Bye Bye Kalkan - and please can I come back?

[antler]

After such a fantastic shave this morning, we chucked the kit in the bags, confimed the taxi to the airport at 8.45 pm tonight and rang Adem.

"Please can we come to your restaurant for lunch, Adem?"

"Of course, what time shall I pick you up?"

We agreed 12.30pm and as we got to reception of the Nur Hotel, he was washing his two year old daughter's feet in the pool to keep her cool.

We dropped down into town and up again onto the Kas road and within a few minutes we could see the beach clubs scattered around Kalkan Bay until they were no more.

A table was laid at the edge of the terrace. Red & white table cloths and a vase with a single, fresh red rose. Oh no, I thought, not again and took a deep breath.

We ordered the Lal Rose and a Efes for OJ and sat back and looked at the menu. In front of you, and beyond the single red rose, all you could see was the ocean and a silent ship sailing peacefully by.

We ordered two starters - fried aubergines with yoghurt dressing and some roquefort mushrooms. Then, Mrs A was having her favourite Mushroom Sauté and OJ and I ordered the Chicken Sauté that comes on it's own stove. And of course home made chips; to die for.

It was great under the umbrella; just us, the ocean and the rose. We hardly noticed the upturned bottle of LAL in the cooler and quickly ordered another; just in case.

After the right amount of break, the main course came and we chatted and thought about our last 17 days or so in Kalkan.

Adem's family were having lunch outside the kitchen. A pile of large fish, coated in flour and fried, with a tomato salad, the juices running thick and red. His wife called me over and held out a fillet of fish for me to try and it melted in my mouth.

We paid our bill and enjoyed a brandy on the Otterman as we talked to Adem and his wife about the coming months, next year, and beyond.

The road back to Kalkan was shimmering in the afternoon heat and as we dropped back down to the Nur I swallowed hard and got out of the car. Adem was kissing Mrs A's hand and shaking OJ's. He turned to me and I fell apart, and then hid my embarassment with my sunglasses.

Adem said "heh, it's ok, we look forward to the future and you come again" and I loved him all the more.

I just wanted to open my arms and dance.


*********************************************************


Thank you for letting me share our holiday experience with you.

If you go to Kalkan, I hope you have as nice a time as we have had, that it feels as special as it does to us, and that you are richer for the experience.

Wherever you go, I hope you travel safely and be happy,

Love Antler




Linkback: https://www.enjoykalkan.com/forum/index.php?topic=4284.0

[baklavabuddy]

Bless x

[Enişte]

Steve

I feel like gathering a group of like-minded souls and applauding you off in a guard of honour from the Nur tonight!  Your reports have been a breath of fresh air on EK after several recent negatives and niggles and I look forward to buying you a beer on your next visit (primarily so I can see how/if you write it up!).  Safe home and look forward to meeting you next time.

Nick

[jinfizzz]

Boo hoo, sniff!  xx

[Enjoy Kalkan]

Here Here Nick,

Antler has brought EK back to what it should be !

[fidimax]

Nice one mr Antler  I think we will all miss your reports,dont worry about the filling ups,I think weve all been there,no doubt you will be back in Kalkan as soon as you can !
Take care.

[alisonh]

Arrived back from Kalkan on Friday morning and have just caught up with the latest news.  May I also say that the daily reports from Antler's holiday are absolutely fabulous, such a great way with words, I certainly applaud you.  Wish we could have met up to share the experience with a bottle of Lal!

Hope you enjoy many more special holidays in Kalkan and will continue to share them with us!

Alison

[Tyros]

Here here.  Great reports that have been a joy to read.  We cannot wait to return to Kalkan for our 6th visit at end of October and a bottle or two of Lal and of course a lot of Efes.  Hope you had a safe and pleasant journey home.

Regards
Tyros

[Blue Lizard]

I'm going to miss these cracking reports...i hope antler stays with us ....remember EK isn't just for holiday times. I and some others are here all year round and the more the merrier

[felicity]

Antler -you will be sorely missed...please stay with us throughout the winter...i am wiping a tear from my eye now...no more lovely reports...until next year! 

[antler]

Thanks for all of your positive comments. I'll stay with it.

The journey back was pretty uneventful, thank God, and it was amusing in Dalaman Airport. The Security Guard had to check my bag because the laptop cables and chargers set the alarm off. Once he saw the laptop he started talking about Face Book and went to get a piece of paper to write his Username down, which he did. He wanted to keep in touch and was offering a very nice hotel just 10 minutes away "to save the 2 hour drive to Kalkan!".  It was SO funny.....

BMI saw that we were out of Manchester Terminal 3 and home in West Yorkshire by 6.15am today. I couldn't help comparing the light in the early morning in Kalkan to that of the M62 looking out towards Scarborough as the sun was rising! I quickly turned on EK when I got in to check the web cam; it's OK, the light is certainly not the same!!

Cheers for now,

Antler

[kalkan4eva]

Crikey...I'm overcome with emulsion  :'(
Antler your wondeful posts have taught me one thing....to really appreciate Kalkan whilst I'm there. Think I may be guilty of taking it for granted for quite some time
We're back in 5 weeks and have already booked for next year but I want to make sure I "take it all in" on all future visits...thanks to your eloquence.
 

[dshiels]

Antler,

I would like to whole heartedly thank you as well for your reports.  My wife and I visited Kalkan for the first time this June for a week which just wasn't enough so we are back at the end of September for another two weeks.

We had a great time in June but what is clear to me after reading your eloquent and captivating reports is that there is so much more to do and see and thats its up to us to make our next holiday there even more special.

Thanks again....

[antler]

And so we WILL be back. July 16th for 18 days and we are SO looking forward to it. But first, I feel many of you have holidays before us and I am really looking forward to hearing all about your experience at that jewel in the Turkish Coastline that is Kalkan.

cheers
Antler

[michelle2]

Hi Antler, which hotel are you staying at this year?

[antler]

Hi Michelle2, we are staying in a 2-bedroom apartment , not far from the taxi rank; the Mediterannean Apartments, I believe. Flying Jet2 from Leeds. I'm not sure if it has wi-fi, so may have to find a cosy bar to do my daily blog on here!

cheers

Antler

[dylanleeds]

i am out on 11th july for my honeymoon and and from leeds cant wait
 

[kalkan4eva]

You're pretty close to Parc Kalkan there, Antler. My favourite spot for wifi in Kalkan - everyone will have their own favourite, so I'm sure you will have fun trying them out.

[michelle2]

Hi Antler
 
We may bump into you sometime whilst you are there as we are staying at the Nur Hotel