We arrived in Turkey on June 1st, sailing along the east coast of the Antalya Gulf, past the Alanya castle and fortress, then into the small new marina. It took a bit of time to get checked in, even with an agent, but we're so glad to be here!!! Roger has dreamed of sailing the Turquoise Coast of Turkey for at least 20 years and we are realizing that dream. Alanya itself surprised us, as we had expected a sleepy little village rather than the built-up full-on resort town we found. It's an easy place to get around though, with local buses every 10-15 minutes out in front of the marina. On Tuesdays and Fridays the marina sponsors a shuttle to the fresh produce markets in town. This was our first experience with the AMAZING markets and produce of Turkey. The sights, smells, and tastes were a feast for the senses. Of course we bought way too much and had to store our 1/4 watermelon in our neighbor's 'fridge. I even found fresh goat milk and lots of delicious cheese.
We arrived on a Monday, went to the market on Tuesday and then we took the bus into town on Wednesday and walked up a few km to the Alanya Castle and fortress, which we had seen from the seaside. The views were amazing, but the ruins were... well... ruined. There wasn't too much preserved, but it was good exercise and we enjoyed the walk up and back. That evening, we joined our neighbors, who have lived in Alanya for 13 years and knew the great places to go, for dinner in town at a lovely garden restaurant. They've been friends with the couple who own the "Old House" for years. There is no menu at their restaurant; you get an assortment of meze dishes and choose between two main courses. Everything was delightful and clearly prepared with love and inspiration. Even the house wine was excellent and complemented the food perfectly.
We spent Thursday planning a short trip inland to Cappadocia by bus, while we're as far east as we'll be along the coast. Stay tuned for separate post and pics!
With Equanimity and Joy
