Re the title of today’s post: we actually made a bit of research into a late summer stroll. We’ve got some friends coming to stay in Fethiye over the New Year (just love having winter visitors) and they wanted us to ask for bits of info and prices at the hotels along the Karagözler. You might remember, way back, we did a post on the Fethiye hotels that were having complete revamps over the last winter period.
Well, here is one of those hotels. Can you tell what it is yet? If you know Fethiye at all, you’ll know that right at the end of the 2nd Karagözler (İkinci Karagözler) and a little bit beyond is the Mediteran Hotel. This is it. A way from being finished but they’re most definitely going for the modern, upmarket, minimalist feel. New jetty as well. We’ll do a proper post on the Mediteran once it’s presented in all its new glory. Needless to say, not much luck there in finding any information for our friends.
Fethiye boatyard – a bit of industry
Walking from the Mediteran Hotel towards the Karagözler and Fethiye, you pass the boat yard. Our walk always turns into an amble at this point. We love the boat yard. Always huge gülets (the traditional wooden sailing boats you see along the Aegean and Mediterranean Turkey) either being built from scratch (fascinating) or being repaired. Prepare your nose for smells of sawdust, varnish and paint and prepare your ears for hammering, drilling and sanding machines. If you’re lucky enough to pass at the right time, you can see a boat being placed back into the water with the help of the contraption in the photo above (we have no idea of its correct name).
Just a pretty Fethiye boat photo
We don’t know if this boat was docked in the Fethiye boat yard awaiting repairs or if all jobs were complete but we thought it looked beautiful just moored on it’s own, overlooking Fethiye, opposite.
Beware the falling dates
It’s the time of year for dates too. All the palm trees that make the Karagözler feel quite grand are laden with these amazing, colourful fruits at the moment. It’d be lovely if someone came round to harvest them all but they are in such abundance here, they usually just left to fall to the ground and the heads of unsuspecting passers by – usually us!
As we said, we were supposed to be doing a bit of research for our friends. Well, this photo was taken from the Doruk Hotel, quite close to the centre of Fethiye and Paspatur. And not bad views they have too! That’s about as much information as we got from anywhere, really.
View of the marina from Doruk Hotel on the Karagözler
So, now you can see why we combine research trips with a gentle stroll thrown in for good measure. We didn’t manage to get much information for New Year. For a start, New Year equals 2011. ‘We haven’t done our prices for 2011 yet and the manager isn’t here,’ was the perfectly logical reasoning from one receptionist.
‘Can we see a room?’
‘Sorry, no. We’re fully booked. You can see one if you come back in a few weeks.’
As Britain careers headlong towards Christmas and New Year (well, it is September!), we are still basking in late summer sunshine (bliss) and the hotels are still full. Why should they bother about 2011 just yet?
It’s an interesting one. Here we are, chilling in the late summer / early autumn breezes, planning our first bit of trekking in ages, winding down a little, breathing in the new, fresher air, and yet, Britain never stops. We’ve had friends out this summer, talking about Christmas and New Year holidays while they were here – because they have to. It’s how it is. Book your time off work, get in early for the flights before they become extortionate, sort the presents out for everyone before you leave, work’s Christmas-do to possibly organise and probably attend, and no doubt the supermarkets have got festive stock on the shelves…Scary!
As far as we can see – although we can’t speak for the Mediteran just yet – our research has told us that the hotels along the Karagözler are open all year round…and maybe one year soon, they might need to be a bit more urgent with their New Year plans and prices…but for now…it’s still 2010 summer season…and it’s heading towards wind down, chill time in these parts…price lists for 2011 will come soon enough…
If you fancy a New Year visit to Fethiye, it doesn’t close down as much as nearby resorts do. It is a working town, very much open for business all year round. Just don’t forget your warmer clothes!
**Update 2013: The Mediteran Hotel became Park Marina and is now Marina Vista.