Fethiye Photo: Karagözler Vista

Last Friday's Fethiye photo was the first photograph in this series of Ölü Deniz. It was a long wait, and so we chose our favourite photo of Olü Deniz, taken from the first stretch of the Lycian Way. For today's Fethiye photo, we're coming a bit closer to home and into Fethiye itself.

This photo was taken in March, a couple of years ago, and those of you who know Fethiye will recognise that it was taken from Birinci Karagözler (First Karagözler), not too far from the Yacht Classic Hotel. The Karagözler is a beautiful stretch to walk along, giving vistas of luxury yachts and catamarans moored in the marinas. 

Fethiye Marina from the Karagözler

Late winter and early spring are the best times to get photos because the air is still clear, meaning the distant mountains are visible, and also the trees are yet to produce their foliage. Beautiful as the greenery is, it can start to block the photographer's views of Fethiye's natural harbour.

So, another photo and another view of our hometown, Fethiye. Many of you will know that we entered Fethiye into foXnoMad's Best City to Travel Tournament 2012. Over the last few days, we've had a tough battle against Barcelona and last night, we saw the result that showed Fethiye as the victor but by only a few votes. The main aim was to get the three Turkish cities in the competition (Fethiye, Izmir and Istanbul) into the last 8 and that's exactly what happened. 

Well, we enjoyed our celebrations last night but now it's straight back into battle. Can three Turkish cities make it into the final 4? Only your votes can decide that. Fethiye has another very tough battle on its hands as it faces Kuala Lumpur. Kuala Lumpur was very well supported in the previous round. Istanbul is facing Marrakesh and Izmir...Izmir is up against the might of Sarajevo who have so far breezed through the competition thanks to their loyal supporters getting right behind the city and clicking the vote button. Your votes have brought the Turkish cities this far. Can we do it again? 

Turkey needs your vote. Please click here: Vote Fethiye, Istanbul, Izmir now. Thanks very much. 

A Vote For Fethiye Is A Vote For Turkey Too

Today's post is a rally cry, a call to action, a desperate plea; call it what you will. We're asking for your help, please. Many of you will know already that a couple of weeks back, we entered Fethiye into the Best City To Visit Travel Tournament 2012 and yesterday, voting opened in the last 16. 

From 128 cities, the three Turkish cities that entered - Fethiye, Izmir and Istanbul - are still in the competition. We would like to get all three through to the Last 8! As things stand, Izmir and Istanbul are holding their own and are doing well against their competitors. Fethiye however is up against the might of Barcelona and in the words of the competition organiser foXnoMad himself, the current race between the two is 'close.' 

A beautiful Fethiye sunset. Surely this is as good a reason as any to give Fethiye your vote. 

So, what do we need from you? 

• Please go to the poll and vote for Fethiye. It's really quick and easy. Just click the following link, then click 'Fethiye' and then click 'Vote' directly underneath. Vote for Fethiye, here.
• Now share this post, or the voting page, with everyone you know who loves Fethiye or Turkey. All 3 Turkish cities in the last 8 of the competition would be some achievement and can only be good for improving the profile of Turkey as a travel destination.

To everyone who has already voted, many thanks for taking part, and to everyone who is about to vote, thank you, too. Oh, and don't forget to give Izmir and Istanbul your click love, too. You never know, they might need it - Fethiye certainly does...

Thanks again & happy (Fethiye) voting!

Turkish Recipes: Şehriyeli Domates Corbası

Anyone who knows Turkey will know that çorba (soup) is a staple of Turkish cuisine, and while there are some Turkish soups that might prove a challenge (I've never enjoyed a bowl of brain soup for example), others, such as ezo gelin çorbası, will be some of the best soups you have ever tasted. Another favourite of ours is good old domates çorbası. Tomato soup was always a favourite while growing up, but that was out of a tin. When we started to make our own tomato soup, that was when it got really good! 

This is a simple soup recipe using fresh ingredients from Fethiye market. As we were having it for dinner, we decided to make it more filling by adding şehriye (vermicelli) at the end. This is a common addition to Turkish soups and Turkish rice.

A Turkish Recipe For Şehriyeli Domates Çorbası
A quick scan online will reveal many different versions of tomato soup recipes - but this is how we make ours. This recipe makes four large servings, or six if eaten as a starter.

Many Turkish soups are made with meat stock

First of all, you need a stock; anything from simple hot water to a stock cube to a homemade vegetable, chicken or beef stock. 

• Ours is a very simple stock of water, chicken bones, thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Turn the heat high and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to simmer.
• Meanwhile, you can move onto your main ingredients. 

The tomato soup process

These quantities are not hard and fast. The beauty of any soup recipe is that you can add as much or as little as you like of any ingredient and, as you may know from our previous Turkish recipes, we like strong flavours. Our soup recipes, more often than not, contain chillies.

• Finely chop a large onion and add to a large saucepan with a glug of oil. 
• Grate or crush 3 large cloves of garlic and add that to the pan.
• At this point, we grate 3 large green or red chillies on the finest setting and add to the pan.
• Sweat the mixture on a low heat for a few minutes and, meanwhile, grate 4 large tomatoes into a bowl. You don't need to peel them as most of the skin will be left behind as you grate the flesh.
• Into the pan, add 4 cubes of butter (about 1 cm cubed) and allow to melt before adding a tablespoon of flour. 
• Stir the mixture so you can see the butter and flour form a paste, and then add the grated  tomatoes.
• Now add 3-4 ladles of whichever stock you are using along with some salt and pepper. Stir, bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Allow to cook for around 20 minutes and then add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste (domates salçası) and stir into the soup. 

Taste your tomato soup and check the consistency. Add more salça if it's too thin, more stock if it's too thick. 

The tomato soup takes on a rich colour once the salça has melted

If you're happy with it, remove from the heat, take out the blender and give your soup a good whizz until it's smooth and creamy. Some people add milk or cream to their soup at this point, but we find the butter and flour that was added earlier is enough richness for us. It's up to you.

Şehriye makes your tomato soup more filling and adds texture

Now, add a good handful of şehriye (vermicelli) to your soup, stir it in and place a lid over the top to keep it warm. The şehriye will cook in around 5 minutes in the heat of the soup. While you are waiting, cut some thick wedges of fresh, crusty bread.

A serving of şehriyeli domates çorbası

Now you're ready to enjoy your tomato soup. We ate ours last night for dinner and there was just one thing missing: freshly torn basil leaves. Alas, the basil season is still to come, but we'll definitely be making this şehriyeli domates çorbası again once those tasty, little, green leaves are available.

Afiyet Olsun!

Fethiye In Bloom - A Photo Story

For the past couple of years, in late winter and early spring, Fethiye Belediyesi (Fethiye Council) have been planting thousands of daffodil and tulip bulbs in garden areas, parks and verges along the roadsides of the town. A couple of weeks ago, the first sproutings of spring appeared in the form of green shoots and right now, we're all being treated to a colourful festival of flowers.

Fethiye In Bloom

Last year's post, Fethiye Springtime Blooms, also featured pansies but tulips (lale in Turkish), the national flower of Turkey, are definitely the flower of choice in Fethiye for 2012. 

Vibrant crimsons, sunny yellows, dazzling whites and dusky pinks crowd garden and park areas, providing perfect photo fodder for those of us who wander around with camera - I wasn't the only one crouching down in uncomfortable positions trying to get an interesting angle.

The walk into Fethiye is certainly a pleasant stroll at the moment; a carnival of colour greeting you at every turn.

And it's not all tulips, tulips, tulips...

The springtime floral scene would just not be the same without the humble daffodil. They don't make as dramatic a scene as that of a multitude of tulips but they're still a comforting sight. The coming of the daffodil means we can now be safe in the knowledge that we've seen off the worst of the colder, winter Fethiye weather.

In a couple of weeks time, these vivid Fethiye scenes will be no more; the life of the tulip and the daffodil in bloom is short-lived. All the more reason to celebrate and appreciate them while they're here. 

This post is our 600th blog post. We thought we would celebrate it with flowers.