Kalkan Turkey Forum - EnjoyKalkan.com
Kalkan Discussion => Holiday Reports and Reviews => Topic started by: keith on April 23, 2017, 01:51:11 PM
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Only 8 weeks and we will be back. I've decided on the title for my new posts and hope to share.............. Keith can..........in Kalkan!!
Let's see where it takes us
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Snappy and to the point :) I'll be looking out for what keith can do in Kalkan...intriguing!
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..... and what he can't do ......
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it looks like a puzzle, as in 'fill in the blank'. My answer is:
Keith can Can-Can in Kalkan.
(Don't try saying this at home without a suitable professional present to advise…)
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Love it Keith! can't wait to read all about what you Can Can do!!! 8 weeks, that will be here in no time :D :D :D :D :D
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Yay, I'm looking forward very much to hear what Keith can do and please report back on what he can't do too, don't keep us guessing ;) ;D
Perfect title. ;D
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This play on words made me think about the others that have become part of Kalkan life.....
I was explaining to my sister the concept of Kalkancalf ( the pain in your lower limbs on about day 3 of hill climbing) and Kalkankles ( the swelling experienced in the general foot/ankle region) ........
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...and my theory, Haybo, is that one follows the other. Either the calf pain causes the ankles to swell or the fat feet cause the pain in your calf because of their inability to bend.
A scientific (sort of) experiment will follow in ooooohhh a shade over 6 weeks from now ;)
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Hurray for Keith. We look forward to hearing all about your time in Kalkan. 8 weeks to go? I must start checking how many weeks before our next trip - could be I will be reading your blog while actually in Kalkan.
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This time in 4 weeks we should hopefully have arrived and unpacked ready to enjoy 14 days of Kalkan's delights.
Keith can..........totally relax.........in Kalkan
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We're slightly ahead of you...a measly 16 days for us now.
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12 8) 8)
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Ha, you win, BL ;D
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Well this time next week we will be back in the special place that is Kalkan. The last few weeks have flown by and everything is in place. Just got to pack the suitcases.
Keith can........start the real build up to his holiday.........in Kalkan
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Oh stop teasing us Keith. I thought you were in Kalkan already and I was looking forward to reading your first post ;D ;D
I hope this week flies for you. :)
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Just finished packing the suitcases ready for our 07.10hrs flight from Gatwick. This time tomorrow we'll be in Kalkan.
Keith can........be assured that he is fully prepared for his holiday..........in Kalkan!!
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Keith you must be there now! Have a wonderful time, and look forward to hearing about your holiday!! :) :) :)
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Packing the suitcases is normally one of those tasks that I enjoy but in the oppressive summer heat of the UK this was anything but enjoyable!! My normal calm and unflappable demeanour quickly ebbed away as the sweat cascaded down my brow. The new suitcases were also proving to be a bit of a challenge as they are the lightweight rigid variety and I needed to adjust my packing method to get everything to fit in. It does look as though I've packed half of a supermarket in them......we have potions and pills to cater for any eventuality. Oh well task completed time for a few hours sleep before our early morning departure to Gatwick.
Journey to the airport was uneventful and we arrived half an hour earlier than planned. We had opted to use premium valet parking and as we pulled up in front of the terminal building we were met by a very friendly and bubbly greeter. We exchanged a bit of friendly banter before we made our way to the Monarch check in desk. There were no queues and everything was going extremely smoothly until the girl behind the desk started to ask questions about what we had packed in the suitcases. It transpired that we shouldn't have packed my small digital camera!! We then got into a bit of a debate over the recently introduced rules about what you can and cannot carry in your hand luggage when returning from Dalaman and she confessed that she hadn't read the new rules as it didn't affect her? Thankfully I could remember which suitcase and where I had packed the camera and very quickly retrieved it. I was quickly through security but, as always happens, Tracey set off the alarm. She had been extremely careful to remove any item of jewellery that could potentially trigger the alarm and we have now reached the conclusion that it must be her M&S underwired bras that cause the problem. She's now contemplating going braless on the return journey (or perhaps not).
Our flight was slightly delayed but after a smooth flight we arrived at Dalaman on schedule at 13.10hrs. A small queue at the security desks but very quickly through to collect our bags. I'm not quite sure how it happened but, for the first time ever, our two bags were the first onto the carousel and both together. Bags in hand we were out of the airport and into our private transfer. We couldn't have hoped for such a smooth journey from start to finish and arrived at our villa at 3.15pm.
Keith can.........look forward to enjoying his first Efes......,.in Kalkan
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The good thing about returning to the same villa as we rented on our last visit is that you know where everything is and how everything works. However, new kitchen has been installed and this presented us with our first challenge!! This is one room in the property that we don't use when on holiday as we enjoy eating out every night. We tend to just use 2 coffee mugs, 2 wine glasses and 2 water tumblers; which has the added advantage that there's very little washing up to be done (although there is a dishwasher). Tracey very quickly found the mugs and glasses but, couldn't find any cutlery including the teaspoon that we would need for making our coffee. She checked every drawer and cupboard but could not spot any cutlery.....it was at this point that I was asked to join in the search. I thought that this would be a simple task and double checked everywhere. I too couldn't find the illusive teaspoon although logic told me that the well stocked kitchen MUST have cutlery. As I was having one final look Tracey spotted that there was a drawer within one of the drawers and lo and behold therein was the full range of implements.
Unpacking completed we headed up for showers and got ready for a quiet drink and meal in town. First stop was Berzegan's pub for our first Efes. It tasted just as good as we remembered and confirmed that we were back in our beloved Kalkan. We then headed off to Mussaka for a delicious meal and bottle of wine. We had the mixed boruk starter to share followed by Hammam fainted. Really enjoyable food and attentive service. Complimentary almond liqueur sunk then off back home via the little shop next door to Bezirgans. A few essential provisions purchased including the prerequisite bottle of wine to drink on the roof terrace.
Keith can.......enjoy a cold Efes.......in Kalkan
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Keith what a perfect start to your holiday, sounds bliss! and glad you located the teaspoons, poor Tracey setting off the alarm in the airport! I have just come back from a School trip to France, and the exact same thing happened to one of my colleagues, much to my amusement! Imagine you are settling in nicely today, enjoy your holiday :D
J&B
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Keith your self catering sounds as if it's exactly the same as ours! Have a brilliant holiday, look forward to hearing more.
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Welcome to Paradise, keith.
Keith can...relax and enjoy! ;D 8)
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After a very relaxing day by the pool we got ourselves ready for our nightly excursion into Kalkan.. We are extremely fortunate that our villa is no more than 5 minutes from the taxi rank and all on the flat. We decided to give Bezirgans a miss tonight and instead headed down to Moonlight to reaquaint ourselves with Martin and his team. This is another ideal spot to people watch and we enjoyed a refreshing Efes followed by G&T-shirt. It never ceases to amaze me that so many of the locals remember us.......this is our sixth visit but we always try to spread our custom.
The town seems fairly busy and everyone is their normal friendly selves. You cannot help but feel totally relaxed in such a friendly and welcoming place. After our refuelling pit stop we move on to Barahats for our evening meal. I have to say that the food didn't deliver against our expectations which is a pity as this is normally one of our favourite restaurants. Tracey and I are both feeling tired after our day of doing nothing and agree to head on home to enjoy a cold G&T on the roof terrace.
Keith can..........feel totally relaxed........in Kalkan
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Thanks Keith, really enjoying your posts. Keep them coming.
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Glad you and Tracey arrived safely and settled into your villa.
Shame about Baharat, we've never had a bad meal there but one year had to wait 2 hours for our mains. :o Maybe it's a new chef?
Keith can...try somewhere different to eat tomorrow...in Kalkan. :)
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Hi Lizilu.....Dont get me wrong the food in Barahats was still very edible but just a tad bland. As you say:
Keith can......try somewhere different to eat tomorrow.....in Kalkan
I thought that was an excellent use of my blog title although you've now taken one of my lines lol
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Well how frustrating was that? I had almost completed writing my daily blog when the screen went blank and it disappeared. Oh well not to worry..... I'll just have to start again.
We awoke early yesterday morning as we don't want to waste a second of our time in Kalkan. Waking up to the incredible view really sets you up for the day. Sitting enjoying a coffee on the balcony overlooking the bay there is a lovely cooling breeze and we decide that we'll take a walk down to the harbour to see how the works to repair the fire damage are progressing.
This is the first time that we have visited in June and the slightly cooler temperatures really suit us. It must be an age thing? We amble down to the beach and are pleased to see that Kept and has reopened in his previous location. This was always one of our favourite restaurants although I think that he has changed the menu to a more Italian food style. We continue down to Kleos for my first Efes of the day (it is probably a bit early but he ho.....I'm on holiday). Tracey had a frozen lemon drink which was delicious and thirst quenching.
Drinks consumed we continued along the front past Seaport and the other well known eateries. Tracey has a Mediterranean appearance and a number of locals speak to us in Turkish.....they seem genuinely surprised when we say that we are from England and that our understanding of the Turkish language is minimal. Note to self......I really should make more of an effort to learn the language. We had towards Indigos as It's surprising how a little walk can build up a thirst. Another Efes consumed as we sit and watch people enjoy the beach club.
Heading off back up through town we comment on the fewer numbers of street dogs that appear to be around this year. I know that they have caused some serious debate on here but we haven't personally found them to be a problem. We enjoy a browse in some of the shops and reaquainting ourselves with old friends. As we get to Bezirgans we spy our favourite bartender and feel obliged to call in for a drink. For those of you in the know you would be forgiven for thinking that this particular bartender is the most miserable person in Kalkan but, as he says us his face breaks into the biggest smile, and we are welcomed like long lost family. I enjoy yet another Efes whilst playing with their new puppy. I'm not sure what breed he is but, he is black and white and extremely playful. Be warned he has razor sharp teeth.
Having enjoyed our reunion we head up the hill to pick up some basic provisions.......you know, wine, beer and crisps. We get as far as Bunkers and, having read some good reviews, make an on the spot decision to stop for lunch. It was very reasonable in both quality and cost. Across the road to pick up some fresh fruit from the greengrocers (how ridiculously cheap) and into Kipas for essential provisions.
One thing that I have observed during our first couple of days is that Tracey has been particularly fast at sinking her G&T's. I thought that this phenomenon was worth further exploration and, having quizzed Tracey, she informed that that she always drinks faster when using a straw. To put this theory to the test we sat on the roof terrace watching the world go by. We were enjoying G&T's without straws and, you've guessed it............Tracey still downed them faster than me.
Keith can.......be with friendly and welcoming people.......in Kalkan
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Sorry about some of the spellings in my last post.....predictive text is such a nuisance.....I'll have to see if I can switch it off.
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We'll forgive your spelling Keith! Though I'm not sure about the idea of you having lunch in a bunker.....seems such a shame, what with that lovely weather and views! ;D ;D
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Thanks Babs.......it was meant to say Hunkars!! I will definitely be trying to remove predictive spelling before tomorrow's blog!
Keith can......try to improve his spelling......in Kalkan
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Thanks for your reports Keith,hope you get to sort out that predictive text problem.
Reading between the lines,and possibly being a tad presumptious,I am assuming that you are partial to the odd pint of Efes.
Could you let me know how much you are paying for a pint in the various bars and restaurants? I am assuming that the exchange rate is still around 4.50?
Looking forward to getting back to the Samira Exclusive next weekend.
Keith can.....provide sound financial advice.....in Kalkan
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Here's a suggestion for all those with predictive text issues (and that means all of us, to differing levels according to device):
Write up the Blog in the Notepad/Google Docs/whatever it is on an iPad. It should not do predictive text then, but underline what it considers spelling errors.
When finished, copy all the text and paste it into the EK box.
Job Done! (apart from the inevitable demise of Asian Gary errors).
(There's a reason I've come up with this - which will be revealed soon…)
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being the author of Asian Gary, I have a sense of parental responsibility for it ...... and I feel a perfectly presented blog from Joycie would feel like she had got a ghost writer in...you know like wot the celebs do!!!
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Hi Kevin Norwich.....the current exchange rate is 4.35tl to the pound. As you have noticed I do enjoy a nice cold Efes and these are costing between 13tl & 15tl. We took a trip to Kas today and Efes was a very reasonable 10tl. Still relatively cheap!!
Keith can.....provide on the spot financial updates whilst......in Kalkan
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In kalkan ...Jimmys by the harbour Efes is 10 TL......Foto pizza by taxi rank 9.50..Bread and more on Kalamar road 8.50... ;) hic!
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Thanks for the heads up BL. Cheaper still if you buy it in the supermarkets but I guess that you pay a premium for enjoying a drink at Bezirgans or Moonlights. These are our two favourite spots for sitting and watching the world go by.
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Well......where did the last two days go? Despite our best efforts to maximise our waking hours the days just seem to evaporate. We are up before sunrise and stay up far later than we would back at home but, there's nothing that we can do to slow down time.
On Thursday we enjoyed another chilled out day around the pool and I've even managed to get back into reading books. This is not something that I normally do as the stresses and strains of everyday life and work doesn't afford too many opportunities, or the time, to indulge in reading. It's another of Kalkans pleasures that you can completely switch off and not worry about the flow of emails and work priorities. I don't read newspapers or switch on the TV for two whole weeks and this adds to the relaxing ambience.
On Thursday evening we go off to Bezirgans for our obligatory pre dinner drinks and spend a bit of time playing with the black and white puppy who we now know is called Tukka (not sure about the spelling but can't blame predictive text on this occasion). Whilst enjoying our refreshing beverages we discuss where we will be dining this evening and decide that we will give Corianders a try. There is a nice family feel to this restaurant and as you would expect a very enjoyable meal. The overall cost was not dissimilar to what you would pay further on down in the town but, as always, we feel that is value for money. Meal consumed we head back to the villa for a couple of G&T's on the roof terrace.
Whilst enjoying the views across the bay we agree that we should try something completely different tomorrow.........shock, horror........we are going to visit Kas for the day. This will be the first time that we have ventured away from our haven.
We are up early on Friday and having enjoyed our coffees we await the arrival of our driver. He is very punctual and we set off along the scenic coast road. The journey just as people have described and we are captivated by the scenery. We are dropped off at the harbour and our immediate thoughts are that is not as pretty as Kalkan. The harbour wall causes an obstruction that takes away any real view of the sea and the Kas peninsula. The town is bigger than Kalkan but, we both agree, lacks It's charm and character. Nonetheless we have a good day and make the most of rare excursion.
Keith can.......feel at home........in Kalkan
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We like Kas walking uphill to a beach club is a novelty sitting by the harbour with a foaming Efes and walking up through the town to the beach clubs. We always go by bus that fantastic coast road always reminds me of the packed dolmas which used to operate when we first came to Kalkan. A lovely but quite pungent elderly Turkish gentleman fell asleep on Brian's shoulder and we hardly dared to wake him when we got to Kalkan.
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Keith thank you for your posts, what a great holiday you are having! Totally agree about Kas, not as pretty as Kalkan but there is something about it that we love and always go there for a visit. There is a lovely beach acrosss the harbour from Kas, Limingazi I think it is called, now that isn't predictive but I have a funny feeling it isn't spelt that way! but if you go back again, well worth getting the little ferry boat across, it is beautiful, although the last time we went it was really choppy on the return journey!
Coriander sounds like it is very nice, we have only ever been there once for lunch, so may well try it again this year, and Asian Gary Haybo and Joycie, we can't wait, that is on our list at the very start of our holiday, can't wait to go and see what their new premises are like, and sample the chicken shashlik!
Anyway enjoy whatever you do today Keith and look forward to reading your next adventure! :D :D
J&B
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As we awake from our slumber we can sense that it is going to be a lot hotter today. As the early morning sun rises above the hilltop the first rays hit the back of my neck. As anticipated it already feels warmer than the previous days and we quickly come to the conclusion that we should shelve our plans to walk into town. The cooling breeze has gone and the sky's are devoid of clouds. My legs and, particularly my shins have come out in red blotches and I'm trying to determine whether it is a heat rash or an allergic reaction to the sun. I had a similar flair up on my last visit and, after a visit to the local pharmacy, was given some cream to administer. Thankfully Tracey remembered to pack it along with all the other pills and potions and some I'm hopeful that early treatment will prevent this rash from impacting on our holiday.
We spend a leisurely day around the pool and I keep out of direct sunlight. The villa has plenty of shady areas and I continue to reaquaint myself with reading. Once again the day passes in a blink of an eye and we are soon showering and preparing for an evening in Kalkan. It's as I'm getting myself ready that I realise that I didn't pack a two pin plug adaptor to enable me to charge my electric razor. Do I take a risk and hope that there is enough juice to complete a shave or.........go without and look like someone akin to Wurzel Gummidge? I decided to take a chance and thankfully managed to shave my whole face.
We had already decided that we would eat at Akdeniz tonight and, after our refuelling stop at Moonlights, headed down the steps towards the Mosque. This is a lovely corner to spend the evening and gives a completely different perspective of the town. Before venturing into the restaurant we check the menu to ensure that it has the meat samosas and calamari starters that we both enjoyed on our last visit. The restaurant looks the same but it appears to be under new ownership? We are ushered to a table and we both look at each other in a knowing way. Have we made the right choice, should we make our excuses and leave or should we sit tight and hope for the best? We have never experienced a bad meal in Kalkan and decide that we would stay. If nothing else we would be doing our bit to support this restaurant.
As we sit perusing the menu we notice that one of the young lads was given instructions and he disappeared up the hill. About 5 minutes later he returned with a bag full of bread and another full of tomatoes. They were obviously waiting to ensure that they had customers before buying these basic provisions. Our starters arrived and, we needn't have worried, they were delicious. The service was not as attentive as we have experienced at other restaurants but, in some ways, this added to our enjoyment as we were able to pour the wine ourselves and replenish our glasses at a pace that suited us. The main courses duly arrived and were very pleasing on the palette. All in all another very enjoyable culinary experience.
Meal consumed we meander up through the town stopping off to browse in a number of shops. Tracey had spotted a lovely bag in Kas and we were on the lookout for something similar in Kalkan. As always it is a real pleasure to have the opportunity to meet with some of the new shop assistants. We weren't able to find what Tracey is looking for and so I can sense a visit to Simply Chic to see if she has the illusive bag. We also stumble upon Melissa's which seems to stock some very good quality trousers and shirts and I promise that I will return to purchase some items later in our holiday.
We are starting to fill hot and so head on back to the villa to enjoy one or two cooling G&T's on the roof terrace. We are very fortunate to spot 3 shooting stars this evening despite the best efforts of the lazer lights that sweep across the night sky. As we sit reminiscing on our holiday so far we are suddenly aware of a flashing orange light and a rumbling noise that sounded like a tank heading down from the Recency hotel direction. As it got closer the noise reverberated around the streets and we wondered what on earth it could be. As it passed in front of the villa, at a snail's pace, Tracey spotted the tell tale mist and we agreed that it must be the mozzi buster.
Keith can........forget about the pressures of life........in Kalkan
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Blimey!! a Mozzie buster! they are about as rare as rocking horse poo this year never saw one during our holiday or the the men with back pack sprayers our ex pat friends said they had hardly been around this year...we did meet quite a few people who were bitten this year despite taking the precautions of deet /kov etc ourselves included >:(
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We've seen a lot of mozzie spraying activity this week. Touch wood neither of us has been bitten although we did see one lady whose legs were covered in bites.
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Akdeniz used to be Alternatif.
Different owner as far as I know, but then what do I know? ;D
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I thought that it was but my memory isn't quite as good as it used to be. Have Alternatif relocated? I seem to recall that it was a family owned business that professed to be 200 years old?
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Alternatif have relocated to above Utopia Bar.
Same family just different location.
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Oh Keith it sounds as if you are getting nice and relaxed now.........
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Where did that week go? It only seems like yesterday that I was struggling to pack the suitcases in the overbearing heat in the UK. Yesterday was yet another relaxing day spent around the villa and I was extremely careful to keep myself in the various shaded areas. I'm keen to keep my legs out of direct sunlight especially as the rash doesn't look quite as bad today. It's quite amazing how quickly the hours fly past even when you're being completely lazy. The only 'chores to be done is collecting the rubbish together (not too much of that as there's only the two of us) and washing up the coffee cups and two wine glasses.
Normal routine follows and we prepare ourselves for a walk into town and an evening meal. We decide to give Bezirgans a miss tonight and instead amble down to Moonlights. Martin tells us that business has been quite slow so far this year and a lady at an adjoining table informs him that she is staying at the Kalkan Recency and that the hotel is only about 50% occupied. Efes and G&T's finished we agree that we would eat at Olive Garden.
As we climb the stairs to the first floor we are given a warm welcome and asked whether we wanted to go up to the roof terrace. As always we decline the offer as we prefer the less crowded 1st floor terrace. There is a steady stream of customers who all make their way up the spiral staircase to the roof. Tracey and I have the whole of the first floor to ourselves. We are served with the complimentary olives and Olive bread and order the mixed cold meze for our starter. We are already starting to feel full and We've still got our mains to come. The meze was accompanied by two shots of raki. Tracey wasn't too keen on drinking her shot and so it was left to me to sink them both. We struggled to eat all of the main courses but, with true grit and determination, we eventually cleared the plates. I feel as though I am going to explode when the waiter appears with yet more food by way of a complimentary dessert. This included a large slice of vanilla cheesecake, a bowl of ice cream, a slab of lemon drizzle cake, dough balls with chocolate sauce, Turkish delight and almond liqueurs. It would be rude not to eat it and so we force ourselves to take on yet more calories. We manage to eat everything with the exception of the dough balls.
The waiter explains that they have suffered a downturn in clientele and that tonight has been busier than yesterday. Although there are a lot of Turkish people in town they don't appear to be going into the restaurants. Like everyone else I sincerely hope that business will pick up.
Keith can........eat to excess.........in Kalkan
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My earlier reply wasn't very clear was it?
I blame the withdrawal of various liquid refreshments on return to the UK!
What I meant was:
Alternatif has moved from the bend near the mosque (and close to Adda Tours) to above Utopia, still run (as nowretired says) by Mustafa and Co.;
Akdeniz has taken Mustafa's old Alternatif site (where were they before? - never been to Akdeniz, but I'll bet someone knows).
Maybe we should have a "where are they this year" Competition - no cribbing on KTLN's What's New Items, either!
Is that sun above the Yardarm yet?…
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That's one of the joys of Kalkan.........things change from year to year and so there's always something new to see or a new restaurant to try out. The sun is definitely above the Garden and I've ensured to take on plenty of fluids.
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I hate predictive text!!!!
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Mustafa told me his brother is running the 'old' Alternatif.
Guess their surname: Akdeniz
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Akdeniz restaurant used to be behind the taxi rank, back of Foto pizza.
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Great reports, keith. Surprised we havent bumped into you at Moonlight!
From our vantage point in there tonight we noticed a young boy running down to Akdeniz with two bottles of wine...he was running so fast we were fearful he would fall...guess the same applies to wine there too....
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Another glorious morning in Kalkan........beautiful blue sky with not a cloud in sight. Our villa maintenance man Ali informs us that the temperature is set to soar this week and could get as high as 45C. Not too sure whether or not he is winding us up but, we can definitely feel that it is getting hotter, day by day. We slept a little later today as we are planning to have a walk into town for lunch and a bit of retail therapy. Tracey hasn't managed to find a bag to match the quality of the one that she had seen in Kas and I suspect that we will be visiting a few bag shops today. We'll also be starting the search for a few gifts for family and friends.
Yesterday was yet another quiet day around the villa enjoying ice cold Efes and wine. One thing that we have noticed is there seems to be an ever increasing choice in the number of wines available. On our first visit there was much less to choose from. Angora is not really to my taste and I much prefer a nice Sauvignon Blanc or Shiraz. Thankfully these and other varietys are readily available.
We headed down to Moonlights at 7.00pm to enjoy pre-dinner drinks. There isn't as many people drinking there as on previous nights. Considering that everyone is talking about the downturn in visitor numbers we get the distinct impression that the greeters at the various restaurants are less intrusive. We haven't experienced anyone being overly pushy and, if anything, there is a lot more humorous banter.
Suitably refreshed we set off towards the harbour. We are undecided where to eat and just wander down perusing the various menus. After some deliberation we feel that we ought to give Sunset a try. We admire (and sometimes dislike) his efforts to drum up business but he does put in the leg work and exerts a real enthusiasm for his restaurant. As we take our seats we cannot help but notice that Seaport and Korsan look very busy but not much activity at Kaptans. There is just a table of 8 plus us at Sunset. We both opted for calamari for our starters with courgette fritters and lamb kebabs for mains. We love this view overlooking the harbour and beach and feel that the new development, following the fire, enhances this part of town. Once the works have been completed it will, in our opinion, improve the aesthetics.
After yet another enjoyable meal we head off back through town to pick up a couple of bottles of wine from the off licence next to Bezirgans. We had called in there earlier in the evening and he had very kindly placed the wine in his chiller to ensure that it was at the perfect temperature for drinking. We don't take any persuading and head back to the villa to enjoy a bottle of this golden nectar.
Keith can........enjoy a wider choice of wines..........in Kalkan
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The best-laid plans of mice and men.............
Well it had been our intention to have an early start to the day and head on down to the beach before embarking on some well deserved retail therapy. There's something about Kalkan that draws you into the realms of a relaxed almost hypnotic state state of mind and, before we knew it, three hours had elapsed. We decide that it is probably too late to secure a nice spot on the beach (it has been extremely busy with Turkish families enjoying their national holiday) and we agree that we will walk down at lunchtime.
We both knew that it was going to be a hot and sticky trek but we also recognised that this would be the last opportunity before the temperature really takes off. With this in mind we get ourselves ready and start the descent down to the harbour. We take the steps at the front of Chocolates as this at least provides a bit of shade. As we continue down the hill we can feel the full strength of the sun and are extremely grateful as we find a bit of shade as we turn to walk along the sea front. We continue walking until we get to Kleos and take a table adjacent to the beach. As we sit down I can see that Tracey is already feeling the affects of the heat and she reaches for her fan. One of the waiters takes our drinks order and, almost immediately, another waiter appears and recommends that we move to the shaded and cooler area in the main bar. This was a much more sensible idea and we were soon cooling off in front of one of their large fans. We sat and enjoyed our thirst quenching drinks before ordering lunch. As we were sat enjoying our meal the bin lorry came trundling down the road. This was the signal for 4 or 5 dogs to start barking and chase after it. The bin men were kicking out their legs in a vain effort to put the dogs off and waiters were scurrying about trying to bring the dogs under control. I have to say that it was a very amusing sight!!
Lunch consumed we take the new bit of road that leads up to Kaptans and I stop to take a small video clip of the panoramic view. This a great vantage point for capturing the beach, harbour and Mouse Island. Video taken we take a route back up into town trying to find as much shade as we can. We are both starting to perspire and agree that it is too uncomfortable to trape in and out of the shops. We continue walking until we get to Bezirgans and slip into the shade for a cooling G&T. Tracey is still feeling uncomfortable and we agree to head back to the villa. As we arrive we notice a couple looking up and pointing at the villa. We exchange pleasantries and they explain that they have been coming to Kalkan for the past 30 years and have always admired this particular villa. It's not long that we realise that they had never had an opportunity to venture inside and so we extend an invitation to show them around. Needless to say they are delighted at what they see and, having turned down the offer of a cool drink, they head back to their apartment. From their expressions I suspect that they may consider renting a villa on one of their future visits.
As Tracey cools off I decide that I will head back to town for a haircut and to pick up essential provisions, namely tonic water and crisps. My barber of choice is Trends (next door to Bezirgans). They were recommended to me on a previous visit. They do a good job at a decent price and have the added benefit of air conditioning. As I take my seat there is a young boy of about two or three sweeping the hair off the floor. They definitely have good work ethics here........I can't imagine someone so young wielding a broom in England and making a decent job of it.
Feeling slightly lighter and with not too many white bits showing I set off to look for the new patisserie that we have seen advertised on Facebook. I start ascending the hill up towards the market but, not having any joy and starting to feel extremely hot and sweaty, decide to call off my search. Instead I call into the supermarket for the essential tonic water and walk down to the patisserie along the Kalamar Road; just past Chillies. They do a great range of pastries and cakes but, alas, they have sold out of vanilla cheesecake. I settle for two slices each of orange and chocolate cheesecake and head home to share my treats.
After a refreshing shower we settle down for an evening of G&T's and cheesecake.
Keith can......enjoy quality time with his wife of 32 years.......in Kalkan
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So you never did make it to the beach Keith? I love your last line.......we have been married almost 38 years, will celebrate our anniversary in kalkan in October and I can honestly say the best quality time we spend is on holiday, particularly kalkan as we are just so chilled, away from work, real life etc.!
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There isn't too much to say about yesterday. We spent yet another day lazing around the villa and pool....it is such an idealic location and I never tire of watching the boats coming and going across the bay. The temperature continues to rise and the cooling breeze appears to have deserted us.
Yesterday evening we, once again, had pre-dinner drinks at Moonlight. Regular readers may have noticed that we haven't frequented Bezirgans as often as we used to. The barman that we like doesn't appear to be there most days and It's just not the same without him. Drinks consumed we continue into Town for our evening meal. We were persuaded to book a table at Escudo tonight so yet another new restaurant for us to try out. I have to say that the rooftop terrace didn't offer much of a view compared to most other restaurants but it is ideal if you like to spend your time inspecting red pantile roof tiles. I had the mixed borek for starters (Tracey decided to just have a main). As you appreciate there is always too much to eat and it becomes even more of a struggle in the hot and humid weather. Tracey opted for the Ottaman meatballs for her main and I had chicken stir fry (nothing like what you would get from a Chinese restaurant and more like a stew). I have to say that both dishes were delicious.
We decide that it is too hot to walk about and instead head back to the villa to enjoy a bottle of wine on the roof terrace. The lazer lights seemed to have multiplied in number......last week there were just 4......now there are 10. They're not particularly bright (my dog walking torch is probably brighter) but I do find them quite irritating as they pollute the night sky. I can't for a moment believe that they add any tangible benefits to the club's where they enimate from.
Keith can........get frustrated at the lazer lights.......in Kalkan
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Keith another fabulous read, thank you, and I would have definitely settled for the chocolate and orange cheesecake! :D :D
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Why have I never thought of going to the patisserie before ??? I definitely fancy that idea and will go down well with a swig of the freshly brewed coffee from our lovely underneath neighbours soon ;)
Hope you are well protected from the coming heatwave keith. I believe it's a scorcher right now in Kalkan. 8)
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Lizilu........you will definitely enjoy the various pastries availableb from the patisserie. The cakes look heavenly but are too big for just the two of us.
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keith - I've been on a diet since January,I think OH will have to physically restrain me from jumping over the counter and stuffing the lot in my face as I'm seriously having withdrawal symptoms from cheesecake and the like. I'm determined to have some in Kalkan though as a reward for being so virtuous ;D ;D
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Definitely like the sound of the large pastries Keith, Lizzie we can always share and as for coffee, not sure what you mean?????? ;D ;D
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Lovely reports keith...still looking out for you in Moonlight but I think we are getting there a bit later than you. We always sit on the veranda with our friend Roy so keep an eye out for us, would be lovely to say hello!
The patisserie you were looking for is past the Nur and next door to Atta, opposite side to Nur Pattiserie. The cakes and pastries look amazing, we popped in last week because we were hoping to see one of the staff. I can't partake sadly so now and again BH goes on temporary cake strike to make me feel better so we didn't purchase any.
Hopefully keith can...find the patisserie...in Kalkan
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Yesterday was yet another glorious day in Kalkan. I awoke at the crack of dawn.....05.45am to be precise and was immediately wide awake. Tracey was still sleeping and so I made myself a coffee and sat on the balcony watching the fishing boats in the bay. The sea air was refreshing and comfortable compared to heavy heat of the previous evening. Before I knew it an hour had elapsed and Tracey was stirring from her slumber. I decided to treat her to a coffee in bed (another thing to add to my list of firsts on this visit). We both sat on the balcony watching the world go by.........this really is my idea of heaven. As the Sun pops its head over the hillside there is a noticeable change in the temperature and we know that it is going to be another hot hot hot day.
We go through our daily routine of tidying the villa (not that there's any real tidying to do), make the bed and wash up our two coffee cups and two wine glasses from the previous evening. It's a tough life!! We are going to have another day around the pool today as, unlike K4E, I can't muster the energy to go for a walk. This is yet another first for me as I normally enjoy a walk up to the Kalkan Recency, down to the coastal path and along to the harbour for a refreshing drink. As Chris_s says.....rehydration is very important especially in this heat. Before we know it the time has raced by and it's time to get ready for our pre-dinner drinks and evening meal.
We stop off at Bezirgans tonight as we had been toying with the idea of eating at the Old Friends restaurant. A couple of G&T's and Efes hit the spot and we sit and watch Tukka (The black and white puppy) go about his normal antics of antagonising the other much larger dogs. He also enjoys a playful wrestle with the hair barber's Pug. This is a bit unfair as the Pug is tethered to a post and is therefore less able to defend himself. Tired of playing with his canine friends he sets about chewing at the bar tables and chairs and has a sneeky attempt at someones handbag. He then scampers off to chase a cat before finally grabbing the hem of a passing girls maxi dress. She is able to see the funny side (obviously a dog lover) and eventually her partner manages to release her dress from Tukka's jaws. Thankfully there is no damage done and everyone has a laugh.
We cross the road to peruse the menu and Tracey suggests that we could always try Kaya restaurant. She has read some good posts on people's dining experiences there and we agree to give it a go. We are given a warm welcome and take our seats. I choose the mixed borek for starters (Tracey now only eats the complimentary bread and dips that are provided and shares my starter). We both pick a main from the menu when the waiter points out the specials of the day. The two options were stuffed whole aubergine or slow cooked lamb. We opt for one of each. I have to admit that I'm pleased that we followed his suggestion as both of the dishes were succulent and possibly the best meal that we have had thus far.
Suitably full we call into Migros to pick up some fresh provisions; namely tonic water and wine. Having made our selection we head to the till. Shock horror the checkout operative informs us that they cannot sell alcohol after 10.00pm and points to a sign. Of well we will have to settle for G&T's tonight.
Keith can........never tire of the views.........in Kalkan
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Glad you liked the food in The Kaya.Iso is a very talented chef and they are nice people.Heres hoping business picks up for them after the refurbishment they have spent out on.It is Lizard HQ when in Kalkan ;) :P
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The expected mini heatwave has arrived with a vengeance. Not sure what the temperature peaked at yesterday but, boy, was it hot. Plans to walk into town were shelved as we both felt that it would be a very uncomfortable day for walking about. Instead we sought the sanctuary of a shaded area at the villa. Tracey has managed to read the three books that she brought with her and I have also finished my one. This is yet another first for me as I can't normally sit still for long enough.........it must be the calming effect that Kalkan always delivers.
Last night we had another change of plan and decided to stop off at Bezirgans for a pre-dinner drink. We only had the one as we intended to stop off at one of the bars down at the harbour. As we walked down past Akdeniz we noticed that there were a lot less people around tonight. We summise that a lot of the Turkish visitors have returned home. As we pass Akins we are approached by the proprietor who gave as a genuinely warm welcome. We normally always have lunch here but, for some reason, we haven't this year. We are persuaded to have a drink and both enjoy a glass, or should I say, a fishbowl of rose. Drinks consumed we continue our walk down to Seaport.
For some reason I am getting a lot of complimentary comments tonight. A couple of lads say how much they like my shirt and others comment on my Ray Bans and Toms. One even called me a very handsome man!?!?. Perhaps the heat has affected his mental capacity?
Seaport is extremely quiet in comparison to Tuesday night when the main terrace was full but we are happy to have our table overlooking the harbour and beach. Tracey had a delicious chicken and prawn meal and I opted for the peppered fillet steak all washed down with a nice bottle of wine. This has been my first steak of the holiday (I've been eating more tradional Turkish dishes) and I wasn't disappointed. It was cooked just as I had asked for and the tender meat melted in the mouth.
It is still very hot and so we decide to take a taxi back up to the rank. One last drink in Bezergans before picking up the essentials (wine and milk) and heading off home.
Keith can........receive some lovely and unexpected compliments......in Kalkan
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Trust us to be on holiday in Kalkan during a mini heatwave!! We normally come in September but are hoping to squeeze in two visits this year. Yesterday was far too hot to do anything that involved moving about and so, yet again, we settled for a day at the villa. This has got everything that we need, is in a lovely spot overlooking the harbour and has lots of outdoor space with a beautiful shaded garden. I am finding the heat to be really oppressive and so I won't be going home with a deep tan. Tracey is much more resilient and spends every possible minute soaking up the sun.
Last night we had pre-dinner drinks at Moonlight before eating at Akin. In my opinion they make the best prawn boreks in Kalkan. It is still very hot and Tracey and I struggle to finish our calamari and borek starters. Not a problem as they are quickly wrapped in silver foil ready to be consumed with a glass of wine on the roof terrace, later this evening. This is the first restaurant where they have asked if we want to wait a bit before our main course. We take them up on their offer as we both know that the heat has stolen our appetites. A good old cold meat salad would go down a treat. The mains duly arrive and, as we suspected, we really struggled to make much headway with them. We feel guilty that we have wasted so much food but this was one battle that we weren't going to win.
We take the opportunity to have a browse in Akin gallery and end up buying a nicely crafted glass fruit bowl. It is quite heavy but I'm confident that it won't take us over Monarch airlines baggage allowance. We then call into Authentic to share a birthday drink with Muzzy before catching up with Ibo in Kaptan. He seems in much better spirits despite not being allowed to sell reading glasses. He is extremely grateful for the support that he has received from his friends and customers. We then call into Melissa's so that I can buy some trousers and shirts. Shopping completed we head up to Bezirgans for a nightcap before going home. We decide that we won't open a bottle of wine and settle for G&T's to accompany our borek and calamari.
Keith can........thoroughly recommend that everyone should book a holiday.........in Kalkan
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What lovely reports Keith. Boy that heat sounds oppressive. Hope it gets back to normal for August. It's bad enough having to go then as it's always far too hot, but to cope with normality and then a heatwave on top would be just too much to bear!
Glad Ibo is still going strong despite not being able to sell any more reading sunglasses. I was counting on buying another pair this August 😩
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Keith can......and has had the best two weeks ever.......In Kalkan
Final post will be written in England
Thanks to everyone that has replied to my posts.......very much appreciated.
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Thank you so much for sharing your holiday with us; your words have transported me back to our favourite place. :)
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The patisserie you are looking for Keith is called Saliha Sultan directly opposite Finansbank and the kiddies park just before the fire station. You maybe didn't recognise it as it's a cafe/restaurant also but the cakes etc are all inside. It's definitely worth a visit for the cakes they are Devine, small individual cakes and larger birthday cake size, plus borers, pastries and baklava all delicious. My favourite is an individual cake called snickers which I think is self explanatory. They are beautiful cakes and definitely worth a visit. Just a heads up the fresh cakes are delivered around 1:30 pm every day.
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Sunday was the last day of our holiday and was spent trying to top up the tan......not very successful as it was still way too hot to sit or lay in the scorching sunlight. I needed to change some money to pay the outstanding balance of my purchases at Melissa's and decided to set off early before the heat became too unbearable. Wandering down through town it was extremely quiet with very few people about. Errand completed I quickly headed back to the sanctuary of the villa.
The rest of the day was spent around the villa and the disheartening job of packing the suitcases. This is when the painful realisation that your holiday is almost over hits and thoughts emerge of going back to the daily grind and pressures of everyday life. Kalkan has, yet again, managed to provide an oasis of calm and serenity in what has been a difficult year.
We have already decided that we will be having pre-dinner drinks at Bezirgans before eating our last supper at Kaya. As before a very enjoyable meal was had and, once completed, we were treated to some very well delivered card tricks. We bade our farewells and headed back home to polish off the remaining drops of G&T. We took in our last night-time view across the bay and reflected on what has been a wonderful two weeks. Whilst we will be sad to be leaving we are very grateful for having had this opportunity to get away to the place that we love.
We are up early on Monday (we want to squeeze every last second out of our holiday) and await our airport transfer which is booked for 09.30am. Disappointingly the car arrives at 09.15 am and so we do not get the chance to personally thank Ali and the maids for their efforts in making our vacation so enjoyable. Our driver sets off at a pace and Tracey comments that we could be in for a record run to the airport. After about 20 minutes we realised that the Police had set up checkpoints along the D400 and our car was eventually flagged down for a check. We suspect that our driver was aware that there would be potential delays; hence the earlier than expected pick up. After a 10-minute wait we were on our way again. Once out of sight of the Police the driver picked up the pace and we were in for a white knuckled drive to Dalaman.
We were amazed at how quickly we went through the various security checks and were soon in the departure lounge. Breakfast was a Burger King Whopper, fries and a vanilla milkshake. I personally think that the cost was equivalent to what you would pay in England. We had arrived 3 hours before our scheduled flight and could probably have had another hour in Kalkan. We bought our purchases in duty free and made our way to the departure gate. This is where you go through an extra search of your hand luggage and they check for signs of explosives. It wasn’t too onerous but, very thorough. We found it all to be very reassuring and would recommend that you get to the gate early to avoid the long queues that eventually built up.
The Monarch flight was about 30 minutes behind schedule but, after a good journey, we arrived in Gatwick 10 minutes later than scheduled. A bit of a wait in baggage reclamation and then we were soon on our way back home.
Keith can……………thoroughly recommend a holiday to Turkey and especially……. in Kalkan!!
That’s all folks………..I hope that you have enjoyed sharing our holiday experience.
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Oh no, no more Keith reports :(
I hate going home day and prefer to just get it over with and get home as soon as possible. The night before is awful, saying goodbyes to all our friends :'(
Sounds like you had a wonderful holiday and thanks for your reports. I've thoroughly enjoyed them all. Glad you arrived home safely too.
Keith can...write eloquent and entertaining holiday reports...in Kalkan ;) :)
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Keith thank you too for your brilliant holiday reports, glad your home safely and imagine you are now thinking about next year's holiday too :D :D :D
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we're toying with the idea of going back in September. We've been offered the villa at a good price and are just trying to sort out a dog-sitter for our boxer. If we can get back I'll be back to write another set of holiday reports.
Keith can...........start to dream about a September holiday.......in Kalkan!!
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Loved playing tag with you on EK, keith...only sorry we didn't get to say hello in person. Loved reading your reports, thanks so much for posting. I've absolutely no idea how we missed you as we both like Moonlight and were in the airport at the same time - albeit for different Monarch flights.
Maybe next year :)
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Thanks for sharing your holiday with us Keith! :laugh:
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Well we are really happy having just booked our flights to Kalkan for 11th September this year! I will have to think of a new title for my posts. Another two weeks in our second home.....can't wait to pick up where I left off.
We are so lucky to have this opportunity.
Keith can......prepare for his second holiday of the year..........in Kalkan
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Oh Keith that is fantastic, imagine you are so happy, enjoy! and now we all can too with another What Keith Can Do!!! :D :D :D :D
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Good for you Keith. We also fly out that day so I'll keep my eyes peeled for a Man that looks like Jerry Mouse at Gatwick!
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Brilliant Keith, we'd do it too if we could.
Keith can...NOT change his blog title, this one is fab...in Kalkan. ;D
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Ok Lizilu, I'll carry on where I left off with:
Keith can.......continue his blog........in Kalkan!!
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MrsM.......unfortunately we are flying out from Stansted on the 7.10am Thomson flight and so we are unlikely to meet at the airport. If anyone is on the same flight I am the tall, white haired, slim man. I will be carrying a copy of the Financial Times and wearing a pink carnation in my button hole. lol. Hope to meet some of our enjoykalkan friends in Kalkan.
Keith can........look forward to linking up.......in Kalkan!!
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A flower in your button hole at the airport......very dapper! ;D ;D
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I'm pleased to confirm that everything has been booked for our return on 11th September.
Keith can..........and will be enjoying another 2017 holiday...........in Kalkan!!
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Well.......4 weeks tomorrow and we will be back in the special place that is Kalkan. We fly out on 11th September and one of our sons will join us on the 16th. This has been a particularly difficult year and I just know that Kalkan will provide the perfect tonic and help us to move on.
Keith can........forget about his troubles........in Kalkan
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Gosh only 4 weeks! Lucky you Keith and how lovely to have your son with you. We've loved having our girls with us again x
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Well.......we are now down to just two weeks tomorrow when we will be back in the special place that is Kalkan. Everything is sorted and it's just a case of sorting through what we will be packing. It looks as though the temperature and sunshine are back where they should be and so we can look forward to plenty of days in the great outdoors. We are definitely thinking about taking a trip to Meis, when our son joins us, as he would love to go on a boat trip and the Island sounds amazing. I have really enjoyed reading everyone else's posts and they have kept me going since our last visit in June.
Keith can.........almost taste his first Efes...........in Kalkan
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Keith not long now before you will be having that Efes, and the sun is definitely shining! Have a great holiday :D :D
J&B
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We are all set for our next visit to Kalkan on Monday. Some of our friends flew out today for a week and we have arranged to meet up at Berzigans for a drink on Monday evening. I have to say that I'm starting to feel the holiday buzz and am actually looking forward to packing the 'rigid' cases. We don't plan to take quite as many clothes this time and love the fact that you can just be yourself and not get too hung up on what you wear. Having followed the other posts we really will try to be a bit more adventurous on this visit but.......I'm not confident that we will achieve it!!
Keith can.........meet up with friends.........in Kalkan
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Oh Keith I'm so envious. :)
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Well......our bags are packed .......we're ready to go.....almost sounds like the lyrics from a well known song? Just two more sleeps (Well one and a half really) and we'll be on our flight and heading back to our favourite holiday destination. We have made a conscious decision to restrict the amount of clothes etc that we are bringing and I'm pleased to report that our hold luggage is well within our allowance. I even managed to keep calm as I packed the 'rigid' cases and calculated the weight distribution to perfection. Time for a refreshing glass of wine and a chilled evening. Last bit of food shopping tomorrow to ensure that our other son has a well stocked selection of food (he will be dog sitting for us) and then we can really get into holiday mode.
Keith can........finally imagine being back...........in Kalkan
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We are also pretty much at that stage Keith. Cases almost fully packed - just realised that the trousers I plan to travel in had gone into the case and had to come out again. Dog is off to the kennels in the country in the morning. We will so miss him.
Two more sleeps for us, we travel on Monday but an afternoon flight so don't have to get up at silly o'clock that day. It means we will arrive at Kalkan in the dark but will see the sweep of the bay with all the lights. I think it will feel quite warm when we arrive compared to the weather at the moment, just had some thunder and lightning and heavy rain.
A bottle of something bubbly is awaiting chilling in the fridge for tomorrow evening when cases should be ready by the front door and we can relax and get into holiday mode. There should also be something ready chilled in the fridge when we arrive in Kalkan to have a late drink to celebrate being back.
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Sounds good to me. I'm hoping to enjoy my first Efes at 7.00pm on Monday evening. It's so nice to be fully prepared with a day to go.It's my birthday tomorrow so will be looking forward to a nice steak and chips washed down with a glass of wine or two.
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I had a few problems with the WiFi yesterday but normal service has now been restored.
Our flight from Stansted was on time and apart from a few bits of turbulence was uneventful. I was pleasantly surprised that Tracey didn't appear to let the bumpy flight affect her......I do believe that she is becoming a seasoned traveller. As she says you have to endure the flight in order to get to the place that we both love.
We are staying at the same villa as our last visit in June and we were in, unpacked and enjoying the view by 4.30pm on Monday afternoon. It is good to be back in familier surroundings. We had arranged to meet up with some friends from Newmarket at 7.00pm and so shower and change and we were ready to make the most of our first night. We sauntered down to Bezirgans and I was soon enjoying my first Efes. It went down a treat and hit the spot. Our friends Julie & Gary joined us and we all enjoyed a few more drinks before heading to Mussakka for dinner. It is great to see and hear that visitor numbers are up and that the bars and restaurants are busy. There is a much more positive feel to the place. Mussakka's delivered its normal high quality food and we all set off back to the villa. Gary and Julie had walked past the villa on a number of occasions over the past 13 years or so but had never had an opportunity to go inside. Needless to say they were very impressed and we enjoyed some further banter as we sat on the roof terrace, soaking up the view, and enjoying some much earned G&T's. It was a little after midnight when we bade our farewells and got ourselves to bed.
As per normal we were up just before sunrise (I have to confess to having a bit of a hangover). Tracey did inform me that she had made the drinks a little bit stronger than normal. My headache soon dispersed as we sat enjoying the early morning view across the bay and we both commented on how relaxed we felt. This really is a special place.
After a few cups of coffee we decided to get showered and wander into town. We need to pick up some basic provisions and arrange an airport transfer for our son who will be joining us on Saturday. I also take the opportunity to discuss our plans for a trip to Meis next week. We are informed that it will be £30 per person which includes pick up from villa, arranging paperwork etc and return to Kalkan. This seems very reasonable and we will just need to decide what day we want to go. Very adventurous?
The rest of the day was spent soaking up the sun around the pool before pre-dinner drinks at Berzigans and our first visit to Alternatifs in its new location. I have to say that the service was attentive and the food was delicious. We enjoyed it so much that we book a table for Sunday evening. The prawn rools starter was mouth wateringly delicious and the peppered fillet steak cut like butter and melted in the mouth.
Back to the villa for a refreshing drink on the balcony before bed.
Keith can.......confess to his first hangover.....,,in Kalkan
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Fantastic report Keith - glad to see you have got round 2 of your Kalkan time off to a flying start! I cannot praise Mustafa and the team at Alternatif enough...they really got us out of a hole in August when my birthday celebration plans went south.
They put on a great meal for us and I know several of the party visited them again during the trip so it worked out well for us all
Enjoy the rest of your stay
Keith can.......make us all horribly jealous....in Kalkan
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Loving your take on Keith can...........in Kalkan Haybo.
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Well Keith Can in Kalkan! I have been waiting and here it is! what a fab first report, thank you so much! Really brightened up my day on this wet and miserable day at work! Firstly, well done to Tracey on the flight! and secondly, hope that you had a lovely birthday, certainly sounds like you have. We didn't make Mussaka this year, but as you know we certainly did visit Alternatif, fantastic food isn't it. Can't wait to hear your report on Meis, I guarantee you will have a fabulous time.
Enjoy your holiday and look forward to reading more! :D :D :D :D
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Oh Keith appetite and whetted come to mind. Just over three weeks till we get to our favourite place of all. We've checked in on line but our suitcases haven't come out the attic yet.
Our beautiful great granddaughter Savannah-Joyce was born yesterday 7lb5oz but although beautifully formed she has spent the last 24 hours in the neo natal baby unit. She has a slight problem which the staff at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton have addressed and been wonderful but it's still a challenging time with something so small.
So Kalkan is on the horizon but spine tingling so far away.
Have a fantastic time and go to Meiss it's a lovely day out and well worth the trip.
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Keith most certainly can........chill, relax and enjoy in Kalkan! Sounds like you're right back in the swing of things!
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Happy belated birthday Keith. Sounds like the the celebrations continued and you're well and truly back in Kalkan mode. :)
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I'm still experiencing a few problems with the WiFi...........it isn't as reliable as normal and there's only a few spots in the villa where I can get a reliable connection.
Wednesday was another relaxing day by the pool. There's wall to wall sunshine and a lovely cooling breeze and I am able to make the most of this glorious weather, unlike on our previous trip, when the heat was overbearing. We make the most of the day before preparing ourselves for the now standard ritual of pre-dinner drinks at Bezirgans. Whilst sipping the thirst quenching amber nectar that is Efes, we decide that we will eat at Authentic this evening. There is an opportunity to call in and see Ibo at Kaptan glasses and he greets us like long lost relatives. We enjoy some humerous banter and he explains that he will be able to sell prescription lenses from next year. He has such a positive attitude and I'm pleased that his recent troubles haven't dampened his enthusiasm or sense of fun. Dinner was enjoyable with Nemo being very sociable and attentive. This is a fun corner in Kalkan with the bag shop owner joining in the fun.
We set off back to the villa for a refreshing tipple or two on the roof terrace. The 'laser' lights are dancing across the sky and, as stated in a previous post, take away some of the pleasure of our star gazing.
We are up bright and early and I decide that I will go for a haircut at Trend barbers. A short walk into town and I am soon sat in my chair. I am offered a shave and, before I know it, I have agreed to have the cut throat treatment. My face is plastered in foam and the barber sets about his work like a less bladed Edward Scissorhands. I daren't move as the sharp blade glides across my skin. Needless to say I survived the shave and it was time for my haircut, hair wash and head and face massage. All in all I was sat in the chair for about an hour and all for the bargain price of 50tl.
I picked up a few more provisions (mainly alcohol) and set off back to the villa. Tortoiselady has invited us for a drink at Yellow Villa and we shower and get ready to walk up to her place. What a warm, friendly and hospitable lady she is. Her villa is idyllic with glorious views, masses of space and plenty of privacy. The property is a traditional Turkish house and the layout, fixtures and fittings offer a more rustic and charming holiday experience. As we get ready to leave we are given a large jar of homemade olives and a bottle of olive oil. Having sampled the olives with the snacks that we had been given, I can honestly say that they are probably the best that I have eaten. Thank you Tortoiselady for offering us an opportunity to visit your beautiful property and for your generous hospitality.
Keith can.........finally meet up with a forum member.......in Kalkan
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It's amazing how quickly time flies by when your busy doing nothing but relaxing and soaking up the sun's rays. Friday was much the same as the other days, waking before sunrise and waiting for the sun to peek over the hillside. The view across the bay is as idyllic as always and the coolness of the early morning is so refreshing. As the sun rises in the sky you are suddenly bathed in It's warmth and you realise that you are in for another glorious day with not a cloud in the sky.
Despite our best intentions we don't manage to pull ourselves away from the poolside and spend yet another day without leaving the villa. It is amazing how many people stop and admire this property and, for the second day in a row, invite a couple in to have a look round. Everyone that comes in seems genuinely impressed with It's prime location and facilities and I'm starting to think that I should be charging a commission. Of course, the danger of showing people around is the risk that we may not be able to secure our preferred dates in 2018. Fingers crossed that we will be fine.
We go through our daily ritual of getting ready for a stroll down to Bezirgans for pre-dinner drinks. We are obviously becoming quite familier as we don't even need to order drinks and our favourite beverages just appear at our table. Tracey comments that we haven't seen Tukka (The black and white puppy that had been so lively on our last visit in June) and she asks the barman. We were quite upset to hear that the puppy had some sort of problem with It's stomach and that it had to be put to sleep. This news put a bit of a dampener on our mood but we were soon back to our normal cheery selves when we noticed the latest addition at Trends. It is the tiniest and most playful little kitten that can almost fit in the palm of a hand.
Drinks consumed we head of down the hill to settle up on our transfer charges. Payment made we continue walking through Town and choose to eat at Mey & Meze. This is our first visit to this restaurant and we notice that there are a lot of Turkish people dining there. As you would expect the food was lovely and the service unhurried. This was just right for us as we like to have a break between our starters and main course. The Sauvignon Blanc was delightful and the overall bill very reasonable.
We headed back up the hill and home to our villa. Suffice to say we've enjoyed another fabulous day in Kalkan and head up to the roof terrace for a nice cold G&T. Our son is joining us late this evening and I can tell that Tracey is looking forward to his arrival. She does tend to worry though and I expect that it will be a long day as we await his safe delivery at the villa.
Keith can.........look forward to seeing one of his sons.................in Kalkan
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Saturday morning arrived and we were up early enjoying a refreshing cup of coffee on the balcony. There are a few boats setting out from the harbour and I never tire of this view. As expected Tracey is already excited by the prospect that Luke should be with us late this evening. The first few hours of the day pass in a flash and we agree that we should go and get some additional bits and pieces to ensure that the fridge is stocked for our son's arrival. We also need to change some money and are pleased that the exchange rate is now 4.5tl to the pound.
We head off up to Kipas and stock up on the groceries and alcoholic beverages that we need. We then call in at the pattiserie on Kalamar Road and enjoy a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, before purchasing Luke's favourite baklava. As we head off back to the villa we have a look at the menu at Moonlights family restaurant (Tortoiselady had recommended that we have lunch there one day) and we will most definitely give it a try. Back at the villa we receive the news that Luke's friend has dropped him off at Stansted and he is all set for his Easy jet flight which is scheduled to depart at 3.35pm UK time.
Luke called again just after 3.00pm to say that, due to congestion at Dalaman, his flight had been delayed for an hour or so. Tracey was not happy at hearing this news as it would now mean that he wouldn't arrive in Kalkan until 12.45am on Sunday morning. She was also concerned that his airport transfer might go wrong. I reassured her that this type of delay is not unusual and that Club Lycia would not let us down.
Having resigned ourselves to the fact that we were in for a late night we get ourselves ready and set off to Bezirgans for our customary pre-dinner drinks. As we sat watching the world go by a young Turkish couple suddenly appeared and started to sing and dance. I have to confess that it wasn't even up to some of the worst X Factor performances that I have seen and it was rather comical. We have a few more drinks than normal and are not feeling particularly hungry. It was always our intention to get Luke a pizza for when he arrived and we decide that we will have one for our supper. We call into the wine shop for some additional bottles of Efes and wine and are given a present of a cool bag which is the ideal size for a pack of 4 beers. Everyone is referring to me as Bubba tonight which I understand means brother. Provisions acquired we cross the road and call in at Foto pizza. Two large mixed pizzas are freshly prepared and we set off home.
We eventually hear that Luke has landed and has found his transport and so I indulge in a cool G&T as I sit and wait his arrival. He eventually gets to the villa at 12.50am and you can see the relief on Tracey's face.
Keith can...........finally go to bed........in Kalkan
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Keith, most likely you are being addressed as "baba" which literally means 'father". It is used as a mark of respect and endearment by Turkish men to older and wiser men, eg "Keith baba". "Bubba" meaning "brother" is slang which originated in the southern states of the USA.
Keith can... be treated with respect... in Kalkan
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When they call you "abi" , as in Merhaba, Keith abi, they calling you brother.
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Wow thanks for a fab catch up Keith. I'm glad your son arrived safely, such a relief for you both. It was like a treat to read a few days all together tonight.
I've heard about tortioselady's amazing olives from Bob and Jayne and been lucky enough to sample some too. Delicious.
Wish we were in kalkan right now. :)
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I am quite surprised that, even though we had a late night, we are still up bright and early on Sunday morning. There is something magical about this place that makes you want to savour every minute of your time here. You can't enjoy the views while you are asleep and the lure of the morning sun seems to call us from our slumber.
Luke is a very keen swimmer and he is soon floating around in the pool. He has this incredible ability where he can just float on his back, and remain in the same spot, without the use of any flotation aids. This never ceases to amaze me as I am nowhere near as adept.
The morning passes in the blink of an eye and Luke and I are planning to watch the football/formula 1 at Bezirgans. Luke supports Arsenal and they are playing Chelsea today. I would much prefer to watch the grand prix. A little before 3.00pm we take the short walk into Town and pick our vantage point at Bezirgans. It's really nice spending time with Luke as we rarely get the time when we are in England. It is extremely hot today and the cool Efes do their job.
A couple of hours and a few Efes later we meander back to the villa to get showered and changed ready for dinner. Normal procedure follows and we are soon back at Bezirgans enjoying pre-dinner drinks. We then stroll down to Alternatifs where we have booked a table. I am a little bit disappointed that spot that we had reserved wasn't available and we are seated at a different table. The food was its normal high standard and Luke was really impressed with his marble steak and rice pudding dessert. I personally didn't think that the service was as good tonight but, this was probably because they were extremely busy and were finding it difficult to cope.
Meal consumed and we call in at Club Lycia to book our trip to Meis. We are planning to go on Wednesday and are informed that we will need to catch the transport at 08.10hrs. Excursion booked we can now look forward to our first trip to Greece. We set off back to the villa and our customary G&T on the roof terrace. Probably not quite as romantic with our son joining us but a different dynamic and conversation.
Keith can.........never tire of his time...........in Kalkan
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Keith just catching up on EK, and how lovely reading your last 3 reports, sounds like you are having such a fabulous time. So glad Luke arrived safely, I know how Tracey feels, I remember the year before last waiting for my daughter to arrive at 5am in the morning, was I so relieved to hear her transfer car pull up outside our apartment!
Yellow Villa is beautiful isn't it, you summed it up so well, we spent a lovely couple of hours with Tortoiselady last year at Yellow Villa, and enjoyed sampling her olives and olive oil too! Sadly, our holidays didn't cross over this year.
I can't wait to read about your trip to Meis, I can guarantee you will love it, and if you like king prawns go to Athena for lunch on the harbour, they serve the most amazing garlic prawns I've ever eaten! and you can turtle watch too! Don't forget your passport though! :D :D
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Thanks Bob and Jayne. The garlic prawns sound delicious and so we will give Athena a try. One week of the holiday has already gone but the weather is glorious and we're loving every minute.
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Oh Keith appetite and whetted comes to mind. Two weeks today we will be sitting in Birmingham Airport waiting for our Monarch flight to Dalaman and then our beloved Kalkan. Love your reports and we have a lovely three weeks to spend at our favourite apartment and for the first time we'll be there for the swim.
Love Meiss so enjoy I'm sure that you will.
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Not long now then Joycie, how exciting :D :D
Keith, I have Kalkan and Meis blues today after reading all of this! Enjoy your prawns :D :D :D :D :D
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I probably spoke too soon when describing the glorious weather!! On Monday and Tuesday the skys were full of dark threatening clouds and the top of the mountain was completely obscured from sight. The air is heavy and humid and, whilst you could enjoy being outdoors, it just isn't the same. Even Mouse and Snake islands are shrouded in a foggy haze.
Luke and I go to collect fresh provisions and he can't quite believe how cheap the greengrocers store is. We take a walk further up the hill to the bakery and stock up with more baklava. It's the first time I've visited the bakers and the various breads and rolls look much more inviting to eat, rather than the more basic loaves found in most stores. I make a mental note that I will purchase my bread from here in future. We head back to the villa in need of a cooling drink having endured the hot sticky climate. We decide that we will eat at Akins on Monday night and after pre-dinner drinks we head off down the hill, opposite Moonlight, and I introduce Luke to Mustafa at Authentics and Ibo at Kaptan glasses. Luke is looking to buy some prescription sun glasses and we spend half an hour with him trying on various frames. He can't quite make up his mind and so we take the few short steps to Akins. I don't know whether It's the heat or one too many drinks but none of us are particularly hungry and I struggle to finish my meal. We head back to villa and our customary drink on the roof terrace.
As Tuesday was another grey humid day we agree that we would walk down to the harbour for lunch. We stop and peruse the various shops before taking a slow walk down to Kleos. Lunch and beverages consumed we walk along the shaded area at the back of the beach before ambling past the restaurants along the harbour and out to the lighthouse. We then set off back up cardiac hill and into Bezirgans for a well deserved drink. We are planning to eat at the villa this evening (obviously no cooking involved) as we will be getting picked up at 08.00am for our day out to Meis.
Watch this space for an update on our Meismerising day in the picture perfect Greek Island.
Keith can..........look forward to his first real excursion whilst...........in Kalkan
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We were up even earlier than normal yesterday morning as we were all really looking forward to our day out. Coffee consumed and showers done we awaited the arrival of our Club Lydia transport to Kas. As per normal our friendly driver was punctual and we drove off to pick up two other passengers. These were a very nice Turkish couple and, despite the language barrier, we managed to achieve some semblance of a conversation. The coast road to Kas provides some breathtaking scenery and our driver stops at Kaputas beach to enable Luke to take some photographs. We continue our journey around the twisting coastal road and very soon arrived at Kas. We are ushered to the ferry office where we hand over our passports. There is then ample time to stroll through the side streets and savour a coffee before mustering for the short walk to the ferry. As we queue to embark you can't help but feel that it is a bit like being back in primary school as the names are called out one at a time and, when my name is called, I'm tempted to say "here sir". We head up to the top deck and I take a prime position next to the wheelhouse. The crossing is very smooth and the sea breeze is so refreshing. As you get closer to the island the view is breathtaking and you can appreciate why other forum members recommend this day out. The quaint houses are painted in various pastel colours and the boats that line the harbour are equally as colourful.
As we dock at the quayside there is yet more queuing as the Greek authorities check everyone's passport. We are soon on our way and set off around the harbour in our quest to find Athina restaurant. This is where Bob and Jayne had recommended the king prawns on a bed of garlic sauce. As we made our way around we were invited to watch a man feeding the giant turtles by hand. This truly is a wonderful experience and we grab a table and watch four or five turtles vying for the best position. It is soon apparent that the largest turtle is in charge and he soon repels any of the others encroaching on his patch.
Unbeknown to us we were in fact at Athina's restaurant and it is the proprietor that has been feeding the turtles. Luke manages to capture some excellent photos and video images.
After an hour or so we feel that we need to make the most of our day and set off to explore the side streets.Everywhere you look there is some stunning architecture and even the more dilapidated buildings ooze charm. Luke and I are keen to get the small motor launch and take the sea trip out to blue cave but we are informed that, due to the sea conditions and high tide, it was not possible to navigate into the cave. It is suggested that, if we book the boat for 2.00pm there is a 90% chance of getting inside. We agree that this is the better option and make our booking. We then stroll back to Athina's and sample the garlic king prawns (believe you me I've never seen such large prawns), calamari and a tuna salad all washed down with a cool Greek beer. This has to be one of the best lunches we have tried as everything was so scrummy. Whilst eating our lunch the turtles keep on making an appearance and this is a wonderful and magical experience.
After lunch we stroll back to the motor launch ready for our trip to blue cave. I'm absolutely amazed and delighted that Tracey has agreed to come on the boat as she doesn't normally enjoy being on the water. All aboard and the Captain is soon picking up speed with the roar of the outboard motor like music to my rears. The journey is longer and quite bumpy in the small boat but the scenery and views makes it all worthwhile. As we approach the 'entrance' to the cave it quite difficult to see and I question whether or not the boat could possibly get in there. My question is soon answered when another boat disappears into the cliff face. I can see that Tracey would prefer to be in another place right now but, It's too late to turn back, and the Captain ushers us into position to balance out the boat and to ensure that our heads were below the edge. This meant us all lying on the floor as the engine revved up and the Captain waited his moment to navigate into the cave. There's something quite frightening yet thrilling when your head is just inches from the rock. Once inside the cavern you can see immediately why it is called the blue cave. The sun's reflection gives the water a brilliant turquoise colour. We spend some time taking in this beautiful place before the Captain prepares us to manoeuvre back under the cliff face. He is a bit concerned that the sea swell is unpredictable but with a rev of the engine manages to get us back out.
The journey back to Meis is even more bumpy and we are all soon covered in the sea spray. Tracey enjoyed the trip and I'm now hopeful that we can try similar excursions in the future. Back in Meis we enjoy a refreshing glass of beer and it is soon time to head back to the ferry. Just time to call in at the duty free shop before going through passport control and back onto the ferry. We were soon back in Kas, collected our passports, and set off for Kalkan. We arrive back at the villa a little after six, enjoy refreshing showers, before walking down to Bezirgans for pre-dinner drinks. It is here that we are approached by Tracy's partner who enquires whether or not we are Tracey, Keith and Luke. It transpires that they are avid readers of this forum and she had sensed that it was us. It's quite uncanny that she knows some much about us and our holiday. It was lovely to meet them and I'm sure that we will bump into each other again.
Keith can.........have an aMEISing day out in Meis whilst...........in Kalkan
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Keith, thank you so much for sharing your trip to Meis with us, I have just read it and feel like we are back there. Absolutely fabulous day out isn't it, and so glad you sampled the king prawns and fed the turtles! Tracey is very brave, we went to the cave last year, and the tide was very high, and I sadly wasn't brave enough to attempt it! but the photos do look amazing inside that cave! So glad you had a wonderful day and also glad you have found the bakery in Kalkan, another good find! :D :D
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I love Meiss when the Greek ferry comes in and you think it's never going to fit into the harbour. It does of course and the amount of stuff that comes off it and goes onto it makes you wonder where it comes from and where it's going.
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Tonight Keith did a runner from Kaya restaurant for an early night but we had a lovely chat with his wife and son.
SOO Keith did not chat to Pam and Ian in Kalkan ! ;D
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I forgot to say that if you are planning a day out in Meis you are best advised to take euros. We had Turkish lira and pounds Stirling but, most of the proprietors wanted to be paid in euros. It wasn't too much of a problem as we were able to exchange money at the bank.
On our return from Meis we went back to the villa to get ready for a night out. Pre-dinner drinks at Berzigans (where me met Tracy and her partner) and then a short walk down to Mussakka. Having already consumed a very sizeable lunch we all decided to settle for just a main course. The restaurant was really busy and it's good to see that most businesses seem pleased with the upturn in tourists.
We take a leisurely stroll back to the villa and enjoy a mouth quenching G&T on the roof terrace. We are all feeling a little tired and opt for a fairly early night. Unusually for me I have a restless night and am not feeling very well. I suspect that I have had too much sun today.
We are all up bright and early but I am not feeling my normal self. We decide that we will spend the day at the villa and that I will avoid too much exposure to the sun. Luke and Tracey enjoy messing around in the pool and I send myself off to bed. When I awake from my slumber I'm still feeling a bit rough but get myself ready to go out for drinks and dinner. We follow our normal routine and stop off at Bezirgans for a couple of beers and, because I'm still feeling under the weather we opt to go to Kaya for our evening meal.
Luke opted for the special of the day - goat stew and he said that it was delicious. I went for a plain option of chicken skewers. We all tried a gin with pomegranate juice and this was very tasty. I am struggling to eat much of my dinner and, leaving Tracey and Luke, I return to the villa. When they eventually returned they informed me that they had enjoyed a conversation with Pam & Ian and I am disappointed that I hadn't managed to stay the course. Just for the record I didn't do a runner but, being unwell, I didn't want to ruin Tracey & Luke's night out. I'm hoping that I will be back in top form tomorrow and able to enjoy the last few days of our holiday.
Keith can......miss out on meeting Pam & Ian........in Kalkan
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Hope you are feeling better :)
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Keith hope that you are feeling better today and can enjoy your day in the sun! :D
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The villas WiFi has been really unreliable and I haven't managed to access it since yesterday morning. I'm grateful that Luke can create a hot spot using his mobile phone and this has enabled me to log on to the forum and write today's blog. The wonders of modern technology.
I was feeling a lot better when I woke up yesterday morning and there is a lovely cooling breeze as we sit sipping our coffee on the balcony. The temperature appears to have dropped by a few degrees and it is the perfect conditions for topping up the tan. After a refreshing shower I walk up to the bakers shop to purchase bread and replenish the baklava (It's amazing how much we consume) and then call in at the supermarket in search of balsamic vinegar. We are planning to give Tortoiselady's olive oil a tasting today. Shopping errand completed I head back to the villa. A leisurely morning around the pool and Tracey prepares a simple lunch. The bread has a lovely crust and is more flavoursome than what we normally have and it really compliments the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The afternoon is spent soaking up the sun's rays. It is quite windy and makes laying in the sun a real pleasure.
The days seem to evaporate and time really does seem to pass at an unfair rate..........it definitely seems to go a lot slower when I'm at work!! Before we know it It's time to put on the glad rags ready for our regular foray into town. As per normal we call in at Bezirgans for pre-dinner drinks and I'm approached by Tracy's partner who enquires how I am feeling. This is yet another example of how this forum helps to link complete strangers together and I am genuinely touched by their concern. For her part Tracy was pleased to have got a mention in my blog.
Suitably hydrated we head off down the hill as we intend to eat at Gironda this evening. I can't recall that we have ever tried this restaurant before but, our friends from Newmarket, gave it a glowing recommendation. As we are escorted up to the roof terrace I am amazed at how expansive the interior is and there are a number of large terraces that have a lovely look and feel to them. Luke chooses the scallop for his starter and rack of lamb for his main. Tracey and I share borek for starters, I have the lamb shank and Tracey had baked sea bass. The portion sizes are perfect, the service is unrushed and the waiters are friendly. My only slight critism is that the gravy on the lamb shank wasn't as full bodied as I had anticipated and, as a result, was lacking in flavour. Apart from that all of the courses were of a good quality and well presented.
As we set off home we decide that we should purchase a few presents for family and friends and spend an hour or so checking out the various shops and buying some pottery and other items. We then head off back to the villa for our regular G&T on the roof terrace. It is quite chilly and Tracey has to put on a hoody to keep herself warm.
Keith can......make new acquaintances and friends..........in Kalkan
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Hello Keith, we have enjoyed reading your blog but just have to admit I am a bit confused, are there 2 Tracy's, is one your wife, another is mentiond as meeting her partner. Please carry on posting your adventures in Kalkan enjoying it very much but in order to get a good nights sleep I need to know about the real Tracy.
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Ha ha Clive, keep up. Keith's wife is Tracey, the other lady is Tracy. The 'e' lets you know which is which.
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Sorry for any confusion Clive but, as Kalkan regular points out, Tracy without the 'e' is a lovely lady from the North East of England that is a regular reader of this forum. The other Tracey is my wife.
Saturday morning arrives and we have already decided that we will enjoy, yet another, relaxing day around the pool. We are coming to the realisation that our holiday is nearly over and we really want to maximise every last minute of our time in this wonderful place. Luke and Tracey continue with their fun and games in the pool.........Luke is by far the most proficient swimmer but, like a true gentleman, will occasionally allow his mum to win a race across the pool. It is good to see them enjoying quality time together. The afternoon is spent reading and soaking up the sun and all too soon It's time to get ready for a night out.
With military precision we are all ready at 18.50hrs and take a slow walk down to Bezirgans. As you may have gathered this has been our watering hole of choice during this visit and we have met some really nice people as we have enjoyed our pre-dinner drinks. We spend our normal hour people watching and drinking and Tracey pops into the off licence to buy some of their excellent Turkish delight. They supply this to Alternatifs and it really is, in my opinion, the best.
We have planned to eat at Olive Garden which is probably our most favourite restaurant. As we head off down the hill Tracey is keen to seek out a new handbag and Luke has his eye on a replica (or more precisely a fake) watch. The genuine article retails for approximately 9k US dollars and the asking price is £154. Tracey manages to find a few bags that meet her exacting requirements before finally settling for a traditional Turkish GoN bag from N==D. The bag is all hand stitched with a silk lining and it is noticeably excellent craftsmanship and comes with a 20 year gaurantee? We then call into the watch shop and Luke is able to secure his purchase for a very reasonable £115. The proprietor informs us that he got married 8 months ago and that he now lives in Fethiya.
We are given our normal warm welcome at Olive Garden and opt to sit at our normal table on the first floor. This is less busy as most customers prefer to be seated on the roof terrace. We order our starters and mains (being careful not to order too much) as we know that this restaurant always supplies an abundance of complimentary mezes and desserts. We were not to be disappointed and the restaurant delivered against all our expectations. I am not going to describe what we ate but, I would strongly recommend that you give it a try, if you haven't already done so. We purchase a bottle of their homemade olive oil and are given a complimentary bottle of their olive cologne.
We head off back up the hill and stop of at Bezirgans for a cold Efes before returning to the villa. We change into something a bit more comfortable before heading to the roof terrace for a well deserved G&T.
It's our last day today and so I will be enjoying the gorgeous weather before starting the horrid task of packing the suitcases. We'll head down to Bezirgans for 7.00pm and will probably opt for Altrnatifs for our final meal. My final blog of the year will be written once we are back home.
Keith can.......say that he has had yet another fabulous holiday...........in Kalkan
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Oh Keith, it's over already! Glad you've had a great time and are now going to hand the baton over to Joycie I believe, unless there anyone else going to blog? :laugh:
Safe journey home.
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Gosh I don't go on here over the weekend and your holiday has come to an end. I can't believe there will be no more Keith Can in Kalkan for a while.
Thank you so much for your posts and I hope you are 100% feeling better now. Safe journey home today.
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Thank you Keith where's that gone? I keep having a sneaky look at my watch and then reminding myself that this time next week I will be at Birmingham Airport. That's if I return Bruno to my granddaughter who gave birth to my beautiful great granddaughter Savannah-Joyce 12 days ago. Unfortunately they've now found that she's lactose intolerant and she's back in hospital while they get her right.
Bruno is a staffie puppy that has certainly challenged me and my plans to get ready for my holidays.
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Keith sorry your holiday is over, but thank you so much for sharing your fun in the sun with us. Have thoroughly enjoyed reading your fun times in Kalkan. Hope that you had a safe journey home.
Also, glad to know where the Alternatif turkish delight comes from, we had 2 boxes from there in August, and it was delicious.
Joycie, over to you now, and then closely followed by you Babs! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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I am ready and willing! ;D
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I feel like some Arthurian knight accepting the gauntlet. Now a nice pair of furry mittens would do the job.
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Our last day in Kalkan was spent enjoying a last relaxing day around the pool before it was time to pack. I have to confess that this is the least enjoyable part of the holiday as it confirms that we will soon be heading back to reality and that our time in this idyllic place has almost come to an end. The only real consolation is that packing for the return trip is so much easier as we don't need to be so precise with how things are arranged in the cases.
Packing completed there's just time for a glass or two of wine on the balcony before getting ready for our last excursion into town. We follow our standard routine of pre-dinner drinks at Berzirgans before heading down to Alternatifs for our last meal. I have to say that normal service is restored this evening and the food and service are back to the very highest standards. The steaks were cooked to perfection and we all thoroughly enjoyed our last supper. We are given two complimentary boxes of Turkish delight before heading off back to the villa and our final G&T's of the trip.
We are up bright and early and tidy the villa in readiness for our departure. I am probably a bit OCD as I do like the leave the accommodation in a good and clean condition; almost as if we had never been there. Our transport arrives as scheduled and we say our farewells to Ali and depart for Dalaman.
Our normal driver (from Club Lycia) has a problem with his vehicle and so we have been provided with alternative transport. The journey is uneventful and the driver does not demonstrate any aspirations to become a formula 1 racing driver......it is all very sedate. The journey through the airport was very straightforward and, believe it or not, our Thomson flight left slightly ahead of schedule. We landed in Stansted at 4.00pm and we were through to baggage reclaim in no time at all. This airport seems a lot better organised than Gatwick and our bags were soon spotted on the carousel. We had used our normal valet parking and our car was waiting directly outside the terminal building. I had read some fairly horrible stories, in the media, about how cars are treated at Stansted but I have never personally experienced anything but exemplary service.
Anyway that is the end of Keith can...........in Kalkan for 2017 and I look forward to reading all about joycie's and Babs' exploits.
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Glad you are back safe and sound. Where does the time go? I have just checked in on line for our return flights with Monarch. It doesn't seem right somehow that I haven't even arrived and yet I'm checked in to come home. Talk about planning ahead.
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Thanks for sharing your holiday with us Keith........getting closer for us, can't wait!
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Hi Keith, Thank you so much for explaning about Tracy and Tracey ! we have enjoyed reading your holiday reports and now wait with baited breath to hear from Babs and Joycie.
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Been MIA for the past few weeks, so just catching up on EK. I've just binge read your fabulous blog, keith and now I want to be in Kalkan more than ever. No Moonlight Bar this trip..?
I'm intrigued where the villa you rent might be...assuming somewhere around Likya Estate? Although you don't mention being troubled by the noise from Chocolate Bar so perhaps not..!
A thoroughly good read...thank you for sharing
Keith can...return in 2018..?
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Hi kalkan4eva.......we decided to give Moonlight Bar a miss on the last visit as we much prefer the laid back ambience at Bezirgans. We did hear the noise from Chocolate but, in all honesty, it wasn't sufficiently loud as to ruin our sleep. The 'laser' lights cause me more concern as they do pollute the night sky and take away some of the enjoyment of star gazing. We stay at the well appointed and gorgeous Villa Kameyla. I felt more like an estate agent on some days as we showed 3 separate couples around the villa. I'm just hoping that they don't 'steal' our dates for next year.
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Know the villa very well...from the outside of course. We pass it many times on our arduous walks around Kalkan. The Likya Estate is one of the nicest parts of Kalkan and those frontline villas are all gorgeous. Your roof terrace view must be stunning...even with the laser lights :P Fine line between promoting the facility and finding yourself out-booked. Hopefully you have already secured dates for next year...?
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When we first came to Kalkan about 2004 I think we came with Tapestry and stopped in a lovely boutique hotel which overlooked the sea and what is now the Likya estate. It was a bit of a rubbish tip but the view was to die for. We have also stopped at the Yali hotel again with Tapestry we had the top room with its own terrace and used Caretta Caretta as our choice of evening meal if we couldn't be bothered to walk round the headland into town. We couldn't afford to stop there now but we had wonderful holidays at both small hotels. The beach club at Yali was all ours nobody used to come that far round. Indeed the more expensive hotel in those days was the Kalkan elite right opposite the market which has changed so many times lately I can't remember it's name now.
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The true beauty of Kalkan is that, wherever you stay, the views are to die for and the people and ambience are so good. I have to say that the sunset is better viewed from Kisla and the harbour view is better in Kormuluk. All in all you can't find a better holiday experience anywhere else in the world.......in my opinion. Tracy and partner from the North East...........I hope that you enjoyed the rest of your stay and I that you have appreciated your mentions on the enjoykalkan forum. I'll hopefully be writing a new blog in 2018.
Keith can........plan for his 2018 holiday.........in Kalkan
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Final thought for 2017........we need more forum members sharing their holiday experiences and, for those of you that just read the blogs as guests, you really should sign up as members and participate. All of us need to get an all year round 'fix' on everything Kalkan.
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We have also switched from Moonlight to Bergizan's for our late night heading home drink(s).
However, on the way into town it's always the roof terrace at Photopizza, fabulous view of the sunset, with Effes/Tuborg at only 9TL and the wine is very reasonable as well.
Hi kalkan4eva.......we decided to give Moonlight Bar a miss on the last visit as we much prefer the laid back ambience at Bezirgans. We did hear the noise from Chocolate but, in all honesty, it wasn't sufficiently loud as to ruin our sleep. The 'laser' lights cause me more concern as they do pollute the night sky and take away some of the enjoyment of star gazing. We stay at the well appointed and gorgeous Villa Kameyla. I felt more like an estate agent on some days as we showed 3 separate couples around the villa. I'm just hoping that they don't 'steal' our dates for next year.
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Hi Keith, I never really mastered typing on my Kindle so although I was avidly following your holiday in Kalkan I didn't manage to do any posting and since coming home the time has vanished.
It was so good to meet you and Tracy and to share some of our olives and olive oil. Sorry about the door on the fridge as we relaxed with drinks on the roof terrace! We had a new fridge/freezer by the next afternoon, installed and the old one taken away. The man carrying the fridge still managed to slip his shoes off before coming in the front door, don't know how he did it. If I had thought faster we have a cooler bag and some ice cooler packs and I could have thrown the drinks we needed in there and kept everything cool. I was just so disconcerted discovering the problem my brain didn't function properly. In Kalkan mode I guess.
It was interesting hearing about your trip to Meis, and also Bob and Jayne's recommendations (Hi to Bob and Jayne by the way, maybe we will be there the same time as you again some day). I am now inspired to try the Meis trip.
Like you, Keith, I have always loved being up in time sit on my bedroom balcony to watch the sun rise behind the hills and spread over the houses and olive trees. Realised that in September I didn't manage it once! Now booking next year's flights so hope I do better next year. It was always such a joy, sitting there with an Ayran or juice and watching the gradual spread of light across the bay.
Maybe we will see you again another year.
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Sadly the Meis trip is off the menu for a while ...Turkey and Greece have had a tiff so no travel to Greek islands by Passenger Ferry /Boats Etc for the foreseeable future from Oct 13th ::)
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Thanks for the reminder on that Blue Lizard. Maybe by next summer they will have sorted things out. Otherwise I guess it would be a fairly thin season for Meis next year.
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I really hope the Meis Express is back up and running for everyone next year, we had a fantastic time there, and will definitely repeat it again one day, we always like to visit somewhere for a 2 or 3 days when in Kalkan, so will probably choose somewhere else next year, but it is definitely on our list to repeat in the future. Tortoise Lady lovely reading your message, and yes would be lovely if we are there the same time as you next year. :D :D
Just sitting here thinking of the sun rising behind those hills, oh how I would love to be in Kalkan right now ::) ::)
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Tortoise lady........... I was extremely impressed with how quickly your maintenance man arrived to look at the broken fridge door. I deliberately hadn't mentioned it in my post as it didn't detract from what was a very enjoyable couple of hours at Yellow Villa. I do hope that the dispute with Greece can be sorted as you will definitely enjoy a trip to Meis. It is such a picturesque place and the food at Athena's was scrumptious. Being up close and personal with the turtles was an experience that I will never forget.
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Kalkan is fast becoming a distant memory. My 93 year old mother passed way yesterday and I'm now firmly back in the reality of everyday life. How things can change in such a short period of time. All I can say is that you all have to enjoy every minute of the time that you have been gifted.
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Oh Keith so sorry. Whatever platitudes are spoken no matter how genuine just doesn't seem real. Take care lots of love.
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So sorry to hear your sad news Keith. Thinking of you. X
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Keith, we are so sorry to hear your sad news, we send our condolences to you and your family. Take care. xx
B&J
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Keith - sorry to read of your mothers passing. You and your family are in our thoughts and prayers.
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So sorry to hear of your loss. Thoughts are with you and your family xx
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Hi Keith,really sorry to hear your sad news,my thoughts are with you and your family at this difficult time.
Take care,Kevin
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Hi Keith, thank you so much for your posts, I've really enjoyed each one of them.
Please accept my sincere condolences, my thoughts are with you and your family.
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Dear Keith,
We too are sorry to read about your mother passing away.
Sincere condolences from Lucas, Victoria, Robert (and Laura at home)
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What a sad end to your last holiday....it does indeed remind us how fragile life is. I'm so sorry for your loss, look after each other.
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Thanks for all your kind words.
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So pleased that we booked our flights last June. Just checked and have gone up £80 per person.
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Im with you Keith. I'm feeling smug knowing I've booked 2 weeks in Kalkan and a little sad for everyone who is thinking of holidaying in countries in the eu😇. Just saying!!!!
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Well we can finally start looking forward to this years trip to our favourite destination. We weren't able to get out last year and am really looking forward to arriving in early September. I'm really grateful for those of you that have written posts as it has helped to keep our memories alive. I look forward to sharing our holiday with you.
Keith can........start preparing for his next holiday...........in Kalkan
September 2019
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Well it's now less than two weeks before we arrive back in Kalkan. I'm just trying to decide whether or not I should write a daily blog this year. Let me know what you think and, if there's enough interest, I'll make the effort.
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Yes please, only if you can spare the time. We know how busy everyone is doing nothing ;) And these holiday reports certainly beat anything published on the "other" site.
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Please go for it Keith. I'm sorry I've been lazy this year so far but I really enjoy reading the holiday reports. :D
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Yes please Keith. Look forward to your Keith in Kalkan blogs.
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If you have the time Keith, that would be great, it’s always fun to hear about other people’s adventures!
Say hello to Clyde Kitchen for me!
Have a fab trip!
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Yes please Keith , even if it’s just a food report
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Yes please Keith. I will be out there also in two weeks time and will find it useful if you particularly recommend, for example, a new restaurant. By the time we have covered our favourites we seldom try anywhere new.
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We set off in the early hours to catch our 07.15 flight from Stansted. Dropping off our cases and going through security was very quick and straightforward although, for some reason, I managed to trigger the alarm. Had to go through the full body scan and then a thorough body search by security. Nothing found and we were soon on our way through duty free.and a bite to eat. Our TUI flight had been sub-contracted to Titan airlines and the flight was on time. The plane itself looked as though it has gone around the clock and the seats etc looked rather tired. A very smooth flight and arrived in Dalaman at 13.05 hrs. Once again, going through security was a breeze. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly our cases are unloaded from the plane and arrive at the carousel. My only observation on the arrival lounge is that it seems like a large, mainly empty space. If you arrive and need the toilet then I would recommend using the first ones that you come across (before passport control) as the only other ones that we found were some distance from the baggage carousel. Cases collected we were soon outside and greeted by our driver. We departed the airport just before 2.00pm and arrived at our villa in Kalkan at 3.30pm. We were unpacked and enjoying an ice cold Efes before 4.30pm. That's the beauty of returning to our usual villa........it really is like a home from home.
Keith can.....feel at home.....in Kalkan
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Glad your journey went smoothly Keith and you can now relax. Have a lovely holiday.
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If it helps to relieve paranoia, I can salve your minds!
The security arches that you pass through (to detect Kalashnikovs, machetes, designer watches and that 1p coin you'd forgotten), are set up to randomly trigger whether there's anything to detect or not.
The percentage varies, but a few years ago it was about 1 in 40; but this is an average, so it could randomly go off twice in succession, and then miss 100!
Same goes for taking your shoes off - the rules are that a percentage of passengers should be asked; lazy security does them all in one hit and then forgets about it for the rest of the day.
I hope you find that comforting. :angel:
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Not really a blogger but will put in my ten penny worth. Our second night in our relaxing holiday of the year. Kalkan very busy. Many more Turkish people enjoying the place. Still a much higher percentage of English filling the restaurants. Been too our favourite on our first night. Baharat. A brilliant evening. Hasan and the team treat you like family even though we didn’t have our daughter and the kids with us. Paned out around the villa pool all day. Bbq lunch. Then tonight we went to Teras. for the oldies it used to be Sofia owned by Eddie who built sun elite. Antler used to love it there. The meal was very good. Might stay at the villa for evening tomorrow and get take away pizza from our friends at Fotos. Will take a gluten free base for them to make the wife’s pizza. As a Roman nutter I’m going to visit letoon as I’ve never been before. I have a Roman road running through our farm. On the roof drinking and chatting to friends. Looking forward to meeting tortoise lady when they arrive. Had many a great holiday in her villa. Have a great holiday everyone.
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Hi everyone
It’s my first post on the forum but been reading it and loving it for years.
I love to read all your holiday reports and checking out new places to visit.
My hubby and I have been coming to kalkan for over 10 years and we both love it.
We came in May this year and we are back on the 12th of September for 16 nights.
I will try to post my holiday adventures.
A very excited Tracy
(Keith I met you and your wife last year) keep your posts coming.
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Hi Tracy,
I remember our meet and greet at Bezirgans. We are here until 16th and so we may get a chance to meet up again. Great to see that you are now planning to share your holiday experience.
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After settling in and shower we headed off to Bezirgans for our obligatory cold Efes. As normal we were greeted like long lost family and it was good to see that they have a new puppy. After a couple of drinks we ventured off to Mussukka for our first meal..The town seemed much busier than usual with a mix of Turkish and other nationalities of all ages shapes and sizes.Our meal was as expected (never had a bad meal in this restaurant) and was very reasonably priced. 2 courses + drinks a little over £50.00.Suitably replenished we meandered back to the villa to enjoy a refreshing G&T on the roof terrace. I'm delighted to report that there were no laser lights polluting the night sky.
Keith can......again enjoy star gazing........in Kalkan
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So pleased the laser lights have gone :)
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I echo that about the laser lights. They just weren't right for Kalkan - for my taste not right anywhere!
I am looking forward to having my first g and t on the roof terrace, Keith.
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Tuesday was our first full day and we spent our time relaxing by the pool.I had taken a conscious decision to leave my mobile phone at home and it feels good not to have anything interfering with the peace and tranquility that we are feeling. The view across the bay is picture perfect and I never tire of watching the boats ferrying people to and from the various beach clubs. The weather is gorgeous and there is a refreshing breeze. Ideal conditions for catching a few rays of sunshine. The time passes quickly and we are soon getting showered and dressed, ready for another walk into Town. As per our usual routine our first stop is at Bezirgans. I enjoy a couple of large Efes and Tracey enjoys a couple of G&Ts. Total cost 106tl which is very reasonable. The town doesn't look as busy tonight and we decide on Mey & Meze for our evening meal.The restaurant was very busy (possibly due to the recent visit of a celebrity chef) and the food was good. I wasn't too happy with the service ( we were asked to move tables to accommodate another booking) and this rather put a dampener on our ding experience. After dinner we sauntered back up the hill and stopped at the off licence to stock up with alcohol.We had read that taxes were being increased by 40% and wanted to ensure that we weren't unduly affected. Laden with our shopping we had a slow walk back to the villa and enjoyed a bottle of wine as we sat admiring the view. The town looks completely different when lit up and I only wish that I could take a decent photo to capture the scene.
Keith can.......feel happy and content.......in Kalkan
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Sounds like your having a wonderful time. It reads very romantic..
A week to go for us and can't wait.
We have started to make a list of restaurants we like to go to. We have our favourites but like to try at least a few new ones.
In May we tried Sherlock Holmes which we really enjoyed, the food and service.
We are hoping to try the new beach club this time if we can pull ourselves away from the pool.
Keep posting Keith and hopefully see you there for a drink.
Tracy
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Wednesday saw the sky full of grey clouds and high levels of humidity. As we are early risers we decided to go to Ada cafe/patisserie for breakfast. We opted for the full Turkish to share and my what a fantastic choice. Dish after dish were brought to our table and the amount and variation of food was a sight to behold. My first thought was that I had probably made the wrong choice, as I don't normally eat breakfast, and this was a vast amount of food.An hour and a half later the majority had been consumed. This is our first truly Turkish breakfast and......it won't be our last......it was delicious. We can't resist buying some of their lemon cheesecake before a slow and steady walk back to the villa. We spend the rest of the day around the pool.
Being creatures of habit we put on our glad rags and head of to Bezirgans for our pre-dinner drinks. We have already decided that we would be eating at Chata tonight. I don't recall this restaurant being there during our last visit and so this will be another first for us. The greeter is a charming man and not at all pushy. The food was of a high standard although you could see that the waiting staff were having a few problems e.g. they sent a lamb dish out when the client had ordered chicken. This was very quickly rectified.
Suitably full we popped into N==D bag shop.......Tracey's favourite. She very quickly identified a bag that she liked and after a bit of banter and bartering we secured a 20% discount off the ticket price. Whether or not it's the 'real deal's we are happy with the purchase and, the added bonus is that I won't be dragged around anymore bag shops!! We stopped at Bade lounge bar on the way back to our villa (another first) before heading off home for a refreshing G&T on the roof terrace. This is the life.
Keith can......experience a traditional Turkish breakfast........in Kalkan
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I agree with what you say about the town at night - we stayed in a villa this year just above the D400 near the footbridge up from Carrefour so the view was mainly out to sea, but then across towards the main body of town below the main road. I recall stumbling into the bathroom in the middle of the night and looking at the town thinking I was in a ski resort! it just momentarily had an alpine feel to it which I guess is the hills!
No more French martini's for me before bed!!!
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Glad Keith can post a blog in Kalkan - we are out next week 😊😉🐷
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We are up bright and early on Thursday sitting on our balcony and waiting for the sun to appear over the mountains. When it finally arrives the sudden rise in temperature tells us that we are in for another warm sunny day. We spend a couple of hours reading by the pool before heading off into town. We stop off at Bezirgans for a cool Efes before heading down to the harbour. We take the opportunity to call in at various shops to get ideas for gifts to take home and to take advantage of their air conditioning. We walk along the harbour and I can't help but notice that some of the restaurants are beginning to look a bit tired and in
need of redecoration. Sherlock Holmes stands out like a new pin and you can see why this establishment
is so popular. We walk along to the beach and stop off for lunch at Kleos. This is probably one of our
favourite locations for watching the world go by. After a filling lunch and suitably refreshed we take a slow walk up the hill to Bezirgans. We sit and watch as the young lad (didn't catch his name) is shown a card
trick, by an English lady. He looks mesmerised as she repeats the trick over and over until he has finally
grasped it. He has a couple of goes for himself before he attempts the trick on us. Needless to say it
worked and his face lit up with pure delight. Suitably refreshed we headed back to the villa. We are going to
have a quiet night at home, listening to music and generally chilling.
Friday was another day spent around the pool. There is a cooling breeze today and so we take the chance to do a bit of sun bathing. Why does the time pass so quickly when you are just lazing about? If I was at home doing nothing I would be totally bored and the time would drag by. Before we know it we are getting ready to
go out for an evening meal. You can probably guess where we stopped for pre-dinner drinks? We will be eating at the Teras restaurant (another first). We climb the steep flight of stairs and are shown to our table. The view of Kalkan is breathtaking from this vantage point and the restaurant is well presented. We order our starters and main course and soak up the ambience. We sit enjoying each others company and wait for our starters to be delivered. We continue waiting...........and waiting........and waiting. Believe it or not we were sat there for some hour and 20 minutes before our starters finally arrived. We hadn't ordered anything special and at one point Tracey was tempted to ask if they needed some help in the kitchen!! Other diners were commenting on how long the service was taking. The table next to ours had ordered a mixed cold meze starter and they also had a long wait for it to arrive. The wait between courses wasn't quite as bad although it was slow in comparison to our normal dining experience. My personal observation is that they didn't have sufficient numbers in the kitchen or waiting staff to cater for the number of covers that they needed to deliver. As we left the restaurant we were asked whether or not we had enjoyed our meal. I responded by saying that the service was far too slow and the response was.........we are very busy!! Unfortunately I won't be returning to this restaurant.
Keith can........have mixed dining experiences........in Kalkan
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Sorry about the mixed experience Keith. We are there on Tuesday and everything including the service was good. Had a pizza at the villa on Wednesday from foto’s very good and inexpensive. Took a schar gluten free base for the wife and they put the topping on. He remembered doing this last year and said he would look to stock some as they have a massive shelf life. I will email him next time to see if he has done so as he said the same thing last year. Hope he does because he said he’s tried to make his own unsuccessfully. Went visit letoon for a quick look at the ruins. Ok but not a patch on patara. Our days go by just relaxing in and out of the pool and reading. This is our relaxing holiday so it suits us. Went to mussakka for evening meal which was very nice and on Friday back to Baharat. It was my birthday but we had a quiet one instead of the cake and fireworks. We did that last year for our friend which ended up with the whole restaurant and staff dancing. Hasan said he remembered it well. Going for a ride up the Kalamar end in a bit as I believe the area is really being developed. Lots of new villas. Might book in at the brothers which is just a few minutes walk away as lots of people saying it very good. Not been to Adams yet so may end up there. Thinks it’s going to be very hot again today so I think I’ll have a cool dip and finish my book about Romans’ before I start a new one about...Romans’. Enjoy your holiday everyone.
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They probably just had an off night.......this can happen in the best of restaurants. We are thinking that we might venture to Adam's tomorrow evening. We haven't yet managed to go there in our 8 visits to Kalkan. It would be good to tick off another 'first' from our list. It sounds as though you are enjoying a relaxing holiday....just like us.
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Keith, please make the effort to go to Adam’s, you won’t regret it, not like in town restaurants more village style with personal service. If you go over beforehand and book Adam with come and get you from your villa and take you back again so no designated driver needed. The lamb shank is the best I’ve ever had, comes to the table on fire, oh yeah the view is great.
Thanks for the posts, they are making me wish the next 7 weeks away.
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As you are probably aware the forum has been undergoing maintenance and improvement over the past 3 days and, as a result, I have been unable to post my daily blog. I'll try to catch up over the next day or two.
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Sorry everybody that was my fault.. a few people said the theme was weird so I tried to fix it and wiped out the whole site but it’s all back from a backup now.
The accommodation section will also be back very soon.
Thank you for supporting EK, an independent site that’s not Facebook, it really means a lot.
Jon
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"They probably just had an off night.......this can happen in the best of restaurants. "
They must have lots of off nights then. This happened too when we were there a couple of years ago, a large party, about a dozen people, walked out because they'd waited for about 90 mins and still hadn't got their starter. It seems they can't cope with a near full restaurant.
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Now.......where did I get to? Oh yes we are on Saturday. We were up at the crack of dawn and after coffee on the balcony I take the short walk to the bakers. They have a good selection of breads and the most succulent baklava. I always get a cheery welcome from the ladies who are beavering away, kneading the dough and preparing the other pastries. Goods purchased and I head back down to the villa. I don't know why but flies seem to have taken a liking to my feet and ankles on this visit. I have had quite a few bites and, although they are nowhere near as bad as mozzies bites, they can still itch. Tracey has probably suffered worse than me as she has bites on her arms and legs. We spend yet another relaxing day by the pool and I manage to finish my first book. It is only since coming to Kalkan that I have been in the right mindset to enjoy reading. The day passes all too quickly and we are soon getting ready to head off into town. Bezirgans is a lot busier this year but we are able to secure a table with a good vantage point to watch the flow of people .going down into town. We have a couple of thirst quenching drinks before joining the flow. We will be eating at Kosk tonight. The friendly welcome, attentive service and great food make this our favourite restaurant so far. It is a very warm night and having eaten a large meal, it more of an effort walking back up to the villa. By the time that we arrive we are both looking like we have just stepped out of the shower. We freshen up before heading to the roof terrace for a well earned G&T. For the first time we notice that Chocolate appears to closed down. Whilst you can still hear music coming from the town it is a lot less invasive.
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I accidentally hit 'post' before finishing my blog.......silly me!! Sunday was yet another chilled out day. The weather is really hot and humid and the day is spent lying in the shade. Every now and then there is a tantalising breeze but, all too soon it disappears and the warm heavy air returns. Every now and then a jogger passes by and I wonder what motivates them to exercise in this oppressive heat. It must take a great deal of dedication to their fitness regime.I'm struggling to motivate myself to go to the fridge to get a cold Efes. In what seems like a blink of the eye yet another day has gone and we are rapidly approaching the mid point of our holiday. We adopt our usual routine of pre-dinner drinks at Bezirgans before setting of to Saki for dinner. Another enjoyable evening. We had been planning to go to Adam's restaurant this evening but agreed that we would visit there later in the week.
Monday is soon upon us and we enjoy the morning around the pool before walking into town for a late lunch. We enjoy a couple of drinks at Bezirgans before heating down to meet our Turkish friends at Authentic and Kaptan opticians. They all seem genuinely pleased to see us and we enjoy a chat before our planned lunch at Akins. This is one of our must go to restaurants and, as always, it didn't disappoint. It has a great view overlooking the harbour, some welcome shade and offers great value for money. We shared a hot mixed meze followed by mains. The meze on it's own would probably have been enough but we just about managed to eat our main courses. Feeling rather bloated we popped into the gallery opposite the restaurant and had a good browse round. They have some excellent pieces in here and I normally end up buying. Not on this occasion though as the things that I particularly liked would be far too big and fragile to pack in our suitcases. We take a slow walk up the main street stopping off at the watch shop (our son is interesting in getting another U-boat watch) then onto the ceramics shop to purchase some new dishes. Shopping completed we stop off at Bezirgans for a couple of drinks before heading home.for a romantic night in. We prepare a few snacks (open a packet of crisps and nuts), pour our G&Ts, put on some music and head for the roof terrace. This couldn't be more perfect..............
Tuesday arrives and It's my birthday today. We will be eating at Authentic tonight.........we normally have one meal here during a visit. Another day spent around th pool before getting ready to go out. We only have one drink at Bezirgans as we plan to have drinks at Authentic before dinner. The team here are so welcoming and, whilst the restaurant doesn't provide the best of views, the food was excellent. The peppered steak melted in the mouth and is the best one that I have had so far. We were offered a complimentary amaretto before returning downstairs. Mustaffa offered us a cocktail 'on the house's and Tracey had a really nice pina colada whilst a surprise gin cocktail was prepared for me. I had let slip that it was my birthday and I was then faced with the embarrassment of the full fireworks treatment and a rendition of 'Happy Birthday'. I have to admit that I rather enjoyed my 20 seconds of being in the limelight. The England game is on the TV and, whilst I would normally want to watch it, we never watch TV when on holiday. We prefer our own company and quality time together. Back to the villa for a G&T before bed.
Keith can........celebrate his birthday......,......in Kalkan
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Happy Belated birthday Keith, good to have your holiday reports back!
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Happy Birthday Keith
Loving your blogs. We are heading out to Kalkan tomorrow can't wait. Hopefully see you and Tracy for a drink.
Sounds like your having another amazing holiday.
Tracy
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Have a safe journey Tracy. Hopefully see you at some stage.
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Wednesday was another very hot and humid day. The air is heavy and any form of exertion quickly turns on the waterfall of perspiration. The cool air of the early morning is a blessing and we take the time to soak up the views and enjoy our coffee. Once the sun comes up we retreat to a shaded area near the pool and start reading yet another book. I will have read 3 on this trip which is another first for me. I enjoy the fact that we are in our own bubble and not thinking about the wider world and the daily grind of everyday life. The only contact that we have is a regular Skype call to our son to check on him and our boxer dog. The day passes in a flash and we soon find ourselves getting showered and changed for our night out. We haven't decided on where we would be eating but head down to Bezirgans for our normal pre-dinner drinks. The two young boys from the off licence are very chatty this evening and tell us all about their time at school. The 13 year old tells us that he attends school 7 days of the week from 8 in the morning until 6 at night. He enjoys maths (although the syllabus is quite hard this year) and he has aspirations to become an engineer. He is now out selling fans. With drinks consumed we have taken the decision to eat at Ali Baba tonight. We have walked past this restaurant hundreds of times over the years but have never eaten there. The greeter explains that they have a buffet style menu as well as Al la carte. We opt for the buffet and head to the counter to select our dishes from the options available. We choose a couple of mezes along with five other hot dishes. The food was delicious but the restaurant lacks the intimacy and atmosphere of the normal restaurants that we would frequent. It's yet another first for us but it is unlikely that we will return. We stop off at Bezirgans before heading home for our obligatory G&T on the roof terrace. There is a lovely cool breeze this evening and we are soon having a second glass before bed.
Keith can.........enjoy new experiences.........in Kalkan
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We awake to another gloriously sunny morning on Thursday. As the sun rises above the mountains the temperature soon soars. Like a synchronised ballet the gulets leave the harbour, line astern, and fan out across the bay. You can almost set your watch by this daily ritual......the armada heads out to sea carrying their excited passengers to the various bays. As they disappear around the headland we settle in for yet another relaxing day by the pool. All too soon we find ourselves getting ready for an evening in town. We dispense with our usual routine and head up the hill to the Lime bar for our pre-dinner drinks. This is slightly more expensive than Bezirgans but they do provide Schweppes tonic water in a bottle. Still only 120tl for two large beers and two G&Ts. Whilst we sit enjoying our drinks we agree that we will eat at Corianders this evening. The last time that we ate there was in 2014. I know this for a fact as Tracey keeps a record of everywhere that we eat, what we had and total cost. She has been doing this since our first visit to Kalkan and so we are able to compare costs year on year; taking account of the exchange rates. Meals consumed we had back down to Bezirgans for another drink before popping into the off licence to replenish our stock of wine, beer and tonic water. Back to the villa for a night cap before retiring to bed.
Yesterday we awoke even earlier than normal and, pulling back the curtains, we were greeted with a sky heavy with dark threatening clouds. The weather forecast had said that there was a risk of a thunderstorm today. After drinking our coffee we had a shower and decided that we would walk into town for some lunch and take the opportunity to finish off shopping for family gifts. We took a leisurely stroll down zig zagging through the side streets. We ended up at Salt and Pepper for lunch and thoroughly enjoyed the food. It was noticeable that the wind was really picking up to such an extent that the waiting staff took the decision to close the awnings. As we walked back up the main street the road was littered with debris; with bark stripped from some of the trees. We stop off at Bezirgans and I decide to get a haircut at Trend barbers. I always enjoy a haircut when in Kalkan. I am soon sat in the chair and agree that I would have a trim and tidy up. The barber sets about his work. As you will know a trip to the barbers in Kalkan is a completely different experience to at home. Hair cut, I am now treated to a face mask. The barber says that it needs to be on for a couple of minutes and asks whether I would like some water. I reply that I would prefer to finish my beer and, before I say another word, he rushes next door to pick up my large Efes. Drink consumed he proceeded to wash my hair and face. Eyebrows trimmed, nose hair removed and ear hair burnt off he then goes to work on a very invigorating massage. All this for a very cheap 50tl. Suitably refreshed and looking a lot smarter we head back to the villa where we will be spending the evening.
Keith can.........get a great haircut............in Kalkan
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We are up early again on Saturday. It is our penultimate day and we want to ensure that we savour every last minute of our holiday. As we pull back the curtains and walk onto the balcony we are greeted by grey skies and a noticeable drop in temperature. This is not what we had hoped for!! We still enjoy our coffee and the panoramic view across the bay. After a shower I take a slow walk up to the bakers to purchase some of their succulent baklava. This is the best that we have tasted and we always take some home for our two sons. To my utter disappointment the baker informs me that they do not have any and he didn't know if another batch would be baked that day. Empty handed I traip back to the villa to break the news to Tracey. She shares my disappointment and we agree that I will try again tomorrow (not sure whether they will be open on Sunday). We spend the rest of the morning around the pool catching the sporadic rays of sunshine. The sky over the mountains becomes increasingly dark and menacing and at 1.00 pm we feel the first few raindrops.Ten minutes later and the rain starts pouring down. This is the first time in 10 years that we have witnessed any rain in Kalkan. There are plenty of sheltered spots around the villa and so we are still able to be outdoors and listen/watch the thunder and lighting that has enveloped the bay. Every now and then the rain subsides and we are hopeful that the storm will soon pass. This was wishful thinking on our part as the rain persisted until just before we set of for Bezirgans. The bar is busy again tonight as people are sat watching football. Adam sets up a table for us and we order our drinks. Just as they arrive we feel the first spots of rain and retreat inside the bar.Within minutes the heavens open and the rain cascades down. Everyone rushes to find sanctuary under the shelter of the grapevines. Unfortunately these do not provide any real cover and the rain is soon pouring through. We all retreat to the back bar with the exception of a few hardy souls who continue to prop up the bar. The rain continues for just over an hour and we agree that we will not go too far for our evening meal. We opt for Alternatif and, after a short wait for a table, we are soon tucking into our food. The meal was of the normal high standard although the service was lacking. We were not asked if we wanted water with our meal and had to remind them that we had ordered a bottle of wine. We enjoyed a complimentary amaretto before heading back to Bezirgans for another drink. The storm has cleared the air and provides a more comfortable environment for the walk back to the villa. We are unable to use our normal vantage point for our G&Ts as the seat cushions are too wet and I don't feel like shifting furniture around. We settle by the pool as this still provides a good view across the bay.
Keith can........witness torrential rain..............in Kalkan
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Hi Keith
We looked for you at bezigarns last night. We got there just after 9.
Hopefully see you there tonight for a pre drink before our meal.
Tracy and Bill
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We awoke on our last day in Kalkan to find that the rain and thunderstorms had abated and we were now bathed in wall to wall sunshine. There is a refreshing breeze and ideal conditions for sun bathing. Before I can concentrate on my tan I have the important task of seeking out the elusive baklava. I set off up the hill to the bakers and disappointingly they do not have any. Not to be outdone I head to Ada pattiserrie and, thankfully, they had just baked a fresh batch.......success!! I have a spring in my step as I stroll back to the villa for another day by the pool. Late afternoon we start the horrible job of packing the suitcases and are conscious that this marks the end of our holiday. We ready ourselves for pre-dinner drinks at Bezirgans. We were really pleased to be joined by Tracy and Bill aka The Geordie Duo (don't forget to follow their blog). We enjoyed a good chat and talked about the bad dining experience that they had endured on their first night. We were genuinely shocked as they described what had happened and it prompted us not to go to that restaurant for our final meal (we had planned to). I explained that, in my opinion, there appears to have been a general decline in the levels of service this year and some of the food has been a bit hit and miss. I know that they have had a particularly busy season but I sincerely hope that they do not become too blase. Drinks consumed we now agree that we will head back to Mussakka for our final meal. As if confirming my thoughts the service is much more attentive this evening and the food was of a high standard. We say our goodbyes to the young lads at Bezirgans and the off licence before a slow walk back to the villa and our final G&Ts on the roof terrace. Our transport is arranged for 09.30 in the morning and so off to bed we go.
We are up bright and early on Monday morning, finish the last bit of packing and have a final tidy of the villa. We always like to leave it as we found it. Our transport arrives on time (arranged via Evi Estates), we load our bags and say our goodbyes to Ali and our cleaner. We enjoy the drive to Dalaman........our driver is not an aspiring Formula 1 racer and 1 hour and 40 minutes later he delivers us safely to the airport. We are quickly through the first security check but the queue to book in and drop off our cases moves at a snail's pace. Bags deposited we head through the second security check and into the departure lounge. My only real observation here is that there is insufficient toilets for the number of passengers. There is a long queue for the ladies and a much smaller queue for the gents. The last security check is extremely thorough as they search through everyone's hand luggage. This is made worse by the fact that some passengers appear to have everything but the kitchen sink in their large bags and rucksacks. This has the effect of slowing the process down and you can hear the grumbles of discontent from other people in the queue. Our flight departs 20 minutes behind schedule and after a very smooth flight touches down at Stansted a little before 5.00 pm. The airport is very busy but we have soon collected our bags and are outside picking up our car from the valet service. It is so nice having the car waiting just outside the terminal.
Well.......that is the end of my blog for another year. I hope that you have enjoyed reading it and I thank those of you that have taken the time to add your comments.
Keith can.........reminisce about another terrific holiday........in Kalkan
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Hi Keith
I have really enjoyed you blogs we both read them daily.
Glad your both back safe and sound.
So glad we managed to have a drink with you both
Till next time Geordie duo
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Glad you had a lovely holiday Keith. I've very much enjoyed reading about it too.
This time tomorrow...
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Thanks for sharing a great holiday blog Keith
Its what really makes this forum special :)