Istanbul - Eminönü's Alternative Souvenirs

Souvenir shopping; it's never been something that tops our agenda while exploring new places. In fact, it doesn't even make our agenda, most of the time - but Istanbul is different. Istanbul has the power to tempt even the most reluctant of shoppers (that'll be us) to part with even just a little of their lira. So, whenever we go there, we always return to Fethiye with a few little treats in our rucksack.

But our souvenir shopping is a bit different. While we love to browse around shops such as Istanbul Ceramic and admire (and covet) the beautifully-painted plates and vases, the goods we do buy, more often than not, serve a practical purpose. In the past, we've told you about our favourite Beyoğlu turşu (pickles) shop, Petek's. How long could we spend in that shop, gazing up at the multi-coloured pickle displays and breathing in the pungent vinegar aromas...

This is our Istanbul shopping heaven

We bought a few jars of turşu while we were in Istanbul last October - but we also bought a couple of souvenirs from this street, here. These are the types of Istanbul streets that capture us, take away all sense of time and hypnotise us into buying something. How we've missed this street in the past is beyond me - it's directly behind the Egyptian Spice Bazaar (Mısır Çarşısı) in Eminönü, close to Kuru Kahveci Mehmet Efendi - and we'll certainly be returning next time we're in Istanbul. There's allsorts for sale here - if you like that type of thing.

Handmade baskets in Eminönü, Istanbul

We came across this little area after our visit to Süleymaniye Camii. As we descended towards Eminönü, the first treat had been the surprise view down the Golden Horn that we spotted through a gap in the towering walls. And then we found ourselves in this network of narrow walkways, rammed full with anything from street food to haberdashery to cleaning products to baskets...

Too much to choose from

...And all manner of hand carved wooden products...including kitchen utensils! Loads of kitchen utensils. And you know us by now. We love our food, and with that comes a love of gadgets (of the traditional, rustic variety, in this case, of course). Yes, we were in awe of Süleymaniye Mosque, but areas like this have an equal effect on us.

And maybe the shop owner spotted that in our eyes as we eagerly picked up our souvenir of choice; a wooden spoon. "3 lira," he said.
"Bargain," we thought. "No point in haggling when we're getting a good, sturdy wooden spoon to add to our collection."

We paid the man his money and wandered along, new toy in hand, browsing the other shops as we passed. This is Turkey. We should have haggled. Our new 3 lira wooden spoon was 2 lira just a few shops further along. Lesson learned? Probably not. We were on holiday, after all. 

Do you buy unorthodox souvenirs when you're away from home? What tempts you to part with your cash?

Fethiye: The All New Yengen - It's Kebab Time

There's no doubt that Fethiye is a town (or should that be 'boutique city'?) in transition. From the creation of a harbour where there were once reeds, to the building of a new Fethiye town square, to the pedestrianisation of the Dispanser area. All the change has spawned a number of new restaurants, cafes and bars both along Fethiye harbour and around town.

But, amongst all of this upheaval, Fethiye still has its institutions; those places where locals have been eating for years. And while it's fun to try out all of the new bars and restaurants with their new, modern, brightly coloured furniture, the Fethiye institutions are a comfort in a time of change. One of those institutions is Yengen...

Yengen Mark II at the entrance to Paspatur

But wait! What's going on here? This isn't the little Yengen kebab shop that's been serving the best karışık dürüm (mixed meat and chicken döner wrap) known to man for longer than we care to remember. Isn't Yengen the little place on main road opposite Çarşı 95 Sokak? Well, yes it is, but it seems like the era of change in Fethiye has inspired even the old school veterans to leave their comfort zone and branch out.

We've always had favourite eateries for favourite foods and Yengen has always been a favourite for a mixed döner kebab...but we only go there when we're particularly hungry because they're packed with meat. You're not going to get a super cheap kebab here (9 lira for a mixed kebab) but you know you're going to be full when you leave the table - and you get a bowl of pickled chillies to work through while you're eating.

There's a choice of bread at Yengen. This one is a favourite for us.

For years, we've gone to the Yengen on Çarşı Caddesi and ordered a take away en route to Deep Blue - or sat inside, just then we don't need to walk the streets while munching - well you never know what's going to drip down your clothes when you least expect it! A quick kebab, a quick ayran and then off to begin the night out.

Yengen at night

We've been a few times now and the new Yengen is a bit different. Same people, same kebabs, same prices...but a few extras. Will it work? Well...,

• It's on the edge of Paspatur: People have tried and failed for many a year to make this unit work. It's a bit betwixt and between, partly in the pedestrianised zone of Fethiye's old town and partly on the main road. But, this could work well for a kebab joint.
• Outdoor seating: Unlike the original Yengen, the new Yengen has lots of outdoor seating where you can trough your way through your kebab at leisure.
• Extras to the food menu: You can get homemade, fat chips with your kebab or burger, should you so wish. When he was over to visit, my dad so wished and the chips were good! We're not even sure there is a written menu so it's worth pointing out that Yengen is a type of burger/kebab and they also do a decent Iskender Kebab.
• Alcohol is served: Yes, at the new Yengen, you can get an Efes Pilsen (or anything else from the bar) to go with your kebab. At the time of writing, Efes is 7 lira per bottle. Not cheap, but if needs must...
• They've got a WC: Well, we just felt the need to mention this as a WC is a pretty handy inclusion if you need one...and the original Yengen doesn't have one!

Everyone has their 'go to' places for particular foods and, for us, Yengen is our long-time go to when we fancy döner kebab in Fethiye. We can get cheaper elsewhere - but for us, these kebabs are worth the extra lira or so.

The original Yengen is still opposite Çarşı 95 Sokak on Çarşı Caddesi.
The new Yengen (in the photos above) is on the corner of 40 Sokak (Paspatur) and Atatürk Caddesi (the main road through the centre of Fethiye).

Living In Turkey: Inspiring Expats - Ölüdenizli Yarenler

Isn't it always the case? We had the weekend planned and it was supposed to be a 'people weekend' on the blog. We kicked off well and good on Saturday with the arrival of the brilliant Tom Kelly who had ridden his pushbike all the way to Fethiye from Wigan in Northwest England. Then yesterday was supposed to be a celebration of some other local people who we want to give a big mention to. The photos were lined up, I was about to start the post - and we weren't one bit surprised to see our little internet globe disappear from the bottom right corner of the laptop screen. No post yesterday, then... 

Ölüdenizli Yarenler
...But, without further ado, let us forget the fact that it is no longer the weekend and continue with our people weekend because we really want to give a special mention to the Ölüdenizli Yarenler (Friends from Ölüdeniz).

Ölüdenizli Yarenler

If you're familiar with the Fethiye region, you may well have heard of, or even seen these guys in action. We've known of them for a long time but, until Friday when we went to cheer in Tom Kelly, we had never seen them perform. And that's why we're dedicating this post to them today; we expected to be in awe of, and full of admiration for, Tom Kelly but we certainly didn't expect to be so taken by this group of people that were entertaining us as we awaited his arrival.

Singing Turkish Folk Songs

They're expats and they're retirees - but there's certainly no desire in any of these four to put their feet up and chill out. The Ölüdenizli Yarenler are not so much living the dream as living the adventure. They got themselves a teacher, learned some traditional Turkish folk songs, a few folk dances and they were off performing! 

The crowd was clapping and singing along

So, hats off to them for that. Their tours have taken them to places such as Kars in Northeast Turkey and Cappadocia in Central Anatolia; this hobby has given them the perfect opportunity to travel around and learn more about the country they've chosen to make their home. 

But it's also the courage of these expat retirees that we admired on Friday. It must take guts to perform Turkish dances and folk songs to a Turkish audience. We were glancing around the onlookers on Friday, wondering what the reaction would be to four Brits in traditional Turkish costume. But the Ölüdenizli Yarenler are infectious. The spokesman for the group, reading out the introductions to each song or dance in slow, deliberate Turkish (a definite crowd pleaser) and then in his native English, was getting applause for that before they'd even started performing.  

The Black Sea dance. A bit of nifty footwork and a lot of energy required

Then they announced a Black Sea dance. "I'm sorry," the spokesman said, "we're retirees and we haven't got a lot of energy. This dance is from the Black Sea and it's really fast, but we love to perform it." Whatever lack of physical energy there was, it certainly didn't show. Extra loud applause at the end of that dance!

So, a feature post on these guys today because of their fantastic energy and enthusiasm for their life in Turkey. If you get the chance to see the Ölüdenizli Yarenler perform anywhere (they pop up at many local Fethiye events) go and give them a watch. They're an inspiring bunch and great fun.

To Fethiye, All The Way From Wigan. Meet Tom Kelly!

This weekend is people weekend as far as this blog is concerned. Usually, we concentrate on places we've seen, foods we've eaten, Fethiye, and all the other little extras that come together to make up our life in Turkey. It's all about us, us, us, but this weekend, for today and tomorrow, we shall digress. There are some people who need special mentions and today, we digress because we want to tell you about this man...

...the man in the yellow t-shirt. Meet 61 year old Tom Kelly. Tom is from the same town as us in Northwest England (Wigan). Like us, he also loves Fethiye and has an apartment in the area. However, there's a huge difference between us. We've only ever flown between the UK and Turkey. 

Yesterday, we headed into town to welcome Tom Kelly as he arrived into Fethiye on his push bike - he'd ridden all the way from Wigan!

The t-shirt says it all. Over the last few weeks, starting on April 10th, he's cycled 2,500 miles (that's around 4,000 km for all you metric people) all through Europe and down the west coast of Turkey. As his training got underway, Tom Kelly also decided to write a blog about his experiences (Wigan-Fethiye) and his very first post, 'How Did This All Start?' reveals that it was a simple, throwaway comment (with a bit of alcohol in the mix) that resulted in this fantastic achievement. (Achievement enough that he rode his bike between Wigan and Fethiye but to manage a few blog posts along the way...well, we certainly salute that!)

As always seems to be the case, people who take on challenges such as this never seem to think they've done anything particularly special. A great personal achievement but why would anyone else be bothered? As he neared Southwest Turkey, Tom had been warned there would be a little welcome committee awaiting him in Fethiye...

It was an emotional Tom Kelly that pulled up on his bike in Fethiye. Escorted into town by the local cycling club and other supporters, the brass band heralded the end of his epic journey. The crowd clapped and cheered...and Tom got teary. Somehow though, he did manage a speech!

• Tom Kelly did his bike ride to raise money for two local charities, one in Wigan and one in Fethiye. 
• Wigan & Leigh Hospice and FIG (Fethiye International Group) will both benefit as a result of Tom's bike ride.

To make a donation or to find out more about the work of either charity, click this link to visit the 'Donate' page of Tom's Wigan-Fethiye blog.

Turkish Recipes: Tekirdağ Köftesi

It was 2005 and we were in transit from Alexandroupoli in Greece, heading back to Istanbul. Traffic was bad and it had been a long journey, so after crossing the border into Turkey, the bus driver pulled to the side of the road and gave us an hour's break to stretch our legs. 

View Alexandroupoli to Tekirdağ in a larger map

All we knew was that we were now in a Turkish seaside town, overlooking the Sea of Marmara, and the town was called Tekirdağ. Knowledge ended right there. We got off the bus and headed along a coast lined with scores of köfte restaurants. Nothing for it then but to try some köfte. And we did. And it was the best köfte we had ever tasted! 

When we eventually got back to Fethiye, we were chatting with a Turkish friend and enthusing about the number of köfte restaurants and how tasty the köfte was. "Well, you were in Tekirdağ," he said. "Lucky you. Didn't you know Tekirdağ is famous all over Turkey for its köfte?" Ahh, right. No, we didn't know. Lucky us...and if you do ever find yourself up that way, make sure you stop off to try some. It's a must!

A Turkish Recipe for Tekirdağ Köftesi
Okay, this köfte recipe is not going to be an exact Tekirdağ köfte recipe because, apparently, no one bothers to make it at home. If you live in Thracian Turkey's Tekirdağ and you fancy a bit of köfte, you go out to one of the köfte salons and leave the cooking to the usta (the master). Obviously, the ustas of Tekirdağ are not too keen on sharing their recipes with the public at large...so we just have to do our best to get as close as we can to the real thing.

The Tekirdağ köfte waits its turn on the barbecue

Unlike the perhaps more familiar circular shape in our previous köfte recipe, Tekirdağ köfte is rolled into sausage shapes. I made this for a barbecue we did for friends last night and everyone agreed that it's my best attempt yet at getting the texture just right.

• Place 300g of orta yağlı (medium fat) minced beef into a bowl. Low fat mince is obviously healthier - but Turkish friends insist orta yağlı is the way to go for good quality köfte. We're not arguing with them.
• Grate half an onion on the fine setting and add to the meat.
• Now add a handful of finely chopped, fresh parsley, a light sprinkling of cumin and chilli flakes to taste.
• Get your hands in there and need, need, and need again. The more you need, the more the texture of your Tekirdağ köftesi will improve.
• Here's the different bit: No eggs and no breadcrumbs. Instead, add 2 sachets / teaspoons of kıbartma tozu (baking soda), a dessert spoonful of semolina and a heaped teaspoonful of süzme yoghurt (this was suggested to us by a friend and last night was the first time we've tried it. It makes the köfte much smoother and lighter).
• Mix it all up and then take small chunks of meat mixture and form it into the shape of Tekirdağ köftesi.

We've said it before and we'll say it again. Köfte (of any variety) goes so well with piyaz. 

We rustled up a quick piyaz using tinned beans and double-yolked eggs

The last time we enjoyed a köfte and piyaz meal was when we were a little bit lost in Edirnekapı, Istanbul and so it was about time we had it again. We also wanted to convince our friends that this was the perfect combination, so we decided to follow our Antalya Usulü Piyaz recipe.

While the flavours of the piyaz infused, the Tekirdağ köftesi was placed on the barbecue and a few short minutes later...

Köfte and Antalya Usulü Piyaz

Well, as far as we're concerned, heaven is a plate of barbecued Tekirdağ köfte with a side serving if piyaz. Try it and see for yourself - and hopefully, you'll agree. 

Afiyet Olsun!

Sabiha Gökçen Airport, Istanbul (Possibly The Best Airport In The World?)

Three weeks back when we were flying to Italy, our flight was leaving from Istanbul's Sabiha Gökçen Airport on the Asian side of the city. On the rare occasion we've flown into Istanbul (we're fond bus travellers, as you know), we've landed at Atatürk Airport on the European side, so our Sabiha Gökçen experience was going to be a first.

We all know that airports are not what they used to be. Gone are the days when you could just wander in, check in, wander to the bar, do a bit of shopping and enjoy the airport as part of your holiday. At least in the airports we've used, anti-terrorist security measures coupled with too many planes taking off, means long queues, being searched and searched again, and by the time you get through passport control, your gate is being called. It all adds up to us avoiding airports where possible. 

Really? Let's look inside and find out.

Enter Sabiha Gökçen Airport, the doors in Departures proudly welcoming you to the 'World's Best Airport.' When we first saw this, we smiled. Market traders in Turkey are no strangers to telling the potential customer that their goods are the best in the world but the airport getting in on the act, too? 

Why the 'world's best' statement?
Well, you may remember that on take-off, the passenger is treated to a magnificent aerial view of Istanbul but that can't be enough. Let's go pre-flight. A welcome statement like this certainly makes you take in an airport with different eyes. As we entered, we were already on a mission - and the thoughts of getting tetchy in long queues had temporarily subsided.

Architecture & Design

 We love the architectural design of Sabiha Gökçen

The airport is a prime example of modern architecture done well. Of course, that's purely subjective; this massive hangar is a work of art and you need to stand and take it in, appreciate it for what it is and then decide if you like it. The angular criss-crossing of the exposed metal framework against the flowing curves of the entrance facade were already a winner for us.

It won't break the bank to sit and eat

And when we went inside, even better. The waves of the roof continue and the businesses and check-in desks are housed in pods in the middle of a polished, marble floor. Everything is visible and it all makes for an experience of feeling like a very small person in a huge, open space - which, of course, is exactly what you are. 

Check-in desks are easy to spot in the centre of the building

Facilities at Sabiha Gökçen Airport
Let's get to the nitty gritty. If you're familiar with the eye-watering prices for drinks and snacks at Dalaman Airport, you'll be pleased to know that's not Turkey-wide. Before you go through passport control, Sabiha Gökçen has a few places to eat and drink and while the bar/restaurant is pricey, there's a reasonably priced Simit Sarayı where you can get simits and pastries. There are also kiosks where you can pick up a newspaper, snack, soft drink or even a can of Efes and there are seats where you can relax while enjoying your purchases. 

And we should point out, even if you don't need to go, do visit the toilets. Marble tiled walls, black granite sink areas and teak doors - no public toilet fear here. These are much nicer than our bathroom at home!

There's even a photography exhibition

If you've got a long wait for your flight, duty free and other bars and restaurants are through passport control (note: we didn't check the prices here) or you can just mill around the entrance area. While we were there, there was a Safranbolu photography exhibition on display and, as you can see from our photos, at least for now, this airport is not overcrowded. You really can chill out while you wait.

The Science Bit - Why Sabiha Gökçen Airport Is Truly Unique
There are no doubt hundreds of new airports around the world that can show off such pleasing architectural design, thoughtful layout and facilities - but Sabiha Gökçen stands out above those airports for another reason. 

Designed by Turkish engineering company, Arup, this hangar makes Sabiha Gökçen the world's largest earthquake-proof airport and places it in the Top 7 largest earthquake-proof buildings in the world. The terminal sits atop rubber and steel ball-bearings which allow the structure to move back and forth, side to side, in an earthquake measuring up to 8 on the Richter Scale. In the (sadly) inevitable event that Istanbul will suffer more earthquakes, Sabiha Gökçen Airport should withstand the quakes and therefore, become a crucial hub for the delivery of emergency supplies.

Does all of this mean Istanbul's Sabiha Gökçen Airport is the world's best airport? Who knows, but it surely puts it up there.
Get Rates For Rooms In Istanbul On Turkey's For Life

Is This Fethiye's Biggest Ever Music Event?

If you read this blog regularly, you will know that we have a very biased fondness for our adopted hometown of Fethiye, Southwest Turkey. The mountains, the Mediterranean, Paspatur (the old town), one of the largest natural harbours in the world, restaurants, bars; what more could we want? 

Well, while the local live music scene is very much abuzz, Fethiye has never been a place where the more famous names in Turkish music come to do their larger performances. But last night, all that changed. Yesterday was one of Turkey's national holidays, Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth & Sport Day. Atatürk dedicated the day to the youth, and it has to be said that Fethiye Belediyesi (Fethiye Council) did a fantastic job of upholding that by organising a free live concert - and the youth were very much present.

A first for Fethiye, having a concert so big?

For the last few weeks, posters have been pasted to lamp posts and billboards advertising the Fethiye Gençlik Konseri (Youth Concert) featuring none other than Hadise as the headline act. Since coming third in the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest with Düm Tek Tek (the competition is taken seriously, here) Hadise has become a bit of a Beyonce-style superstar diva in Turkey. She's not our taste in music at all, but this was big for Fethiye and there was no way we were going to miss it.

It was certainly well supported

The venue for the gençlik konseri was the site of Fethiye market. There's a permanent, small stage there for local performances and we were wondering how it was going to hold up as the stage for Hadise's performance. But, silly us! When we arrived at the market area, we were greeted by a huge stage, sound system, lighting, screens - and a massive crowd! Were we really in Fethiye?

Turkish popstar, Tan, entertains Fethiye

Support act for the night was Tan. Tan? Who's Tan? That's what we were thinking. Never heard of him. And then he started singing...and it turns out we know many Tan tracks. We were soon foot tapping along with the bright young things of Fethiye. Again, not our style of music (think early Take That) but he was fairly belting the songs out and he sang completely live. Isn't that a rarity these days in the world of pop? 

Turkey's National Anthem performed to images of Atatürk

This was also a national holiday that commemorates Atatürk, don't forget. So, while images of Atatürk flashed up onto the big screen, Tan draped himself in a large Turkish flag and roused the audience further.

Star of the show

Tan is a really popular Turkish popstar and kept the crowd going for well over an hour - but there was only one person the Fethiye masses had come to really see. Chants of HADISE HADISE HADISE eventually brought her onto the stage...

Hadise performed a couple of English-language tracks as an opener

By now, the crowd was huge. Is this the biggest live music event ever for Fethiye? Certainly the biggest we've seen, by far. Unfortunately, however, we had stood around waiting for Tan, we'd bopped along to Tan for over an hour, we'd waited for the arrival on stage of Hadise...and now our knees were aching. All four of us were standing on one leg in order to rest the other. On a day dedicated to the youth, we were struggling to keep up with the youth of Fethiye! 

We left Hadise performing as we fought our way our of the crowd

Draped in the Turkish flag and backed by a team of dancers, Hadise's performance was pretty much as we expected. Polished! Did she lip-sync? Well, not so much lip-sync as singing along to her own backing singing - not that the rest of crowd cared a hoot. They were loving it. And, although we would have loved to hear Düm Tek Tek, we couldn't help but feel we'd have to wait right until the end...and our knees were just refusing to wait any longer. It was time to go home...

As a friend said last night, Go Fethiye! We really hope this is just the beginning for events like this...maybe next time we'll be treated to some live Turkish rock. A bit of Athena (who cut their teeth in Fethiye) or even Duman perhaps? Or are we just getting ahead of ourselves a little here...?

Fethiye Harbour At Night - A Photo

Hey, look at this. It's Friday and we're posting this week's Fethiye photo. Normal life is taking hold once more in our little household in not-so-sunny Fethiye.

Last week's photo was of Fethiye bay after a storm. Today, as I type, the winds are getting stronger, the sky is grey, the thunder is rumbling and it seems this weather is going to be sticking around for a while. But, we have had some balmy May evenings and, last week, while we had family over to visit, we were sat along the harbour at Cafe Doğa Sefası.

Colourful Fethiye harbour reflections in the sea 

Fethiye harbour looks so pretty at night, once the daytime summer breezes have passed and the sea returns to calm. Many is the occasion that I've reached for my camera to take a shot in an attempt to replicate what we can see in real life - and on each of those occasions, the photo has promptly been deleted. What appears on screen is either a mess of blurred colours or a square of blackness broken only by a few yellow dots of light. Night photography and I are not the best of friends!

Then last week, while we were sitting with our drinks, the colourful lights and reflections of Fethiye harbour once again dared me to attempt yet another photo. My camera was already on the table and when I switched it on I realised the tabletop was just the right height. That became my tripod! 

I took five or six photos and the photo you can see now is the best of the bunch, by far. In fact, it's the best night photo I've ever taken - by far. That's why you're looking at it now. It's not perfect by any stretch of the imagination but it's a huge improvement; a step forward...but it needs to be better!

How's your photography? If you've got any tips you're willing to share about night photography, we'd love to hear from you.  

Çalış Beach: The Welcome Return Of The Mysterious, Disappearing Bridge

Up until a couple of years ago, locals and tourists in the Çalış area who were so inclined as to take a stroll along Çalış Beach were able to do so by way a steeply arched bridge crossing the canal. Sturdy in its steel frame, rickety in its wooden slats, this bridge was many people's gateway to the Fethiye end of the beach. It was a feature. An odd feature...but a feature all the same. 

And then, one day, it was gone! Maybe the powers-that-be thought nobody used it or needed it - after all, the main entrance to the beach is only just down the road. Maybe they decided it needed replacing? Who knows, but oh how this caused a stir amongst users of the myriad of online forums. It soon became apparent that this little bridge was not only well-used but also much-loved. 

Admittedly, this new bridge looks more sturdy than its predecessor

Well, it was certainly well-used and much-loved by us - and so, when we were walking to the beach a couple of weeks back and we saw girders and concrete by the old position of the bridge, we were excited. And as you can see, progress has been made. Soon, this section of canal will no longer be a barrier between human and beach.

Businesses at this end of Çalış Beach will hopefully benefit

We're sure that some of the local businesses will also be more than happy with the replacement of this bridge. Anyone crossing it to access Çalış Beach will do so by passing the very pleasant Mutlu Hotel and its recently refurbished outdoor bar and restaurant. A quick left will take you to the 'The Tents' and Şat Beach Club, while a right turn means you can walk near enough the full length of Çalış Beach. 

The new bridge taken from the main entrance to Çalış Beach

Without the bridge, this stretch of Çalış Beach is less frequented by most visitors. It just feels frustrating to have to walk down to the main beach entrance, passing the place you're trying to get to, crossing the canal at the entrance and then walking all the way back up...and then when you want to come back, you have to do the same again.

So, this new construction is not finished yet...but we live in hope that completion is nigh. We most definitely welcome the return of the mysterious, missing bridge!

Get Rates For The Mutlu Hotel On Çalış Beach

This Is Not Kayaköy. This Is San Pietro...

If you know Southwest Turkey well, looking at the following series of photos, you would be forgiven for thinking you were looking at shots of the ruins of Kayaköy near Fethiye. During our recent trip to Italy, our friend took us out for the day, and when we asked him where we were going, his reply was, "I'm taking you to Italy's Kayaköy."

We'd done our research before heading off to Italy and new about the horrific Second World War battles that took place around the area where our friend's family is from, near Cassino. What we weren't prepared for, however, was the evidence and the memories of those battles that completely surround this area.

Like Kayaköy, San Pietro was once a thriving village with a modest population. The village is built from local stone and locals made their living by making goods from the strong, local grasses. Sadly, like Kayaköy, the village now lies abandoned because of decisions made by others that were beyond the control of the villagers.

This is the view of the entrance to the Liri Valley taken from the village. During the Second World War, Allied troops had the formidable task of making their way northwards, through this valley and towards Rome while German troops occupied the higher ground. As they made repeated attempts to advance towards San Pietro, suffering many casualties, the Americans soon renamed it Death Valley.

While the locals of the village were hoping to be liberated by the Allied troops, the occupying German troops conscripted able-bodied men to help them set up defences. Women, children and older people were told they were being evacuated and, just like the people of Kayaköy, the villagers hoped they would be able to return at a later date.

Some villagers chose to flee close by and hid in this network of caves in the woodlands. The rock is soft and they were able to carve shelves, sleeping areas and fireplaces.

They were also able to dig holes into the floor so the families could hide the men from the German soldiers. As the Allied troops advanced, fighting was fierce and many of the villagers hiding in the caves were killed by shells landing near the entrances.

The whole village was destroyed by shelling and grenades.

It soon became obvious that the people of San Pietro would not be able to return to their ruined village and the modern day San Pietro now lies further down the hillside. Until two years ago, these ruins sat abandoned - but now there is a museum and visitor centre with visitors coming along to learn about the history of the village. It would be nice to see something similar at Kayaköy...

Ölüdeniz: The Belcekiz Beach VIP Area - Would You Use It?

Each year, at the beginning of the summer season, resorts in the Fethiye area usually reveal a few changes for the season ahead. Last year, we went over to Ölüdeniz to have a look at the new grassy areas that had been planted up. A kiddies play park and a few benches had also been added to the Belcekiz Beach area and all was looking fresh and smart.

This year it was Ölüdeniz again that stole our attention. We had heard talk of a new VIP sunbathing area for the summer 2012 season and our initial reaction was, who on earth would want to use a VIP sunbathing area? But then of course, we're not professional sunbathers. There are people out there who take their worship of the sun very seriously and maybe you're one of those people?

View of the sunbathing area from the promenade

We had family over to visit last week and so, as is tradition, we hired a car and went out for the day. Before heading to Cin Bal for lamb tandır (that's also part of the tradition) we drove over to Ölüdeniz just so we could take a peek at this new addition everyone had been talking about...

A view of the Mediterranean from the raised platform

It's an interesting one. A raised, boarded platform complete with wooden, rather than plastic, sunbeds overlooks the sea. There's also a little kiosk that sells beer, soft drinks and snacks, meaning you don't need to trudge off through the sand every time you need a drink. There's also a boardwalk from the promenade, leading straight to the entrance of this area and a boardwalk leading down to the sea (although it stops just short of the shore). It's like going to the beach without actually going on the beach.

View of the Ölüdeniz sunbathing area from the sea

For the pleasure of using the Belcekiz Beach VIP sunbathing area, prices were conspicuous by their absence - and, as it was a dull day (it was actually teeming down just up the hill in Hisarönü) in low season, there was no one around to ask just at that moment. But there was one price we managed to spot - yes, it was the beer price. If you fancy an icy cold Efes Pilsen while you recline in VIP style, it'll cost you a very reasonable 6.5 Turkish Lira. 

So what do you think? We're curious. No annoying sand, your own kiosk, boardwalks from the promenade and down to the sea. Would you pay a bit extra to sunbathe here rather than on the beach below?

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Fethiye Bay After The Storm - A Photo

It's Saturday again so that means it must be time for another Friday photo. Ten days away in Istanbul and Italy, followed by the arrival of family on the day we got to back to Fethiye, has certainly jiggled about with our sense of time and normal routine has ceased to rule. However, some sort of normality should once again commence from today as we've waved off family and now we've come home to do normal daily things like laundry, cooking, cleaning...writing blog posts.

Today's Fethiye photo is very apt. We've had a good run of bright, sunny days but yesterday's build up of humidity and heavy clouds in the mountains told us today was going to be a bit miserable as far as the weather is concerned. We were right. Today, Fethiye is stuffy, wet and grey.

A view of Fethiye Bay after a storm

What we need here is a good storm to clear the air. A good storm that keeps us all indoors for a few hours while it shoots lightening flashes across the sky, jolts us with cracks of thunder, washes away the sticky heat with torrential rain. And then, once the storm has finished with Fethiye, we're able to leave the shelter of the house, amble along the harbour, breathe in the cooler air and enjoy the post-storm scenery.

This photo was taken last May after one such storm. Red Island (Kızıl Adası) and Şovalye Island are in the background, and you can also just make out the Çalış water taxi making its way across the bay, back towards Çalış. For us, this time of day is the best time to take the water taxi. Click the link to see our At Sunset - Fethiye to Çalış Water Taxi post.

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Fethiye: Sundials At The Sundial Hotel

When we left Fethiye for Italy a couple of weeks back, the weather was definitely on the up and spring was in the air. When we returned to Fethiye on Saturday, the summer season had started without us; shorts were in evidence, hotel pools were full and people are actually using them. We can't kick off our summer season without a trip to the Sundial and, as we have family over at the moment, yesterday was the day we chose to visit.

The pool's full...but we didn't brave it yesterday

Back in March, we wrote about the horrendous toll the winter weather took on the Sundial and it's a wonder that the place is open at all for the 2012 summer season. But open it is - and sundials are very much a feature.

We love this sundial with Fethiye as a backdrop

The sundial at the entrance gates is easily the most dramatically situated of the lot. Two slabs of intersecting marble perch on a rock that overlooks the whole of Fethiye and the sea beyond. This is definitely going to be a feature of most people's Fethiye photo collections in the future. 

There are more new Sundials at pool level

All the sundials are carefully positioned to tell the correct time. In March, we watched three men struggle to erect the one on the rock. Once in place, smaller rocks were wedged into gaps to get it perfectly flat and then the time was measured. It was ten minutes out. You can imagine the looks on the faces of the assistants as the fastidious Murat said it would have to be repositioned. 

Fethiye's mini Stonehenge

And it's not all about sundials at the Sundial Hotel. A wander up the steps, away from the pool, will bring you to Fethiye's very own Stonehenge. No mysteries here though about how these rocks were brought here and put into place; this was yet another Murat project.

Evening meal at sunset

We stayed around at the Sundial to eat an evening meal and watch the sunset on our first 2012 Fethiye-summer-season-day-out. On future visits, we'll be able to enjoy vegetables and herbs from the newly planted vegetable garden.

Another Sundial Hotel sundial. Just below this is a new vegetable patch for the restaurant.

Well, you can't go to the Sundial and not watch the sunset, can you? That would be such a waste. 

For more information about the Sundial, you can visit and 'Like' their Facebook Page.