We're Off To Izmir!

We've started a little tidy up recently on the blog, tying up loose ends of past travels. We kicked off with the Southern Aegean coast, rounding off trips to İçmeler and Turgutreis on the Bodrum Peninsula and we'll continue with this theme over the coming weeks. 

There are a few reasons for doing this - the main reason will become apparent over the coming months. Another reason is, reorganisation of the photo archives has revealed a stack of travel photos that really ought to be on here rather than hiding in the depths of old folders on the laptop. What use are they there where no one can see them?

A street in Rome - Italy was worth the effort! 

And then there's a third reason. We thought our 2012 travels were wiped out after our little hop over to Italy back in April of this year, but, just as we had an unexpected highlight of a trip to Yazıköy and Knidos on the Datça Peninsula at the end of last year, this year has brought another unexpected travel bonus in the form of a trip to Izmir. More on that bonus in another post, but for now, why Izmir?

The Datça Peninsula was lonely, wild and beautiful

Well, why not? There's a huge country out there and we have seen but a tiny fraction of it. When we first came here - remember, we came to Turkey to travel for 6 months - we set off at pace, bagging the big 'must sees' first. And then it was the turn of Izmir (we were just curious). We went to Fethiye otogar, bought bus tickets to Izmir for a few days later...and in those few short days in between, we bought and moved into our house - all on a whim. And, needless to say, Izmir was cancelled. No, not cancelled. Postponed. Because now, nine years later, we're going to put that right...

Because we're still curious! In Fethiye, some yabancı (those mortals of non-Turkish origin) we've spoken to aren't really fans of Izmir, per se. "It's got an Ikea. Shopping's okay but it's not that nice. It's just a city." But then we sit at Deep Blue Bar and speak to Turkish friends about Izmir and they go all dreamy-eyed on us. "Oh Izmir is a special city. People have time for you. You'll love it. If you go, you must see..." 

Our Fethiye friends are big fans of Izmir and, armed with many a scribbled map and tip on post-it notes (drawn by these very same friends), we're off to Izmir to see for ourselves. We'll keep you posted...

Bodrum Peninsula: Onwards To Turgutreis - A Photo Story

In our previous post, we were losing ourselves in the forest of traditional Turkish gülets that were crowded into the boatyard in İçmeler. Once the meeting was over between our friends and their potential future employer, it was onwards to the small town of Türgutreis on the opposite side of the Bodrum Peninsula. And why was that...?

Turgutreis Marina

...Well, that'll be because, fittingly, Türgutreis has a rather posh, rather large marina. Remember, our friends work on private boats in the summer season. Again, meetings had been arranged for potential summer work and again (we'll never get used to this in Turkey) we were invited to sit on the boat while working terms and future contracts were hammered out. It must be the British in us but we just can't get with this. We once more opted for a photographic exploration of the area.  

A view towards the town of Turgutreis through the yachts

The maritime scenes at Turgutreis could not have contrasted more to those at the İçmeler boatyard. The former was home to scores of beautiful, hand-crafted wooden gülets while the latter brought us right into the 21st Century with a bump. Here, we were confronted with a scene of luxurious, modern yachts, the like of which are owned by folks whose income bracket is at the dizzy heights of which we'll never see. We've seen similar at Fethiye marina - but Turgutreis marina is industrial-strength yacht luxury on a large scale.

Would you like to own one of these?

The larger of these yachts are the type our friends are more accustomed to working on. Us? We were happy spectators. Taking photos of boats is one thing - but running one, sailing between countries, bays and islands on one? Maybe on a gület, yes, but these modern craft just don't quite cut it for us...Of course, if we ever got a rich friend who owned one and offered us a ride out, well that might be a different story. Don't hold your breath waiting for that post on this blog, though; we'd need to find the said rich friend, first! 

The rolling hills of the Bodrum Peninsula

Our photo story on Turgutreis is concentrated around the marina because that's where we spent most of our time while we were there. We did have a quick wander around the town - it was March and much of it was closed - and we had a walk along Gün Batı Plajı (Sunset Beach). My single photo does not do this beach justice at all, so we shan't insult it by including it here - it's a beautiful Blue Flag beach and my photo does not match that description! Sometimes, the camera does lie...

A further reason for concentrating on the marina is that the town of Turgutreis is also named after a 16th Century admiral who went by the name of Türgut Reis. He's a much respected sailing chap in Ottoman history so we've stuck to the boats in this, the town that carries his name. But what we most remember about Turgutreis is this...

The symbol of Turgutreis. She's a beauty.

Isn't she beautiful? Well, we think so. To be honest, the main town of Turgutreis didn't really hold anything memorable for us - it was modern blocks in a modern square. But modernity is memorable when it's in the form of a work of art. We don't know too much about this sculpture. Some guidebooks call her the Statue of Friendship while others change the 'Friendship' and call her the Statue of Peace. 

Whichever she is, her intentions are honourable. She carries an olive branch in her right hand, she surely represents the colours of the sea, and she definitely dominates the scenery around the entrance to the harbour for the local fishing boat. We admired here for some time. For us, this statue is Turgutreis.

Bodrum Peninsula: The Alice In Wonderland World Of İçmeler Boatyard

Mention İçmeler to those who know Turkey and the first place that will come to the mind of many is the small, popular resort town, lying on the Southwest Turkish coast, just south of Marmaris. However, when we took a day trip from Fethiye with friends back in March 2010, we were soon to find out that the Bodrum Peninsula also has an area of the same name. The İçmeler of the Bodrum Peninsula was to be our first stop on that day. 

Içmeler boatyard on the Bodrum Peninsula

Our friends work on privately owned boats throughout the summer and had arranged pre-season meetings with some boat owners around Bodrum. We pulled into the boatyard at Içmeler and entered into a shaded world of giant gülets propped on frames, all of which were under varying degrees of restoration and out-of-season maintenance.

On finding the gület they needed, our friends hopped up the ladder to the deck and beckoned us to follow. Have you ever seen a gület when it's out of the water? These are huge beasts that command respect. By the third rung of the ladder, I was fully aware that my head and legs were not going to let me go any higher so I crept back down and opted for photographic exploration of our new found world of gülets.

Sunlight struggled to make its way through the masses of gülets

The sun barely poked through these colossal creations (a gület is a sight to behold) and, wandering around with camera, it was easy to imagine what Alice must have felt like when she swallowed the potion that shrunk her in size while she was adventuring in Wonderland. How can a gület look so majestic in the water and yet so imposing on land?

Anchor?

We were even dwarfed by the huge piles of chains. Part of an anchor? Something like that. The boatyard in Fethiye has long peaked our interest and we have many photos in the archives - but, on this day in İçmeler, it felt like we had a free pass to explore in-depth where other mortals are forbidden to tread - not that we had any clue what was going on. This was pure craftsmanship in action and we were privileged to witness it.

 

Being made to feel tiny by the gülets

The propellers towered over our heads. These are the mechanisms that keep the gülets so sturdy as they power their way back and forth along Turkey's Turquoise Coast. It's no wonder they have to be so huge - we just never imagine their size when we see the gülets anchored in Fethiye harbour. That's a scene of serenity, not mechanics.

A glimpse of the Içmeler coastline

Of course, we weren't completely lost in Içmeler's massive boatyard. Eventually, further exploration lead us to the seashore, sunshine and back to the real world. We'd left the forest of giant gülets behind.

Smaller boats are inched back into the water using these gangways

And have you ever seen a gület being lead back to its rightful home in the water once the repairs are complete? Now that really is a sight! Unfortunately, on this day at the Içmeler boatyard, we weren't treated to this spectacle, but the couple of hours we spent wandering around here were reward enough.

Fethiye Terrace Bars: Cafe Park Teras - A True Terrace Bar Experience

Is Cafe Park Teras our favourite terrace bar in Fethiye? Hmm, quite possibly. This bar has been around for a few years now and, oddly, a few evenings ago was the first time we've been up there this summer. As we said in our Göcek boat trip post, where has the summer gone? Looks like we need to start making up for lost time...

You've got to look up to spot Cafe Park Teras

Cafe Park Teras is an out and out terrace bar. Unlike other terrace bars in Fethiye, it sits atop a building that's home to a pharmacy and offices, and is reached by a lift inside the building. Enter the lift in the foyer and exit into another world where you can look down on Fethiye, below. 

A different world above Fethiye

The bar has improved year on year and we barely recognised the place when we went up there last week. When we first came up here a few years back, we were sharing the space with a fully occupied pigeon coop. Yes, you read that right. You see, this space is family-owned. Their house is here - and the family are pigeon fanciers.

We asked Tayfun, the owner, where the pigeons were and, naturally, they've been placed in alternative accommodation for the time being...things were getting a tad whiffy in the hotter months. Not ideal for customers of a terrace bar. The pigeons are missed, though, and ideas are afoot as to how customers and pigeons can co-exist on a roof in Fethiye. Maybe all will be revealed in summer 2013...

View of Fethiye bay from Cafe Park Teras

But it's the views that terrace bars offer that make them come into their own - and Cafe Park Teras, situated right on the corner of the harbour, commands some of the best views in town. Look out over the bay and what will soon be the new Fethiye town square from one side of the bar...

View of Fethiye from the bar

...or look down the palm-lined harbour and out over town, towards the mountains beyond. (For a bit of perspective, the boat in the corner is the fantastic Popeye's and the green-roofed seating area jutting out into the sea is Hello Büfe.)

Sitting in the rooftop world of Cafe Park Teras, listening to the beeping horns of the Fethiye traffic below, looking out over the bay, watching people come and go, eating popcorn and sipping an Efes Pilsen (we should mention that this place does a pretty mean cocktail, too, according to friends), it's a true terrace bar experience. View Cafe Park Teras On Our Map Of Fethiye

Fethiye Photo: Sailing To Göcek

We've had a friend staying with us for the past couple of weeks, and although we've not done too much dashing around (he's been to Fethiye before and has done the classic Saklıkent et al day trips), we did make the effort to go on the Fethiye to Göcek boat trip last Sunday.

Last Friday's Fethiye photo was an early evening shot of gülets along the harbour, and this week, we're staying with the nautical theme - except this time we're on the boat viewing Fethiye from the sea.

Leaving Fethiye harbour to head for Göcek

Unbelievably, this was our first time out on a boat this season. Where has the summer gone? It's almost September and we've only just taken to the water. We've been promising ourselves a Göcek boat trip since the beginning of July and, as each Sunday has approached, something has come up to scupper our plans for a day on the ocean waves.

But not last Sunday. It was Şeker Bayramı which meant there was no market on in Göcek but we never go, anyway. A stroll around the shops, a quick Efes Pilsen at one of the seafront bars and it's back to the boat for a leisurely journey back to Fethiye, via a couple of bays for a cooling dip. We can think of worse ways to spend a Sunday!

Compare Rates At Hotels In Fethiye & Göcek On Turkey's For Life

Fethiye Terrace Bars - Cafe Geniş

Scan through most city travel guides and it's more than likely you'll come across recommendations for those people who like to enjoy a drink while enjoying views from above the city (Istanbul's terrace bars spring to mind). The roof terrace is an enticing addition to a bar or restaurant for many people (including us), often rewarding those who make the effort to get there with a whole new perspective on settings that are usually so familiar. 

Well, we didn't want our home city to be left out. There are lots of places for eating and drinking in Fethiye so we thought we'd sift through them all and start our very own series featuring the terrace bars of Fethiye - and, when we sat down to think about it, there are quite a few of them. We've already written about Cadde Cafe with its terrace views over the marina and so let's continue the terrace theme with a long-standing feature on the Fethiye map, Cafe Geniş.

Looking towards Çalış from the roof terrace

Cafe Geniş has been around for as long as we can remember, but it was only a few years ago that, during the winter months, the workmen arrived and began to practically knock the place down and start all over again. We stroll by here most days so we watched developments and, by and by, noticed the appearance of a new roof terrace. "Great idea," we thought. A few other businesses along Fethiye harbour must have agreed with our thoughts because they subsequently set about constructing their own terraces! Yes, there is certainly no shortage of elevation along Fethiye harbour these days.

Looking towards Letoonia from the roof terrace of Cafe Geniş

And, why not? Just look at the views. The cafes along this stretch of harbour have prime locations so why not make the most of them? And yet, head up to the terrace of Cafe Geniş in the daytime and you'll probably have the place to yourself, while downstairs will have its usual smattering of passing custom. 

Well, whatever the reason for the lack of upstairs population, we love to enjoy an Efes Pilsen while viewing the bay from a more elevated position. We can idle the time away, watching gülets and luxury yachts sail into the marina. We watch the Çalış water taxi puttering its way back and forth - and of course, we can also indulge in our other favourite pastime of watching the world go by (okay, people watching) from a less visible vantage point. 

Cafe Geniş: Extra Info

• Cafe Geniş is along Fethiye harbour in Cumhuriyet Mahallesi, just behind the statue of Atatürk. View on our map of Fethiye.
• Despite the fantastic views from both the terrace and downstairs, a beer won't cost you an arm and a leg. (6 TL Summer 2012).
• There is a menu but we use the harbourside cafes to meet and chat with friends over a drink so we've never eaten here. 
• As with most of the bars and restaurants in Fethiye, Cafe Geniş have free wi-fi - and they also have sockets for those of you who need to recharge laptops and tablets.
• Cafe Geniş is open all year. Their open fire in the winter months has been a welcome sight on many occasions! 

Turkish Food: Künefe - A Sweet Acknowledgement Of Şeker Bayramı

As we're in the second day of Şeker Bayramı (Sugar Festival), the three-day festival following Ramazan, it seems only fitting to acknowledge this with a post about one of Turkey's most famous desserts, künefe. Künefe isn't a dessert particular to Şeker Bayramı; it's just that we don't get to do many sweetie posts on this blog - we're not sweetie people - but, as this bayram is about all things sugar, now is the perfect opportunity.

We like to think of this as dedication to our cause - dedication to filling this blog with as much useful Turkey food and travel information as we can. So dedicated are we that we, savoury loving people that we are, recently found ourselves sharing a pan of super-sweet künefe, just so we could write about it here. Yes, that's dedication.

A serving of künefe, topped with smashed pistachio nuts

Künefe - A Meal In Itself!
Although you'll be able to eat this dessert all over Turkey, künefe aficionados (and there are a lot of them in Turkey) will tell you that the Hatay region is where the best künefe is made. The künefe in the photo above is from Fethiye but we were sitting at Mozaik Bahçe when we were eating it and, as they specialise in Hatay cuisine, we're going with the assumption that we sampled - and buzzed from - an authentic künefe portion.

This is a dessert, commonly eaten after a full meal, but we're glad we shared one portion between us. Let's look at the common ingredients: 
Kadayıf - Finely shredded phyllo dough (for a rough idea of its appearance, think Shredded Wheat). 
Cheese - apparently, there is a cheese special to the Hatay region that fits the bill perfectly - unsalted and stringy. Think mozzarella.
Syrup - This is where we're mixing the savoury with the super-sweet. Many Turkish desserts feature a hefty syrup portion and künefe is no exception.
Melted butter - Okay, calorie counters, you need to look away now. As you can see, künefe is not a dessert for those of you trying to shed the pounds. But then, what Turkish dessert is? This is indulgence on a grand scale. 
Pistachio nut topping - Well, it's difficult to imagine a savoury dessert, famous in Turkey's southeast, that doesn't feature the fabulous green of pistachio.  

Cracking open the künefe 

All of these ingredients are arranged in a tray and then cooked until the cheese, syrup and kadayıf have fused and the topping is golden brown. It's traditionally served with ice-cream or kaymak (a type of clotted cream) but we were already full from our meal and ate the künefe just as it was, in the tray.

The künefe verdict: Well, it's taken a while but we are beginning to enjoy the savoury sweet contrast common to many Turkish desserts. However, as with baklava, this is just too much for us after a full meal. For us, these desserts are best appreciated as standalone sweet treats and will make a more than adequate lunch for those of you who love a good sugar rush. 

Have you tried künefe? What's your künefe verdict? 

Fethiye Photo: Early Evening Along The Harbour

For last Friday's Fethiye photo, we were loving the colours of the traditional, Turkish, mosaic lanterns and the week before that, we were up in Taşyaka, enjoying the vivid yellow of the sunflowers at the Sundial. For this Friday, we've decided to go scenic again and we're back along Fethiye harbour.

Over the years, we've probably walked along Fethiye harbour thousands of times, but on occasion, a scene that you've seen many times before makes you stop and stare and admire. A few evenings back, we were walking back from a swim at Yacht Classic and we were greeted with one such scene.

Fethiye harbour gülets

It was early evening and, although the sun was getting lower in the sky, it wasn't quite sunset. It was those few, short moments before the sky starts to turn orange and these Turkish gülets were bathed in that gentle sunlight. 

There were three of us and all three of us stopped to comment on the lighting. Two of us were with camera and started to take photos before the light changed. A scene of Fethiye harbour, so familiar, part of what is Fethiye, and yet so different on this summer's evening.

Çalış Beach Volleyball Tournament - It's All Happening, Here

When we first moved to Fethiye, it was a small but growing town with not a lot going on. Well, how that has changed. This year, as part of the Youth & Sports Bayram, we had a one-off, live concert by Turkish popstars Tan and Hadise and the fantastic Hande Yener recently performed at Aksazlar Koyu. Fethiye is definitely gaining a place on the Turkish music map - at long last.

But it's the sports events that are proving to be the crowd pullers when tempting people to Fethiye. Annually, there's the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey which sees road cycling teams from all over the world competing through the mountain roads of western Turkey. Fethiye is one of the stages. Then there's the motocross tournaments - last year, Fethiye hosted one of the legs of the World Enduro Championships. And now, what's next?

Building the Çalış Beach volleyball courts

Turkey Cup Beach Volleyball Tournament

Yes, yet another national sporting event is going to be hosted in Fethiye; well, near Çalış Beach to be more precise. And in true sporting stadium fashion, it's looking like a race against time to get the facilities ready in time for the opening ceremony. But we're used to this in Turkey. These photos were taken a few days ago and we have every confidence that all will be ready in time for the Turkey Cup Beach Volleyball Tournament.

Laying the courts

We're really pleased this event is going to be taking place. For one, it's going to attract more visitors to the area and raise general awareness of Fethiye and Çalış Beach. But, at a more local level, this area was previously disused land and looked a bit messy as you walked by. Now, we're going to have beach volleyball courts that we've been told are being built to international standards. And the third reason is, well, we just love our Fethiye events! 

Yet another event for Fethiye

As you can see from the banner at the entrance to Çalış Beach, the Turkey Cup Beach Volleyball Tournament (Plaj Voleybolu Türkiye Kupası Turnavası) will take place on 24th, 25th, and 26th August. There's going to be lots of other entertainment going on as well as part of the tournament - DJs, dancers and the like - so if you're around the area during these three days, we're sure the teams would love a bit of your support. We're definitely going to be there. Bring on the beach volleyball! 

Fethiye Friday Market - A Guide

We write a lot about the local food markets around Fethiye but we've never written about our favourite one - until today that is. Our favourite food market is the Friday market or the Cuma Köy Pazarı.

Cuma Köy Pazarı means the Friday Village Market and that's why we like to go here so much. It's on the same site as the Tuesday market but you won't see the clothes and souvenir stalls of the Tuesday market here. Fridays are for locally grown fruit and vegetables only.

Fethiye village market is never crowded

And, whereas the Tuesday market is absolutely packed with shoppers of all types, well, you can see for yourself in the photo above, this is a market where you can amble around in your own space and your own time. In our guide to Çalış Sunday market, we said that was chilled, but the Friday pazar beats Çalış hands down in the chill factor stakes.

The stalls are more haphazard than Fethiye and Çalış markets

And you won't see the usual market traders here. These people are villagers from the surrounding areas and they come to sell their produce. The stalls are haphazard; some displays neatly arranged, but many are just a mixed pile of random goodies from fruits, salad stuffs and vegetables to large plastic tubs of homemade pekmez (grape molasses), nar ekşisi, olive oil, cured olives and usually a few village eggs balancing precariously on top of everything, just for good measure.

We don't go to the Friday village market with a shopping list. No, the village market is for browsing - because you never know what's going to be there. It's whatever the villagers have on the day. In the photo below, you can see that prickly pears are in season. We've never bought them, but we're tempted. We just need to work out what to do with them, first. 

The villagers sell whatever is in season

Sometimes we'll struggle to find the staples like potatoes and onions - but that's okay. We buy those on Tuesdays and Sundays. We come home from the Friday market with random bags - courgette flowers, when they're in season; small bunches of wildflowers that have been picked around the local villages; wild salad leaves that are just described as yeşillik (greenery). We have no idea what a lot of them are but they're edible and they make for a more interesting salad.

And if you get hungry, you won't see the kebab stands that do good trade on the Tuesday and Sunday markets, but you will see a couple of stalls selling bazlama and gözleme - and this is good gözleme. Packed with filling and it's usually a lira or two cheaper than on the main markets. It's a little added bonus to the random Friday shopping trip.

Fethiye Photo: Turkish Lanterns - A Kaleidoscope Of Colour

For last Friday's Fethiye photo, we were up the hill in Taşyaka, celebrating summer with a vibrant Sundial sunflower. For today's photo, we're back at sea level, in the centre of Fethiye, at one of our favourite haunts, Mozaik Bahçe. We were there on Wednesday night for a meal and have lots of foodie pics to show you but that's for another post.

Today, we're concentrating on the decoration around the restaurant, because if you know this place, you'll know that it's beautifully decorated with many people's favourite Turkish souvenir - mosaic, glass lanterns. 

The classic Turkish souvenir - mosaic, glass lanterns

As you can see from the photo, we were there before sundown so the lanterns were yet to be lit, but even in their unlit state, they're a mesmerising kaleidoscope of colour. But a flick of a switch and these beautiful lights really come into their own. If you've ever been to Turkey, you'll know exactly what we mean because you see them hanging outside many of the souvenir shops. Paspatur is aglow with them during the summer nights.

Apart from making the restaurant look very pretty, especially in the evenings, there's another reason these lights adorn the surroundings. They're all for sale. The mosaic shades in this photo have bulbs and are connected to the mains but each table also has a battery-powered lamp, again with the glass, mosaic shades. It all makes for a very pleasant - and colourful - dining experience. Of course, it helps that the food is great, too! 

For reservations and updates of the goings on at the restaurant, you can like the Mozaik Bahçe Facebook page. And if you love these mosaic lamps and other Turkish souvenirs, owner Nichola also has a website, The Turkish Trading Company, which specialises in crafts from Turkey and nearby areas. 

Have you been to Turkey and bought a glass, mosaic lamp as a souvenir of your time here? What are your favourite colours?

Foursquare - Mapping Fethiye And Turkey

We love maps! What about you? Are you a person who can take them or leave them, or does something come over you when you get the chance to study a map? We fall into this second group of people and, more and more, the internet is feeding our map obsession. You see, the internet is increasingly location-based and, as internet and mobile users, we're all a big part of a huge mapping project - if we want to be, that is. Well, we do want to be and we're right in there.

We're on Foursquare - Are you?
Foursquare was one of the first location-based social media sites out there and we were pretty early to the party on this one. Well, there are locations involved. It ticked the map-obsession boxes for us. Whenever we go somewhere, we can 'check in' at that place and if nobody has previously checked in before us, we get to mark this place on the map - and oh yes, we make sure we get it spot on, zooming right in to pinpoint the exact location. Not everyone's favourite pastime but we'd like to bet there are others out there.

  Our Foursquare Homepage - it's all things Turkey

Follow Lists & Create Your Own
Of course, there's much more to Foursquare than that. We've created lists on there that people can follow and, if you know this blog, you'll not be surprised to know that the lists we've created are based around Fethiye and Istanbul - tips for day trips, sights to see, places to eat and drink. Whenever you check-in nearby, you will see the local tips we've added to our lists. And we can add to them or update them whenever we like. Click here to view all of our lists and follow them.

Become The Mayor

And we don't do this for everywhere we go, but sometimes we check in at places. Check in more times than others and you get to become 'mayor' of that place. All very childish but just a bit of fun. Barry used to be the mayor of nearly every place in Fethiye but Foursquare is now pretty big in Turkey (which makes it a really useful resource for visitors to the country) and he's since been ousted from most of his mayorship positions. In fact, he's not even the current mayor of Deep Blue Bar - proof that someone spends more time in that bar than we do! 



Benefits Of Foursquare

And, as with most of the social media sites, businesses are leveraging Foursquare to their advantage, meaning customers get benefits, too: A free beer if you become mayor. Buy one get one free if you check in and take a photo of yourself. Although it's got to be said, Fethiye is a bit slow off the mark with this one. But go to Istanbul or even Kaş, just down the road. Open up Foursquare, let your GPS locate you and the special offers will come up - great for budget travellers like us and the places have already been vetted by those who've been there before us. How do you find those places? Because they've been mapped by previous customers.


Meet Me At...

Have you ever travelled to an unfamiliar city and you need to meet up with friends at a particular place? This was one of the original premises behind Foursquare. If you follow each other on Foursquare, any of your friends can 'check in' when they arrive. That way, you know they're already there and you don't need to wander around like an idiot, looking for them. And how do you find this unfamiliar place? Yeahy, it's already there, on the map, flashing like a beacon for you. Your trusty GPS will guide you, so even if your map-following skills leave a lot to be desired, you'll know you're going the right way.



Mapping Turkey
The great thing for people travelling to Turkey is that the people here have really taken to Foursquare (and all the other social media outlets for that matter) with gusto; checking in, pinpointing places, leaving reviews, taking photos. The more that happens, the more the Foursquare Turkey map populates and the easier it becomes for all of us to find bars, restaurants and attractions that suit us. And of course, that means more special offers will (hopefully) come our way. 

Click this link to Follow us on Foursquare

Fethiye: How To Get To The Sundial Under Your Own Steam

If you know this blog, you'll know that we mention the Sundial Hotel quite a lot. That's because it's not a bad way to while away some of your time while you're in the Fethiye area. The views over Fethiye bay and the rest of the town are amazing because the restaurant and pool sit high on the hillside that overlooks it...and herein lies the issue. To take in the 'views from above,' you've first got to get to the place that's 'above.'

If they're not too busy, and there are a few of you, and you're staying locally, someone from the Sundial can come to pick you up in the minibus. Contact info is on the Sundial Facebook page. However, if you're like us and there are usually only two of you, you're going to need to get there under your own steam. This is a perfectly simple task, when you know where you're going, and this post is a response to all those who've asked us, and will ask us, for directions.

How To Get To The Sundial
There are different ways to get there but this route involves the least uphill walking - always a bonus in summer heat, we think! Whether you're on a bus or dolmuş, you need to get off as soon as you see the graveyard (mezarlık) in Taşyaka. See below for buses and dolmuşes that take this route. 

Okay, so you've got off the bus or dolmuş at the graveyard. On the opposite side of the road, you'll see lots of apartments and one of them will be called Petek Sitesi. This is 367 Sokak. (The photo above is two angles of the same street.) Set off along this street.

After about 50 metres, you'll see this kiddies play park on your left. Straight ahead is a steep hill and to your right is a basketball court. Pass the kiddies park and take the immediate left.

You're now walking down 360 Sokak. The rocky hillside is to your right and apartments are to your left. As you can see in the photo above, you go downhill for a few metres and then you start to climb. Don't worry, it'll soon be over with - and at least you didn't come the other way! Follow the road until you get to the junction...

...and you need to bear right at the junction. For now, this is a dusty track but that's because the council (belediye) are putting a new road in. Keep the rocky hillside to your right...

...and eventually, you will see the mosque. Pass the mosque and some new apartments that are being built just next door...

...and then you'll be able to see this house on the left hand side of the road. You'll be grateful when you see this because it means you're at the top of the little climb. Allow your eyes to glance left...

...because you'll get a little teaser of the views to come (and you'll get a breather while you take it all in). Pass the house and you'll see the gated entrance to the Sundial just to the left. This board is a welcome sight.

But what's even more welcome is going down the steps to the swimming pool, having a dip and then taking a lovely big gulp thirst quenching Efes Pilsen!

Getting to the Sundial - Useful Info:

• From Fethiye: Take the orange Taşyaka dolmuş (2 lira) or the blue Belediye bus (1 lira) from the centre of Fethiye. As soon as the bus starts to climb to Taşyaka, look out for the traffic lights (there are some purple apartments just opposite). The bus takes a right here and you'll see the graveyard on your right a bit further up the hill. Get off at the graveyard.
• From Çalış: Happy days! There is now a council bus that runs between the Devlet Hospital (the big state hospital in Çalış) and Taşyaka, therefore passing the graveyard where you need to get off. Cost is 1lira! Unfortunately, there aren't many in a day and they don't run at weekends. During those times, you need a dolmuş/bus into town and then follow the 'from Fethiye' instructions above.
• From Ölü Deniz / Ovacık / Hisarönü: Get on the Fethiye dolmuş. As the dolmuş starts heading down hill, all the Taşyaka apartments will be on your right. As you approach the traffic lights (the first set you'll see, going down hill) you'll see the graveyard on your left. Get off here.
• From getting off your bus to reaching the Sundial, it's a 5-10 minute walk, depending on how hot it is. Just think of your beer and pool reward at the end! 

Popstar Dining At Yacht Classic Hotel - Chateaubriand Luxury

There's been a definite running theme for us this summer - food! It all started in April/May in Italy where we spent eight days making sure we sampled as much Italian food as possible. We didn't make a bad job of it, either. We've eaten classic Turkish street food in Istanbul and here in Fethiye, tried a Yengen Burger for the first time. Where did we try that? That'll be at this kebab's namesake, Yengen Burger.

But this year, we've also been able to indulge in some of the luxurious foods that Fethiye has to offer. How do we afford that with our budget Fethiye life? We don't! A friend treated us to a seafood feast at Girida Restaurant - right up there with the best seafood we've ever eaten. But today's post is not about seafood. It's about meat, it's about steak, it's about chateaubriand.

Just a little appetiser

Have you ever been out for a meal and you're really enjoying it, and then the food comes out for the table next to you, and then you crane your neck, put your knife and fork down, "Oh, what are they having? I want that. Where was that on the menu?" You covet their meal. Well, we and our two friends did that at the Yacht Classic Hotel 18 months ago as we watched a couple opposite us tucking into their chateaubriand.

While our friends were staying at the Yacht Classic Hotel a couple of weeks back, we booked the table and the meal. We didn't need a menu. All four of us had waited a long time for this chateaubriand moment and we weren't going to overfill ourselves by having starters, either. The little meze of olives and spicy tomato was enough. And then the moment came...

The chateaubriand comes with three sauces

First of all, the sauces arrived on a wooden board. Three different sauces of mushroom, dijon mustard and a pepper sauce. Each board is between two people...as is the chateaubriand. That also arrived on a wooden board with all the accompaniments.

After an 18 month wait, the chateaubriand arrived

A slab of tender medium steak awaited. There was compromise here. I'm a medium to well-done person when it comes to steak and Barry's a medium-rare. When you're sharing the same cut, you need to meet in the middle so medium it was.

The Yacht Classic chateaubriand comes with sides of baked, cheesy mushroom, mixed vegetables, spinach and two types of potato. The vegetables were placed on the table and the potatoes served to our plate before the waiter got down to slicing the steak. Both of us were nervous. Was it going to be too pink for me? Was it not going to be pink enough for Barry? The thick chunks of steak were served to our plates and all was revealed.

A serving of chateaubriand 

We were happy with our compromise. All four of us were quiet for a while as we ate every last morsel of our meal. Of course, we had the backdrop of beautiful Fethiye marina - we were sat right on the water's edge - but all eyes were on our juicy, tender steaks until we'd polished the lot off. 

If we had to nitpick about the chateaubriand at the Yacht Classic Hotel, we'd say we're not over keen on the plates with their arty portion sections but, hey, who's complaining when one of those sections is piled with meat? And we'd love to tell you how much the meal cost us - it's obviously not cheap - but we can't do that because this was Barry's birthday present from our friends. A birthday present that I got to benefit from, too. Lucky me. 

For more tips about where to eat in Fethiye, take a look at our Fethiye Eating & Drinking page.

Fethiye Photo: A Sunflower At The Sundial

It's about time we had a Fethiye photo that was actually taken in Fethiye. Last week, we were in Çalış, sampling the delightful meze dish known as şakşuka and the week before we were even further afield, standing on the edge of the road from Ölü Deniz to Faralya. It was a beautiful sunset, though, so we just had to show it.

For this week's photo, we're back at one of our favourite haunts in Fethiye, the Sundial Hotel. In the past, we've shown photos of the amazing views over Fethiye and even done a series of photos on the sundials at the Sundial. Well, today we're in the garden.

Fethiye in bloom - a Sundial sunflower

Each shot in this Fethiye photo series has to be taken in the current month. We've just hit August, and when I scanned through my photo archives from August 2011 and 2010, this is the photo that jumped out. Do you like our Facebook page? If so, you may have seen a sunflower photo on there this week. That was taken on the same day as this one.

There's something about sunflowers. They're bright, fresh and cheerful and it was a beautiful display of them at the Sundial, this time last summer. This summer, the concentration has been more on their new vegetable patch - vegetables to be used for the meals in the restaurant. We'll get photos of that next time we're up there.

For now though, if the weather isn't too great where you are, we hope this sunflower cheers you up and brings a burst of colour to your otherwise cloudy day. And for those of you who have been sweltering in the Turkish summer heat, if you're lucky enough to be in one of the areas that got a little downpour yesterday, we in Fethiye are a little bit jealous! It's another hot, sticky one for us today, so this sunflower is to remind us of the sunny, fresher side of summer. It'll come, soon enough...

Along Fethiye Harbour - The Comforting Presence Of Hello Büfe

Exploring new places is fun. Embracing change is great. We love a lot of the recent changes that have been made - and are being made - to Fethiye at the moment (okay, there's a couple of dubious topiary placements in the new Fethiye town square but we'll get over it) and have sampled many of the new restaurants, such as Shaka, along the harbour. 

But familiarity is also a necessity in life. We enjoy the comfort and reassurance provided by the Fethiye institutions; those businesses that plod on, regardless of all that is happening around them, serving up the same food and drink they've always done and more than holding their own in customer numbers. They may have branched out and opened a second establishment, but Yengen Burger is one such place. And another much loved place in Fethiye, and the subject of today's post, is Hello Büfe. 

The ever-present, ever-busy Hello Büfe

It's just unthinkable that Hello Büfe could not be there as you stroll along Fethiye harbour. It's been here for as long as we can remember, anyway, and during opening hours, we've never once seen it empty. It's a continuous stream of customers and waiters dodging people on push bikes as they carry trays filled with glasses of çay. Because çay is the tipple of choice here. You can get an Efes Pilsen or a soft drink - and some people do - but the majority of Fethiye folks, including us, come here to drink çay.

The terrace just out into the sea giving views over Fethiye bay

Hello Büfe lines the harbour and even has a covered terrace that juts out into the bay. But this is no swanky seafront restaurant. There are no airs and graces here. It's a büfe. You sit yourself down for çay (you might even have to shout to grab the waiter's attention) and, if you're hungry, a simit, tost or a poğaça. Tea and snack. That's what you come to Hello Büfe for. It's cheap!

The Fethiye winter seagulls

Oh, but there's another attraction to Hello Büfe, too. It's also a little kiosk where passers-by stop off to buy a water, a pack of cigarettes or a loaf of bread. Customers of Hello Büfe also buy the bread - they buy it to tear off chunks and throw into the sea. It makes for an entertaining glass of çay.

In wintertime, the seagulls catch most of the bread mid-air before it even hits the water, but just under the surface of the water (and many times above the surface) are huge shoals of grey mullet. No one is allowed to catch fish here, but there are lots of eager customers waiting to feed the fish, and it appears the mullet have caught wind of that fact. Sitting at Hello Büfe is an experience!

Çay at sunset on Fethiye harbour

It's also very pleasant. As we were walking up to Deep Blue Bar last Saturday evening, we bumped into one of the owners en route. He stops at Hello Büfe for çay before he takes on the Saturday night crowds of Paspatur. As we were all heading in the same direction, we sat down for çay, too. Well, how could we resist? Wouldn't you like to sit here for pre-night-out çay?