Day 2: July 5, 2009 – Sunday
Since we’d gone to sleep quite early for a Saturday night, we woke up early in the morning as well. By around 8.30 A.M. we were already down at the Marina, doing a morning jog. God, it was so hot! By what seemed like an hour –which was only half of it- later, we were back at home and under cold shower, recovering from the early morning run.
After breakfast, we left for the seaside. The address of the day was Yalikavak. Part of my childhood also passed in Yalikavak, since my grandmother had bought a summerhouse there in the mid 1990s. Her summerhouse, which we had to sell after her death, was located on one of the highest peaks of the Yalikavak mountains. Hence, we had become acquainted with many of the beaches around the skirts of these mountains. They used to be so bare and so inhabited. Yet, like many of the other beaches of Bodrum, Yalikavak, too had changed. Those bare beaches back then had turned into beach clubs with chic beach beds and embroiled towels, water sports facilities and well kept wooden docks. We ended up going to Xuma Beach Club. Regular visitors had to pay 55 TRY to get –which was deposited to be used inside- but we ended up paying null as a relative turned out to be a member to the club. The sea was okay and the crowd was nice. The food was regular, but expensive. Their drink menu was immensely rich –ranging from healthy options to alcoholic beverages. I had what they had named the “Organic,” a smoothie made from organic and fresh fruits, good for my stomach and intestines. The entire fruit and vegetable mixes were accompanied by what they were good for.
There is also a sports club and a massage center inside the beach club. I have not been to either of them, as the sea is really what I was yearning for, but I did hear a man exhilarate a ‘Wow’ as he walked out of the massage room and another groan that they were fully booked for the day.
We left the club around 5.30 P.M. to go to a fish restaurant inside Yalikavak: Balikci Hasan’in Yeri. Ask anyone who knows Bodrum well about this place and they would say ‘wow, or yes, or yes yes Hasan,’ so as to recognize the name and to approve of your choice. The truth if you would ask me is that the place had become very overrated. For a couple of cold appetizers, grilled calamari, mixed salad for two and a very small fish, we ended up paying 90 TRY per person, which is on par with Istanbul prices and hence a little too much for Bodrum. Nevertheless, the service was very good and the view of sunset was worth the price. The food was fine, however I did end up getting awfully sick the next day. I will not lay any blame on the restaurant, as no one else other than me got sick afterwards.
You will find on Donuz, everything that is unique to where we have been and where you would want to be. Be it food, be it lodging, be it a special feet massage, a bottle of wine, a person… Be it for 7 days, a day, a week, 36 hours or a single moment. On Donuz, is everything, you will need to make your holidays special. We hope you share with us your experiences.
Mon, Jul 13, 2009
Bodrum