From Bodrum on the southern Aegean coast we head west, passing the Marmara Peninsula where the Aegean Sea meets the Mediterranean, also called the Turquoise Coast and oh what an apt name I can honestly say the seas around Greece and Turkey are the clearest and most amazing I have ever seen anywhere in the world, making me wish we were here when it was a little warmer, but there are advantages in travelling off-season which we will soon discover …

The souring Taurus mountain range form a dramatic backdrop that runs parallel to the coast, full of glorious autumn colours.  Due to the prevailing climate there is an amazing diversity of flora with the pine forests consisting of Silver Fur, Scotch fur, Norway spruce, Laurel, Myrtle, Acacia and even Frankincense trees, the source of Myrrh.  Along the highway, we pass many roadside huts with farmers are selling their fresh produce including oranges, mandarins and honey.

Fethiye is not only a thriving tourist town during the summer season, but is also an important agricultural centre for the surrounding farms, and so a normal working town year round.  Olive trees in their thousands cover the lower hillsides and citrus or pomegranate orchards dominate the flat fertile coastal plains, as well as hundreds of covered greenhouses full of tomatoes and cucumbers.

As arranged, we were met at the bus station by Jill, who with her husband, moved from the UK to Turkey some years ago and are now in the process of applying for permanent residency.  Jill is the local ‘meet and greet’ representative who also takes care of the apartment for the English owner and is on hand to answer any questions. Jill also kindly gave us a lift from the bus station to our apartment.

Our home for the next 16  nights was located about 3-4km from the downtown area, and only around 1km from the harbour front,  and represented exceptional value at only £120 a week ($175), approximately half what it is it the high season.

Despite the rainy weather on our arrival, our first impressions of Fethiye were very good. When the rain cleared and sun came out for the next two weeks (bar some showers at night) we enjoyed the best of the Mediterranean autumn and winter weather with clear sunny days around the 20 – 24° and cool nights of around 6 – 12°. In the distance we could even see snow on the very tops of the surroundings mountains.  By the end of our two+ weeks here we too felt we could easily relocate and live here permanently – we loved it!

Being so close to the seafront we would often just walk along the promenade stopping so the girls could play in the many playgrounds – they even had  a trampoline park that they tried out while we enjoyed an apple tea.

Once a Lycian* city but also occupied by the Romans, Fethiye has something for everyone. Lycian rock tombs pepper the cliffs overlooking the city and restoration is currently underway at the Roman amphitheatre located almost in the city centre and overlooking the bay. Crystal clear waters for swimming or scuba diving, a natural harbour and sheltered marina, Rhodes within a one hour ferry ride and plenty of fish to catch ensure Fethiye also has a strong water tourism market.

*Lycia is the compact mountainous region that extends from present day Fethiye to Antalya and the Lycians were a respected ancient civilization who inhabited this region from around 500BC into the early 4^th century AD. They were a fierce independent people united in their sense of unity and federation. When Greek city-states were constantly at war with each other, the Lycian cities enjoyed peace amongst themselves. Their Lycian federation was the first democratic union known in history.

(Who were the Lycians http://www.lycianturkey.com/who_were_the_lycians.htm)

Every day we bought the delicious fresh bread from the local bakery at the end of our street – about a 200 metre walk, occasionally being the only outing for the day!  A fresh loaf from the wood fired oven setting us back only .75kronos (around 40 cents).  Very conveniently there was also a large supermarket within a 5 minute walk.

Our place of choice though, when it came to buying fresh produce was the wonderful outdoor farmers markets at Fethiye held each Tuesday and Friday, and also the nearby Calis Beach markets on Sundays. Fresh produce bought straight from the farmers was sooo cheap! Cucumbers, mandarins, apples, brocoli etc, were sold for 1 Lira per kilogram (about .55cents a kg!), and tomatoes aften cheaper at .50 per kg (only .25cents a kg ). Lettuce was also either .50kronos or 1 lira too.  We could fill the entire lower part of the fridge full of beautiful fresh produce for around $7!

Also on offer were the cheeses, dried fruits, nuts, eggs, spices and Immis’ favourite: Turkish Delight as well as Phoebe’s new favourite drink of Apple Tea. The markets were also a place to stop for some Gözlemes too … whatever weight we had lost in India was fast coming back!

Local markets also offer the best place to really watch the general goings on of everyday life and its people.  I just love watching the regional Turkish women – slaves to fashion they are not! The bottom half is a wonderfully floral patterned skirt or baggy pants, a shirt with long styled knitted waistcoat, contrasting patterned scarf over their heads and usually coloured socks worn with open toed sandals or shoes.  I feel right at home as now I can really mix up my limited wardrobe without having to be conscious of how absolutely nothing matches – love it!

I felt a bit intrusive just taking photos of some of the women, and in most cases I came across them in the markets so it was rather  hard to capture their outfits right down to their socks and sandles, so when I saw the source of their clothing in the markets, I thought I would take a snap or two of it instead.

Our two Sunday trips to the Calis markets would end with a play on the pebbly beach until the sun went down – a beautiful sight going down over the water.  We would  spend hours playing amongst the pebbles on the beach finding the nicest patterned smooth ones to take back home. The girls didn’t waste anytime setting up a play area in our ‘garden’, making monuments and ruins for their toys – now where would they have got those ideas!?