Autumn is here

We are already nearly 3 weeks into September and they seem to have flown by.   The weather is pleasanter – I have actually been chilly when I have been walking the dogs in the morning!  I also know it’s autumn because I have seen some of the birds that pass through on their migration.  Bee-eaters are one which I found about a few years ago and now look out for in Spring and Autumn.  They are very pretty, but also have a distinctive whistling sort of song which is usually the first thing I notice.  I have just read up about them and found they are European bee-eaters that go to Africa for winter, they only catch bees (and some other insects) as they fly and they hit and rub them on the ground to get rid of the sting!

The last week has been a holiday in Turkey and there were quite a few Turkish families in Fethiye but most of them have left now as schools finally start back – after 13 weeks – tomorrow.  Kaan will be back at school tomorrow; Emre is not going back up to university in Ankara until next weekend.  He has some money and is trying to find a car so that he is more mobile up there but the prices of second hand cars are so ridiculous here – a 2000 model (ie. 16 year old) Fiat Palio hatchback is going for about 10,000 TL - £2,600!

On the subject of cars, the authorities have, for some unknown reason, stopped the charge for on-the-street parking in Fethiye, with the result that everyone drives in and it is IMPOSSIBLE to find a parking space.  Worse still, because the actual parking spaces are full with cars that stay there all day as their owners work in town, anyone who wants to pop in to one of the shops on the main street double parks so there is only one lane left for traffic and you can’t even DRIVE round town.  They need a solution because it really is a nightmare; thankfully I hardly need to go into town any more as we have everything we need in Calis!

At Poppy, we have been busy; to help make up for the poor season we are renting some of the apartments to university students for the winter.  Most of them have moved in over the last few days with a couple of rooms still to come.  I bought some portable canvas wardrobes and metal beds from an internet site and Kaan has been busy putting them together.  In true Ikea style, the instructions are a rather hard to follow and there is always a screw left over – but he has done a good job!

Poppy helping Kaan!

And finally, Kaan and I had a day in Kalkan visiting my sister and brother-in-law who have rented a villa there.  The views are spectacular, but the fact that the villa was free for this peak time when they booked in May – and that the lovely hotel they usually stay at closed for the season in June – show that Kalkan is suffering as much if not more than Fethiye.

Victory Day

Last Tuesday (30^th August) was Victory Day in Turkey, commemorating the last major battle of the Turkish War of Independence.  This period of history, as the Ottoman Empire dissolved and the Turkish Republic was established, is something most of us know little about - though Britain actually played a major role in it!  So here is a ‘potted history’.

The Ottoman Empire sided with Germany in World War I and following its defeat signed an armistice agreement with the Allied forces of Britain, France and Italy that allowed them control of a few strategic positions and the right to occupy “in case of disorder”.  They promptly moved in and occupied large parts of its remaining territories, including Istanbul (then Constantinople), the eastern areas and the Southern front.  They also supported Greece in its invasion of Izmir. 

Ataturk, whose picture you see in every office and on every bank note and who was already a distinguished soldier, established the Turkish National Movement with his colleagues and led the resistance to the occupation.  Although he went on to become the first president of the new republic, it is for his role in saving the ‘Motherland’ from invaders that he is most revered!

After more than 3 years occupation, on August 30 1922, the Greek military was beaten by the Turkish forces.  By the way, in response to Turkey’s attempts to restore rule in the Allied-occupied territories, the British Prime Minister at the time, David Lloyd George, called for Britain to go to war with Turkey in September 1922.  Thankfully, France and Italy and even the British military were against it and a negotiated settlement was agreed that gave Turkey the territory it wanted.  Lloyd George’s mishandling of the situation led to his political downfall.

1921 Ataturk inspecting soldiers

Back at Poppy apartments, we had a good Turkish night this week.  The belly dancer was assisted by a lovely group of girls.....

.. and the musicians – fresh from playing at a marriage proposal (she said yes apparently) – played some traditional music.

There was another marriage proposal on the boat we went on yesterday – it seems to be catching!  The captain wanted to surprise his girlfriend so he had a big banner made that basically popped the question and got the boys on the neighbouring boat to unfurl it while she was swimming in the sea.  She also said yes – I wonder if he would have driven off and left her there otherwise?

And that’s the other news – I had Monday off and went to the beach (first time this year) and was on a mini boat trip on Saturday afternoon.  It’s almost like a holiday!  Got to grab it while I can – there is another Eid holiday next week so there will lots of Turkish guests around, as well as all the September regulars and the boys will be disappearing off to school/uni in the middle of the month and then I will be on my own again: chef, receptionist, barmaid, waitress and pool boy?!