We spent a week in an apartment in Ortakent near Bodrum in Turkey. The water is crystal clear, you can see the Greek island Kos from the beach. The restaurants offer delicious sea food and rice and vegetables. One has only got to be careful not to drink water and therefore I ate no ice-cream and no salad, only boiled or fried food and I drank lots of Turkish tea. The sandy beach of Yahi Yali was clean and I liked the fact that there were trees and I could spend some time in their shadow.
Sightseeing: We had a rental car and visited Priene- Didyma and Miletos (Milet). The theatre in ancient harbour city of Priene is one of the finest extant theatres of the Hellenistic world. There is also a temple that was rebuilt as a gift from Alexander the Great. Miletus is not far from Priene. I liked the Baths of Faustina most. These were built by Faustina, Marcus Aureliusâs wife. We also visited the theatre and the Delphinium. The Delphinium was a Hellenistic open air shrine surrounded by stoas on four sides with a 6C BC altar in the center. Together with Apollo, the dolphin was sacred for the Milesians as they believed that when the first settlers sailed they were guided by god in the form of a dolphin. The annual festival and celebrations of Didyma were started here. We also visited Didyma. Didyma was famed as a prophecy center dedicated to Apollo. It was a sanctuary, not a city. It is a shame that we did not have the time to visit Ephesus, the once the most important commercial center of the western Anatolia. Next time I shall go there.
Natalie Hoerner email: office@capeland.it Capeland Tour Operator V. B. d´Acquisto 17 I-90046 Monreale www.capeland.it
Posts: 52 | Location: Monreale | Registered: 20 June 2002
Natalie, Turkey is one of our favorite countries! It is an amazing place so filled with history and wonderful people. We are looking forward to returning to Turkey once we are settled in our Italian home next year. For anyone who has not visited Turkey, I would have only one word of advice... GO!!!
Posts: 4905 | Location: Umbria | Registered: 29 June 2001
Barb, if you visit the Bodrum area, I recommend the Restaurant Yahsice at Yahsi beach near Ortakent, the have delicious seafood, the restaurant is next to the beach and the owner, Mustafa, lets two beautiful apartments for 6-7 persons each, one of them has a beautiful seaview.
Natalie Hoerner email: office@capeland.it Capeland Tour Operator V. B. d´Acquisto 17 I-90046 Monreale www.capeland.it
Posts: 52 | Location: Monreale | Registered: 20 June 2002
Many years ago, we spent a few weeks driving from Izmir down to Marmaris. Amazing ruins (you must, must get to Ephesus!), wonderful food, gorgeous scenery, fascinating local culture and sightseeing. Many ancient sites dot the coast, and we were usually the only people visiting them.
We also spent some time on the Bodrum peninsula. Rented a house (with your basic turkish toilet) for $2.50 a day, overlooking the beach. Each night we walked down a path through lemon trees, followed by the landlord's chickens, to get to a beachfront shack restaurant. Fresh flatbread from a wood fire, grilled fish, roasted eggplant, marinated vegetables, and pastry from the bakery up the hill. Thank goodness only the men were offered the raki. The evening entertainment consisted of watching the local kids tie cans to donkey's tails, and racing them up and down the only street in the village.
We also loved Istanbul- colorful, chaotic, wonderous buildings, lovely people.
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