Antler's Day Ten: Patara Beach

[antler]

I rang Hasan and asked if he could take us the 18kms, or so, to Patara and ten minutes later, Ihan was here for us, as fresh as a daisy. Soon after 10am we arrived at Patara in his spotlessly clean mini bus.
It's great having Hasan's number plugged into the mobile, and if he is busy on his, he sees you have called and rings you straight back. Top class guys!
The short journey to Patara wasn't long enough, really, in the cool of the bus and we enjoyed the scenery as you dropped down the hill before the Patara turn off, with the tomato greenhouses on the right hand side.
Entrance fee into the Patara site was TL5 each, so TL30 for the six of us, but only TL15 after Ihan's Travel Agency Discount. Got it.
Young Beach Man took us to our beds and it was straight into the water, well, at least to the waters edge as the breakers rolled in. The temperature felt like July or August with a gentle breeze and stinging sun.
The Life Guard was on his whistle, calling bathers back in anxiously. "Very early this morning" he explained,  "I had to pull in a body from out there in the sea, a Turkish man, maybe only around 30. The strength of the current can be dangerous".
Well, I wasn't risking it, so stayed below chest height (for me, that was not too far from the sun bed!)
At 1pm, it was time for an Efes at the one and only beach bar and I thought with the captive audience it would be dire. I was pleasantly surprised, if not delighted with the fast food and service. A large Efes was still TL6, and to keep you going until dinner, the cheese burger and cheese and onion omlette that we had, priced around TL7 each was more than OK - and served piping hot almost immediately. And for those that really knew what to have, the bowls of Tuna Salad being brought out looked really good. We watched 5 or 6 police guys completing their report on the beach in front of the Cafe.
Back to the sun beds and a further splash in the sea, before meeting up with Hasan at 3pm, using the showers at the Car Park, for TL1 each.
The rest of the afternoon was spent either in the pool or on the iPods until Young Couples decided to go for the family shop at Yali and the greengrocer's down below, and in search of new goggles for snorkelling. As the sun slipped down towards the hill, Mrs A and I strolled along to BIM, past the waving and smiling owners of Our House, walking across to Ayses Kitchen for a sniff of that, too.
A couple of bags of charcoal later, plus a huge tub of set yogurt for tomorrow's Tzatziki, we were poolside again, and the day ended and evening started on the water hammock.
At 8.30pm, the gel was set light on the bbq, as I took a very large Blue, Cranberry & Tonic to the Ottoman Terrace on the third floor and enjoyed 45minutes of bliss watching the twinkling lights of Kalkan village come alive, below.
Piri Piri Chicken was the main protein tonight, but with a fresh tray of Kofte (by special request) from Skinny Butcher Man, and a few slabs of the remaining fillet, we all glowed over dinner with the Patara Tan as the moon came up across a very clear and starry sky.
I sipped just one glass of Angora Red, wanting a crystal clear head for our day at Kekovo, starting when Hasan calls at 9am tomorrow.

Steve

Linkback: https://www.enjoykalkan.com/forum/index.php?topic=9638.0

[Skunk]

Have a great day in Kekova Antlers, it is a blissful day out isn't it? Sounds like yesterday wasn't so bad either but tragic about the young Turkish guy drowning.  My sister was on the beach last year when a tourist was drowned. 

[Roxie]

Hi Steve,
Say hello to Hassan and Ayhan from the other "Steve Baba", from up the hill. WE will see them next week. Great guys, great service. They will take you anywhere, day or night.
Enjoy the rest of your holiday. Have to say Cafe Ev is great. Can't wait to see Mehmet and Kitty as well!
Rx

[Lizilu20]

Hi Antler,

I would be very grateful if you could give me Hasan's contact details as there will be 6 of us in July so will need a van to ferry us round.

Glad you are having a good time and I'm really looking forward to hearing about Kekova.

Thanks Lizzie. 

[tillymint143]

Hi there. Would mind letting me know who Hassan and Ayhan are and can I have their contact details? If you don't mind me asking, how much did the taxi to and from Patara cost you?

[antler]

Hi folks,
I have a few questions to answer........
Yusuf manages Villa Kirmizi, where we are staying, on behalf of the owner. I believe he manages a dozen or so villas with family members help. His brother in law is Hasan.

I also believe Hasan is the guy behind Blue Sirena Travel.  The GSM tel number on their brochure says +90 532 660 24 90. If it is different from the no. we use, I will revert (phone in Mrs A's handbag upstairs and she is not daft in getting up at 6am like me).

The fare to Patara just for the taxi was TL75 for the 6 of us, return. I called Hasan  40minutes before we wanted picking up from Patara.

I asked Yusuf to sort the Kekova trip for us, he arranged it with Hasan and on the day, the tour was run by Volume Travel. Well, that is what was plastered all over the bus and the guide's T-shirt.

Please don't ask me if there is any connection between Blue Sirena and Volume Travel, but for sure, "brothers and cousins" will feature in there somewhere!

Cheers
Steve

[antler]

Here is the number for Hasan :-

00905337162027

[Lizilu20]

Hi Steve,

Many thanks 

[tillymint143]

Steve, don't you ever sleep?!! Thanks by the way.