Turkey Traveller

So I finally experienced my first earthquake, I had already accepted that it was likely that I would eventually experience one as it seems and unlikely that I would be able to spend this much time in Turkey without it happening at some point. We were having a pleasant sunny afternoon stroll in Kaş when the earthquake struck. Walking down a fairly steep hill in the old part of town my wife suddenly lost her footing in a weird way, I asked if she wanted me to take the pushchair but the atmosphere was odd and she just stared down the hill suddenly turning to me saying “earthquake”. Simultaneously the Earth emitted a low groan and absolutely everything began to shudder causing me to stumble slightly. The main quake was over in a matter of seconds but the area seemed to continue to vibrate in an almost imperceptible way, for some time after you clearly see light fittings vibrating. Obviously this caused a degree of panic and within a minute everyone was in the street. The people who had...

The Side(SEE-deh)peninsular is only about 1km long and 400m across but it’s packed full of interesting places to visit and flanked on either side by beautiful sandy beaches and the warm waters of the Mediterranean. On the peninsular you will find an interesting mix of old and new with modern nightclubs situated within the ruins of the ancient Side settlement. Side (meaning pomegranate) is a highly successful resort town and it’s not hard to see why its perfect white sand beaches attract both international and domestic tourists. Around the pedestrianised peninsular there is a good selection of eateries, accommodation, bars, shops and lodgings. Side’s true success lies in its universal appeal achieving a little bit of something for everyone and also being suitable for families at the same time. It is easy to lose a few days here just relaxing, meandering around the small backstreets exploring the boutiques, sipping iced cocktails on the beach staring over a glittering Mediterranean vi...

Kaleiçi is the old historic centre of Antalya built around a picturesque old Roman harbour, lined with restaurants & cafes. From the harbour a maze of narrow streets filled with restored Ottoman houses stretch upwards towards the walls of the once fortified old city. Exploring Kaleiçi you find a fantastic selection of boutiques, restaurants, pensions, medreses, hamams, ancient mosques, antiquated churches, Turkish rugs and some beautifully restored Ottoman style boutique hotels.The courtyards and streets are lined with palm fronds and fine fruit trees under which you will often find a man shading from the sun who will polish your shoes for a small price.The winding streets and hidden courtyards of Kaleiçi will quickly have those of a curious nature peeking and peering into private gardens, windows and speculating on the price of doing your own restoration. Kaleiçi is a protected area and was awarded the Golden Apple of Tourism in 1984,you will still see the odd dilapidated Ottoma...