istanbullite.com

NOSTALGIC WRITINGS BY AN ISTANBULITE © Since 2002

HOME ↓

ABOUT US/BIZ KIMIZ ?

E.Y.V 2019 AWARD CEREMONY

ISTANBUL&TURKEY TRAVEL

TIPS FOR TOURISTS 2022

ISTANBUL TRANSPORTATION

ISTANBUL 360 PANOROMIC

LIVE TURKISH TV AND MEDIA

NEWS FROM COLUMBUS,OHIO

NOSTALJIK TAACO.org

LEGAL NOTICE

CONTACT US/İLETIŞİM

ATATURK ↓

ATATURK ALBUMU

A VISIT TO ANITKABIR 2015

1953 DE ANIT KABIR

BANDIRMA ILE SAMSUNA

ATATURK'E MECLISTE KOMPLO

ATATURK'UN BINMEDIGI UCAK

ATATURK TBMM KONUSMASI

101 YILLIK BIR GAZETE

ATATURKUN EVI VE MEKTEBI

10 KASIM 1938

ATATURK'U ANLAMAK

STATUE OF ATATUTURK IN DC

ATATURK'UN IKI PORTRESI

SARAYBURNU ATA HEYKELI

ATATURK'UN KOLIBASI

ATATURK VE CINAR AGACI

ATATURK VE DIN

ATATURK'UN AKARETLER EVI

ATATURK MUZE KOSKU

ISTANBUL SUR-ICI ↓

YEDI KULE ZINDANLARI

KAYBOLAN KIR TEPEBAG

SEHZADEBASI DIREKLERARASI

LALELI BABA

MIHRIMAH CAMILERI

CEVIZAGACI- GOTLAR SUTUNU

TEKFUR SARAYI

ISTANBULUN ALTI 1,2

ISTANBULUN ALTI 3,4

HALICTE BIR VAPUR GEZISI

SADRAZAM KOCAMUSTAFA PASA

SUMBUL EFENDI

MILION TASI

BALIK UZERINE LAKIRDI

BOSTANCIDAKI BEYAZ KOSK

GOKSU DERESI

SAHIL YOLUNDA SABAH

BIR TEPE, BIR KALE

CARPISAN KAYALAR

KANDILLIDE BIR GECE

ISTANBULLU OLMAK

RAMAZANDA ESKI ISTANBUL

KOCAMUSTAFAPASADAKI KOSK

AHMET SARACBASI EFENDI

SHOW ME BIG MONEY

ISTANBUL DERETEPE ↓

HARBIYE NEZARETI

BEYAZIT KULESI

ARCADIUS'UN SUTUNU

6 MERMER 23 TILSIMLI TAS

SULEYMANIYEDE BIR GEZI

BAHARIYEDE SINEMALAR

PARGALI SARAYI VE MEZARI

ULUBATLI VE MIHRIMAHCAMII

TOPKAPI ANIT MEZARLARI

HALICTE BIR SEMT: FENER

YILDIZ KORUSU

HUNKAR'A GIDELIM

ABBAS AGA PARKI

HAYDARPASA KIRIM MEZARL.

HAYDARPASANIN OYKÜSU

DOGANCILAR PARKI

OSMANLI EFSANELERI

USKUDARLI GUZEL BALIKCI

BIZANS VE KURULUS MITLERI

BULGURLU HAMAMI

YAHYA EFENDI DERGAHI

ISTANBUL SEYYAHI ↓

AT MEYDANI

KADIRGA'DA SOKAKLAR

KIRIK MINARE

EVLIYA CELEBI RUYASI

SEPETCILER KASRI

GALATADA GEZINTILER

KARAKOYDE YIKILAN CAMI

BIR SAMATYA GEZISI

FLORYA DENIZ KOSKU

SULTAN SELIM CAMII

5.TEPEDEN HALICE

PERA PALASIN GIZEMLERI

PERA PASTANELERI

MACKA SIRTLARI

MARMARAY VE TAKSIM

BEZMI ALEM VALIDE SULTAN

MECIDIYEKOY LIKOR FABRIK

ABDULHAMITIN YILDIZ CAMII

IHLAMUR KASIRLARI

KUCUKYALI VE SATYROS

KUZGUNCUK

KAVAK SARAYI VE SELIMIYE

SANCAKLAR CAMII

↓STANBUL EVVELZAMAN

EKATERINA AYAZMASI

YAVUZ ERSINAN CAMII

KUS KONMAZ CAMII

BAHARIYE ADALARI GEZISI

RIVA:BIR DERE,BIR KALE

TARIHI YARIMADA VE SURLAR

GALATA SURLARININ IZLERI

ADALET KULESI

SARAYBURNU'NDA GEZINTILER

GALATA SURLARI IZLERI 2

YILDIZ SARAYLARI

ISTANBUL PARKLARI

SAIRLER SOFASI

AKSAMCILAR VE MEYHANELER

1960 DA ISTANBUL TIPLERI

KAPALI CARSI KAPISINDAN

UC ESKI ISTANBULITE

BIRKAC ESKI SAMATYALI

OZLENEN ESKI ISTANBULMU?

LULU'YU ARAYIS

ISTANBUL KIYI KÖŞE

CAMDAKI KIZ KONAGI

KABATAS HADIKA TASI

BARBAROS'UN TURBESI

TOPHANEDEN GALATAPORT'A

KAMONDO MERDIVENLERI

ISTANBULUN KAYIP DERELERI

MODA KOYU

ISTANBUL'UN GAZHANELERI

MIMAR MONGERI YAPITLARI

TEKFUR SARAYI 2020

BEBEK VE NAZMI

ISTANBUL EMEKCI HEYKELERI

TARLABAŞI

EDIRNEKAPIDA BRUNO TAUT

BANLIYO TREN ISTASYONLARI

ALTIYOLDAKI DOGUSEN BOGA

SOKAK SATICILARI

MIMAR VEDAT TEK YAPITLARI

PONTOKRATOR SARNICI

NUR-U OSMANIYE CAMII

THUTMOSIS DIKILITASI

AYDOS KALESI

D.BAHCE SARAY TIYATROSU

BUYUKDEREDEN BRINDISIYE

AYASTEFANOS RUS ANITI

ESKI GALATA KOPRUSU

HIKAYELI RESIMLER

O ISTANBUL

KADIKOY MANZARASI

TEYYARE APARTMANLARI

EGE VE ANADOLU

AFRODISIAS HEYKELLERI

RODOS PAPAGANLI RESTORAN

RODOS SURLARI DUVARLARI

GÜNÜBIRLIK RODOS ADASI

CITY OF LAODICEA

APHRODISIAS

GUZEL FOÇA- BELLE PHOKAIA

KARS ANILARI

ANCIENT CITY OF ANI,KARS

ARDAHAN SEYTAN KALESI

KARS'DAKI DEDEMI ARIYORUM

KARS'DA MUTLU SON

KOS ADASI ANILARI

KARAGOZ HACIVAT MUZESI

BEN SERVISCIYIM ABI

ASOSDA BIR GUN

ANTIPHELLUS BALIKCISI

TWILIGHT ZONE

TARIHTEN KAPAKLAR ↓

INONU HARPOKULUNDA ,1942

1987 HALK OYLAMASI

CHICAGO DA II. ABDULHAMIT

HEYBELIADA DENIZ LISESI

INONU DENIZ LISESINDE1934

ANLATILMAYAN ISMET INONU

VEKILLER VE RESMIGECITLER

BU ANZACLAR NEREDE?

ISTANBUL ARKEOLOJI MUZESI

HARBIYE ASKERI MUZESI

CANAKKALE, TRUVA

BOSTANCIDA BIR NIŞAN

GOLCUK VE YAVUZ-HAVUZ

JAPONLARIN 1934 ZIYARETI

GAZOZ KAPAKLARI

ÇUKUR VE TURKIYE

HALIL EFE VE CAKIR GUSSUN

BIZANSLI VE BEYAZITLI

KADIKOY, ISKELEDE SABAH

BIR BAYRAM YAZISI

ARMONIKA CALAN KIZ

PARIS GOZLENIMLERI

METEOR CUKURU

MINIBUS SOFORU ZEYNEL

BIR EGE DILBERI

BIT PAZARINA NUR YAGDI

BIR RUYA

ADAM

DENIZ YILDIZININ OYKUSU

SOLUK MAVI NOKTA

GENC OSMAN MONOLOGU

OSMANLI TOKATI VE HIGH 5

HIZIR ILYAS

COLA TURCA

GAZOZ KAPAGI (ORIJINAL)

HARICTEN GAZEL

PORTRELER VE INSANLAR

SUPHI EFENDI KIMLIGI

MISKET MACLARI

BIR DENIZALTI ZABITI

SEMINE CELASUN GUNAY

BEYKOZ KUNDURA EMEKCISI

BÜLENT

1975 DE BIR ASK HIKAYESI

BIR KARANFILLI ADAM

1942 DE EN UZUN YOLCULUK

KINDER HEIM

KÜTAHYADA MACAR DEVRIMCI

MY MOTHER LAMIA

BIR COCUKLUK ANISI

CATHY CARR ROPORTAJI 1974

OSMANLI YUZUCULERI

JOEPA BIR AMERIKAN IKONU

MUZE EV

MUZIK VE BEN

ANNEMIN SANDIGINDAN

VATMAN ALI BEY

YESIL KAPI

MAHMEDET HOCA

29 TESRIN

SEREF STADI

ESKI SEREF STADI

BJK SOHRETLER KOFTECISI

SUKRU GULESIN- NAZIK DEV

MUSTAFA KIZILTAN BESIKTAS

KARAKARTAL MEHMET GALIN

SAMPIYONLUK YILDIZLARI

SON BABA RECEP ADANIR

KEDI KALECI VAROL URKMEZ

PANTER KALECI NECMI MUTLU

BJK'NIN ILK YABANCILARI

SEREF-HAKKI-SEBA

BESIKTAS'S USA TOURS

GELINCİK TARLALARI

TAKSM KIŞLASI CIRCA 1925

HELE HELE SERGEN KAPTAN

BABA BOSQUE

SANTRASI YAPILMAYAN GOL

YUSUF ILE SANLI

SENOL BIROL

KUCUK AHMET

GUVEN ONUT

DEMIROREN'E ACIK MEKTUP

KONAK KADIN FUTBOL TAKIMI

PASKAL VE BJK FORMASI

SARI LACIVERT

BERLIN PANTERI

TEMİZ FUTBOL

CARSI

BIR YASAM TARZI

KARANFILLI ADAM

ESKI BIR MILLI MAC

DR. VEDII TOSUNCUK

ELLI YIL SONRA PRATER'DE

VALA SOMALIDAN BJK TARIHI

1964 ALI SAMI YEN ACILISI

SEREF STADI-CIRAGANSARAYI

KAYA VE NAZMI KAPTANLAR

BJK INÖNÜ/VODOFONE PARK

GOING TO THE GAME

VODAFONE PARK HONOR TOUR

CHAMPIONS VIDEO 2017

BESIKTAS STADIUM & FANS

A VISIT TO INONU, 2011

BIR SAMPIYONLUGUN ANALIZI

VODAFONE ARENA OPENING

CHAMPION BESIKTAS

WITH BJK PLAYERS OF 2011

BESIKTAS 10 CLAIMS 2 FAME

BJK NEVZATDEMIR FACILITY

SAMPIYONLUKLAR MIMARI

TRIBUTE TO KOBE BRYANT

Q7,GUTI&IVERSON

INSIDE FENER STADIUM

CARTE POSTALE NOSTALGIA

KARTPOSTAL TURKIYE32-1944

MY MOTHERS ISTANBUL YEARS

HAGIA SOPHIA

MY FATHER'S BERLIN 1937

GERMAN WEHRMACHT 1937

POSTCARDS USA 1944

CARTOLINA POSTALE ITALIA

C.POSTALE EUROPA 1937-946

POST-CARD EGYPT 1942

POSTCARD, MIDDLE EAST

PETERHOF, ST.PETERSBURG

1CE UPON A TIME ISTANBUL

DIYARBAKIR 1955

SOUTH EASTERN TURKEY 1955

ANKARA&ISTANBUL 1956

PARIS 1956

JUKE BOX NOSTALGIA ↓

1957-1960 POP

1960-1970 POP

1970-1980 POP

1980-1990 POP

SYLVIE VARTAN IN ISTANBUL

RANDOM NOSTALGIA

ED SHEARAN&DUA LIPA

NORAH JONES& NATASHA ST.P

NOSTALGIC TRIOS

LACASA DE PAPEL

YURTTAN SESLER

TURKISH MUSIC PORTAL

MUNIR NURETTIN SELCUK

ZEKI MUREN

YILMAZ MORGÜL

SELDA BAGCAN

RUHI SU

ASIK MAHSUNI

ZULFU LIVANELI

NESET ERTAS USTA

TARKAN

ISTANBUL ERMENI MUZIGI

SECULAR BYZANTINE MUSIC

SARO SECIKYAN

EYPIO CUKUR RAP

FATHER OF ANADOLU POP

TURKISH FOLK BY P. DWEYER

PLAY FOR THE NATURE

YOLA CIKTIM MARDINE

VARDAR OVASI

ANNEM ↓

DOGUM GUNU,ANNELER GUNU

ANNEMIZ LAMIA

LAMIA HAMINNE AND TAYLOR

HALAM LAMIA

"EVIM/HOME"

NOSTALJI TRENI

LIFE OF MY FATHER

REUNITED/ONLAR KAVUSTULAR

SON CINAR BULENTSARACOGLU

FAMILY BLOG ↓

ESRA'S WEDDING ALBUMS

BRIDE'S DAD'S SPEECH

ESRA'S BRIDAL SHOWERS

ESRA'S BABY SHOWER

ESRA GRADUATION,ENGAGEMEN

OZMERAL PATERNAL F.TREE

OZMERAL MATERNAL F. TREE

LAMIA&HAMZA VIDEO 1999

DURUPINAR PATERNAL F.TREE

DURUPINAR MATERNAL F.TREE

BABY MADISON FABLE

BABY TAYLOR FABLE

ASHTON AYDIN FABLE

TAYLOR BABY&TODDLER YEARS

WEILS' WEDDING AND HOUSE

ASLI'S SHOWERS 2008-2009

FAMILY HOLIDAY PICTURES

CAPS IN ENGLISH

LONGEST JOURNEY IN 1942

FLYING BOAT DORNIER DOX

MARBLE MATCHES

ROME SUMMER OF 1956

MYSTERY MAN OF ST PETERS

EMAILS FROM JAN CLAIRE

KINDERHEIM HILDEN 1955

LATE NOVEMBER

A DAY IN BODRUM

3 DAYS IN CAPPADOCIA

A DAY IN ASIAN ISTANBUL

14 DAYS IN TURKIYE

A DAY IN TURGUTREIS

2014 BERLIN LETTERS

1937 BERLIN LETTERS

GOODBYE MY HOUSE

OUR OLYMPIAN IN OUR HEART

ZULAL THE BACKSTROKER

LORI MY ASSISTANT

MY TRIP ON THE MEGABUS

LYCIAN CITIES OF TURKEY

ATATURK-ROOSEVELT LETTERS

SULTAN SULEIMAN

TRANSFORMING OF SS SOLACE

TURKEY&THANKSGIVING

EINSTEIN'S PLEA TO TURKEY

TURKISH HELP TO IRISH

PRESIDENT OBAMA'S TRIP

USA MILITARY IN TURKEY

FLAG RAISING CEREMONY

RENAISSANCE MAN

"NOAH'S ARK" OR IS IT ?

STORY OF SANTA CLAUS

STORY TELLER OF ANATOLIA

TURKISH COFFEE

DOWN CAFE

ECEVIT IN NEWYORK 2002

SUKI, OUR CAT

HERR WAMLEK

ISTANBUL STORIES

SARAC AHMETEFENDI MANSION

BOMONTI BEER FACTORY

EVANGELISTRIA GREEKCHURCH

A WALK: BALAT FENER AREA

A WALK IN YELDEGIRMENI

CRIMEAN MEMORIAL CHURCH

SHOPPING IN GRAND BAZAAR

GIRL PLAYING HARMONICA

NURPERI

RAIMONDO D'ARONCO

HAMAM(OLD TURKISH BATH)

IN SEARCH OF LULU

ZEYREK MOSQUE& MONASTERY

COLUMN OF THE MARCIANUS

TRUE CROSS IN ISTANBUL ?

ISTANBUL MYTHS IN ENGLISH

LEGEND OF LEANDER'S TOWER

77 NAMES OF ISTANBUL

7HILLS 700MOSQUES ISTANB.

7 Churches of Anatolia

PANAROMIC TOURS/SANAL TUR

ISTANBUL WANDERER

ISTANBUL ABOVE AND BELOW

SUNKEN ISLAND OF VORDONIS

CHAINS UNDER MARMARA SEA

TUNELTHE SUBWAY

BASILICA CISTERN&MEDUSA

LEGENDS OF MAIDEN TOWER

CONSTANTINE COLUMN

HAMAM THE TURKISH BATH

HIPPODROME THE HORSEARENA

CHURCH OF SERGIUS&BACCHUS

COLUMN OF MARCIAN

ZEYREK PONTACRATORCHURCH

A VISIT TO SAMATYA

A GOLDEN HORN BOAT TRIP

CLASHING ROCKS OF KYNEA

RHEBAS RIVER/FORT RIVA

PERA PALACE HOTEL MYSTERY

ISTANBUL PHOTOS

ISTANBUL FOUR SEASONS

PANAROMIC BOSPORUS

BYZANCE SCEENS A HELBERT

ISTANBUL VIDEOS

GOZTEPE PARKI

HEYBELIADA

ADALAR/PRINCE ISLANDS

ISTANBUL PICTURES

BEYOGLU PICS

ISTANBUL GATES&DOORS

ISTANBUL TOP TEN MUST SEE

ISTANBUL FERRY LANDINGS

ISTANBUL BAZAARS

ARA GULER'S ISTANBUL

CARSI THE MARKET

BOSPHORUS, ISTANBUL

A GOLDENHORN FERRY TRIP

TURKIYE PHOTOS ↓

LAODICEA-DENIZLI

ARA GULER'S APHRODISIAS

BEYPAZARI HOUSES

YEDI GÖLLER

ANKARA'da GEZINTILER

AYVALIK- CUNDA

KONYA

UMURBEY BAYAR ANIT MEZAR

BURSA

BURSA KULLIYE VE TURBELER

BODRUM

CAPPADOCIA

URFA

KAS,KALKAN,DEMRE

ALANYA

DALYAN VIDEO

DALYAN, GOCEK, FETHIYE

ANKARA

TWIN BEAUTIES/IKIZGUZELLE

PHOTOS USA ↓

PHILADELPHIA

BOSTON

CHICAGO

CHICAGO LAKE FRONT

LAKE MEAD,NEVADA

LAS VEGAS

INDIANAPOLIS

SANFRANSISCO AND MONTERY

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS

San Diego

NEW ORLEANS

NEW YORK

PENNSTATE

WALKING THE TRAIL

FLAG RAISING IN COLUMBUS

WORLD PHOTOS

PARIS

LONDON 1967

ITALIA

DUSSELDORF 1956

SAREJEVO

ATATURK'S BIRTHPLACEHOUSE

KAVALA, GREECE

ISLAND OF RHODES

A GLIMPSE OF IRAN

INDIA/NEPAL

CARIBBEAN ISLANDS

PRESIDENTS & KINGS TOMBS

DARFUR/SUDAN

YOU TUBE

I-FOOD

BAKI USTA'S DENIZLI KEBAB

ISTANBULLITE'S FOOD

STREET FOOD

NOSTALGIC SICILY'S PIZZA

GOLDEN CORRAL COLUMBUS

CAFE ISTANBUL

ANNE'S COOK BOOK

I-BLOG

TURKS AT UNION CEMETERY

SBF YEARS 1965-1969

WINTER IN ISTANBUL

DUVAR YAZILARI

POSITIVE THOUGHT OFTHEDAY

MY CINEMA

ART WORK

Translate
Bookmark and Share
 
A DAY IN BODRUM
 
 

It was a hot day in the summer of 1985 , I was in Bodrum after thirteen years, and this time with my wife walking by the shore near the Barlar Street. There, by the little dock close to the  Halikarnas Hotel four young American tourists about our age, were trying to agree with the two boat owners about the conditions to rent the boat for the day. Looking for a boat tour ourselves, we asked them if we could join them and they immediately agreed, since the price per person went down to a mere 10 TL, approximately $3 in those days. We were the two Baton Rougeans then, a young girl named Deniz, born to a Turkish mother and American father living in California, three young men, and the two captains of the boat in their early thirties. We packed our own food: feta cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, black olives, water melon, bread, water and a six pack of Efes Beer. The boat had a sitting area for four peope  in the back and another three could lay down on the deck on top of the little cabin.It was runing on diesel fuel and as we sailed out the harbour soon the sound of the motor was a like a music to our ears: ..tackk, tacck, tackk,.....


Our first stop was at  the Aquarium bay, where the water was clear as water and turquoise blue. The younger of two seamen dived into the water about 15 feet deep with a newspaper. He secured the paper on the bottom of the sea with with few rocks, handed Sitare the googles and told her to read the paper while she was swimming in the water.  It was amazingly clear, and no I am not joking.  Afterwards we docked at the Poyraz  Bay, named after the North wind,  then at Tavsan Burnu, Kara Ada and so on. One after another we were diving into the turquoise blue water, swimming to the emerald  green shore line, then swimming back to the boat again. In the afternoon we were sailing near the Karaada, (black island), a huge island with not a single trace of civilization on it. We stopped by a rocky part of the Island ; there were  some caves in the rocks and a waterflow was coming out of the caves mixing with the sea water outside. It was the "Cleopatra's bath" and we were told that the it was thermal water and had healing powers in it. Sitare and I was the only brave ones along with the young captain to swim about 15 yards deep into the caves. Outside by the rocks there was also an area with a pitch black mud on it. The mud was called "Cleopatra's beauty cream", Sitare and Deniz immediately applied the smelly mud to their faces. Our next stop was at this most beautiful place by the Black Island: at the Meteor Hole. The captain had tied the boat to the rocks by the shore and we started walking on the sand and a rocks in the water to this big black area. We came standing to the edge of the ditch and looked inside. It was the darkest  and deepest hole with no bottom in sight. Small fish were swimming on the sides. After some hesitation, I  jumped into the hole and swam across where once a meteorite had fallen. On top of the hole about 40 feet high there was a diving platform on the cliffs.It was too high for anybody, but Sitare, always a good diver,  went down from the rocks to about 15 feet and dived into the water in everybodies amazement.


We had had enjoyed our boat trip so much that day that we made the same trip over and over again with the same crew of eight for the next two days. On the third day the boat broke down in the middle of the ocean. There was a leak somewhere on the motor. The cellphones were not born yet,and we had no help or  communication with land. The two talented seaman cut one of the beer cans and sealed the broken pipe with a piece of wire, turned the ignition on, and we heard the music in our ears again. : tackk, tackk. tackk. ...


Since our first experience with the blue trip in Bodrum in 1985, every time we visited this beautiful city we made sure to make the trip again. For us Bodrum without the boat trip was unthinkable. We,made it together with our daughters, with Sitare's father, with friends and alone by ourselves. Todays trip will be number seven, eight, or ninth one, who knows? Last time we made the trip in 2007 it costed us $ 25 each with lunch included, sightseeing swimming  for seven hours. What a bargain.!

 
Image: 
 

We came to the Bodrum harbour at 9 am when the ticket stand was just opening. We purchased two tickets for 35 TL($17) each, which also included the lunch. To our pleasant surprise our boat was named  “Aslı Han 5” , not only Aslı is our older daughter's name but we had also used another boat named Aslıhan in 2004. Since the  boat was going to depart at I0 am, we went to the Çarşı, the market place, where the shops were just opening for the day. We bought couple of simits and came back to the boat little early to secure a place at one of the tables on the sea side. The first thing you do when entering the boat is  to take your shoes off even if they are flip flops and put  them in the box on the back of the boat. So we did. The boat was specially made for this type of occasion. They construct these special boats in Bodrum, old fashioned long sailboats, called “Gulet”s. This was not a Gulet,but a derivation from it, where the back part of the boat is square shaped to accommodate tables for passengers. There were four tables for six on each side and an aisle in the middle going to the little bar area in the front of the boat. Most of the foreign tourists immediately went up to the deck and stayed there for sunbathing for the whole duration of the trip. We ordered two glasses of çay and started our breakfast with the simits we had just brought in to the deck, waiting for the boats departure.


A European couple joined us at our table soon, a young blond woman about thirty years of age, with a very fit body of a bodybuilder and a man in his mid forties. Sitare asked me in Turkish what language they were talking and I replied  " Dutch or Flemenk or something." Little later on Sitare started talking to them in English and we found out that both were actually Britons from Yorkshire England.The woman had such a different accent or dialect that I had to give my whole attention to understand the words she was saying. They were our first group of friends on the tour, we had nice conversation with them during the whole trip. Drinks are not included in the price and when you are on the ocean, all you do is eat and drink. Sitare had at least three Nescafe's, I had  the same number of çays and a bottle of Efes Beer.

 
Image: 
 
The routine on our itinerary was the same: Aquarium Bay, Poyraz Bay, Tavşan Burnu, Karada, Meteor Çukuru, Tersane... We jumped into the ice cold blue water in each bay, swimmed to the shore and got back to the boat and had another glass of tea. Lunch plate consisted of baked chicken breasts and rice pilaf with salsa, green salad, and fresh loaves of bread. We also had a four o'clock tea service with plenty of petite beur cookies. The stop at Cleopatra's bath, brought memories back and we were saddened by the commercialization of the area. It was not the virgin place any more, we had visited once, they had built a quay for the boats to dock and surrounded the caves all around with walls in the water. There was also a  wet bar serving alcoholic beverage in the little port. People were still swimming by the caves in the water, but we did not know if it still had the thermal healing power and the black mud, Cleopatra's beauty cream had long dried out. Sitare being always the magnet had made friends with several people again. We talked to a young Turkish couple, both Doctors and working at the Cerrahpaşa Hospital in Istanbul. The young man who was a brain surgeon was accepted to Harvard and they were planning to move to United States soon. Then there were these two young men with thick black beards, both working for a cafe in Bodrum, owned by a billionaire businessmen from Azerbaijan. They were really friendly polite young men, servicing our table is if they were working in their own cafe. When I was explaining to  them about  our visit to Cleopatra's bath in 1985 and how Sitare had applied the black cream on her face, one of the young men turned to her and said : "I think the cream  had really worked. " Sitare had big smile on her face and thanked him for the nice compliment. You always meet nice people on your trips, make friends with them for few hours or days and never see them again despite living on the same planet. But now we were headed back to Bodrum and were running an hour late to see our dear friends, who were friends since a long time.

 
Image: 
 
BACK TO TOP/EN BASA
NEXT/BIR SONRAKI
BACK HOME/ANA SAYFA

                                                                                        

                                                                                                       Page copy protected against web site content infringement by Copyscape  

                           
                                                                                              ©2022.All rights reserved        

Website powered by Network Solutions®