Our first night in Kuşadasi, we head down from our hotel and are accosted by people wanting you to come into their restaurant, or buy something. We succumbed to one invite. Their plea was appealing - my family runs this restaurant, these are my brothers, my mother and my father. And besides he had the most incredible blue eyes - whoa! Immediately we are served a cold beer in a frosty glass and we settled in to review the menu. Lots good food and lots laughter, a gift of dessert and a knitted woolen mitten and we were on our way.
We strolled along looking at the shops. We also wanted to purchase a phone card - finally we found a place where they would help us use the card. Here we are, trusting people that we are, following this man into a back lane - but we did get to where there were some phones. We made our call and as we promised for his help, we went back to the shop. We looked at the beautiful things - and after much bullying on the shop keepers part I walked out with a silk scarf for a lot less than he wanted for it (thanks to Tracy) but a lot more than I wanted to pay - actually I didn't even want it.
Not where we ate but couldn't resist the picture - yes we are in Turkey. Efes Beer is the main beer in Turkey and it is quite good.
Sunset on the main pedestrian street near the harbour. Our second night in Kuşadasi we had dinner here. Wonderful waiter who really quizzed us about having second beer (they are not big drinkers of alcohol in Turkey especially women). This wonderful waiter saved us from over paying too and even when we left a large tip he questioned us. How very nice.
This bronze statue is of the world famous jazz trumpeter, Muvaffak (Maffy) Falay, born in Kuşadasi. He has played with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie and the Quincy Jones Orchestra and toured in Europe, North and South America.
Marina with Pigeon Island in the background. The island was used for military purposes during the Ottoman Era and before, as the island was strategic for securing the shores or preventing attacks from the sea. The Byzantine castle standing on the rocks was said to be used against pirates and is known as "Pirate Castle". 
Okay now this is got to be something you don't see everyday.
People have asked me "why Turkey?" well, partially because it is there and looked so beautiful and partially because Tracy loves Pomegranates and they grow here. Her dream - to pick a pomegranate - this one is not quite ripe and not exactly on the road - we had to go into an empty lot at night, with a flashlight to pick this.
There, my feet have been in the Aegean Sea. Those feet have now been in the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean, and now the Aegean Sea. There are a few oceans left yet. I may have to put them on my bucket list. But I might stop at the Arctic or the Antarctic. You never know. 
No comments:
Post a Comment