A trip on the Babadağ Teleferik/Cable Car and chair lift..

Posted on November 16, 2021 by livingtheturkishdream

When I heard about the new cable car being built on Babadağ mountain I was about nervous about the idea – I wasn’t sure how much it would disrupt the area and whether it would look a bit out of place, but when it opened earlier this year and I started to see my friend’s photos popping up on Facebook I knew i had to add it to my list of things to do – so at the end of September that’s what we did!

As we drove down to Ölüdeniz from Hisarönü we saw signs for the mountain car park (they charge per hour), we parked up and walked towards the terminal entrance, though we later realised there is a free shuttle bus that takes you from the car park to the entrance if you want – we used that on the way back. Once we got our tickets (80 tl each) we joined the very short queue and saw the cable cars approaching – the signs actually say each car can hold 6-8 people but it wasn’t busy so each family or couple got a car to themselves.

There’s just something about having to step onto a moving object, no matter how slow, that fills you with dread, isn’t there? As soon as I saw the car coming around the corner I just thought ‘AHHHH!’, but I made it inside and we sat down and enjoyed the journey.

The views of Ölüdeniz are amazing, and depending on the time of day the sun reflects beautifully on the water too. I’m not scared of heights at all but I couldn’t help but be vary aware of the fact that below me was just a mountainside, sharp and rocky. Every now and then when we reached the next section the car would jolt a little and make our bellies wobble – all part of the fun!

There are two stops along the route – 1200 meters, which takes 9 minutes to reach from the ground, and 1700 meters, which is another 5 minutes further – you can get on and off at each point and it’s all included in the ticket price. The stop at 1200m has a restaurant, cafe and open air theatre, but we didn’t get out there. We stayed on til 1700 meters where there is a viewing deck, another restaurant and bar, and a pond with koi karp imported from Japan with a glass walkway over the top.

There’s a barrier near the edge and there are a few security guards walking around, blowing whistles at anyone getting into positions a bit too risky for a photo shoot! The air feels so fresh and clear up there – definitely the freshest air I’ve ever breathed into my lungs! It also gets a bit chilly up there in summer, or bloody freezing and snowy in winter – so be prepared with your clothes, I had a cardigan in my bag but didn’t need to wear it..

From one side you can see Ölüdeniz with the famous lagoon, although from this height it was just a bit out of sight, and on the other side you can see Kayaköy, Fethiye, Şövalye Island and Çalış . It was the first time I’ve ever seen Fethiye from that angle, it was weird to be able to see everything all at the same time.

We were there around 4pm and it was a little hazy so my photos aren’t perfect- I’ve seen friends visit on perfect, crisp clear days and their photos are amazing, but also seen people visit and see nothing but cloud, so it’s definitely not really something you can plan in advance, you have to see what the cloud situation is like when you get there and decide whether its worth saving the trip for another day.

Of course Babadağ is famous for its paragliding, and standing watching people literally run off the side of the mountain at the take off points is fascinating – as is hearing their screams, which soon turn to shrieks of delight!

At the 1700 meter boarding station there is also a chair lift, which takes you up to 1800 meters. Before I went up there I was adamant I wouldn’t do this part, but Berkay wanted to, and before I knew it he was through the barriers so I either had to wait there on my own, or go with him. I was so scared, not so much of the height, but of the getting on and off, and of the chairs holding my weight – but after seeing men with massive paragliding gear sitting on it decided it could probably handle me!

The chair lift doesn’t really slow down, so the chair just whirls around, you stand on the little feet markers on the floor and when you feel it hit your legs, quickly sit down then pull the safety bar/foot rest down yourself, and vice versa when hopping off. Honestly, I just spent the entire 4 minute ride up to 1800 meters worrying about having to get off again. I just had Bridget Jones-ish visions of me not getting off in time and being dragged around upside down hanging on by a bra strap or something.

At 1800 meters there’s another take off area, burger restaurant and of course more stunning views. We stayed up there for a few minutes then headed back down on the chairlift again – despite still having palpitations about getting on and off, it was actually really relaxing and smooth and the views were stunning – don’t let your fear put you off! Children under the age of 8 ( I think) aren’t allowed on the chair lift part though.

I have a list of opening times on the map they gave me, and it seems like the cable car is open all year around – weather permitting, presumably, but only up to 1200 meters during November-March, and the full way to the top from April to October. It’s open til quite late at night too, and while not being able to see whats beneath you at night is probably really scary, I think seeing all the lights in Fethiye would be beautiful! We will definitely be going back again, and it’s worth every penny (or kurus) of the 80tl ticket!

Bozüyük – Güzelköy – a famous village?

Posted on May 8, 2018 by livingtheturkishdream

Bozüyük is a small village in Muğla with a population of just a few hundred people.

We visited for a few hours on the way back from Denizli to Fethiye last September on a really hot day.

It’s a traditional village with old houses, farms, tractors, animals, little shops, a cafe and teahouses with men outside playing backgammon.

It’s also home to the beautiful Pınarbaşı restaurant, built in a natural park which has an 800 year old tree in it’s grounds, providing much needed shade for customers.

Over recent years, Bozüyük has become a bit of a hotspot for local tourists, thanks to a few popular Turkish tv series being filmed there such as ‘Baba Ocağı’ and ‘Düriye’nin Güğümleri’. One of the most well known TV series filmed there is called ‘Güzel Köylü. It’s popularity has had such an effect that after filming finished, the village actually renamed itself ‘Güzelköy’, after the series, so it now has two names!

Although the village has changed a lot, it’s new-found fame has been welcomed by a lot of the locals, with a lot of it’s houses being restored and renovated, and local craftsmen finding new job opportunities. Apparently, thousands of local and foreign tourists have visited, there are even tours that run to the village, and people are able to pick up souvenirs from the little gift shops, fridge magnets displaying the name ‘Güzelköy’ seem to be popular!

All we came away with was a handmade, wooden pestle and mortar from one of the little shops, but it was interesting to see the village and even more interesting to see Berkay acting like a tourist, driving around the streets trying to find houses he recognised from the tv show, walking through the town centre telling me to take photos of the post office and other things he recognised, and stopping the car halfway down the road so that he could take an excited selfie with the village signs!

If you’re passing it’s worth a visit. If you’ve never seen the TV series, like me, we might not appreciate the full glory of the place, but it’s an interesting place to visit and the Pınarbaşı restaurant is beautiful!

Village breakfast at Pınarbaşı restaurant – Bozüyük

Posted on April 15, 2018 by livingtheturkishdream

On our way back from Denizli to Fethiye last year, Berkay said he really wanted to take a detour and visit the village of Güzelköy / Bozüyük – while there we stopped at a well known restaurant called ‘Pınarbaşı’ for some late brunch!

Apparently the restaurant has been featured in a few Turkish tv shows filmed in the local village, so it’s quite popular! Berkay wanted to try their lunch menu, but they hadn’t started serving it at the time we got there, so we had to settle for a traditional village breakfast instead, which was actually just what we needed after a couple of hours of driving.

The food was really good, a typical Turkish ‘köy kahvaltısı’ – cheese, olives, tomato & cucumber, peppers, walnuts, eggs and sucuk, jams and spreads, honey & kaymak, fresh bread and a big pot of çay. Really yummy! We could have sat there for ages just eating and enjoying the surroundings.

The best part for me wasn’t actually the food, it was the location. There were trees and gardens all around, along with natural streams of water. We chose a table that was actually sat in the water. They had normal tables and an inside restaurant area, and then little bridges and platforms over the streams leading to tables sat in it. It was mid-September and really warm so it was nice to sit in the shade of the trees with our feet in the cold water, although we were the only ones who chose to do that, I bet it’s really popular in the height of summer. I love the fact they had ducks swimming around the tables and your feet, they definitely benefited from some of our leftover food too! They were so cute.

There’s also an ancient 800 year old tree, which is really beautiful to look at! Apparently, in the absence of modern medicine, it used to be used for its healing powers, with ointments and antidotes made from it’s roots. It’s also thought to have granted wishes to those passing through! The tree started to rot and has been protected for the last 20 years with the hope of keeping it alive in it’s full glory. It’s really interesting how the shapes have formed, it’s gigantic!

From what I can remember, the breakfast was a bit more expensive than normal, but I would go back and visit again because it was a really relaxing place and Berkay still wants to try their main menu! It’s around 2 hours from Calis/Fethiye, past Mugla city centre towards Aydin, so an ideal stop-off point if you’re on a long journey along that road – definitely worth a visit!

Autumn in Calis – waggy tails, pretty flowers & cold pools..

Posted on November 16, 2014 by livingtheturkishdream

I’m sat writing this watching the lightening flash through my windows and the rain pelting down on the roof, but yesterday was the first day of bad weather we’ve had for 3 weeks, November has been spoiling us with daytime temperatures of around 24oc, although the evenings are very cool, I’ve even managed to get tan lines back!

November meant the hotel Berkay worked in closed, so he has been looking for work since, he’s found a temporary job at the moment but the pay is so bad and unreliable, I don’t think he’ll stay there long. We’ve been spending some much needed time together and alot of that time has been spent at the closed hotel, playing with Boncuk!

As soon as she sees us approaching the hotel she comes running over to us with a fast wagging tail. We sit for ages with her and play ball, she’s begun to love the water and has been running in and out of the shallow pool although all this rain we’ve had today probably means it will be slimy and green very soon as its not cleaned during the winter season …

We even braved the pool ourselves last week, I don’t know what possessed us, it was absolutely freezing! It was a particularly warm day for November, around 25oc, but the pool water was definitely not warm. It was the first time we’ve been swimming in over a month, Berkay jumped straight in but his face said it all, I eased myself in and after about 20 minutes ended up in the deep end although only for a couple of minutes as it really was so cold, it made my head hurt!

The hotel grounds aren’t very well kept in the winter, although there are still some beautiful flowers around at the moment keeping the place looking summery and cheerful.

Boncuk absolutely loves it there, when we walk past to get the bus to Fethiye we can see her through the fence wandering around and enjoying herself, although it breaks my heart everytime we leave her she runs up and down the length of the fence poking her face through the holes and crying for us. She knows now when it’s time to leave and runs in front of us trying to stop us getting to the exit, bless her! She’s being really spoilt with attention at the moment.

Just before I started writing this post, we popped down to the hotel to feed Boncuk and place her back in her kennel as she’s safer in there during this bad weather. The underneath of the hotel was all flooded and Berkay had to turn pumps on to get rid of all the water, it’s funny how quickly the weather changes, I hope the sun arrives back on Monday as forecast!

Bodrum Day 3. Views, boxes full of chicks and a broken down bus..

Posted on October 2, 2013 by livingtheturkishdream

We spent our last few hours in Bodrum much the same as the previous two days, stuffing our faces with food and taking photos..

Breakfast was as good as ever. P.S, who doesn’t love hotel freebies?

After breakfast we wandered up to the roof terrace of the hotel where we had amazing 360oc panoramic views of Gumbet. The blue sky with a few clouds, boats on the sea and white buildings on the hillside make a great backdrop. It looked like a postcard.

I love how all the buildings in Bodrum and surrounding areas are white. It definitely adds something to the place, it makes it look so traditional and beautiful.

We sat by the pool for 10minutes and had a game of table tennis, then packed up our things and went to Bodrum. We had to check out at 12.00 but our bus back to Fethiye wasn’t til 14.30 so we had 2 hours to kill.
We wandered around Bodrum market, it was a lot bigger than the Fethiye ones. They also had some interesting things for sale… one man was sitting outside with a cage of rabbits, two boxes of baby chicks and several huge chickens/cockerels. So random.

Who wouldn’t be cheered up by a box of fluffy chicks though!? So cute.

Finally it was time to board the bus, it took over 5 and a half hours to get home, the silly old bus broke down for 45 minutes!

Overall, we had a fab time. We weren’t so keen on Gumbet, but the hotel we stayed in was lovely and Bodrum town was beautiful. It made a nice change from Fethiye and it was good to spend 2 days away together. It all seems a million miles away now I’m stuck back in England though. ):

Bodrum Day 1. Hotel, beaches & food.

Posted on October 2, 2013 by livingtheturkishdream

It seems like such a long time ago now, but it was only actually two weeks ago today we went to Bodrum. We had a great time and it was lovely to spend some time together, they were the first days Berkay had off work since April!
These posts may be photo-heavy, I get very snap-happy with the camera…

At 9.30 am, just after Berkay came home from work, we boarded the little bus to Bodrum. It cost 35tl each and I can’t say it was very comfortable.. it was tiny and full. Luckily, most of the people were going to Mugla and we had the bus to ourselves for the second half of the journey so we could spread out.

Four and a half hours later, we arrived at Bodrum otogar (bus station), we hopped on a Dolmus to Gumbet and found our hotel (The Best Life hotels) When we arrived at the hotel, they greeted us with this little non-alcoholic cocktail. Yummy.

The hotel was so, so quiet. Apparently it was half full, but since the guests were mainly party people, they literally slept all day, and went out to bar street all night. No complaints here, we had the pool to ourselves most of the time and only 1-2 other couples at dinner/breakfast with us!

We got settled in our room then went for a little swim.

The pool was freezing, so after a quick dip and a game of volleyball, we headed out for a walk.

I wasn’t impressed with Gumbet at all, the beach was packed, everyone crowded on sunbeds like sardines, barely an inch between the beds. It was so dirty too. The roads and sidewalks were filthy, definitely not a fan. Our hotel was right next to bar street, but compared to the rest of the town, I actually liked it there (surprisingly for me… I normally hate loud, obnoxious bars. haha) By this time it was really cloudy, which made the place look worse. It still made a nice change though.

After our walk we headed back to our hotel room. We sat and played Triominos for a bit (hello, old granny game!) and had showers then got ready to eat.

We booked our hotel half board as we thought it would be cheaper than eating out, it cost 100tl extra for the two of us over two days. It was well worth the money, the food was amazing! Tomato soup for starters, then Turkish mixed meze (a lot of it!), salad, bread, 2 bowls of manti (Turkish food), a bbq with a huge selection of chips, rice, steak, chicken and meatballs. There was desert too but we were far too full to eat it. I was really impressed, it was so tasty!

After dinner we took the dolmus to Ortakent. This was definitely a Turkish resort, I only saw 2 English people walking around in the 2-3 hours we were there. Berkay’s brothers work there so we had a catch up with them and a wander along the seafront, it was really pretty. It reminded me a lot of Calis Beach, only less British influenced.

After all that, we went back to our hotel in Gumbet, sat by the pool for a little while then went up to our room, after having no sleep the night before, we both fell asleep as soon as our heads hit the pillow, despite the banging music we could hear coming from bar street!