Day 4 – Getting High, Turkish Style

Awake at 6am, I wandered down into the balcony. Just standing there, I realised the error of my ways, writing about that breeze. What breeze? It was a whisper in the ear at most, this morning. Already into the high 20s, today feels like it’s going to be a lounge-lizard day, sloth like in its pace.

That said, now I had been fiscally primed, it did mean I could walk down to the Ovacik Market at the bottom of the slope & hunt & gather.

I hunted “Meats” (for a ‘picky dinner’) to accompany the cheese we brought with us as Turkish cheese is not a patch on Cheddar, Wensleydale or Red Leicester! Oh, and crisps & beer to replace Charlie’s supper consumption.

We may have the cheesy upper hand, but Turkiye slam-dunks us on the bread front!

The bread here is bloody gorgeous! Keen on understanding why it’s so good, I ended up trying to read ‘Ekmek ve ekmek çeşitleri Tebligi. Teblig No. 2012/2’ (a copy of which can be found here for those of a similar bent)

Failing on the reading front, it basically is because they don’t use any preservatives or modified ingredients. It’s just bread. Proper bread. And it’s bloody lovely!

A slow walk back up the slope, passing the recently demolished hotel that is soon to become new apartments, and a sharp ‘sa(g)’ turn up to the gates. The ‘front’ of the apartment faces more or less east, which means the metal door handle directly facing the morning sun, is to be treated with due respect!

I settled in on the balcony for the inevitable multi-hour wait for any other life forms appearing. The good news being that the whisper was turning back to a lovely breeze.

Jane came down at around 11, when we had some of that lovely bread, with a bit of cheese. A coffee & a bottle of water later, and we went downstairs to the pool.

Factor 50 for me & my milk-white skin! Then a sunbathe, a dip, a sunbathe, all whilst listening to one of last weeks 93:20 Podcasts, where Ahsan, Howard and Lloyd discussed the ins and outs of Manchester City’s transfer dealings & rumours. Perfection!

After being joined for a while by Charlie, and playing with a ‘Waboba ball’ in the pool, we eventually made our way in for a late bite to eat, before setting of in a Taxsi to the Babadağ Teleferik cable car.

It was around 5pm, as the driver dropped us at the entrance, where we paid for our tickets (approx £8 each), which would get us up to 1800m AMSL in three stages.

We stayed on the (recently built) cable car, passing through the first stop at 1200m and getting off at Babadag 1700. This is the main attraction here, as it’s the launch pad (literally is a big pad) for the paragliders, and has a very fancy looking wine & dine place. With it’s exceptional views over Oludeniz & the Blue Lagoon, (which also means you can watch the sun set whilst slugging back a glass of Pino-G), it’s unsurprisingly popular, and charging accordingly.

We took in the views, and watched a few tandem launches (one of which was aborted), before Charlie & Jane started to flag. Before they did, I’d remembered to pack the little Leica binocs, so we did a bit of spotting. The apartment was pretty easy to pick out due to the temporary building plot in front of it. I even managed to blag a photo on the iPhone through a binocular lens.

Pressing on, I took the chairlift up the next hundred meters to the yet-to-open burger bar & terminus to the final chairlift to the 1900m summit (which wasn’t running today).

Glad I did, as the view is spectacular! Probably the best view of the Blue Lagoon & coastline, other than if you were the tandem on a paraglider!

Back down to join them (“I’m starving”),before we all returned to the bottom, again taking in views as far as Fethiye harbour & the Dalaman peninsular.

We flagged a cab & headed to Sandinos Restaurant, which is on the way home. It specialises in Thai & Indian cuisine, so had to be given a go.

Thai spring rolls, Thai Prawn rolls, and Charlie on the Chicken Tom Yam soup, which was delicious! Then on to Pad Thai (unsurprisingly Jane), Lamb Dupiaza (unsurprisingly me), and Charlie with a Hariyali Chicken curry (mint & coriander with a dash of fenugreek). All we’re lovely, although portion size was generous enough that finishing was a challenge.

After a “Hesap Lütfen”, we paid up, and began the walk home. Nothing too exciting but we did nip in a quickymart & get some jam for breakfast.

Charlie went straight in the pool after getting back, which on reflection was probably a good call.

Have broached the subject of 6-Island boat trips and Jeep Safaris today, but may need to improve my timing & sales pitch, as the two Sleeping Beauties are seemingly exhausted! Tough life, this relaxing & holidaying!

No idea what tomorrow will bring, as if I push now, I may end up with a ministerial revolt & a vote of no confidence.

So for now it’s a “Night Jim-Bob, Night, Mary Ellen” from me!

C x