Scratching the surface of Turkey

[antler]

• Adam picked us up at 10.30am and we headed out along the road to Kas. We were going to scratch the surface of Turkey, away from the utopia of Kalkan, up into the hills as we headed for Demre.
   
  Kaputas Beach was coming alive and the waves were crashing in on the beach. Azure blue at one end, Adam explained how the sea changes colour as the day progresses.
   
  Before Kas we took a left turn up into the tiny village of Gokseki. In the centre was a tiny, tiny 200 year old house, with its adjoining cow shed. Outside the kitchen door was a stone built BBQ and a well -everything you needed. Hanging by the well was a 5 litre oil can on a long, thin rope. We lifted the well top and 4 metres down was crystal clear water and you could feel the chill.
   
  Adam picked some figs and some long brown things that looked like dried runner beans. “Enjoy” he said “But they make your mouth smell funny!” I opted to have mine later.
   
  We headed back down to the coast and stopped to admire Gokseki Aqua Park, so easily accessible from the main road with its sheltered beach. I remembered that Mehmet said he liked to take his daughter, 7-month-old Idil there, as the shallow waters are so warm, unlike the deeper waters of Kalkan Bay. If I had small kids, I would be there.
   
  We drove on our way through areas famous for figs and almonds, past the sign for Phellos and through the village of Agulla. Pronouncing this village with its soft “G” makes a sound like you have lost your teeth and I never mastered it the whole day.
   
  The road sign said “Demre 40 KM”.
   
  We went down a steep hill and there were 100 or more goats nibbling on the dried undergrowth. The goats were being looked after by Hatija, who explained she had over 100 goats of all colours. She was traditionally dressed, and carried a handbag, but I did not notice any “LV” label. I wonderedhow her ballet-style shoes coped with the terrain and the hot ground? I guess apedicure at Jasmine would kill her. I asked her permission for a photograph, and she agreed.
   
  We went down Adam’s “secret road” to Ucagiz (sounded like“You Challs”). The area is famous for its goats and there were many, many ofthem under the trees with white plastic sheets made into tents for the owners to sleep in.
   
  In the village of Ucagiz, we stopped at a roadside stall tobuy grapes. Red and Green, TL2 per kilo. Much less than a quid, and 5 peoplewere there to serve us, breaking off small bunches of extra grapes to give us, waving as we left.  A lady sat on thefloor, holding a bowl between her knees and chopped tomatoes, throwing thestems into the soil.
   
  We dropped down to the fertile plains, excellent for growing tomatoes and there were many little start up businesses. We stopped at the little resort where the boats go out to the Sunken City of Kekova; a delightful little place buzzing with tourists and boats coming to and fro. A nice place to stay for a weekend and enjoy the water activities.
   
  At Cevreli there was even water on the ground – “where thereis water, there is money”. Out on the coast of Demre we stopped for a walk along the sea front, having passed some duck lakes where the river meanders into the sea. The restaurant owners were asleep in their Ottomans, and so were their dogs. A large Alsation hardly opened his eyes, his face covered in large ticks.
   
  We drove on our way to the town of Demre, parking in the centre and looking for “somewhere nice, somewhere Turkish” for lunch. Adam asked a local policeman and he pointed us the way. Down a side street there was the Ipek Restaurant, spotlessly clean and full of Turks enjoying lunch. We washed our hands and faces and ordered Spit Roasted Chicken, salad plus dips and hot bread.
   
  The meal came within 5 minutes. I watched the Chef take the whole chicken off the spit and chop it into chunks. It melted in our mouths.The salad was finely diced, with juices running red.  My favourite, the red chilli dip was on fire and I knew I would feel this again later.
   
  Adam ordered his special treat, Kuneke? – the hot cheese desert that looks like stuffed Shredded Wheat in a syrupy sauce. It was cooked to order and arrived 15 minutes later with coffee. Not one Kuneke, but two.
   
  As we paid the bill in this little sanctuary in a busy town, I noticed the sign on the restaurant door – www.demreipekrestaurant.com.  Oh no, I thought. Oh yes, even here.  The bill for 3 people was just TL35 - not even a fiver each.
   
  After St Nicholas at Demre we headed for Myra. These tourist attractions were very popular with Russian tourists. As we passed a farm stead at Myra, people were stopping to look in awe at an excavation about 20 foot down in the farmyard. A dwelling was being uncovered that must have been hundreds of years old.
   
  After Demre, we wound our way up the steep hillside, stopping at a restaurant right at the top to admire the view across the whole valley. The restaurant was deserted with a sign saying “Closed” in Turkish. It was as if time had stood still, and the owners ran away. There were the tables on the terrace, the fridges, the BBQ and outside water urns. A chicken scratched his way in the over grown garden and the kennels were empty, like the owners house. It was silent, but Adam spied a fig tree over-laden with fruit, juicy ripe and sticky, then peeled a cactus fruit and gave me a chunk, ignoring the tiny spikes going into his fingers just so I could have a taste.
   
  We drove back across towards Kas, through Davazlar and stopped to watch a local farmer milking her heard of goats. The lady was sat on her stool with her large yoghurt pot between her legs. The lads would bring over two goats at a time, swinging them around as they got to her. She would grab their legs, pulling them apart, then squeeze the teats ten times each, in a very definite manner. My eyes watered and my knees stuck together. What grip.As the goats were dragged around, the dust and bits were flying through the airand I thought about what might be in the yoghurt pot. No wonder the cheese is so strong.
   
  As we began the decent to Kas, on the side of the road was a fast waterfall flowing out of the hills, cascading down onto the verge. We stopped and bathed our hands and heads before dropping down to the Kas road and back to Adam’s Restaurant.
   
  Over an Efes, we tried to reflect on the incredible sights of the day, looking at the photos on the camera and sharing them with Adam’s family, while Adam pulled the remaining Cactus spikes from his hands.
   
  Antler
   
   
   

Linkback: https://www.enjoykalkan.com/forum/index.php?topic=6034.0

[dshiels]

Another excellent report Antler.

Sounds like an excellent day and a great way to see some of the real Turkey.  I wonder if Adam would be so kind as to show us around in August when we are there!

[Possums]

Full of the elements of a perfect day - idyllic!  Joy!

[TJ]

Nice report Antler.

I'm intrigued though, what exactly is Gokseki Aqua Park?

[antler]

A beach park, with an enclosed, safe beach. Some water slides, restaurant etc etc. Looks a nice little place.

[Will]

The beach in question is called Akcagerme Plaji.  It is  on the road to Kas about 20 mins drive from Kalkan. The dolmus from Kalkan/Kas stops right outside - price 4 lira each way.  The beach opens at 8 a.m and closes at 8 p.m.  The last dolmus back to Kalkan passes by at about 7.30 p.m. There are 3 buses an hour in each direction.

The beach is situated on a sheltered bay, which keeps the water very calm.  You can walk out for about 10 metres before it gets deep, unlike Kalkan beach you are not humiliated by struggling up and down the steep slope, nice flat entrance/exit.  Ideal for children and particularly good for those of us just a bit older!
It is a pebble beach so flip flops or beach shoes a good idea.

It is run by the staff and students at Kas Tourism Vocational School.  The facility has just been awarded blue flag status. It is exceptionally clean, very good loos, and showers/changing rooms, a charming tree shaded restaurant - hamburger and chips 5 lira, toasted sandwich 4 lira, pizza (large enough for two) 9 lira.

It has a small children's play park, a volleyball area, a fitness machines area (not often used) and there are very tame and friendly chickens and two splendid, large geese wandering around.

A sunbed is two lira to hire for the day a parasol the same. For children, there is a separate area with three water slides which descend into a swimming pool.  There is also a tiny pool with slides for toddlers. The cost per child to use the slides is 5 lira for 4 hours.  We took two thirteen year olds there today.  Total cost for the day for 3 adults, 2 children for sunbeds, umbrellas, drinks, ice creams, lunch, use of slides etc was 74 lira.

If you don't have children,  you can pick a spot on the beach away from the waterslides and totally chill out (there is even a water side bar) in peace and relative quiet.

It does get very busy at weekends  but during the week it is much less crowded.

Will

[kalkan4eva]

Will, are the waterslides only for children? We have three adult children who would find them entertaining, but we wouldn't make the trip if there was an upper age limit to use them.
At 6tl for the beds and parasol, its cheaper than Kalkan Town Beach!

[TJ]

Thanks Will, very informatrive. May well check that out when we're over in a couple of weeks.

[Will]

Kalkan4eva, In the hope of maintaining some dignity, I wasn't going to mention it but as you have asked.... we were the oldest children by quite a few decades on the water slides today and all the real children kept letting us go to the front of the short queue.

Will

[kalkan4eva]

 
As long as no-one asked you to refrain from using the slides, we'll definitely pop along there next year. Thanks, Will