29th October 2008
Hoş geldiniz! We’ve had the luxury of 2 weeks this October, spending most of it with the family. The weather for us was superb: hot during the day but then cooler for sleeping – perfect.
We had 2 boat trips with Uğur (Lucky) on the Kartal and during the latter, for the first time ever, we saw jellyfish! They are so rare that Lucky thought it was a small plastic bag at first – until we saw several more. They were only in one spot, next to a cave. Lucky assured us they were coming in on the tide and wouldn’t be widespread. Fortunately he was right, as no more appeared. That same trip, while snorkelling, we spotted a small ray swimming along the bottom. Apart from the unusual denizens of the deep, we managed to entice many different varieties of fish with stale bread. The water was calm and a great temperature. As always, the banquet that is Lucky’s lunch was amazing. He makes it all himself and I felt quite inadequate. A while later, mouth watering melon arrived and later still, came chocolate cake and apple tea. We disembarked somewhat more rotund than at boarding.
We had a great trip to Saklikent Gorge, eating lunch at one of the super ottoman restaurants next to the water. I managed to walk some of the gorge this time, although when people were having to be literally hauled over huge boulders, I turned around. I know my limits. A trip to Fethiye’s Tuesday market was fun. Our musician son bought a saz, a traditional mandolin-type instrument. We had to visit Bezirgan village again and this time there was a group of old women sitting on the ground, having what I suspect was a good old gossip. A jolly old man insisted on having his photo taken with us, which was exactly what we wanted. It’s very traditional there and so peaceful. Many of the houses look hundreds of years old. I want one, with chickens and goats. I could see myself wearing MC Hammer trousers and a babushka (plus I’m not sure these elderly women know the meaning of ‘foundation garments’, which would be an added bonus).
We had a fantastic year rentals wise, being virtually fully booked. We’re also pleased to report that our reviews are still 100% positive, many glowing! Due to the heavy occupancy of the villa this season, there were a few maintenance issues. As reported last time, we had issues with the Jacuzzi bath but this was eventually fixed. Unfortunately, you now have to press the button more than once to get it going and not all guests were aware of this. We needed to replace a few things: a towel rail here, a shelf there, crockery, shower heads, etc. We’ve decided to remove the glass from the top of the bedroom furniture, as it could be a safety issue. Of course once it comes off, marks will start appearing from wet glasses, etc., despite coats of varnish. Suggestions on a postcard please! On a similar theme, last trip we bought clear plastic corner protectors for the glass dining table. We now know - they fall off! No matter what we use, they fall off, and look ugly to boot. My next idea is to glue felt on the corners and cover the whole table with a cloth. If wood wasn’t so expensive in Turkey, I’d replace the table altogether! Originally we had a square, glass coffee table but that had to go, due to many bruises to thighs (mine, mainly, as I’m clumsy).
The wireless internet has proved popular, especially as our son was able to stay in touch with friends via Facebook (sad but true). He also figured out how to play our MP3 players through both the TV and stereo speakers. Clever boy (although I did get somewhat tired of Black Sabbath).
Our bookcase is nearly full, thanks to guests who have contributed to Barinak’s library. The library is completely at the disposal of guests, so feel free to take a book home. The same is not true for the DVD library, although several have mysteriously disappeared!
We've decided to upgrade both showers in the double & twin rooms. We felt the trays, enclosures & showers were a bit basic. The twin room's shower should also be slightly larger, which is never a bad thing. We’d also like to install a separate shower in the master bedroom but this is proving too problematic. A separate shower would mean moving the toilet and replacing many tiles with non-matching ones, due to the pipework upheaval. Working on plan B: a decent shower over the bath, with a curved bath screen. The plumber (who arrived moments after we told the site manager about our plans) didn’t think it was possible, although I’m fairly certain it is! I watch enough Property Ladder & know that problems are just itching to be solved, so hopefully we’ll get the shower in the end. I’d also like to install a hot tub on the roof terrace, next to the ottoman area. Hubby is thinking about it, although he’d still rather have a bar. We might even manage to get another door onto the roof terrace, so that people don’t have to walk through the master bedroom for access. We bought some gorgeous mosaic glass lanterns to hang on the pergola over the ottoman area. Regrettably, these will not be up for guests, as they hang down and people could bump their heads (we know this for a fact - ouch). Sitting up there at night is absolutely magical. We watch shooting stars, while listening to crickets and sipping almond liquer. Bliss.
Yet again, the 2 new conifers poolside have died (this is the 3rd set we’ve had planted), so we’ve decided to have them removed once the pool is drained and to spread out & tie together the branches of the remaining 3 conifers, to form a better screen. We think this way, the remaining trees will flourish, as they’re not having to fight for space. A couple of the silver birch have grown well, but others not. Apart from these failures, the rest of the plants look amazing. We have citrus fruit on all 3 trees (oranges & satsumas) and the flowering plants go from strength to strength. If they did a ‘Best in complex’ prize, I think we’d win it hands down (please excuse the blowing of our own trumpets). Since writing this, a couple drove up to the complex and told Steve how fabulous the villa looked! I hope they were judges incognito.
The only negative thing during our stay was having to switch banks. The bank we’ve been with since 2004 was not proving efficient enough for our needs. We went to see them in March, to set up a direct debit to pay our internet provider. We brought all the info they needed, straight from the internet shop. Over the next few months, we kept getting email reminders to pay outstanding bills. The internet provider (Smile adsl) do not accept foreign credit cards on their website, so we had to ask our Turkish friends to pay the bills. Most embarrassing. Omer went into the bank to see what was wrong, and an employee assured him that she would investigate and email us in 24 hours. Several weeks and a couple of reminders from Omer later, and still nothing. When we went in to close the account, we discovered the employee who had originally set up the direct debit had put the wrong account number down. It took exactly 1 minute to discover this fact. Poor. So we now have a new bank, who seem much more up to speed and part of the 21st century. Interestingly, we discovered that Turkish banks pay a whopping 16-20% interest on savings accounts. It’s very tempting but then you look at countries where banks have gone under. How can they possibly sustain these levels of interest? Under the mattress is looking more and more appealing.
Developments seem to have slowed in Kalkan, and with the current economic problems, I don’t anticipate much happening this winter. Most of the locals were quite gloomy about next year but then Omer told me that Turks are pessimists at the best of times. I just think negativity breeds negativity. Scaremongering causes things to escalate, so I refuse. Things will get better.
On to food.....We had a couple of takeaways from the Marina; mushroom tortellini was our veggie daughter’s favourite but the Turkish pides (like pizza) were also excellent. The Breeze restaurant on the corner of the roundabout is now Dream, and they also do takeaways. I noticed the Tomato Restaurant delivery too. We ate out at The Ivy (natch), Aubergine, Akin/Lime Tree (it was nice to see Bulent from the Asfiya Hotel working there), Marina, Sofra (daughter had the best ever veggie casserole & wicked courgette fritters), Olive Garden, Belgin Kitchen and for the first time ever, the Özalp terrace restaurant, which was excellent. I’m not sure why we haven’t tried it before but I think we’ll be regulars from now on! The waiters, although attentive and sweet, are a bit on the quiet side but the food more than makes up for that, plus the owner is very gregarious and even the chefs say hello as you’re walking up the stairs. Oh, and it’s traditional Turkish bread, straight from the oven. Hmmmmm and who cares about a bit of extra padding around the bottom? Steve had a trip to Çiflik trout farm restaurant in Islamlar, with Orhan and Hakan, his Turkish buddies. As ever, the food was plentiful, tasty and dirt cheap, but it got very cold way up there. Still, they had Raki to keep them warm.
I was very touched to have an early birthday celebration at the Olive Garden, where I was showered with gifts, including a gorgeous leather purse from none other than Jeffery (Class Leather). Well, I suppose I am one of his best customers, much to the other half’s annoyance.
Apart from eating, we enjoyed a drink or 2 and many games of cards at the Yacht Point and Moonlight bars. The nice thing is that even if you don’t feel like alcohol or soft drinks, they serve hot beverages. I still can’t get enough Turkish tea and coffee! Acquired tastes but worth trying! We’ve had a couple of guests mention that prices have increased since their last visit a few years ago and this is definitely true, but only in line with everywhere else. Fuel prices have increased, so taxi prices had to rise. You can still get inexpensive meals but if you’re really on a tight budget, you might have to sacrifice the bottle of wine, depending on where you go. The price of a bottle of Lal Rosé or Angora Red can really vary. Currently, The Olive Garden charge around 22TL (£9 at the moment) for a bottle of Angora Red, while other restaurants can charge 30TL (£12). Of course it may be that the Olive Garden charge more for main courses, so it’s swings & roundabouts. My advice is to check out the prices first if you’re concerned.
We still enjoyed our fair share of retail therapy. I think we ended up getting 20 Turkish shirts from Tufanlar Silk Road shop (many made up specially) to keep and for gifts. The average price for a long-sleeved cotton shirt is £10. Asena runs both shops, being very fleet of foot, while her dad does all the sewing. I bought 2 myself, as they’re very comfortable to wear and quite chic (well , in my mind) especially with a chunky belt. Speaking of belts, I couldn’t resist one from Class Leather, as well as 2 bags. I prefer Jeffery’s laid back style of ‘selling’. Never pushes – if you want it, you want it and nothing is too much trouble. Any problems, simply return it. He’s very good. I hate aggressive selling. Steve got himself a beautiful silver ring from the Köseleci jewellery shop. He wasn’t sure about the size, so the jeweller’s wife let him wear it for 24 hours before paying. Now there’s trust for you. I have no idea of the shop name but we bought more DVDs and phone credits from the place near Bezirgan Kitchen. He tells me I’m his best customer too. While he might say that to everyone, I do tend to buy every new film he gets. He is also happy to change any that are not great quality.
The manager of our complex, Orhan, showed us round his villa that is up for sale (Antik). It’s a wonderful investment and in a great spot, overlooking the entire bay of Kalkan, just up from the market. I will be putting photos on the website soon, as it’s got some amazing features, not least of which is the master bathroom. That sold it to me alone. It’s like a Turkish bath, with marble everywhere (including twin marble basins) and a fantastic sunken Jacuzzi bath in front of a picture window overlooking Kalkan bay. Sublime! I kept picturing myself with a glass of wine, soaking in there. The master bedroom is huge, with a separate dressing area and built-in wardrobes. It has 3 bedrooms, all with built-in beds and furniture, plus lovely views. And of course a private pool! If you’re in the market for a foreign property in an idyllic spot, then this might be the villa for you. It might prove more prudent to invest in foreign property than leaving your money in a bank, in view of recent events. Offers in the region of £180,000, which is considerably less than other villas of similar size, quality & location. If anyone is interested, I’ll be happy to pass on your details to Orhan.
1st July 2008
Hello again! Our trip this time was another ‘first’, as we’d never been in June before. We expected pleasantly tolerable heat, however global warming once again reared its ugly head and the temperatures soon reached 40°C! We didn’t complain though, as it relaxed us both completely. I managed to change colour and Steve has gone his usual mahogany (why did I get my mother’s Celtic genes?).
The new road bypassing Yeşilköy is finished. This should reduce transfer time, as you won’t need to travel on the slow, winding bit of the road between the 2 towns. Of course the new road won’t be as interesting, so it will be up to guests to decide whether time or scenery is more important.
The bougainvillea at the villa never looked more stunning. They took our breath away when we saw them. We’ve added a front shot to the photos page. Just gorgeous. We also had green oranges on 3 trees and the jasmine was in bloom. Heaven. Oh, and the geraniums that Steve planted have gone nuts!
I learnt something interesting, although frustrating. Jacuzzi baths need circuit boards. When the board blows, guess what happens? You can’t use the bath whatsoever, as the water leaks out of the Jacuzzi nozzles. Now, if I had requested a new bath, it would have been purchased and installed the same day. Getting hold of a circuit board is a whole other ballgame. The bath supplier had to order it from Istanbul. One month and umpteen phone calls (by the Turkish site manager no less)later, and still no board. More guests were arriving the day we were due to leave and I was getting worried that 8 guests and only 2 showers would never do. Fortunately, the electrician saved the day, by adjusting the motor and finding a way to bypass the circuit board. This means that the bath can be used safely, until the board decides to turn up. Whew.
Quick rundown of where we ate: The Ivy (of course), Ibo, Çiflic trout farm restaurant (furthest along of all the trout restaurants, no menus but still the best), Kaya, Marina, Olive Garden, Merkez. Oh and a new roof terrace on the left, just past Ali Babas. It’s got Kalkan’s answer to Orlando Bloom (at least that’s what he thinks) standing outside. Orlando Bloom with a slightly comical sense of fashion and brown teeth. The experience wasn’t brilliant, although there was a long power cut, so perhaps we judged them too harshly.
Apropos of Orlando a la Turk, teeth bleaching should do a bomb in Kalkan, provided it was priced appropriately. So many men smoke heavily and drink gallons of strong tea and coffee. A dentist’s nightmare (or pot of gold perhaps).
Euro 2008 was in full swing while we were there and fortunately, Turkey reached the semi-final. The spectacle after the team beat Croatia was unbelievable. The town went nuts. Every Turkish male was immediately on the streets, every car and scooter suddenly appeared, tooting their horns. Fireworks went off, enormous Turkish flags were paraded up and down. Fanstastic. The police just stood around dumbstruck. And no trouble that we saw or heard about. They played very well against Germany in the Semi-final, but as several of their best players were injured, it meant they fielded a very young team. Saying that, they played bravely and it looked like penalties until Germany snatched it at the last moment. Shame. I think the Turks were pleased that Spain beat Germany!
We had a couple of friends with us this time, so we had a day out on Lucky’s boat, or I should say one of his boats, as he now has 2. 'Kartan I' was being completely refitted, while 'Kartan 2' took us out for the day. It was equally comfortable and the food was as good as ever.
We have always wanted to find the traditional Turkish village of Bezirgan and this visit we managed it. It isn’t easy to find, as the road signs are sketchy. It’s worth the trip, however, as the beautiful fields of wheat are still harvested into sheafs with a sickle. We came across these rows of strange little two-story huts that are reminiscent of chicken coops. It turns out that they’re ‘ambars’, an ancient Lycian method for storing grain. There are almost no craftsmen left that can still construct them without the use of nails or screws. We thought they’d make an interesting b&b alternative! The most wonderful aspect of our visit to Bezirgan was that next to the ambars, there was a hay cart with ottoman cushions. A little old lady came out of her house and beckoned us to sit there. There was an old restaurant sign nearby, so we assumed it was a rustic bar or cafe. While we were cooling off under a glorious sweetgum tree, the lady was making traditional Turkish tea and some bread that was like a cross between naan and crumpet. We quaffed the uber strong tea and munched the slightly sweet bread. Afterwards we tried to ascertain what we owed her. It turned out – not a thing! It is customary for traditional Turkish villagers to offer strangers refreshment and hospitality. We didn’t know what to do, so in typical British fashion, we insulted her by thrusting a tip into her hand. Bezirgan is quite magical and not to be missed!
Still virtually no mosquitoes, owing to the spraying policy. Not sure which is worse: chemicals you might be inhaling or the potential problems with mozzie bites. I’ll risk the former.
Another spot we’d yet to visit was Saklikent Gorge. Even before you walk to the gorge entrance, you pass delightful rustic restaurants, where ottoman areas line both sides of ice cold streams and hundreds of iridescent blue dragonflies dance about. After a pleasant dish of meze, followed by pancakes (ok and a beer), we made our way to the gorge itself. It is about 20km long and you can buy plastic shoes at the entrance, should you wish to walk some or all of it. And it’s well worth doing so, as just around the first bend, the gorge looks even more amazing. It costs 3.5 Turkish Lire to get in, which at the moment equates to less than £1.50. Definite value for money. The water is initially freezing but warms up the further you go.
The refurbished and modernised Post Office looks impressive and we noticed several new banks. The Yali Beach Club is under new management and it’s as good as ever.
I ended up feeding about 6 cats, which may not be wise but it’s hard to resist those pathetic eyes, even though I know this is a well-practised look and they probably got fed several times a day. I have the word ‘sucker’ invisibly tattooed on my forehead, which all cats and dogs can see.
We may go back in October, so I’m going to check out the best flight prices now. By the way, if any of you don’t like flying, I can heartily recommend trying Paul McKenna’s Fear of Flying download for £15. I HATED flying and after a couple of listens, I found the return journey almost easy. He recommends you listen every day for 2 weeks to completely get rid of your fear. Works for me. Bye for now.
11th March 2008
For the first time, we were not lucky enough to get extra legroom seats at the airport. We normally buy them there, as it’s cheaper than buying them with your ticket. Initially I felt a bit claustrophobic but soon got used to it. The Thomas Cook flight was fine but they do to cram you in like sardines. At least there was no turbulence.
Last week was another maintenance trip, with Steve weatherproofing the rest of the outdoor furniture and pergola above the Ottoman area. We also brought some childproofing equipment, like socket covers, cupboard locks and table corner bumpers (the glass table is lovely but the corners are sharp). We only have 2 cupboards in the kitchen that contain hazardous materials, so hopefully now little minds won’t figure out how to open the locks! The pool has been re-grouted, which makes it look nice and fresh.
The best news is that we’ve installed secure, broadband internet access in the villa, both wireless and via cable, so bring your laptops if you’re so inclined. This is especially useful now, as there don’t seem to be many internet cafés left in Kalkan!
The road in front of the villa now has paving on both sides and the waste ground diagonally opposite the villa is being landscaped.
The citrus blossom is out, so we were treated with regular wafts of sweet-scented aromas. It’s been unusually warm, even at night, so we enjoyed an evening barbecue (courtesy of site manager Orhan), without the need for jumpers. For a few days it was particularly windy, with strong, warm breezes causing layers of red dust to settle everywhere.
The building is coming to an end soon and I’m pleased to say that there is far less this year than previously.
Only a few restaurants were open and we sampled Caya (still can’t see how Kadir performs his card tricks), The Marina, Aubergine, Lime Tree (formerly Akim’s) and Isos. Naturally for breakfast we made our way to Pasta Hane for freshly baked pastries and strong, sweet Turkish tea. The tahine (sesame) and yellow cheese are my favourites. He does a thriving business, also baking a huge variety of sweet and savoury biscuits and gorgeous gateaux. Not good for the waistline but the tastebuds didn’t complain.
Murat & Kerry’s baby (Blue Marlin Watersports) is doing well, having been born 2 months prematurely. Lucky (captain of the Kartal boat) also has a wonderful baby boy but we weren’t lucky enough to see him yet.
I have to say that supermarket prices have risen somewhat. I think they know they have a somewhat captive audience, as it were. I’ve been told that supermarkets in Kaş are cheaper, so next time we will stock up there. It’s only a 30 minute drive and the coastal road is fabulous. And Kaş is a nice place to visit, with cute shops and a Friday market. Overall, prices are similar to the UK now, although you can still buy fresh meat, fruit and veg much cheaper, provided you don’t buy from the supermarkets! Oh and there's a new butcher which looks good. Must try it when we go back in June!
Görüºürüz!
13th January 2008
Happy New Year to you all! We returned to the UK, setting down first at Gatwick, which was experiencing a torrential downpour, then to Manchester, which was merely overcast and cold. Having just spent a fantastic 10 day break in a warm & sunny Kalkan, we were less than enthusiastic to be home. Oh well.
The weather over there was a revelation to us. We had no idea that winter temperatures were in the low 20s/70s during the day. Nights were chilly though, so we installed a Turkish wood-burning stove to make the evenings cosy. Very odd to be sunbathing during the day and cosying up to the fire in the evening. I’m not complaining, however, as friends kept texting to say how awful the UK weather was (couldn’t help smirking).
The combination of the lovely days and cosy evenings makes us want to offer the villa year-round. The problem is that the maintenance companies tend to only work through the normal season (Easter to October) but we’re working on it, so keep coming back to the website. I fancy Christmas in Kalkan next! I could decorate our banana tree or bring the potted orange tree inside. I was amused to see Christmas trees full of baubles in the restaurants. I also didn’t realise that Turkey celebrates New Year on 1st January. I had assumed, since it is a Muslim country, that they would follow the Muslim calendar but Attaturk changed that, to bring Turkey in line with the rest of Europe.
Our new outdoor shower is great. So nice to be able to shower off the chlorine after swimming and good for the pool to wash off the sun factor 30 before a dip. As we installed a stove, we had a change round in the living area. The indoor dining area has now moved to in front of the arched doors, thus nearer the kitchen, which makes more sense. The lounging area is now at the end of the room, with the arrangement more satisfying somehow. Before the sofas made an ‘L’ and now they face each other, making conversation easier. We’re also extending the breakfast bar in the kitchen, so that it makes an ‘L’. You can never have enough workspace in the kitchen! This way all the small appliances will be on the bar against the wall, leaving the remaining counter tops clear. The wooden cot that was in the master bedroom (top floor) has been moved to the 1st floor double room. We felt it made more sense because it means that families with a baby and young children can now be on the same floor, plus it no longer impedes the fabulous view from the master bedroom front window. An outside socket by the ottoman area on the roof terrace hadn’t yet materialised but we were assured by the efficient site manager that it would be ready in time for our next visit in March. This socket will be useful for the free-standing fan that we bought. A ceiling fan would have been dangerous, as the roof of the ottoman area is too low. Of course Steve also wants a socket in case he ever gets his way and builds a bar up there! I’m fighting him on this but I have a feeling that it will just appear one day.
Our visit wasn’t all lazing around this time. Steve spent several days weather-proofing the outdoor furniture and I occupied myself with washing net curtains, renewing the mosquito nets, washing out the hoover & replacing its filter, etc. I also rearranged all the kitchen cupboards so that it’s easier to see what we’ve got. For instance, all the bits & pieces that go with the hand blender were scattered all over. Now they’re together, so you can either use it as a whisk, puree-er (made up word) or a mini food processor, with the bowl and blade. It’s become slightly redundant now that we have a proper liquidiser but it still comes in handy.
I was concerned that there wouldn’t be much choice for eating out, since most restaurants close for winter, however we were pleasantly surprised to find a number of great places were open. New Year’s Eve was spent at Aubergine, who throw a wicked party, with music and fireworks. Mario greeted us as old friends at the Marina, as did Kadir at Kaya (I still can’t see how he does his card tricks). We tried a couple of new places (new to us): Akin’s (who is actually an optician; he ‘read’ Steve’s prescription from looking through his specs) has renamed his place to the Lime Tree – great selection, including original pasta dishes (walnuts, apricots & spinach with spaghetti); Isos (down the side of the Sofra building) – ancient building, with dilapidated wooden doors, tiny inside but wonderfully fresh and beautifully presented food. Our good friend Ziya, from the Ivy (unfortunately closed for winter) took us to Mahmut’s trout farm restaurant up in the hills. The food was excellent (oh, the home-made chips and fried cheese – my heart didn’t appreciate them but my stomach did). We tried to be healthy at breakfast and made porridge. I bought some walnuts to throw in. I’ve never tasted walnuts like these. They were actually fresh, unlike the dark brown, wizened equivalent we find in our supermarkets. Some mornings we couldn’t resist the temptation of fresh Turkish pastries from Pasta Hane. My favourite is still the tahine (sweetened sesame seed paste). It’s hardly surprising that both our successes at weight loss before Christmas have been significantly eroded. Back to the gym. Speaking of gyms, our friend Tekken’s business complex on the market road will soon have a state-of-the-art fitness club. We will definitely make use of it, as we miss the gym when we’re out there (no kidding).
Steve enjoyed his usual haircut and shave at the beginning of our stay, then went without razor for the rest of the trip. I thought his new stubble gave him a slightly dangerous appeal but he got rid of it as soon as we got home. Shame.
Kalkan has an impressive new bus station on the market road, although locals think it's far too big and the retail units they've included will probably not get filled. One day I'm determined to take the Istanbul coach!
The little shop that sold DVDs, CDs, games, etc has closed, as the owner has opened up a larger place opposite the taxi rank, with a larger range of items.
There is less building going on that last year (thank goodness) and everything that we saw looked sympathetically designed. Prices seem to vary tremendously, even between like-sized developments, so I’m not sure how they determine what to charge.
We had 2 regular visitors to the villa. We think they’re the kittens from Hissing Sid, a tiny black cat that could only hiss. They enjoyed a diet of cat food and occasional bits of lamb and even fillet steak (I can never finish the mountain of steak they serve).
Murat and Kerry, who run the Yali Hotel & Beach Club, as well as own Blue Marlin Watersports, have had a little boy, so congrats to them! Another happy event was a baby boy to Captain Lucky, owner of the Kartal boat. All this baby stuff makes me broody and I’m far too old for that!
The road up to the villa was fun to traverse, as it had been torn up for new sewers. It will all be put right in time for the season and it’s terrific that the complex can get rid of the septic tank, which caused a few interesting odours in the height of summer.
We made the obligatory trip to Fethiye market and partook of chocolate & banana pancakes and freshly squeezed oranges. The trees were full of citrus fruits and the market was a sea of orange. We bought kilos to make our own juice each morning. Juice from just-picked oranges bears no resemblance to what you get from a carton!
We took one taxi ride from the centre and they’ve put their prices up, unfortunately. Whereas it used to be very reasonable, it’s now more like our prices. It worked out to around £4, which is fine if there are four of you but less so if you’re going solo. On the other hand, it’s cheaper than renting a car, even if you took a taxi both ways every day. I really enjoy a slow saunter into town but after too much food (& fermented grape), I prefer being ferried back. I’m just lazy. Most people we know walk both ways. We rented a car this trip (always from Enes) and were chuffed to see they had winter rates. Maybe we sho