Thursday. Groundhog day. Sunny again, hot again, so on with the hat and the sunblock :)
We're staying in Icmeler again today, chilling out (if that's an appropriate phrase to use in this excessive heat) anyway the good thing about this holiday is that the pace has been slowed right down. Which is something we're not used to, as we don't really do relaxation on holiday - trying to fit everything in. So this is good, and we've established this little tradition of a Turkish apple tea stop at 11.30 am. This is a picture of Turkish apple tea, which is a very wonderful thing indeed.
Icmeler has a rather lovely promenade which we have become familiar with. Along the way there are a number of wooden signs and here is one of them.
One of the really nice things about Icmeler is the canal. There is a number of shops/stalls/bars/restaurants alongside. I took this picture of where the canal meets the Mediterranean Sea.
After this we do the Turkish shopping experience once again. Faithful travelling companion, being a Galatasaray football fan, haggles his way to the purchase of an away strip - which I like, because it is purple (my favourite colour) although he really wants a home strip. Meanwhile I buy lots of bracelets in different colours with the 'evil eye' which is a particularly Turkish speciality. Everywhere you go you are met with what I call the "Turkish Inquisition" - a regulation set of questions: what's your name, where are you from, what hotel are you staying in, when did you arrive, are you married, do you have children etc etc. Initially I thought I'd have found this intrusive but when you are in Turkey it seems to be the most natural thing and is a nice, friendly gesture. The shopkeepers/waiters seem to be taking a genuine interest and the amazing thing is that they always remember your name, or where you come from!
More shopping. I buy a box of apple tea: I really love this drink and was very happy to see that Whittards sell it at home so when my Turkish box is finished I'll be investing in some more.
We spend the day exploring, lunching, exploring some more, having a mid-afternoon coffee and cake stop at a cafe where I spot the most gorgeous guy I've probably seen all year (!) and then we make our way back to the hotel to get ready for our trip this evening to the Kervansaray Turkish Night in Marmaris.
If you go to Turkey on holiday you have to go to 'Turkish Night' which is basically an evening's entertainment of music, folk dancing, belly dancing and some audience participation (a belly dancing contest followed by some Eurovision-style nationalistic voting). There is some food and wine too! Here is the Shakira-lookalike belly dancer who was rather fabulous, like all the other acts in the show. I want to learn how to belly dance now!!
At midnight it was time to head back to Icmeler after yet another very enjoyable day and night.
