KALKAN REVISITED MANY TIMES BUT WHAT THE HECK!

[moorsalex]

Today was the trip to Meis – the Greek Island close to Kas – and it did not disappoint.

We had to start early and it was a beautiful early morning drive to Kas.

The procedure is to hand in your passports and wait about an hour before embarking – this was extended for about half an hour extra today and everyone was wondering if they were to blame – turned out that they didn’t have enough police to check docs etc – sounds like Gatwick… Also we had a request from the boss of the café we were waiting in who wanted us to get him raki so he can be ‘happy for many nights’. Didn’t realise how much tax on spirits in Turkey.

Anyway we arrived on Meis and what a lovely place!  Courtesy of Samson (I hope I got this right but another member of EK), we found out the process for immigration in and out of Greece and the best places to visit in Meis too.

On the basis of Samson’s recommendation we took a trip to the Blue Cave which I can recommend.  We went with Tony who sung all the way ( not sure he is x factor ready but) and apart from getting pretty soaked on the way back, that was great.

We then had lunch at Alexandra (my namesake) – one thing to know about Meis that I didn’t know – they have a much broader selection of fish than Kalkan  (which is normally Sea Bass or See Bream).  So Terry had red mullet and I had white Grouper ( this is now not fished in Turkey).   It was superb with hand cut chips and a salad to start.

Few drinks round the harbour and watched the huge Blue Line Ferry come in from Rhodes – it totally took over the harbour.  All the locals got quite excited at the arrival/departure of new visitors and friends and relatives. 

Then we were off back to Turkey – dropped off the Raki to very happy and potentially drunk restaurant man and home to Kisla.

Have to say pretty tired now – I blame the sea air/ mithos beer, too much to eat etc but no need to go out tonight.

A

[samson]

  Samson here! enjoyed your company. have had a night at home after all of the booze and food of today! look forward to your blogs . 

still think it was funny that we had a thought it may be you doing the latest blog when we met you  in kas today. and we were right !

[kalkan4eva]

Absolutely loving your reports, moorsalex. Just catching up with your Kalkan adventures...was that your first trip to Meis?
Looking forward to going to Cosmopolitan next year as we are spending a couple of days in Kalamar for a change.
I don't know Mariners restaurant...and I thought I knew them all. Sounds like you had a nice meal there, so always good to know about a new place.
It's a lovey time to visit Kalkan, we love late September, early October but we haven't been that late now for a good few years 
Look forward to hearing more about your stay

[moorsalex]

Hi all and many thanks to Samson for helping us out today.

Will be pretty quiet tomorrow - have pals arriving., OH already in bed.  Maybe I will have to call up Sampson for drinks as OH is sticking with good behaviour where as I don't really  care...

[Bob & Jayne]

Yes absolutely fab reports Moorsalex, thank you so much.  Your trip to Meis sounded fantastic, we loved it there in August, and will definitely return next year.  Look forward to reading your next reports with your Pals! Enjoy 

[moorsalex]

SATURDAY

Well, I don’t know if it was the sea air from yesterday, but we felt really quite tired Saturday morning so as we had nothing planned for the day, we decided to laze by the pool.  Note:  I still haven’t gone IN the pool.

I popped down to town for newspapers, and supplies, and dropped into Porcini on Kalamar Road to ask them to save a table for us for tonight.  I was going to phone but I’m glad I didn’t because the place was empty (this was lunchtime) and the young lad looking after things couldn’t understand me talking to him face to face let alone on the telephone! He had to go across the road to Can Can and got the owner and all was arranged.

Our friends arrived on the Thomas Cook flight from Gatwick.  They said it was absolutely full but they also had their flight times changed last minute so I suspect they pushed two planeloads of passengers into one.  They were desperate for a cigarette on arrival in Dalaman and dashed straight out of the airport without their luggage.  Oops!  So they had to find security to get them back in – I think they had to go to Departures, through the scanners and down all sorts of corridors to get back to arrivals hall.  Then having now been quite late for picking up his car hire, Dudley & Co rock up in Kalkan in a Mercedes AMG with all the bells and whistles no less, having booked a Toyota Corolla!  He got upgraded last time he came to Kalkan too – different company as well.

We met up at Porcini – it was really busy so I’m glad we booked.  We all ate traditional Turkish meals.  The bread here was really good – homemade olive bread with balsamic/oil for dipping.  I had courgette fritters and stuffed aubergine.  All washed down with lots of wine – we tried the Lykia wine from the vineyards near Elmali (having depleted their stock of Lal both at the restaurant and at Can Can!).  We had thought of visiting there – I think you can go and do tastings – will have to research that, but to be honest we’ve probably done all the tasting necessary, given the number of bottles consumed by 6 of us.  The owner gave us a lift home at 2.00 a.m….

End result –

•   Terry’s tee-totalness lasted precisely 48 hours.
•   He has the ‘worst hangover EVER’
•   And I have to go and get the car again…

Having a Turkish Bath later at Pirat (but not Terry – he says he’s going nowhere!)

Alex

[keith]

I have to admit that I made the same mistake at Dalaman airport a few years ago.......I thought that I could rush outside for a quick cigarette and then realised that I couldn't get back into the arrivals lounge. Thankfully Tracey and our two sons were still inside and managed to collect our luggage. Really enjoying your posts .......please keep them coming.

[DRBD]

That cafe owner must have more bottles of raki brought over from Meis than Yali have on their selves, he asks very one to bring him back a bottle.😈😈😈😈😈

[moorsalex]

Thats why he is always a VERY HAPPY cafe owner (or permanently p>>>d!).

A

[moorsalex]

SUNDAY

I wasn’t mad keen on walking all the way to Kalamar to pick up the car – again..  So starting hatching a cunning plan. I invited Dudley and Co from Kalamar to us in Kisla for lunch on the condition they drive me back to Kalamar to pick up the car.  Deal done.  Salad, tuna, advocado, eggs, bread, cheese, melon (basically the contents of the fridge), bread and crisps, washed down with nothing stronger than water due to widespread fragility from the night before. 

Then having been reunited with our trusty Darcia Duster (sadly not Dudley’s Merc AMG), we drove down to the harbour for Turkish Bath at the Pirat – minus Terry, as he has ‘the worst hangover – EVER’.

I won’t give you the ins and outs of a turkish bath as I’m sure this has been done before – but it’s always funny to see your friends being overheated, steamed, scraped, kneeded, soaked in hot/cold water, covered in bubbles, slid over marble etc and today did not disappoint.  And as always, despite the indignity, you feel great afterwards and super clean and knackered!  Well I was, having had about 5 hours sleep the night before.

So I left Duds and Co getting supplies, cash etc and planning a bbq, and restocked our fridge. Can’t find tonic in Migros, or Carrefour – any ideas folks? Also fizzy water and diet coke in short supply everywhere.  Decided on take away for tonight.  Foto Pizza… I love their pizzas – Terry was still feeling a bit iffy and wanted crispy chicken from Passaport Pizza – nothing else would do. I couldn’t justify delivery of two items from two different places, so picked up from each.  I can’t say I was blown away by the Passaport crispy chicken but Terry polished it off and the Akdeniz Pizza from FotoPizza was really good and shared by both of us.

So it’s Sunday night – going to watch a bit of UK TV (Poldark v Victoria..how to chose) then I’m thinking beach club for tomorrow.

Alex

[pw]

Plenty of tonic in little place next to Bezirgans Pub

[Haybo]

We found tonic in the little supermarket on the harbour by Aubergine.  Loving The reports....would love to visit at this time of year. 

[joycie]

Harbour is right that little supermarket did have tonic and quite a varied stock of other things. We used it quite often on our way to a taxi for bread tonic beers etc.

[moorsalex]

MONDAY

Woke up to a glorious morning.  Quite late for me – all that Turkish bathing yesterday did me in.  Our friends who came to Pirat for the TB were also in bed by 10pm! (absolutely nothing to do with the previous nights activities – they went back from the restaurant then had G&Ts and went swimming in their pool) so no wonder!

Anyway old geezers that we were – we were planning to go to a beach club today – we then had second thoughts and said we would go to Kas to the beach which is beyond the harbour – you drive pass the hotels and beach clubs then go uphill then downhill and you are there – a pebble beach with a couple of restaurants by it and it looks directly at Meis but I can’t recall the name.  We thought we would go there in the afternoon, then back into Kas, then stop at ADA fish restaurant just before Kaputas beach for dinner.  However this plan morphed into sloth out at the villa till 6, shower and just the two of us went to ADA and arrived at dusk.  The sky was dark red and the crescent moon red also.

We spotted the restaurant owner on the other side of the road as we arrived climbing down from the mountainside.  He explained that he had campers staying there who were English and wanted to camp on the pretty steep land opposite his restaurant.  He had just gone to see if they were ok and had taken video of them that he showed us.  I’m not sure if he thought they were bonkers or was impressed!  We assumed they were walking the Lycean Way but why camp on a steep mountainside when there has got to be flatter options?  Anyway we never met said campers so assume it was way too dark to venture down or back up and they had eaten earlier.

Those that have frequented Ada’s know the drill.   The two brothers are fishermen and you eat what they catch – with chips and salad.  The only unusual thing was this time there was no calamari – usually always this is offered first with catch of the day after.  No idea why calamari was off – but instead we had rock fish to start followed by sea bream.  Every time we come to Ada’s he has rock fish, and every time it is a completely different fish but whatever – it was all great as always.  155 TL including two glasses of wine and two beers plus water.

The stars in the sky when we left were amazing – I swear we could see the milky way too.  There is virtually no light pollution there apart from cars on the road.  We checked when we got back to Kisla and the sky was nothing like the same.

Will make it to Kekova and Kas tomorrow - and thanks to all for advise about where to find tonic - will check out tomorrow too!

Alex

[Bob & Jayne]

Loving your posts, just catching up after a few days, what a brilliant time you are having.  We love that little supermarket at the harbour, like an Aladin's cave in there, it never disappoints! Have never been to Ada, although we always think we should stop there.  Enjoy your trip to Kekova and Kas 

[Babs]

If you love fish then Ada is wonderful......just incredibly fresh fish cooked perfectly......may well have to pay a visit next week......did I mention that we are off to Kalkan on Saturday? 

[kalkan4eva]

Really loving your reports, moorsalex. Sounds like you are having a fab time. I love those days we make BIG plans then don't budge an inch from the pool...because you can. There's always another day. Haven't been to Ada for years...last time we went there was only this restaurant and the little van at Kaputas for food. The sunsets are spectacular at this time of year and it must have been gorgeous from here...not jealous at all
Looking forward to your next report...Yali have little bottles of slimline tonic in the fridge where all the wine and beer are if you are still looking.
Babs...your holiday is almost here AT LAST

[moorsalex]

TUESDAY

We decided to go to Kekova (well Simena really).  We decided to drive to Üçağız on the mainland to go to Kekova  - about 25km beyond Kas.  I haven’t taken a gulet from Kas but this could be a better way.  We have been to Üçağız before and taken a boat trip over the ruins and been given the chance to stop off in Simena which we didn’t do.  For those of you who haven’t been to Üçağız the general deal is that you hire a boat with captain for a time period – i.e 1.5 or 3 hours and they take you where you want.  It is a bit different from gulets from Kalkan or Kas where you are out all day and get a meal on board for a price per person or charter.  Our plan was just to have lunch in Simena and maybe a wander up to the castle if it wasn’t too hot (it was).  So we negotiated a price to take us there and back with suitable waiting time and had a great afternoon.  After eating at the restaurant of choice (entirely random selection) I have since found out that if I called said restaurant from Üçağız they will send a boat and lunch will just cost lunch with no transport costs included. Please PM me if you want to have more details.  We ate at Hassan Deniz restaurant (not to be confused with Hassan Roma Restaurant next door apparently..)  We had calamari I missed last night and mujver and lamb chops and chicken shish.

So we got back on dry land around 3 and headed off back to Kalkan.  We got stopped by a proper serious roadside check just before getting to Kas by the turnoff to Emalli .  Full military police with hardware.  They checked our passports and we were on our way – first time that has happened as every other time it was just Jandama and they waved us through without checks – at least we should be feeling safe that checks are being made but it was a reminder to always take passports with you on the roads at the moment – we were glad we did as I believe it can be a bit of a problem without ID.

Anyway back in Kisla again – lazy evening – not sure what tomorrow may bring – currently thinking brunch somewhere and beach club…

Did check out Yali and the tonic situ - no tonic at all - no slimline ever seen there - probably do me good to lay off the gin anyway - thought I was pretty moderate - 1 litre in 3 weeks… somehow sounds bad but not sure it really is?   Anyway Babs - you are here Saturday and can sort things out - we leave Monday...

Alex

[kalkan4eva]

No tonic at the Inn...what a calamity. Yali definitely had tiny bottles of slimline tonic in June - the only place that has ever sold them to my knowledge. It might be a bit late in the day, but I have the still lemonade with my gin - different to tonic but a really nice drink. They do a sugar free variety and you can get it in Migros, Kipa and sometimes Yali. It's a Turkish product so really cheap to buy and No... 1 litre of gin in three weeks is very temperate drinking considering you're on holiday
Enjoy the rest of your stay.

[Chris_S]

I keep scans of passports (as well as medical and optical prescriptions and the e-Visa) on the phone.

Never had a problem yet, but then I've never been stopped by the military.

Was once told the Military checkpoints were checking for deserters, but since DAESH this may be different.

Time will tell…