What I did on my holidays . . . May 2012

[Baggy]

Regular readers will know that it wouldn’t be a Baggy holiday without some sort of malarkey and kerfuffle . . .  May’s visit didn’t disappoint.
We could subtitle this The One In Which Baggy Discovers The Turkish Cure For Everything Is Alcohol. (Not that she didn’t have an idea about that before though . . .) or Hats Are Currency.
We fetched up at Dalaman just as the rain started in Turkey and the heatwave started in England.
Typical.
Laden down with duty free, shortbread and all the usual goodies we bring over for various friends, we set off for town. A sundowner in the lovely new bar at Ali Baba’s Seaview Terrace and we were good to go.
Dinner at Saffron, a post prandial digestif at Ephesus, a first night boogie at Mojito, a sunriser back at Ephesus on the new comfy seating . . . where I promptly fell asleep and stayed there.
OH and I did the walk of shame back up to the apartment at 2pm . . . oh well. We were on holiday.
The usual activity packed days followed . . . get up, cup of tea, sun cream, book on the balcony, snooze,  swim . . . exhausting.
The gruelling routine is sometimes interspersed with a game called Where Did You Leave Your Hat?
OH has a great hat - bought in Kalkan and much sought after. It stars in many photographs of people dancing, drinking, posing ... it has even added a rakish Sinatra-esque touch to the occasional street dog.
We usually manage to keep tabs on it and it normally finds its way home – sometimes a little worse for wear.
But this year was different. It caught the eye of a taxi driver.
‘I like your hat . . .’
We were ready for this. OH dutifully handed it over for it to be admired, tried on at various angles, a photo was taken . . .
‘I want this hat. You don’t give me money – give me the hat.’
I’m not sure what came over him but OH agreed and that hat drove off into the night.
It wasn’t until a new hat was purchased the following day that we realised the bargain ‘old hat for cab fare’ wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Cab fare 15 lira; new hat 20 lira . . .
We took the new hat to Adam’s where it enjoyed the view while I had a lesson in the medicinal prowess of booze.
Tucking into some fish bones left on the ground, one of the cats got one stuck in its throat, pawing frantically at its mouth and gagging.
Having learned nothing from the time I freed a cormorant from a fishing net in Cyprus and got pecked in the eye for my troubles I grabbed it by the scruff, shoved my fingers down its throat, hoicked out the bone . . . and the little ******* bit me.
I checked that it wasn’t foaming at the mouth and headed to the kitchen to get some antiseptic.
‘Use gin,’ said Adam sagely.
Copious amounts were poured on my wounds and I made it through the night.
Two days later, I had toothache. All the usual (and unusual) painkillers weren’t touching it and I resigned myself to having to investigate the Turkish dentistry system.
Until I mentioned it to some friends that night.
‘Raki,’ they all chorused. ‘Put it on a cotton pad and bite down on it for five minutes.’
And it works.
The moral of my story?
Don’t bother with the chemist, head for the off licence. And hold on to your hat.
I hope it’s happy. Maybe it will be used as change from a pair of sunglasses on another fare and a whole new world of adventures will ensue. I’ll look out for its Facebook page.


Linkback: https://www.enjoykalkan.com/forum/index.php?topic=9642.0

[Skunk]

Great post Baggy - sounds sensational, especially the hat and the cat - or is it thecat and the hat? 

[Lizilu20]

Great report baggy. If I remember rightly, didn't you have a problem with your credit card and purse last year!! ?? Hope the new hat is as hardwearing as the old one and it enjoys it's escapades in and around Kalkan 

[tonik1945]

Loved your report really funny thanks Toni

[HolmfirthNicky]

Great report!

[Rachey]

Thanks for such a great report baggy!

[kalkan4eva]

Great report, Baggy. Loved reading it

[turkeyfan]

Great report Baggy. I laughed out loud reading it!

[Ryss]

lovely report baggy! you're too funny and the cat mishap definitely takes the hat