wet wednesday

Wednesday was cold, rainy and grey— not exactly what I had hoped for, but it was a great time to meet some fellow travellers, sip on tea and listen to wild and wonderful stories. Having avoided a cold shower, I was feeling pretty grimy under my five layers of shirts, my dusty jeans and long striped socks. I had not packed well; I was so optimistic about having spectacular weather in Olympos, I believed that if I packed light clothes, the warm weather would come. It does not work that way.



Dinner at Bayram's was announced at eight by cowbell, and travellers slowly appeared from their little bungalows and cushioned platforms to line up at the buffet. Heaps of pilaf, mounds of eggplant and mantı (a Turkish ravioli) were generously dished out as other staff members tried to light a bonfire near the bar area. The rain had subsided and soon, the orange glow of a fire was growing. Belly full, I wandered over to the warmth with a beer and some new friends. Stories and laughter rose into the night like smoke.

from orchard to sea

After settling into our tiny wooden bungalow at the very chill and funky Bayram's, Molly and I decided to take a walk to the beach to see how far away it was. The cool breeze brought salt and the heavenly scent of orange blossoms, and the sun was warm enough to make us forget the rainy grey city we left behind. We set out down the road, cameras in hand, thankful for the sun.

To get to the beach, one must pay a very affordable three lira, as the area is a major historical site full of hidden Hellenic, Roman and Genoese ruins. We decided to wander off the main path into the woods to quickly scout out some of the crumbling structures and found ourselves in the most beautiful little orchard, dotted with flaming red poppies. I felt like a little girl again— exploring, inspecting and marvelling. Honeybees and unrecognisable beetles caught my eye, and the rustling of an animal in the brush conjured up images of mythical beasts in my mind. I was slightly disappointed to discover that it was just a very determined-looking chicken.

Hello, Mediterranean.