying for joint first place, for me was the Goat in Olive Garden and the Steak in Mussaka.

Just walked up to Carrefour to stock up on water, tonics and coke, too late to buy a nice bottle of Rose but hey never mind.

 

[janeb]

It's our last day the week has gone too quickly but as soon as we get back we'll start the countdown for our September visit.

Sorry I haven't been as good as I should have been with my reports. Time to catchup now ... our meal at Doy Doy on Friday was good, I went for the Doy Doy Steak and Richard decided on the Roquefort Steak - seems to be his dish of the holiday. Service was not so good, staff seemed a little disorganised. Finished there and enjoyed some shopping. Finished off in Botanik for a drink or three!

Last night we set off early to see our old friends from the Asfiya, most of them are now working at the Oasis, it was so lovely to see Mendares, Mutlu, Mehmet and Sema we had a drink with them, caught up on the news of their winter and ours. It's been quiet at the Oasis but Sema tells us that from next week things are looking very much better. Aslan's latest hotel the Mini Saray isn't attracting that many bookings and maybe closed temporarily for the rest of this season.  We booked the Oasis for our last dinner of this trip and walked back to the old town for our meal in Smyrna.  The meal, service and atmosphere were all delightful. Unlike most of the restaurants we've enjoyed this time they were full, so good to see.  Kalkan is most definitely quieter this year but still very special.

Our water hammock has been well used, despite the slow puncture, and has been packed ready to be repaired and bought back out in September  The Gin Is almost gone, the vodka finished. Off to do some shoe shopping and pressie buying shortly. 

By for now. If I have time in the morning I'll fill you in on our last evening of this trip.

[Babs]

Glad to hear you've had a lovely time janeb but that sadly it's come to an end. But lucky you, having another trip to look forward to in September! Enjoy your last evening 

[Mrs M!]

I've really enjoyed reading your blog - helps me to keep going! Taking a 'gap year' from Kalkan due to mega trip earlier this year but can't wait for our trip next year which is already booked.