Kalkan Turkey Forum - EnjoyKalkan.com
Kalkan Discussion => Holiday Reports and Reviews => Topic started by: bizzylizzy on June 23, 2016, 09:59:25 AM
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Countdown over and here we are .
Must do some grocery shopping today.No hurry though So we lingered on the roof terrace and drank in the fabulous view (and several cups of tea) The pool looked so inviting as the sun slid over the mountain and suddenly lt was noon Still no food (or beer) in the place so we decided to go out for a spot of lunch and then stock up on the way back. We are staying a little above the Mediterran hotel and being hardened Kalkan regulars we like to walk down but don't be misled into thinking we are at all fit . If there were no taxis I would have to stay in town and sleep on the beach sunbeds .
We zigzagged down the mountain and were dismayed at the amount of closed up properties and empty pools.Sign of the times I suppose.
Oh boy, it was hot. As we crossed the D400 bridge "Mad dogs and English men" was playing in my head.
We came into town via the White House passage. I love those old town streets. This allowed us to inspect and use the new road that cuts up from the beach. Sunset and Korsan meze are no longer clinging to the edge of the abyss and both are looking smart and ready for business. Down below cafe Kleo looks almost the same although they have not reinstated the beach side tables and chairs which were one of our favourite spots. Seaport is looking fabulous and the Golden plate is making quite a statement. Thankfully our beloved harbour appears to have risen again like a phoenix from the flames.
Detour into the Fener and our first efes of the holiday .Halil greeted us warmly as ever but told us sadly how slow business had been.Looking along the harbour i have never seen so many of the pleasure boats in dock during the day. Again a sign of the times I suppose.
Ok enough dallying we decided. Up to the new Hunkars for lunch and then the Yali for supplies . We progressed slowly up through the town stopping many times for a quick hello with our many favourite restaurateurs and promises to visit soon.
Lunch at last! The new Hunkars is fresh, modern and the most noticeable change, spacious! Not changed are the lovely staff and the delicious food .We both opted for a beef and cheese pide which came with various salads and dips. All freshly prepared and a treat for the tastebuds. A lovely gentleman asked if he could join us. I think, like us, he may have been missing the "cheek by jowl " style of the old Hunkars .We had a lovely chat He owns several apartments around town and said he "commutes" between Kalkan and his North London home. How great is that.?More drinks appeared We discussed Brexit the footy,Renting and buying in Kalkan.Turkey in general and other topics which have become hazy with Efes.Someone (killjoy) mentioned it was 4 o'clock .Luckily,the Yali was not far away. We zoomed round the isles and that's when time stood still. No Efes "Tomorrow " muttered an embarrassed assistant,unable to meet our eyes. Heyho, into every life a little rain must fall
Jump into taxi. Carry a boot full of shopping up the 82 (yes 82) steps.Plunge into pool to stave off heatstroke. Oh its 6 o'clock. Time for a sundowner .First day in kalkan over. God I love it
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Great first blog! We've got another 4 and a bit weeks to wait, so this will help them speed by! Have a great time!
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Bizzylizzy what a fab fab first report. Thank you. The new Hunkar sounds fab :D
J
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Thanks for sharing bizzylizzy I do love a holiday report!
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Great report bizzylizzy . We have a small place up by the mediterran that also has about 80 steps, but boy oh boy those views are worth every step climb, best views in Kalkan from that part of Kizilitas bar none,
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We have a property directly below the Mediterran - definitely the best views in Kalkan (in our opinion)! - sunsets are spectacular - we sometimes visit the Hotel bar for a sundowner - wonderful - make sure if you visit to bring your camera - non-residents welcome.
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Wow! What a fab first report. :) sounds like you're having my kind of holiday bizzylizzy. Our first holiday to Kalkan was spent in a villa just above the Mediterran and the view was indeed magnificent. I don't envy you the walk though. It was after that holiday that I was diagnosed with severe arthritis in my knees and although we walked it into town every day, it really put the pressure on them. Some of those inclines are almost vertical!
How lucky are we with two lots of holiday reporters on the go. I'm sitting in the back garden, soaking up the rays before the rain comes again and savouring every word. I'm already looking forward to your next installments. :)
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Great report bizzylizzy - missing Kalkan already & we have only been back five days after nearly three weeks in heaven.....
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Yes Brian. Every step is worth it for that wonderful view. Did you notice the clue I left for you in the title?
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Plenty of Efes in Yale today, must have had an emergency delivery.
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So Ready for our first night out in kalkan. We lingered far too long over the sundowners but couldn't resist watching the sun sink and suddenly it was dark. A pattern of lingering too long seems to be emerging here but when something is so enjoyable its difficult to move along even when you know the next thing is going to be just as good.
We hustled on down towards town but stopped to talk to a couple who were waiting for a taxi and so fortunately hopped in with them.Alternatif seemed the handiest solution given the lateness of the hour and we were whisking up those wooden steps a few moments later.
We certainly made no mistake with our choice Front row table gave us a fabulous view and the people watching was second to none The old Moonstone is now bright and modern with a trendy little bar area designed to make you want to linger . It has an excellent menu which had me spoiled for choice .
Complimentary starters appeared.Garlic bread, olives and a couple of truly yummy dips
I chose a dish of diced chicken breast cooked with pastrami and mushrooms in a creamy sauce. This ls a combination I haven't had before but boy does it work.OH chose the lamb shank. No comment was needed from him as all that was left on his plate were two picked clean bones,
We ended the meal with two complimentary lattes which were beatifully made and served and would put any posh coffee shop to shame. The love and pride with which they do everything shines through
Quick stroll around town. Quieter than other years maybe but still plenty of that great kalkan atmosphere.
Jump into taxi. Nightcap on the roof terrace. Moon, stars,kalkan twinkling below Bliss Bliss bliss.
God, I love it
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bizzylizzy , you are torturing us with your great blogs , while you are living the dolce vita ( the hint was spotted ) all we can do is look at our photos from May, and dream of September /October when we are out next , would love to meet up later in the year if we get the chance ! enjoy those fab views every morning afternoon and evening and keep the blogs coming
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That's a definate date Brian . Looking forward to it already
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Gosh,it's Saturday already. I did write a report yesterday but lost it when the power went off. A disaster yes but a worse one was averted when the power returned around 6 30 Whithout straIghtners I am definitely Frizzy Lizzy .So a brief resume of the last couple of daysThursday evening we visited Salt and pepper. I had the sasha steak which is a combination of chicken breast and fillet steak in "chefs special spicy sauce "It was beautifully presented ."Pretty yes?" Said the waiter as he slid it in front of me. A work of art actually and I felt guilty for disassembling it. There was far to much meat for me but any meat lovers out there will be in for a treat with this . OH ordered their lasagne which he loves and has most times we visit S and P Now I know there is a lot of interest in chips amongst some of you kalkan regulars so I must report on these.if there was a nobel prize for cooking chips these guys would be right up there. Chip aficionados, it's worth a visit for the chips alone
Yesterday, after a relaxing morning around the pool we decided on one of our regular jaunts.A stroll along the kalamar road .Stop off at Johnnys to enjoy an efes or two on his lovely quirky little balcony and then on to Café vita for lunch. Shock horror Johnnys is abandoned. What a shame . We have idled many a happy hour here and the people watching was superb. On to Café vita then without pause to recuperate The thermometer outside the Nur said 39 degrees so we were ready for a cold one in the shade .
A warm welcome at Vita. In rapid succession they provided a shady table, a fan,ice cold water and cool beer. Too hot for much to eat I asked for the fruit salad with ice cream. What a treat I got. Imagine every fruit that is available in kalkan all freshly diced and sliced into pieces small enough to allow you to have a little of everything in the same spoonful . The ice cream was softly melting in the middle of the plate and a light dusting of cinammon completed this marvelous treat. OH had their legendary hawaian pizza and the chips They were very chunky, perfectly cooked and golden and definatley worth a mention (well,I had to try a couple or 3 for the purpose of research)
Taxi home cool off in the pool, nearly time for a sundowner on the roof terrace. God I love it
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Bizzylizzy we are absolutely loving your reports. Thank you :) :) :)
J and B
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Me too....!! Love hearing what other visitors are up to at the same time as us.
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Thanks kalkan4eva Just been re reading your posts . Maybe we should do lunch. We have mozzie bites,aching calves,kalkankles and unruly hair in common Also we are constantly looking for our next perfect rental for september/october.This one is pretty perfect but the owners are inconsiderately using it then (just kidding Brian)
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One day we'll all have a massive kankle, frizzy haired get together! :laugh: :laugh:
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Wouldn't that be good!! :D :D :D although today I am experiencing a very frizzy hair day! and that was only going from our front door to the car in the torrential rain here in Dorset!
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Good blog thank you! Can you recommend good restaurant with view for our first visit in Aug with 15 year old teen?! :)
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Hi Babs and Jane. What a great idea. Shall we meet at the doctors or the hairdressers?
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A cooling breeze has returned and everywhere is feeling much fresher . On Friday night we made our first visit of the holiday to Gourmet. This is probably my favourite restaurant for several reasons . Firstly I am a little in love with Ibrahim who is my favourite person in kalkan . The welcome you get as you step through the door is like arriving at a dear friends house for dinner. Unfortunately non of our friends can cook like the chef here who,by the way is the second reason Gourmet is one of my favourites.
No one should die before they have tasted his chicken tikka massalla.Forget the stuff of Indian restaurants at home. It should be called "heavenly red velvet on a plate" The same can be said of his Walnut kazu. This is a lamb dish (which does feature walnuts obviously ) The man is a genius in the kitchen .He comes out after every service and mingles with his guests . I think that's the best part . You feel like a guest and not a customer. The two terraces give wonderful views of many other nearby rooftop restaurants and you feel as if you are dining in a city in the sky with much waving across to others.
Anyway,we couldn't decide between the two dishes described above so ordered both and swopped plates
halfway through.Perfect
Saturday was a lazy day around the pool of our fabulous mountain retreat. We both love villa life so much.
I describe it as "Just like being at home only so much nicer "
We eventually managed to tear ourselves away as it went dark and made our way down to Aubergine. A
great half an hour on the sofas, wine bucket on the table, for some serious people watching and menu
studying. We both opted for the chicken with leeks and bacon which is my favourite and OH refused to
order something different as, if not having a steak, it is his favourite too.A side of the sauté potatoes made
it a feast fit for a king and as always the service was friendly and first rate. You know the rest by now. Taxi home,night cap on the roof terrace, twinkling stars etc etc, bliss. I love it.
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What a fab holiday you are having bizzylizzy. Your food choices are making me very hungry. I can't wait to make that difficult decision of not only where to go, but what to choose off the menu. So hard to choose something new when you have waited so long to taste your favourite dishes again! Such a dilemma and I cannot wait to experience it again soon. Especiallly after cutting down the calories in anticipation! :)
Glad it's feeling a little fresher too. 8)
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Its true Lizilu. Before every trip we have the "Must try something different " conversation and then can't resist our old favourites .Before we know it we run out of time and then have the "We definitely must try something different next time "conversation
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bizzylizzy :: Your posts are fab and continue to make us sooooo jealous . Pauline got the "Red Velvet" recipe off Ibrahim last Sept and has tried to match it on a number of occasions back home , but not a chance even though she is a dam good cook , so it will be back for more at Gourmet this Sept/Oct,
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I decided to get my gel nail polish removed. I had it on for youngest daughters wedding last Saturday and like my hair, roots were beginning to show. I feel a little guilty about the happy couple as apparently their first choice honeymoon destination was kalkan and I had to tell them that we had already booked to come 3 days after the wedding. This didn't deter them that much but I had to insist that they couldn't honeymoon with the new in laws. They have gone to Borneo instead and are sending regular pictures of orangutans and 5 star hotels and have said that it is almost as good as kalkan.
I located a beauty salon just up the steps from Café Leon and booked an appointment for the next day. We set off to walk to town and hadn't gone 5 yards when a car pulled up. " Kalkan ?" Asked the driver. We hopped in and I began to thank him and introduce ourselves. "Turkish" he said swivelling right round to face us in the back and making a forefinger an thumb 'small' sign. "Turkish" I replied returning the gesture.
Minutes later he dropped us off at the taxi rank and we left him with much hand waving and gestures of thanks and he returned gestures of ' no trouble' and' you're welcome'. What a lovely friendly bunch the locals are.
Into the salon and my nails were quickly enveloped in tinfoil. An older turkish lady sat nearby and was having an expert pedicure. As the first foot was finished and the second one started another girl pulled up a
stool and began to give her a foot massage. It looked so good my mouth was almost watering .The lady herself was now punctuating her constant stream of chatter with little sighs of appreciation. Booking a pedicure is definitely on my 'to do' list before I go home .Half an hour later gel was off,a quick file and polish and I was done. The bill, 10 lira. Just less than a tenth of the cost I paid to have it put on!
Feeling well pampered I strutted down to Adem to meet OH.We sat on the corner table and enjoyed the great views of the harbour, cold efes and their fantastic special meze for two. The owner joined us and proudly showed us his picture of himself and all the staff posing with Roy Hodgson. "ENGLAND MANAGER" was emblazoned along the bottom. "Ex England manager now " said OH. "I also have photo of Freddie Flintoff, he is very tall" he replied as if this was some consolation.
That evening we dined at Sade. The place was buzzing, The busiest I have seen all week. The new extension is well appointed with an inviting seating area and several extra tables. OH chose the Sade special chicken. Chicken breast stuffed with spinach and feta cheese. I had a chicken skewer.Both were delicious with good chips and well cooked rice and vegetables . The view of the street below is fantastic and a great place to relax as you let your meal digest.
We ended the evening as always Taxi, roof terrace, night cap Bliss
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Bizzylizzy, your posts are fantastic, just catching up on EK this morning, and what a pleasure it has been reading them. Thank you for taking the time to write them. Sounds like you are having a wonderful holiday, and as for your food choices, Wow! :D :D
J
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Yesterday we spent the afternoon at the Indigo beach club. We started with lunch on their beautiful breezy terrace . We got the meze for two which couldn't be faulted. You don't know which way to look here. On one side you have the bay and islands, in front of you the harbour and lighthouses and on the other side the glorious mountains. Couple this with excellent people watching oportunities and I am in heaven. After this feast for all the senses we went down onto the deck to doze a while on the sunbeds .O H soon jumped in and swam out to the raft. I am not a good swimmer and stayed near the steps. My swimming abilities are a standing joke with my family. The most important thing to me is not to get my hair wet or to get any water on my face or in my ears , if I can possibly manage it i like to be able to put my feet on the bottom.This has led to the development of my own swimming style which is chin well above water,arms doing a very gentle sort of breast stroke (so as not to splash face)legs gently waving behind. I progress at the speed of a snail
We decided to try the new Teras restaurant which is next door to the moonlight bar . The whole building has been revamped and is looking very smart and stylish. We sat on the corner table which gives amazing view of the bustling streets below . The staff were so attentive and friendly and complimentary starters
were served as we studied the fairly extensive menu. I was a little spoiled for choice, which usually means that we will have to go again to try something else.The food was very good and all in all I think this newcomer will do very well on the kalkan dining scene
One thing that we couldn't see from the terrace was little picco who is missing from the jewellery shop.
Every night we enquire about him . His owner is so sad and I'm sure many people miss having a pat of him (picco,not the owner) as they go down into town. Let's hope he is brought back safely soon
We are still loving the nightcap on the roof terrace and have even started to lie flat on the sun beds to look at the stars (this is usually after a couple of extra drinks mind you) It is quite startling when you are in this position and the spotlights come on in the town. They shine directly over over our roof and light up the mountain above . I can't decide whether I like them or not but one thing's for sure, If they shone 6 feet lower the whole of kalkan would be treated to the sight of us two peering drunkenly down.
What ever. We love it
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And I love your reports, keep 'em coming. :)