Kalkan: I don't like it - no, I love it!

[Christina]

Hi Antler, your villa maintenance manager, Roger, also looks after our pool/terrace, and is a regular diner at Villa Cennet Bahcesi in Uzumlu out of season. Watch his eyes glaze over in ecstasy when you ask him about Debbie Kivrak's cooking 

[antler]

Aha, it's coming back to me, now!! This is the place he told us about in our first day!!

[Babs]

Well, I'm on it today.........Antler's blog read and still in with a chance to get to work on time......no peeing tortoise excuses for me today! 
You sound as if you have the knack of chilling out down to a fine art Antler, we tend to be "right, we are up, what's the plan for today sort of people"! And I love that you all contribute to the cooking......our idea of self catering is boiling a kettle! Just shows there are lots of ways to enjoy Kalkan?
Now you seem like just the man to ask........what is actually in menemen.......I offered to cook it at the weekend in memory of our recent trip but realised that not being an egg eater that I had no idea! Egg, onions, peppers, tomatoes.......but what makes it spicy? Chillies??

[Lizilu20]

What a lovely relaxing day you had and how I enjoyed reading about it. I could just picture you with your feet up letting the world go by while you just took the time to wind down. Days like that are precious, especially when you have your family around you. Bliss!


http://www.petersommer.com/turkey-travel-country/turkish-food-cuisine/menemen-eggs-tomatoes-peppers/

For you Babs. 

[Holidaylover28]

Antler your daily blogs are magical you have the knack of transporting me to Kalkan each day! Your food sounds mouth watering, I think you should do some Kalkan recipe cards  then we can all have a go at in villa dining 

[Bob & Jayne]

Antler, yes Kalkan recipe cards sound a brilliant idea! loving your blogs, thank you.

Haybo - we have 36 more sleeps today to go!!! 

J

[tortoise lady]

I would love Antler recipe cards too, especially in Kalkan.   Knowing me I probably wouldn't actually COOK the food, just drool over the cards (photos please on the cards) whilst settling for something really simple as the Antler's had yesterday for lunch.   So enjoyable just to relax over a simple meal, a glass or two of chilled wine.   

Antler, please give my sympathies to Rick and his mozzie bites.   Hope they heal soon.   I still have a scar on my ankle from about three months ago - although that was something biting me in London!   His bites sound really painful and I hope he is still managing to enjoy his holiday.

Look forward to tomorrow's installment.   Will you have spent another relaxing day at home today or ventured further afield?  Whichever it is I will be opening my computer when I get up in the morning to read all about it.

[Haybo]

Ŷou leave the day before us Jayne.....

[Bob & Jayne]

We leave the UK the day before you Hayley but actually don't arrive until breakfast time on the Friday, so will only be slightly ahead on our suntan! 

J

[Holidaylover28]

Actually instead of Antler recipe cards there should be an "Antler Kalkan food and recipe" section on here  it would get many views!!

[antler]

Thursday 25th June, sat here on The Roof, listening to the chickens and the birds. The breeze is gentle, the sky cloudless as it changes from pink to blue from the direction of Kas. Mouse Island is already brightly illuminated by the brilliant sun and it was there that we had our lunch yesterday, moored up on Yildiz 3.

Yes, if Day 5/17 was to be remembered – as indeed it will – it will be for spending £17.40 per person on one of the best days entertainment you can have in Kalkan; no, probably, anywhere in the world.

Adem, his wife and son took great care of us throughout the day and we took no delay in getting to the harbour by 10am for a prompt departure. We must have had “Day Out on a Boat Trip” written all over us as all 8 of us snaked along Kalamar Road, down past Mussakka, turning right to go down by the lovely Flamingo Bar and eventually into the harbour.

It was such a treat to have all the family together on a private boat and still have room for special friends that happened to be here right now. Perfect Company, Perfect Crew, Perfect Day.

There was too much swell to sail out around to the left, to Kaputas - and the journey out across to Mouse was interesting enough as we sailed into and hit the swell.

We bobbed from side to side as we enjoyed our lunch, tucked close to the rocks. It was even greater fun after lunch, probably helped along by a few Vodka Coke aperitifs, as we made our way across to the mud baths. I had never seen a boat tucked in so close to the beach as Adem had mastered yesterday, much appreciated by those weakest swimmers aboard. With her noodle to assist, Mrs A reached the mud beach for the first time in the six years of coming here. Huge rounds of applause. Beth, still slightly green from her well known sea sickness, took the advice to get in the water and over to the land. The greenness was washed away with the sea and a twinkle returned to her eyes. Even greater rounds of applause.

Plastered with mud, baking in the sun, the scene took me back to my childhood and the vision created in my mind when the teacher read us through Lord of the Flies.

"'Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!'" (Chapter 9)

The mud and the memory washed away and after trays of the freshest fruit, apple tea and cake, we came back in to a hot, hot, harbour to the sound of Cahit Berkay’s “Alyazmalim”, music transporting Adem into another world as he gently squeezed Yildiz 3 to be tucked in besides his brother’s boat.

Yes, it definitely was K4E’s idea for cocktails at Botanic Garden and I am so, so pleased that we stopped at 2. It was also her (great) idea that we try the Baker, up the main street towards The Nur. Wow, the puffiest bread, a tray of freshly cooked Baklava for an amount too small to mention.

Yussuf looked tired in the Butchers and was quite relieved when I put my request in, starting, “Not for now, but for tomorrow……”

Oli & Beth went on ahead to go out to dinner alone, but for the rest of us, there was only one real end to a day out at sea; a nice hot shower and a home delivered Foto Pizza.

45 minutes or so later, a guy with a stack of brown boxes, stood smiling at Yellow Villa’s front door. My medium-sized “Foto Special Hot” hit the spot and I ate every single mouthful and then, I was done in.

Hopefully, Oli and Beth will appear soon, as I’m desperate to hear the details again regarding their evening at Coriander.  But until they do, I can put my feet up on the roof terrace wall, and reminisce over the last 24 hours, while reading comments on FB against our group photo besides Yildiz 3; a first class photo (iPhone 6!) liked by friends already, in Brazil, Pakistan, Switzerland and Dubai.

Yeah, a world class day, already shared around the world.

Antler

[Irene]

Lovely start to our day Antler thanks for taking the time- what a fantastic time you are having and such a treat to have all your family with you to enjoy some special time together. 

I, on the other hand, am off to yet another boring NHS conference today and when yet another person talks about "Going on a Journey" -  there is only one destination I have in mind!

Have another wonderful day!

[Babs]

So where were you Antler when I logged on at 5.45 after having been woken by elderly dog barking?!  I thought I'd get an early read. 
But now your blog is safely here and it sounds as if you had an amazing day at sea. I've seen the lovely group shot, you all have that slightly windswept but self satisfied glow that you get from a day at sea!
Look forward to tomorrow's blog......hopefully won't be awake so early to read/look for it!

Irene......when you get really bored just dream of the journey you'd really like to be making!!

[tortoise lady]

Another lovely day enjoyed by the Antlers.   

Kudos to Mrs A. for managing to get to the mud baths - tell her I am also a noodle wearer in any water. To be honest I have never got off a boat unless I can walk straight onto dry land.  Kudos also to Beth for managing the boat trip despite sea sickness.   I love the boats but wish the sea to be like a mill pond when I am on it.  I take quantities of Stugeron but still hope for very calm water.   I am glad she recovered to hopefully enjoy the remainder of the trip after the mud bath.   Is everyone's skin now beautifully silky smooth?   I haven't tried a mud bath yet.

I haven't yet visited Botanik Garden either.   Sounds pretty, quite apart from the refreshing drinks.

Hope you are having a great day today.   Look forward to tomorrow's blog.

[kalkan4eva]

Oh antler, what can I say. amother wonderful day in the company of you and your lovely family.....you forgot to mention that we all now look 10 years younger after our Mud Spa 
What a way to spend a day in Kalkan....just perfect.

[antler]

Yes, Tortoise Lady, I am as smooth as a baby's bottom,as they say. Almost every piece of hard skin removed..

[antler]

I am enjoying the sunset on The Roof (I went on to say as wifi dipped) as The Young Ones get ready for their various evenings out. But, Darby and Joan may not manage to move away from here.

After all, it is OUR holiday....

Happy Thursday Evening!

Steve

[tortoise lady]

Award yourself I nice glass of chilled white wine Antler, one for Mrs A. too of course, and relax......   You are indeed on holiday

[antler]

Oh, we will! We are still sat on the roof. Shall we go out for a nice fillet, or just sit here and take in the view.......?

Mrs A will decide. I'm easy. I'm in Kalkan...

[suzyq1]

Thank you Antler for taking the time to send your fantastic reports. I think some of my favourite days in Kalkan have been spent on boat trips and last year on Yildiz 3 we met a couple that have become very good friends. 

I hope you continue to have a wonderful holiday with your family. I"m hoping to  still get access to EK but it depends if I can persuade my daughter to let me take her iPad! I may have to resort to good old fashion bribery  . Its amazing what the offer of a new top can buy you these days!

One more sleep…….yipee