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Author Topic: 2013 holiday - vIsit to Kalkan and seeing a bit more or Turkey  (Read 4499 times)

Offline alantj

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Holiday didn't get off to the best of starts so be warned some negativity ahead.

We arrived on theWednesday night Easyjet flight, it was delayed for 20mins not so bad but unfortunately this put us behind 3 other flights that had just landed and at the back of the biggest queue for visas we had ever seen not helped by only 2 of the desks being manned.

So about an hour later we went to pick up our ford focus (or equivalent) hire car and were presented with a 7 seat Dacia people carrier. Despite the dalaman cars rep admitting that this was in no way equivalent they had no other cars so it was a take it or leave it moment.So we took it and the three of us will now be embarking on a 2000mile tour of Turkey in a small bus.

 To add to my irritation with Dalaman cars, the fuel gauge showed three quarters full and the paperwork full when I pointed this out the response was yes nearly full and a shrug of the shoulders. Couldn't be bothered arguing but am looking forward to find out if the argument works in reverse when I drop off the car.

Anyway we got to our villa without any problems and things started to improve from their on.
Thursday we filled with doing all the boring stuff that comes with owning a villa, but managed to fit a trip to Hunkar excellent meze and Kebabs for about the cost of a sandwich from Pret.

The high light of our first day was dinner at Smallhouse. We had booked when we were last out in April and were a bit worried after reading some of the recent reviews that it may have gone downhill a bit. We shouldn't have, it was as good as ever with the best meze iwe have found in Kalkan followed by three outstanding main courses, I thought my "roast lamb meat" was just about perfect but my daughters chicken casserole was possibly even better.

To add to the quality of the food the portions were huge and when we asked if they had any beers other than Effes offered to go and get some Tuborgs which turned up ice cold a few minutes later.

Tonight we are off to see if Tanzore can live up to all the rave reviews it has received. Hopefully it will, and possibly (with enough pursuasion) my 12 year old daughter will be writing a review of it here tomorrow.


















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Offline Lizilu20

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Sorry you got off to a bad start alantj and family, hope it gets better and better every day. I'm so looking forward to my holidays 4 weeks today, so your reports will be a lovely countdown to Kalkan for me.
Looking forward to your daughters report on tanzore as we have a 12 year old daughter too so will be interesting to see her take on it.
Happy holidays and bring on the next instalment.  :)

Offline alantj

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Re: 2013 holiday - vIsit to Kalkan and seeing a bit more or Turkey
« Reply #2 on: July 13, 2013, 12:30:37 AM »
Unfortunately there will be a bit more negativitely around for a little while, just after I posted I found out we have received an electric bil of 337,000tl for the last month and our agent will have to go to Antalya to sort it out. Hopefully they will accept that even with the air con on full blast this is a bit steep for 1month's electricity.

On the brighter side Tanzore was very good, perhaps not the best curry we have ever had( we are  fussy about our curries) but well worth a visit. My daughter's review may be some time coming as she is now trying to negotiate a per word fee.

Tomorrow is our last full day in Kalkan and after more boring stuff (varnishing sun loungers etc) we will be going to the Mediteran hotel for dinner, which i think has the best view there is over Kalkan and we are told food to match.

Next stop will be Antalya followed by Konya, Goreme, Pamukkale, Ephesus and Dalaman. If anyone has ideas for things we must see or do on the way I would be interested in hearing them.



Offline Bob & Jayne

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Have you looked at Akkaya Garden Restaurant in the secret valley?
Definitely on our list of places to visit.
B

Offline Kalkan regular

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Look forward to hearing a blow by blow account of your journey (hotels, road conditions, highs & lows) as it's one I would like to do, all be it a bit later and cooler in the season. Hope it's lots of fun and not too much strife.

Offline Buster

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Re: 2013 holiday - vIsit to Kalkan and seeing a bit more or Turkey
« Reply #5 on: July 13, 2013, 07:06:39 PM »
I Know it is a bit hot for walking around museums, but Antalya Museum is a must it has all the best and finest artefacts from the Patara Ruins. Kaleci ( Antalya Old town ) Is also a must go early evening and enjoy the atmosphere of the many restaurants and bars, you can't get lost just wander following your nose.

Konya is a very large Turkish town and very religious, so no alcohol.   we only visited the Jelaluddin Rumi and his family Tombs, but everybody in our party was very moved by the experience

All the other sites on your list must not be missed if you have time especially Ephesus

Regards  Buster 
« Last Edit: July 14, 2013, 07:41:16 AM by Buster »
My Pictures of Turkey can be seen at:            http://picasaweb.google.com/barryjv

Pet Nothing, Persecute Nothing.

Offline Skunk

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Re: 2013 holiday - vIsit to Kalkan and seeing a bit more or Turkey
« Reply #6 on: July 13, 2013, 10:18:28 PM »
For Ephesus it is certainly worth getting a good guide. We had a guide but were lucky enough to also bump into a couple of archeologists who knew a lot. They brought it to life for us and we will never forget it.  :) :) :)

Offline kalkan4eva

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Great reports alantj. I hope you get your electricity bill sorted that's like the debt of a small country :o
I would spend as long as you can at Ephesus....go later on when it's a bit cooler (not much shade there) as dusk falls the place becomes even more magical and we were fortunate to be there when there was a performance in the Library which was spectacular. There is so much to see here and it is so beautifully excavated you feel transported back to another age. Pamukkele is not the place we visited 30 years ago when you could bathe in the pools and lie under the hot springs, but it is quite breathtaking, visually. I hope you have a fantastic road trip, let us know how you get on.
« Last Edit: July 16, 2013, 09:34:34 AM by kalkan4eva »
Better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt :)

Offline alantj

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Re: 2013 holiday - vIsit to Kalkan and seeing a bit more or Turkey
« Reply #8 on: July 14, 2013, 07:33:49 AM »
Thanks to everyone for the tips, we will be fitting in as many as possible.

We will probably appreciate a day off the beer in Konya as the Tuborg/Effes count is already stacking up.
I also visited Pamukkale 30 years ago when you could actually swim in pools or warm mineral water, but as you say should still be worth a visit.


Offline Buster

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Re: 2013 holiday - vIsit to Kalkan and seeing a bit more or Turkey
« Reply #9 on: July 14, 2013, 07:49:37 AM »
Hi Alanj
 Pamukkale is definitely still worth a visit as you can swim in the naturally  heated thermal indoor pool they have created. So take your swimming trunks, and the ancient site that adjoins it has a very good Roman amphitheatre which an Italian team have helped to restore.   

Regards   Buster

Offline alantj

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Re: 2013 holiday - vIsit to Kalkan and seeing a bit more or Turkey
« Reply #10 on: July 14, 2013, 08:08:30 AM »
Diner at the Mediteran was about an eight out of ten

Good points were

     Location - high up over the centre of Kalkan, view is about the best you will find
                  - it height means you get a gentle breeze and it's a couple of degree cooler than
                    the town a. Last night was a bit clammy in town but just about perfect at the
   
      Hotel -   Beautiful pool bar and restaurant, overall one of Kalkan's more upmarket
                   hotels


      Prices -  about average for Kalkan. Most starters around  10-12, mains 20-30, Effes 8TL
                   overall pretty good considering the above

      Food. -  starters we all very good especially the meze, main courses good but not great a
                  bit under seasoned for my taste.

On Thursday's they hold a barbecue night, which we are told is better than most and good value at £22. We will probably give it try if we manage to get back for few days in the autum half term.

NB still no sign of my daughter coming up with a review.

                   

Offline itstime

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Re: 2013 holiday - vIsit to Kalkan and seeing a bit more or Turkey
« Reply #11 on: July 14, 2013, 06:31:22 PM »
Ephesus for me was a truly stunning experience. It literally had the hairs on the back of my neck standing. You can feel the history of the place and imagine what it must have been like to live there all those years ago. Not to be missed!

Offline Irene

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Re: 2013 holiday - vIsit to Kalkan and seeing a bit more or Turkey
« Reply #12 on: July 14, 2013, 06:54:25 PM »
Ditto - Ephesus is the most fantastic place, you could really do with a couple of days there to see everything.  Two tips - start at the opposite end to everyone else, that way you walk downhill into the ruins, secondly, go later in the day when most coaches are packing up.  We did this, and it was wonderful, the sun was setting and we almost had it to ourselves.  Itstime  is right, it is one of the most atmospheric places we have ever visited - Enjoy!

Offline clashgour

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Re: 2013 holiday - vIsit to Kalkan and seeing a bit more or Turkey
« Reply #13 on: July 15, 2013, 06:29:54 PM »
If you look at "Alan's Travel Blog" on KTLN you will be able to read about a trip we made to the Denizli area with Kalkan friends this April.  It's called "A Trip to the City of Spankers!!".  Apart from Pamukalle you really should visit Kibyra and Laodicea.  They are both relatively new and still being worked on by the archaelogists.  On the way to Ephesus from Denizli do visit the massive site at Aphrodisias.  Apart from the remarkable ruins scattered around the site there is an excellent museum of artefacts mostly statues and marble.

Have a great trip.

Offline M n M

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Re: 2013 holiday - vIsit to Kalkan and seeing a bit more or Turkey
« Reply #14 on: July 16, 2013, 09:55:40 AM »
Have to agree with Clashgour. Aphrodisias is a must  to see, I think it boasts the largest intact stadium in Europe.
Anywhere that has been mentioned are great, but spoke to the Belidye in Golhisar 2 weeks ago and they didn't think the mosaics at Kibyra would be uncovered until September. But the site is still worth a visit .Especially as its free to enter.
« Last Edit: July 16, 2013, 05:00:13 PM by EK Moderator »


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