Huge sighs and tears before bedtime!

[Helshe]

 Arrived at Dalaman with Mother and Daughter at 1AM, taxi waiting as planned. Half an hour or so after leaving the airport, we stopped and changed cars - same driver though!! Arrived in Kalkan at 3AM with the address and directions for the apartment clutched in my hand, however this didn't seem to be of help to the taxi driver or his colleagues, so a phone call to the maintenance man was required which cleared everything up and once we actually managed to unlock the door, we were safely deposited and left to get into bed.
Woke up fairly early and went to the supermarket for provisions before going off for a walk around town to say hello to friends. Our meal that night was to be at Ozalp but as we went out the door, either Mother or Daughter needed to get back  inside, however we couldn't open the door. We tried for about 15 minutes with no success, so we knocked on our Turkish neighbours door for help, and needless to say  he managed it straight away, clearly we were just being girls about the situation!!! Anyway off we went and had a lovely meal followed by a drink or several at Moonlight.
Next day we booked our first trip - Kekova with Define Tours - for the following day, we were told that the boat held 25 - 30 people maximum but only 12 were booked on, so that sounded promising. We were picked up as planned and driven to Kas to board the boat - it was full with at least 30 people about half Turkish and possibly family of the crew, but it was a lovely day even for us non swimmers. The journey back was very entertaining as the wind got up and the sea got very rough, the return journey took much longer than planned, apparently the captain was hugging the coastline to try and reduce the impact of the rough sea to ease the suffering of those who were unwell, although we maintain that he got lost!! When we got back to Kas, we found that there was not enough space in the transport back to Kalkan so had to wait for another car. Eventually we got back safe and sound and went to Merkez Cafe for dinner. It was very busy, so we sat outside the shop and had a pre dinner drink, then we were moved to a table to order, but then we were moved again to another table to actually eat it!! Good fun and good food, waitress seemingly running on Duracell batteries!!! Cocktails at Doy Doy and then drinks at Moonlight we were supposed to be going for a walk, but it didn't quite work out like that!
Day 4 a much more relaxed day with a trip to the market for provisions and then mooching around town accepting the offers of drinks as we went.
Next day, a lazy start to the day then a bus trip to Kas for lunch. We ate at the Kalamar restaurant, the owner asked if we liked fish and showed us his collection, suggesting various options for us, we just said yes, which ended up to be an expensive option although delicious! Back in Kalkan, booked our next trip, had dinner in and went out for Cocktails at Doy Doy.
Day 6 chilled, until dinner at Kosk, delicious as always and fabulous atmosphere, drinks at Moonlight then on to Mojito - not keen on Mojito - a drink fell off the  inappropriate rattan table top and all the waiter could do was tell us that because the glass was broken, we had to order 2 more drinks!!!
Sunday we hired a car and drove to Yakapark for lunch, it was lovely, such a fabulous setting, came back via Tlos, Saklikent and Xanthos. Supper in as we were all shattered. Mum's birthday the next day, so we wait for her to go to bed before decorating the apartment with banners and balloons. We also had to make a gluten free birthday cake with no oven, mixing bowl, cake tins, rolling pin or anything else remotely useful. So we had to guess weights and measures, mix it in a saucepan and cook it in the microwave in cereal bowls! Once we had done that, making the butter icing was the next challenge and required sugar cubes to be crushed so that they could be mixed with butter before adding to the cake. We had taken ready made icing which needed rolling out, however, no rolling pin and more sugar cubes requiring crushing to enable the rolling out process. Still we finally had a completed cake,( all be it quite flat!!) iced and decorated which then had to be hidden in my bedside cabinet until morning.
Next day, birthday breakfast, drink at Fenner Cafe and then a Turkish bath at Atlantis, followed by tea and birthday cake - which actually tasted like cake despite everything! We tried a couple of times to book a trip, however the office was closed so we had to have a drink at Moonlight! We managed to book the trip before dinner, however the Exclusive Kalkan office didn't have a card machine and we had to walk up to their other office, but that machine appeared broken (or was that not plugged in??!) Dinner at Doy Doy where Mum was duly spoilt with fireworks, sparklers and a birthday cake which she unfortunately couldn't eat - its the thought that counts! 
Tuesday was our trip to Fethiye with Al&Tu this, market not my favourite experience but the harbour walk was lovely. Kayakoy astounding, Olu Deniz beautiful but wouldn't want to stay there or any of the other towns we passed through that day. Good value day out all in all.
Following day chilling again interspersed with drinks at Yali bar and beach stop, in readiness for our Meis trip on Thursday.
Early start, 8.30 pick up and off to Kas for the ferry. Beautiful island, had a lovely walk round it and then lunch at a harbour side restaurant - not what we are used to in Kalkan but OK. We saw a turtle while we were sat there, unfortunately we weren't quick enough to capture it on camera. Ferry back at 3.30, could have done with an hour or so less on the island, but otherwise a good day. Shattered afterwards and spent most of the rest of the day asleep.
Day 12 meandering and relaxing. Jazz at Merkez in the afternoon and then some retail therapy. Dinner at Oz Adana, fabulous food really good price, meal for 3 for the price of a bottle of Angora! After dinner stroll and obviously drinks at Moonlight to follow.
Next day a walk leading to a drink at Yali beach club, return journey involving a drink at Doy Doy, Dinner at Oz Adana again followed by cocktails at Doy Doy and drinks at Moonlight - anyone spotting a pattern?!
Day 14 - last full day - shopping, mooching, sleeping, walking, beach, G&T's on the terrace before getting ready for dinner at Ozalp which was again very nice indeed, followed by, you might have guessed, drinks at Moonlight!
Day 15, departure day, tears as we go and say good bye to friends, a drink in Doy Doy (we were also invited to join them for their staff breakfast but had already eaten). Sad day indeed, always so hard to leave.

Things i learned: A saucepan can be utilised as speakers for an Ipod, and carrier bags can be adapted to make very effective door stops.

I love Kalkan and feel so at home there which means that it is always a surprise and rather distressing when i have to leave!! Still i gather a new hospital is due to open nearby next year, maybe a life change is on the cards, or is that more naive than i have any right to be at my age??!! 


Linkback: https://www.enjoykalkan.com/forum/index.php?topic=10237.0

[Pompeyalbie]

Sounds like you need a holiday to get over the holiday. Nice report though, I'll have to give this people watching at Moonlight a go if I can persuade Mrs P we can leave the car behind and take crampons to climb back up the hill after dinner.

[Helshe]

How right you are, i do need a holiday!!
People watching at Moonlight is the best entertainment, as you may have gathered, i can do it for hours!!

[cleworthallray]

Think you should treat your mum to a packet of Mrs Crimbles gluten free sponge mix. Simple excellent sponge for any cakes. Wife and Daughter both coeliac. Its a pain but it could be worse.......I could be. Now where's those chocolate eclairs! Sounds like you had a great time.

[HolmfirthNicky]

Good report Helshe!! Have to agree with people watching at Moonlight! Especially watching the women who have decided to brave heels negotiating the cobbles!!

[Pompeyalbie]

Can't be better than watching ladies in heels trying to walk on wet muddy grass on Ladies Day at Ascot in the rain this year. Hundreds spent looking really nice only to see it all made muddy by the conditions, heels on grass looks awkward at the best of times.

[kalkan4eva]

great report, Helshe....thanks for sharing.
Moonlight is definitely the best people-watching place in Kalkan...especially if you are on the seats in front of the verandah, facing forwards...the panoramic vista is unbeatable.