Flaming June

[kalkan4eva]

Well flaming June is certainly living up to its headline...its ROASTING here, as hot as I can remember any July or August visits and just as humid Talking with Muhttin in Moonlight last night and he said because they had a very cold winter its going to be a very hot summer...yes lets remember it isn't even summer yet Whether this is true, I don't know...I just know its HOT!

So glad to not be alone with the fat feet thing....god its annoying. So now I'll have Kalkan Feet as well as Kalkan Hair...eh? Joy.

Yesterday morning the feet appeared to be okay, so we went on one of those long walks in the heat of the midday sun. Walked along the beach path to Komurluk..we'd seen others using it from the safety of our roof terrace but when we were there it suddenly seemed like a bad idea...the damage from the rockfall evident, the thriving little cafe now gone and big chunks of rock near the path along with "Danger" signs. We ploughed on regardless but I do think I upped the pace until we were no longer right under the cliff (not easy given my feet - two chubby one sore). We wandered over to Halit's new projects at the far end of Komurluk and once again we found ourselves thinking about the over development of Kalkan and mourned the loss of the "yellow house". There are so many gorgeous villas over in this area but some of them are incredibly close to each other - you'd be able to see what your neighbour was cooking for breakfast . We played our normal game of "If I win the lottery, that one's mine...." then I got bored and wanted a piggy back up to the service road....none forthcoming
Amazingly my feet didn't look too fat last night but today I'm looking at cankle city Off to get me some chemical intervention from BH's new best friend - the pharmacist (thanks itstime )

[Lizilu20]

Glad you are mobile agin K4E, my goodness it sound hot, goodness knows what it will be like for us in July.  I remember being in Kalkan in July/ August 2009 when there was an almighty heat wave. It was so humid I felt like we were in the Caribbean! I have naturally curly hair which I don't even bother to straighten as any moisture at all unleashes the curls-think crystal tips and Alastair ( if you remember the program ) but that holiday I resembled this  without even trying!! My feet also go pudgy as do my fingers  not a good look !! I never seem to look glamourous on holiday unfortunately!!! 

[kalkan4eva]

After a couple of days of looking at my toenails - particularly my big toenail, I decided it actually wasn't looking too healthy  So yesterday we took ourselves off to see our new best friend the pharmacist to see what he could recommend from his shelf loads of stuff. When we got there, I went into a bit of a panic as he wasn't there.. His young counterpart looked at my uncovered toenail and almost recoiled then recovered himself and said I had to see the doctor Our relationship with the pharmacy was over. He directed us to the medical centre on Kalamar Road and we set off - stopping off at HanInn on the way to collect the "Emergency Credit Card". Having had experience of Dr Cem in the past I knew this would make a serious dent in the K4E bag fund, so I deemed the toe emergency enough for use of the card. We ambled up to the centre but it was closed, so was the pharmacy opposite - no matter, we'd stroll up to Pasha and have a drink with Imelda and Mark and see if they knew when the Medical Centre would be open.
Sadly they'd returned to the UK in very sad circumstances but we had a drink with the nice lady looking after things till they get back - complained about the heat (yes really - sorry if you're reading this in the UK) and took her advice to go to Esanaf Hospital in Fethiye - which we will tomorrow.
In the meantime, we spent today on the town beach (Cool Bag in tow - thanks Lantana). At the best of times you need to be able to dig your feet into the small mound of stones to get out of the water with any grace and/or dignity. I couldn't do the latter so was unable to exit the sea as described in the former BH laughed heartily as I struggled and got The Stare
Still we are getting about, eating in our favourite restaurants, drinking lots of alcohol and generally enjoying ourselves
I whinge occasionally, but its an "insurance moan"...gently reminding BH why the bag fund is particularly healthy this trip

[Skunk]

Oh dear K4E, sounds like that big toenail is being troublesome. Do you think it's infected? Thought it might be and Cem is a good doctor (i'm a nurse so I usually know one when I meet one) - Fethiye's a bit of a trek but I suppose you could combine the trip with a fish market treat and look at a few different bags maybe.    I had to laugh at the beach antics and glad to hear you're getting around to the restaurants and bars despite the foot.  Keep up the insurance moan for the bag fund and good luck!  Hope you find something special - you deserve it.  When are you back in Blighty? It's deffo not too hot here - 64C with the odd shower, followed by humid sun followed by rain followed by more rain...... garden has gone bonkers.  Take care.

[Lizilu20]

Well hopefully the salty sea water will have done your toe the world of good. If it's not infected, the nail may just drop off itself and regrow in time Sounds like you could do with an  Xray though, there's lots of little bones in your feet and easy to fracture them. Not to upset you K4E, but my accident prone OH once had an injury to his big toe while playing football, decided he could cope with the pain, never got it checked out and simply strapped it up to the next toe. He now suffers from arthritis in it and it was probably broken as it's now a monstrosity compared with the other one and twice the size!! It does look cute though in my eyes. 

[Lizilu20]

Ha ha Skunk, great minds think alike!!! We must have been typing at the same time 

[Skunk]

Hee hee it's the training I think!! Yes you're right about the salt water, and the sea there is very clean (Blue Flag I think).  A bit worrying for you though K4E. 

[Babs]

aaaggghhhh.....forgot about the 'big hair and big feet combo'! and my hair is longer than it has been in the past!

hope the toes get sorted soon K4E......only 9 sleeps for us and I'm beginning to get the strange neurotic feeling that I get before each holiday....especially when walking the dog across fields trying to avoid rabbit holes....I don't fall down any other times of the year so why do I always assume I will do it just before we go away! 

[kalkan4eva]

Well within 2 hours of getting into our hire car in Kalkan we were sitting in Esanaf Hospital having been relieved of my troublesome toenail and 450tl Have to say it was money well spent although I did feel embarrassed that we seemed to queue jump It literally took minutes from entering the hospital, handing over my passport to the very polite man at the Foreigners desk, filling in some forms to sitting with the consultant who immediately said (through our interpreter..) that the nail had to be removed as it was "poison that will spread"
I have to say, as we queued with Nationals and Foreigners alike to pay, it did strike me that:-
I was fortunate to have brought an emergency credit card (otherwise the dent in the K4E bag fund would have been fatal ) and secondly how fortunate we are in the UK to have the NHS. Yes I know it has its faults and is often mismanaged but when BH got a piece of pen stuck in his ear a few months back (don't judge him.. ) We went to our local minor injuries unit  and after a lot of jokes about it not being a children's facility and them not having "Brave Boy" stickers (all entirely justifiable IMO ) we walked out with just "thank you"
Ah well....we were in Fethiye on a Tuesday so we left the hospital - complete with my comedy bandage (looks like something from a Tom and Jerry cartoon ) and went to the market. The words "shopping" and "bored" never appear in the same sentence for me...but I was After a few stalls and BH acting like my Minder, in case anyone stood on my foot, we bailed out and headed up to Kaya Koyu for a lovely afternoon.
We'll wander down to town in a bit to watch the footie on one of those awful large TV's....been an eventful day here in paradise

[Lizilu20]

Glad you got your toe sorted. Hope it wasn't too painful   

[itstime]

Yikes K4E you've had some adventures this holiday
Glad the foot is sorted and hopefully now just back to the usual eating too much, drinking too much and buying handbags

Oh forgot to ask, how are the "cankles"?

[Skunk]

Hope they've given you some antibiotic cover for that price?? If not, I think you should try for some at the pharmacy.  Sounds v uncomfortable but glad you found some peace in Kayakoy - beautiful there isn't it?  Enjoy the footie - the moonlight has got every table and chair it possesses on the opposite pavement in readiness!!! 
Take care of that foot and all the best for an uneventful rest of your holiday (well only nice events anyway!)  I was tickled by your OH in the minor injuries unit.  Shame about the brave boy stickers. 
Have fun Caroline 

[Babs]

at least the large comedy bandage on the toe will balance out the cankles! 
take care and continue to enjoy your holiday....which will hopefully be less dramatic from now on!

[Rachey]

Can you still swim K4E?  Hope your toe makes a very speedy recovery...tell us about which handbag(s) you get!

[kalkan4eva]

"Swimming is finished..." the kind words of our interpreter at Esanaf. Thankfully it appears to be a whole lot cooler today so I haven't felt the overwhelming urge to throw myself in the pool. Have to shower with a plastic bag on my foot for a bit too...very tireseome Yes it has been an adventure this trip
Babs is right though the comedy bandage is detracting from the cankles which are definitely better (thanks itstime for the tip )
Handbag shopping will follow shortly...

[kalkan4eva]

The pain has started to reside and the comedy bandage came off yesterday I couldn't look as BH applied the new dressing as instructed by the doctor at Esanaf - he thinks there's a new nail growing but it could be wishful thinking.
 
Because I'm not allowed to swim, BH is going on "pool strike" in sympathy. I look longingly at the lovely pool from the roof terrace when the sun is out, which hasn't been that much in the afternoons for the last few days. The mornings are bright and sunny and then cloud appears over the mountain and by about 3pm has been overwhelming the sun. Yesterday the clouds were menacing and we were treated to a downpour and mild thunderstorm with spectacular forked lightning. We sat on the roof to watch, until the rain got too much.

Last market day for us yesterday so we bought up our green tea, spices and turkish delight to take home. We'd invited the Antlers for "cocktails and canapes" which I realise was incredibly pretentious when I couldn't find all the ingredients I needed So I just decided to throw lots of alcohol and some coke and fruit juices together and called it Kalkan Iced Tea Essentially it was punch...but I frowned when BH asked if anyone would like punch The Antlers sensibly declined and opted for beer and wine (soft drinks for Beth ) so I decided to plough through it myself...I feel suprisingly ok today, although I shouldn't I was lovely to have them over to HanInn and return their wonderful hospitality from the previous week and before we knew it we were sitting on the roof shrouded in darkness, watching a small thunderstorm in the distance.
We are now trying to cram all those things we said we'd do into the last few days..still new restaurants to try, bag shopping (I've had a few recce's and know what I want...I think), carrot cake at Cafe Leon, Oz Adana....the days are just rolling into each other...drat and double drat You lucky people out there who are coming to Kalkan shortly, I'm so envious

[Skunk]

Great post indeed K4E - must be very tempting to get into THAT pool! Hope all your wishes come true for the last few days and maybe you can post a photo of the final decision on the bag! Happy hols and I will let you know how ours goes when we are out there. Love to Kilim! SX 

[Babs]

Looking forward to hearing about final bag choice!

[Bob & Jayne]

Yes K4E me too, one of my hobbies is handbags and I intend to purchase one in August too! please let me know what your final decision is, and where you purchase it from? Hope your toe is feeling better now.

Jayne

[Lizilu20]

Ditto!!! The only bag I've managed to get in Kalkan for the past 2 years has been a blummin cafe vita shopper!!! This year I'm determined to buy a decent one and would love to hear what's "hot" on the bag front and would welcome your expert opinion