Fethiye

Here we are in Fethiye. Slept like a log in our lovely penthouse above the marina.

Its a lovely day. We need to get some serious provisions in for the week. We have been to Fethiye many times but only flying visits from gulets. Time to explore. In high summer this place will be buzzing. Now it is quiet. Its sunny but you need a jumper. The harbour and marina are packed with over-wintering boats. But there is activity, men are doing maintenance, drilling, varnishing, painting etc. But there are few tourists. Its peaceful. Bliss. The bay is mirror calm. Most of the touristy shops are shut up. You can hear the birds singing! No BOOM BOOM music! But there are still plenty of restaurants, bars and cafes open. Its all very laid back and nice. We even have a Carrefour supermarket serving the marina which is very handy (closer than the Migros).

Our penthouse is lovely. We are perched like like birds in a nest up above the marina. No one overlooking us. We have big patio doors onto our terrace. Its light and airy. In the sunshine the sea is sparkling silver with barely a ripple breaking the surface. Its very quiet, so quiet that we can hear muffled sounds of talking and laughter from way below us in the marina. The surrounding mountains are very green, with pine forests covering the rocks.

Our mission today is to get our bus tickets to Kas (pronounced `cash`) on Friday. Seats need to be reserved so best done early. Pammakale bus company (our preferred bus company) run two buses a day, one at 4.30am and the other at 6.30pm. Not good times, so we head for the Otogar (bus station) to seek out alternatives. Bati Antalya run a regular service every couple of hours. The buses are smaller, like a large minibus. We book the 12.15 bus, 2 reserved seats for TL44 (about £5.50) the journey is 105kl and takes approx 2 hours. You can't help but think that if public transport was this cheap and good at home, there would be fewer cars on the roads. We get the dolmus (pronounced `doll mush`) back to the marina, 20 minute journey for about 40p. Love the dolmus, no timetable as such but very regular, local public transport. Just flag it down and join the locals. The fare is listed above the driver. Grannies with shopping, mums with pushchairs and toddlers, school kids and businessmen. Everyone uses the dolmus. People are so nice, helping each other on and off. Its heart warming to see.

The weather is turning. Forecast is rain. The distant mountains disappear and reappear in the cloud cover. Its quite mesmerising. I am humming `These mist covered mountains are a home now to me` (Dire Straights - Brothers in Arms) The sea is now gun metal grey with streaks of lighter silver. The air is heavy with rain. Then the weather breaks. I really do feel like a bird in a nest now! Visibility is only a few yards, we can't see the ground. The wind is howling around us and rain lashes the windows in squalls. We are toasty and warm though. I have cooked Manti (Turkish ravioli) in a homemade tomato and mushroom sauce for dinner. Manti is usually served with a generous dollop of garlic yoghurt on the top and finished with a dash of hot oil flavoured with red pepper flakes (Aleppo pepper, or Pil Biber, similar to but milder than hot chilli flakes) . Its a traditional winter dish and is filling and warming. I bought ready made Manti from the deli section, but you can make it yourself in much the same way as Italian ravioli. A use for my pasta machine when I get home?? A good thing to do on a rainy day, make manti/pasta, it freezes well as long as you keep layers seperate so they don't stick together.

Slept like a log and awoke to silence. The storm has passed for now. The sea is reflecting the green of the mountains in the early morning light. Pearls of rainwater cling trembling to the lush succulent plants on the terrace. It is so peaceful. The sun is shining for now, but we know it is not going to last. So we need to get our chores done early. Mission today, go to the PTT to post a letter home. Buy something for dinner. Watch this space.

The fresh produce in the Migros is so inviting. I buy cubed steak, onion, mushrooms, baby potatoes and tomato puree. I manage to set off the smoke alarm even with the doors open cooking my beef stew with cumin, pil biber and garlic paste. (From my meagre cooking supplies). Our host says the sensor is too sensitive. Its actually nice to eat in, you soon get fed up with eating out.

Our final morning in Fethiye. Sunshine and showers. The most fabulous rainbows across the bay. Remind me of Libby, a friend who died too young a couple of years ago. She loved a rainbow. Bless you Libby.