Looking down on a rainbow! 

We took a drive over the mountains and through the woods.  The weather kept changing from sun to some rain but it made for lovely photos.  And it only rained hard while we were in drinking coffee in Osmaniye and later when we stopped in Selimiye for lunch.

Ṣahin Café and Restaurant where we stopped on our motorbike in June of 2011.  It was so fun to find the same place and stop again.  Last time it was for lunch.  This time it was for coffee.  The owner brought out bread, two kinds of marmalade, gourd and watermelon, and some lovely herbed goat cheese.  Randal and I went home with some of the gourd marmalade and some goat cheese.

Rolling the flat bread that is a slightly chewy buttery tasting bread just a bit doughier than an English muffin, but almost as light.  She was rolling out several loaves that were placed set under the towels until it was their turn into the oven.

Yum!!!!!

The big plastic bottles were filled with the goat cheese which is also great on salad.

We arrived in Bozburun but so did the rain.  As not much looked opened and no one was quite ready for lunch, we decided to head back towards Marmaris and stop in Selimiye for lunch hoping it would clear up again.  Charles wanted some photos of the boats being built so we stopped at one of the many yards in the area. 

The skeleton of a wood gullet

Doris and Charles. a retired Swiss news cameraman who probably got way better pictures than I did.

One of the workers was happy to answer questions.

From Bozburun we headed to Selimiye looking for lunch.  I think we found the only restaurant that was open but it was just what we wanted.  Warm and charming with good food.  A fire was burning but electric heaters were turned on and soon we were warmed from the chilly day. 

Charles and Doris

A lovely setting on the bay

A map showing Turkish vineyards. 

http://www.mydoramac.com/motorbike-adventure/ our first attempt to motorbike to Bozburun in June of 2011.

http://www.mydoramac.com/biking-to-bozburun/ our actual motorbike trip to Bozburun 2011

Chinese New Year of the Sheep celebrated at Netsel Marina in Marmaris, Turkey.

The lanterns, reflected in the window, were made by Jill and Coni and Gamze.

Jill created the wall hanging and she and Roberto dressed for the occasion!

That must have been some story Roberto was telling as Gwen, Fusun, Arif, and Gamze seemed intent on hearing every word.

I’ve named the Sailor’s Point cat Kara which means dark in Turkish.  She comes to most events but won’t enter into the room unless absolutely invited.  She does know there will be great pot luck leftovers and she’ll get her share.  Otherwise she gets cat kibble that Coni brings for her during the week when folks meet for yoga, movie night, and crafts. 

  After our amazing meal of wonderful Chinese food (even my garlic broccoli got eaten)we played Bingo.

Each card was 1 Turkish lira.  The money was divided among the winners. 

Gamze and Coni were the bingo callers.    Kan was the first to fill up one row and then he filled the second row winning some lira for each win.

But Deborah was the big winner as she was the first to fill the entire card. 

Coni checking the winning numbers.

I cannot remember the last time I played bingo, but it fun! 

Jane setting up her machine.  Jane is amazing and can sew up just about anything her boat needs.  She loaded up her machine and brought it to Sailors’ Point for our Wednesday session.

Deborah had sewn decorations on her hat and now was having the hat sewn together by Jane

Beginning to shape the hat

Fitting the hat

Enough decorations?  Gamze was helping Deborah place the one final star

Coni had hers fitted and now was ready to sew on her stars and moons.

Meanwhile Coni and Jill had been crafting red lanterns for our upcoming Chinese New Year pot luck dinner. 

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We’d bought the material and now it was time to cut out the hats; Deborah was the first to start and then Jill fitted it to her head.

Jill Margaret Deborah Lisa and Gamze in red.

Remember Coni’s old pjs?  They became decorations for the hats.

Jill showing everyone how to do the blanket stitch to sew the decorative bits to the hat.

Gamze was working on her needlepoint and Jill on her sock even as she directed the hat making.

Margaret, a friend from the marina in North Cyprus and also now in Marmaris, is being taught the “European” way to hold knitting needles by Jill.

I was working on this painting of a whirling dervish.  It came out terrible because I left too little room for his feet and when I tried to fix it…..dum de dum dum.  Next week I’ll work on a hat!

My favorites

Wouldn’t think a girl from Cape Cod would like the shark best.

Artist Orhan Kubilay Doḡuṣ

The man smiling is the artist’s dad.

Jane Deborah Jill Coni

Amazingly I haven’t lost it yet! Having a spare will be a good thing. Selfie with hat!

Coni donated these fleece pjs for the project.

Jane with the scissors and Jill work up the beginnings of a pattern while Fusan looks on.

Fitting the pattern to Coni’s head.

Coni was a very patient model

Brain surgery?

This will be a very fun project!

Fusan was finishing up a sweater for Valentine’s Day! Lots of project happen Wednesday mornings. Like our paste paper and small books.

A group of us went off to buy some fleece to make the hat liners. As the piece of material was being cut for us, I yelled, “Stop!” surprising everyone until they saw me get by camera from my pack. I plan to document the entire process so needed to show us buying the material.

1^st  stop  :  Le Shop  Turkish Arts and Crafts

Ali Atabey owner  (Ata means father and Bey means man making for an interesting last name. Like Ataturk, is Father of Turkey.)

Jane, Connie and Jill

Hard to see them, but the puppet looking things in the window are made from camel leather.  I might have to have one before we leave.  

They are a bit translucent so we were surprised that they were made from camel leather.

At Sunday night’s potluck Jane brought some hors-d’oeuvres made from camel sausage which was quite good actually.  If I could eat yak in Tibet, no reason not to eat camel in Turkey.

Camel bone boxes which are decorated inside as well.  In New England whale bone was used once upon a time.

Ali wasn’t there; his father happily let us browse and me take photos.

Like being in Aladdin’s cave.

The hand-embroidered pillow covers are very tempting too.

Less fun, but necessary; kitchen wares.  Neither Jane nor Jill found what they needed so we went off to another shop further down Ataturk Boulevard.

We’d met up at 11 am, visited Ali’s and the 2  household supply shops.   I was getting hungry so we stopped off for a snack.  Unfortunately they weren’t making the gὂzleme (stuffed pancakes) so we had slices of pizza instead with our Turkish tea and Nescafe.

Yakal Pet Shop came next. 

Connie has a cat and Jane has Buttons the dog.  This is their pet shop of choice in Marmaris.

Connie wanted a picture of the birds.  There was definitely some strange chirping after the flash went off.  (Probably bird for ‘What the hell was that?’

Neither rain, nor rain, nor more rain…..

But there was no wind so we stayed mostly dry even with the on and off rain showers.  I think Jane might have the best legs in Marmaris!

Next was the Import Shop.  Randal and I came here our first days in Marmaris while waiting for DoraMac to be delivered back in April 2011.  We stayed at the Dost Otel across the street.  The owners of the hotel and the shop are brothers.  Both very kind and helpful men.  What’s imported here is just about the opposite of what’s imported at home.  Funny how that happens.  He also sells pork products which aren’t available at many grocery shops though the Migros near the marina now sells bacon. 

Randal and I come here for Cheddar cheese and Randal’s bran flakes cereal.

Marmaris’ version of Hallmark with cards in English.  This shop was new to me as I’d passed by but never gone in.

The front window is home to this cat with its own cat door to get in and out!

The House of Art and Culture came next where we stopped to look at the exhibit.  Some we liked and some, not so much

Like, Le Shop, this ceramics shop is where everyone goes. Elhamra Çini ceramic shop. Like being in a museum.

We were offered tea, so typical of Turkish hospitality.   Near the tea is a bowl with small plastic chips in it.  When the tea is delivered, chips are placed in the bowl.  5 glasses of tea  = 5 circular chips.  After a while the shop owner takes the chips to the tea shop and settles up.  Isn’t that cool!

Jane,  Ibrahim, Jill and Connie

Just for us!

“An extraordinary place in deep, wild forest, far removed from all jarring traces of modern Turkish development. There is a deep and deserted bay within walking distance, with spectacularly clear water and a small private beach where you are unlikely to see more than a dozen bathers at any time. There is a quiet stream and miles of lush wilderness in the background. There are no alligators, though you’d almost expect to see them here.

   The founder and ruler of Camp Amazon is Mr Güneş Tecelli, a retired journalist of legendary fame. His wit and sense of humour are evident in many small details around the camp. In addition to plenty of space to set up your tent, the grounds offer a nice swimming pool and a restaurant of considerable local fame. There are a number of extremely basic, if functional, bungalows for the tentless guests.

   There is a semi-paved road to the camp from Değirmenyanı, 14 km West of Marmaris, as well as a more scenic gravel road that branches off from the narrowest point of the Datça Peninsula and skirts close to the sea.”  http://www.kucukvebutikoteller.com/eng/amazon-club

Marmaris wasn’t far down the highway, but the dirt road from the highway was windy and curvy and we were all a bit greenish when we arrived.  Golden Kew is a resort island which is closed this time of year so we had the trail entirely to ourselves.

Starting out was flat by a lovely farm area on one side and scrub covered hills on the other.

John, our hike leader, pointed out the floating pieces of wood in the trough.  The wood is for bees to rest on while they get a drink and not drown in the process.  Also, indentions in the wood hold water also for them to drink.  Who knew?    Below is a suggestion for a bee waterer. 

“set up a water feeder by filling a pie pan with marbles and then water.  The marbles give the bees a spot to land so that they don’t drown when they come to drink”  http://www.waldeneffect.org/blog/Building_a_bee_waterer/

We drove up and down to get to the hike’s start and then we walked along the coast and then climbed up and over and then down to where we’d started.  My lungs aren’t quite used  to “up” as all of our walking is flat along the coast most of the time.

Very desolate and lovely but I think part of the protected Turkish National Forest.

Not me.

This is Gamze who also has wild dark hair taking a photo of her husband Kaan walking ahead down the mountain.

Quinn and his dad Gary having a great father-son moment.

Dale and Jane up on the ridge.

This is a great image to use for learning to add people in the landscape of watercolor painting.  Just silhouettes.

A final photo op; Dale with Quinn and Gary off to the side.

A small village or homestead (not sure)  just at the beginning/end of our walk. 

A sweater or scarf from her shaggy coat would be lovely.  Or yogurt or cheese.

Lots of bee keeping in this area.

Wouldn’t you love to hear her stories! 

I think the walk we did was part of the Carian Trail which does have a section by Bördübet.

“The Carian Trail – named after the ancient region of Caria in south-west Asia Minor – recently opened to the public. It stretches from Bodrum and Karpuzlu, by the Aegean Sea in the west, around the Gulf of Gokova, to Icmeler, by the Mediterranean in the south-east. The new trail is already hot on the heels of the Lycian Way, Turkey’s most popular long-distance walk. But it is more than just a footpath. It links ancient roads and forgotten shepherd ways with historical sites and rarely visited villages, and forms a gateway to an authentic side of Turkey that’s rarely seen. “

http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/the-carian-trail-turkey-on-two-feet-9698085.html

http://cariantrail.com/

http://nationalparksofturkey.com/marmaris-national-park/

A Randal special at ‘Brothers.’

A Randal special which is a little bit of everything.  It became a Wyn favorite too, especially the eggplant.  I stuck to the wraps as mid-day my stomach can’t always handle all this variety.

The “head” brother. 

He remembered us and that Randal liked the variety plate.  The woman in the plaid shirt is his sister who has just joined them in their larger busier restaurant.  So maybe they should change the name.  We went three days in a row and sat at the same table which was the only one available; all the others were full! Our total bill for the 3 of us ranged from 18 to 21 Turkish Lira.  Divided that by $2.33 = $8.15 divided by 3 meals = $2.70.  Really good food at what seems a very low price.  No wonder they are always busy.  And the menu changes a bit each day making it interesting.

After lunch Wyn and I took a very brisk walk to Iҫmeler, about 5 miles down the coast.  We stopped for a drink and the WC before taking the dolmuṣ back to Marmaris.

Wyn drank a beer surfed the web while I had Turkish tea and made friends with a lovely cat. 

Looking towards the far end of Iҫmeler

Back in Marmaris this roasting machine caught Wyn’s eye so we went to have a look.  We left with two bags of freshly roasted nuts; some covered in coarse salt and some covered with sweetened sesame seeds. 

  Denizli Dried Fruit and Nuts Shop  Denizli is a town in Turkey so maybe they have a certain flavor to their nut processing.

Another shop also caught Wyn’s eye.  Yufka is translated as ‘thin layer of dough.”  They are used for various Turkish dishes including bὄrek,  “ a family of baked filled pastries made of a thin flaky dough known as phyllo, found in the cuisines of the former Ottoman Empire.” Wikipedia

The baker was happy to show Wyn around and pose for some photos

Bread in various sizes, shapes, textures and tastes is available.  My favorite is still the simit!

Our waterfront dinner at Felini’s

We were early so Wyn and I could make the 7 pm movie at Sailor’s Point.  Winter time sees most restaurants pretty empty during the week.  It drizzled on and off while we ate, but was warm enough for us to sit outside.

Fresh grilled sea bream that attracted the cats in the vicinity.  I gave them a bit but then our waiter sent someone with “cat food” to lure them away.  Maybe he thought they were bothering me though I tried to say I didn’t mind them at all.  Maybe they get all of the leftover head, tail and bones.

These men were having a game of backgammon.

Wyn leaving DoraMac for his return to Wales.