Kalkan Turkey Forum - EnjoyKalkan.com
Kalkan Discussion => Holiday Reports and Reviews => Topic started by: Skunk on September 09, 2015, 08:21:38 AM
-
Well we are finally here again after two years away and it feels like heaven! We arrived on Monday night and were whisked from the airport by a Turkish version of Lewis Hamilton who went at double the speed limit and kept tailgating everyone who got in his way. Really very scary. Anyway eventually arrived in one piece and quickly went off to Alibaba for some soup and a glass of wine. (Well it was very late).
Yesterday was spent as a time honoured pool day. Although it's a shared pool there was nobody else in sight so we had it to ourselves. The apartment is beautiful and very well kitted out. Very central and sea views from the huge terraces.
We were recommended a restaurant that's just opened this year called Salonica along between the Moonlight bar and Isos. Lucky we booked a table as it was full! Specialise in meze but loads of other stuff too. The food was really good and of course it was a good excuse to do a spot of people watching at the Moonlight on the way down. It was really pretty busy compared to last week watching on the Mavi website. Good music too.
As we sit on the terrace listening to the call to prayer reverberating round the town,the cocks crowing in the field next door and the odd cooing dove, we are watching the boats going out, having a Turkish breakfast and contemplating THAT view. Another hard day to get through! :) :) :)
-
Glad you arrived safely Skunk. I'm envious as I sit at my desk waiting for the onslaught. Would much prefer your day to mine. Have fun. :) 8)
-
Fab post Skunk, and look forward to reading more! Salonika sounds good, we didn't manage to get there this year. Yes, I am very envious too, as I look out of the office window at the grey sky! Have a fab day :D :D :D
-
Sounds smashing!! A speeding tailgating Transfer driver? you haven't lived till you've had one of those that is Phoning his mate while eating a cake at the same time!! paaaaarp! excuse me! :o :o
-
Hi BL yes I agree. Felt like Antler's bum clenching motorbike ride to Akbel. ;D :D ;D
-
Great first report Skunk. My son experienced the Michael Schumacher experience on his airport transfer. I have to say that the driver provided by Club Lycia gave us very fast but safe return transfers. The first time that a driver hasn't used a mobile whilst driving.
-
Aaahhh, welcome home Skunk. It feels like home doesn't it?
The airport transfer didn't sound much like fun, but you are there safe and sound, thankfully. Is Billy still at Salonika? I do love this street now, reminds me of when Istanbul was there, many years ago, but somehow better. With Begonvil and Iso's plus Botanik at the end its a lovely lively little spot and looks so pretty with the lights strung across.
Have a wonderful holiday and I look forward to more reports.
-
It is lovely along there now, isn't it! We went to Begonvil, as Salonika was full when we were in Kalkan.
Great first post - looking forward to the next!
-
It seems that the super fast transfer is a vital ingredient to the Kalkan experience. I'm so glad we always arrive late and so I have a little doze only to be woken by OH saying we're passing Patara, wake up!
All you have to do now skunk is relax......but tell us all about it!
-
Well yesterday was spent between the pool and the air on in the apartment. The temperature reached 40 degrees and we felt roasting. OH ventured bravely to the butcher and we had lunch indoors to keep cool!
Several mysteries were solved last night. The first of these started on the breakneck speedy journey from the airport. Why were all the cars flashing their hazard warning lights all the way along? Maybe it was Lewis's scary driving??? When we went to Salonika we were expecting some live music but none was forthcoming so we asked about it. Hard to understand the reply but it was something about someone dying so we thought maybe the musician had died. Then the third thing happened. We went down to the harbour to pay for our boat trip reservations and ended up (as you do) in Fener bar for a beer/wine. We were just relaxing into our drinks, the view, the boats etc when a cacophony broke out. The boats all blared horns, music etc and started to sail out of the harbour. There must have been about 30 of them, all led by Ali and Lucy in Anil boat. We thought it was a sort of party or something at first, but the waiter explained that 16 Turkish people had been killed together with two others the night before. The entire event was a memorial to these guys. It felt to us that this was an outpouring of grief and respect such as never happens in the UK. Such a fantastic special occasion. To crown it all, Ali saw us when he got off the boat in the dark and waved to us, even though he hadn't seen us for two years.
After that we had to recover and chew the cud for a while so we went to Lizilu's favourite bar - Black and Gold - for a fancy cocktail I had a frozen strawberry daiquiri and OH had a tequila sunrise. Then onwards, stumbling across the road to Korsan Meze - one of our old haunts which had to go into abeyance before my new hips made a bionic woman of me. We had a great meze meal there, sharing a special plate of 7 small different mezes. Then the waiter came over to ask what we wanted for a main! Yeah right. Um, no thanks. It was all delicious though. We then strolled up to the Moonlight for a digestif and met a lovely couple who have given us some wonderful ideas for a winter holiday!
Onwards and upwards till tomorrow!! 8)
-
Great report thank you so much. Such sad times for the Turkish people and how amazing to see how they mark such an awful and tragic event.
-
How awful about the deaths. Where/how did it happen ?
I remember one year a dozen or more boys were killed by Kurdish rebels whilst doing their National Service & that was so sad, especially when boys you knew were away at that time. Luckily the local boys I knew all returned safe.