AUGUST PHOTO SERIES – DAY 22 – EARLY MORNING CALIS

Posted on August 22, 2017 by livingtheturkishdream

Most of my photos of Calis are taken from the beach, looking out to sea, or down the promenade, so today’s photo is a different view of Calis, taken from a boat sailing past. It was a January day and we were on a morning boat trip for breakfast. Obviously it was a bit cold and the boats don’t usually go out, but a few of the boats had the brilliant idea of offering a 2 hour trip, sailing from Fethiye, past Sovalye Island, along Calis beach and then back again, with a buffet breakfast served in between! The sea at Calis can get quite choppy during the day, especially in the afternoon, but for some reason the mornings are usually really calm – as you can see in the photo!
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AUGUST PHOTO SERIES – DAY 21 – FETHIYE MOSQUE

Posted on August 21, 2017 by livingtheturkishdream

In the centre of Fethiye, right next to the dolmus station, stands one of the town’s many mosques. For years I walked past it almost everday and never stepped foot inside – until last year! It’s really beautiful inside, stunning stained glass windows, painted ceilings, bright colours against the white walls, a huge chandelier and the softest, thickest, most luxurious feeling red carpet! You can visit the mosque yourself, just make sure you avoid prayer times and Fridays in particular. Make sure you take your shoes off and leave them by the door and be fairly covered up, wear respectful clothing (no strapless tops, swimwear, miniskirts or shirtless men etc), women may cover their hair but I actually did not, Berkay told me I didn’t need to. There is a man who waits around outside and offers to show you around for a fee, but don’t fall for that, it’s completely free to enter and he is just taking advantage. It’s really stunning inside!
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AUGUST PHOTO SERIES – DAY 20 – SEEING DOUBLE?

Posted on August 20, 2017 by livingtheturkishdream

Mountains Babadağ and Mendos form a major part of the scenery around Fethiye, and has featured a few times in this photo series, but today’s photos show them as you’ve probably never seen them before! When I was living in Turkey the first time, I had a beautiful view of the mountains from my kitchen window, most of the time it was a blue sky and mountains covered in greenery I could see, but on this particular winter day around 5 years ago it looked a bit different! A combination of rain, low cloud and fog made the mountains look very strange, like I was seeing double! There is lots of interesting aspects of Mother Nature to be seen in Turkey whether it’s Summer or Winter!
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AUGUST PHOTO SERIES – DAY 19 – A FETHIYE PENINSULAR SUNSET

Posted on August 19, 2017 by livingtheturkishdream

Another sunset photo for today – but from a different viewpoint to the others! This was taken in February last year along the Fethiye peninsular. We had driven around and parked up on the cliff edge, climbed down a few rocks and sat waiting for the sun to go down. I have to say, I find the drive up there really traumatising, there are no barriers on the side of the cliff so as a passenger in the car, all I can see is the sheer drop and the sea below from the window, so I constantly tell Berkay to drive slowly which really annoys him! This particular day he was feeling over cautious too, as it was REALLY windy and really cold. We sat for about an hour watching the sun slowy disappear beyond the horizon and the colour of the sky change from blue, to orange, then to dark blue/purple before nightfall. You often see cars or motorbikes pulled up along the road, belonging to people who have climbed down the rocks for fishing or are just sitting relaxing with a bag of sunflower seeds and enjoying the view.
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AUGUST PHOTO SERIES – DAY 18 – Babadağ and Mendos

Posted on August 18, 2017 by livingtheturkishdream

Right at the far end of Calis Beach, behind Şat restaurant, sits a bit of a hidden gem! I took the photo in 2014, but I assume you can still access the area now, I know there have been a few changes to that end of the beach. We walked around to the furthest point of the beach, where it was impossible to go any further without getting wet! It’s where the canal meets the sea, where the water taxis travel on the route to/from Fethiye/Calis. I believe the area is a kind of nature reserve, with wildlife such as crabs, fish, birds and ducks swimming around, as well as lots of reeds, plants and pretty flowers growing. The views from here are spectacular, offering a slightly different view point of mountains Babadağ and Mendos.
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AUGUST PHOTO SERIES – DAY 17 – SNOWCAPPED MOUNTAINS

Posted on August 17, 2017 by livingtheturkishdream

Although most people know Turkey for its almost-guaranteed sunshine for 6 months of the year, it’s not always hot…in winter it gets cold…VERY cold. Generally the coldest month in Fethiye is February, in my experience. I remember one winter it was around -2 degrees, with icy puddles outside. This photo was taken in January last year, on what was actually a warm day, but the evidence of winter was plain to see on the mountains in the distance – lots and lots of snow. It looks like I was in the sea, but I actually took the photo whilst on a hill off of Karataş beach, looking back towards Koca Caliş – you can see Sunset beach club and Jiva hotel in the centre of the photo. The mountains look so impressive covered in snow, but also vast and intimidating, a very prominent feature of the landscape even though they’re so far in the distance!
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AUGUST PHOTO SERIES – DAY 16 – Lake Köyceğiz

Posted on August 16, 2017 by livingtheturkishdream

Whilst on a trip to Dalyan, we got on a boat and were taken for a short ride down Lake Köyceğiz, to one of the mud bath & sulphuric hot spring centres along the bank. It was good fun, but a little odd, swimming chest deep in mud and rubbing it all over yourself, then washing it off and getting into a hot bath that stinks like rotten eggs… all part of the experience, but not particularly attractive! The boat journey down the river, though was very pleasing to the eye. We were there fairly early in the morning and was one of the first boats out, so the water was very still with no ripples from other boat engines, allowing the reflection in the lake to be crystal clear. I love the contrast between blue sky and green trees, and the reflection acting like a mirror image. Apparently, the lake was formed 7500 years ago, as a result of several earthquakes. A major fault line runs through the lake, and this is were the sulphuric hot springs come from too! Nature at its finest.

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AUGUST PHOTO SERIES – DAY 15 – WONKY HOUSES

Posted on August 15, 2017 by livingtheturkishdream

These wonky houses were well loved in Fethiye, I think, and quite humorous! Sadly, they were knocked down a few years ago, which is understandable due to safety reasons, but I did hold a little soft spot for them, it always made me laugh seeing them while walking through the town square or while on a boat approaching the harbour. They were just so quirky, the orange one sticking out, the old wooden window frames, the slanting balconies.. they look like dominoes waiting to topple over onto each other. Although no longer there, they were a part of Turkey’s beautiful quirkiness to me!
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AUGUST PHOTO SERIES – DAY 14 – CALIS SUNSET

Posted on August 14, 2017 by livingtheturkishdream

You just can’t beat a Calis Beach sunset, especially during winter when the sun goes down right on the horizon rather than behind the mountains. The clouds make it even more dramatic, with the sky fading from yellow, to orange, then to red. The sun glowing, lighting up the horizon, with the silhouette of red island on the right. I love this photo especially because of the boat sailing across, can you spot it? Just think how magnificent the sunset would have looked from on board that, surrounded by the ocean!
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AUGUST PHOTO SERIES – DAY 13 – Gümbet

Posted on August 13, 2017 by livingtheturkishdream

A few years ago we went for a mini-break to Gümbet in Bodrum. Bodrum I really liked, but Gümbet honestly I found awful. It just seemed dirty, the beach was tiny and cramped full of sunbeds, bar street was full of booming music with men dancing on bars and bars only letting women in… it was just weird and definitely not our thing at all, but it must appeal to someone! However, Gümbet does look really pretty with its whitewashed buildings, something that is seen everywhere in Bodrum, reflecting its Greek influence. The photo above was taken from the hotel we stayed in – palm trees, beautiful blue sea, boats, green hills and white washed buildings. Despite not liking the area ourselves, we did still find it beautiful by day.. it’s just at nighttime it became a little too wild for us. That’s part of the beauty of Turkey – something for everyone’s taste!
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