Along the Waterfront of Izmir: From Konak Square to Alsancak

If you ask me which are my favourite cities with more than 1 million inhabitants in Turkey, the answer is Izmir and Antep. Antep makes the shortlist because of its cultural ambience, its cafes, the friendliness of its inhabitants, and its wealth of medieval architectures. Izmir because of its location on the sea and its liberal lifestyle philosophy. And the advantage of Izmir over all other coastal mega cities in Turkey such as Istanbul, Antalya, Adana or Samsun to the north is, the city of Izmir, in spite of its three million inhabitants, still has a very laid-back and relaxed pace of life, unlike the stressful and hectic Istanbul, the over-touristic Antalya, or the industrial and gloomy-looking Adana.  

The most famous landmark of Izmir is the Konak Square with its clock tower. This place is also one of the most important transport nexus in Izmir, with a ferry terminal that connects districts such as Bostanli and Karsiyaka on the northern gulf of Izmir with Konak; a metro station with trains to Basmane train station and Bornov; and a bus depot from where buses to the regional districts of Narliedere, Guzelbahce, and Urla depart. 

Datca: Almost the Land's End

The first time I visited Datca was all the way back in the summer of 2003, during my very first visit to Turkey. As that first visit to Datca lasted just one afternoon, I had a hazy but pleasant memory of a peaceful little fishing village at the very end of the Datca Peninsula, surrounded by olive groves and almond trees.

 

At that time, Datca was a small place with just a handful of houses, a small fishing port, and some lovely bays with crystal clear waters. It was that few leisurely hours in the afternoon spent sitting on an old wooden pier that extended into the shallow crystal clear waters of the Aegean around Datca that give this unremarkable fishing village an out-of-the-world feel.

Didim: Altinkum and the Temple of Apollo

Didim is a seaside resort very popular with British holidaymakers visiting Turkey's Aegean coast. The town is famous for two things: the Temple of Apollo, located about 5 minutes by bus from Didim's modern city centre; and the beaches of Altinkum, a long stretch of golden-coloured sands that give the beach its name.   

Marvista, Kusadasi: Trendy Restaurant and Good Tiramisu

Anyone who has lived and travelled in Turkey for more than a few years will know how difficult it is to find a restaurant that serves decent western cuisines and western desserts such as tiramisu and cheesecake. There are of course plenty of restaurants all over the major tourist resorts along Turkey's western and southern coast, serving run-of-the-mill western cuisines to holidaymakers from Europe, but more often than not, the way these European dishes are prepared is by mixing local Turkish ingredients together according to European recipes. As authentic European food and culinary ingredients are hard to come by in Turkey and very expensive, most restaurants serving western cuisines in Turkey tend to supplant items not readily available in Turkey, such as Swiss gruyere or Italy's Parmigiano-Reggiano with cheaper local substitutes.

Yenifoca: the Younger Foca?

When I was in Eski Foca two years ago, I had wanted to take a bus and visit the other Foca - Yenifoca that is - on a day trip, but there are very few direct buses between the two Focas, and I did not manage to wake up early enough in the morning to catch that bus from old Foca to the new Foca. During my next few trips to Turkey, I did not have time to visit this part of Turkey, and the plan to take a look at this seaside village was postponed until earlier this year.

According to the locals, Yenifoca (the new Foca) is actually the older of the two Focas, but for reasons which nobody can really explain, this town has been called Yenifoca, while the supposedly younger other Foca was known as the Eski (Old) Foca instead.

Candarli: Bitterly Cold Winter on the Aegean Coast

Candarli is a pleasant seaside town with fairly decent beach, located about halfway between Ayvalik and Izmir. The town is popular with Turkish tourists in the summer. But the main reason of my visit was to take a look at the town's landmark, the fortress-castle first built by the Genovese in the 13th century and later rebuilt by the Ottoman Grand Vizier Candarli Halil Pasha in 1450 as a strategic fortification on the coast to protect the royal residence in Manisa. 

However, when I arrived at Candarli, the castle was undergoing extensive restoration which would take up to three years. All I could see of the castle was its exterior walls and the towers.

Sirince: Formerly Deserted Greek Village turned Tourist Hotspot

In the past, Sirince used to be a quiet village tucked away in the hinterland of Selcuk, populated with Muslim refugees expelled during the 1923 Population Exchange from the region of Kavala in northern Greece. Following their resettlement in Sirince, nothing much has been done on the part of the Turkish government to help the refugees find employment or cope with life in a new land, and for decades Sirince has suffered from net outward migration due to lack of job opportunities in the village. Following the successful eradication of malaria in the area of Selcuk in the 1930s, many residents of Sirince moved to Selcuk and set up business over there.

With the rise of tourism in nearby Selcuk and Ephesus in the 1980s and 90s, Sirince was 'discovered' by some travellers and private guides who were looking for a beauty spot off the beaten track. The historical background of the village, coupled with its scenic surroundings, contributed to the rise in fame of Sirince. If you look at the old photos, in the 1970s and early 80s, there was only one street in the centre of the village with a few shops selling necessities to local residents; but as the number of visitors to Sirince began to increase, the once impoverished villagers found a small but steady income in selling hand-knit tableclothes, jumpers and home-made jams, honey and fruit wines to tourists visiting the village. One or two simple pensions began to appear on the scene.

Griffon Boutique Hotel, Yenifoca: Beautiful Hotel housed in a former Olive Factory

After the visit to the beautiful Aegean seaside village of Eski Foca, I had always wanted to visit its namesake, Yenifoca, just to see how it differs from the other Foca. By coincidence I came across this nice boutique hotel tucked away in a small street in the town centre of Yenifoca. A former olive press factory, the complex was built in the typical Aegean Greek style, but was abandoned by its original owners during the population exchange of 1923. It was not until recently that the building was restored and coverted into a boutique hotel by its new owners.

In Greek mythology, 'Griffon' is a mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle, that is said to possess divine powers and guards over the treasures at the Temple of Athena in Foca. The new owners of the hotel chose this name because of Yenifoca's historical association with Greek culture and mythology.

The hotel is divided into two wings, which consist of some very beautiful and tastefully decroated bedrooms and a large dining room/restaurant, serving international cuisines and Mediterranean fares. As it was winter when I arrived at Yenifoca, I consulted with the chef of the hotel restaurant prior to my dinner appointment to make sure they have the necessary ingredients for the specific dishes I would like to order for dinner.

Akyaka: Beautiful Sunset, Cittaslow, and the Village of Nil Cakirhan

A while ago, I read about a lifestyle movement by the name of Cittaslow in a Turkish magazine, and was amazed to find out there are several member towns and villages in Turkey. One of them caught my attention because of its unique style of architecture. And that was Akyaka, a little fishing village located at the very end of the famous Gulf of Gokova, just 20 minutes by car outside of Marmaris. 

The village is unique due to its strict planning rules, which allow no high-rise buildings and any development projects which could negatively affect the environmental and aesthetic profiles of the village. Virtually all houses in Akyaka are designed according to the style made famous by Nil Cakirhan, a Turkish architect born in nearby Ula who specialised in the design and restoration of old Ottoman-era buildings in the province of Mugla. This uniformity in design gives the village of Akyaka a very well-coordinated, tidy and clean look, which is quite unique in this part of the world.

Marmaris: More than Just a Gateway to Rhodes

I was in Marmaris for the very first time in 2005, just for a few hours, and I must admit I did not like it at all. It was in the summer, with a temperature of almost 40 degrees in the shade, and I found the town completely uninteresting and full of drab high-rise apartment blocks and pushy shopkeepers. That unfavourable first sight kept me off from Marmaris for several years and limits my visit to the seaside resort town to infrequent transit stops en route to/from Rhodes.

This attitude of indifference towards Marmaris continues until this year, when I was obliged to spend a few days in Marmaris en route to some lesser known places not far away from the town. As it was still low season, most hotels in the surrounding countryside were still closed and the only possibility to find decent and affordable accommodation was in the town of Marmaris itself.

To my surprise, this time round, the town of Marmaris appears much more congenial and agreeable. Granted, it would never be the place where I would consider settling down or something, but the town does not look too bad at all in the winter months. The weather was beginning to get better and better day by day, most of the pushy shopkeepers are still away, and the pebble beach along the seafront is not crowded at all. When the sun is shining and the sky is blue, the views of the bays and the sea from the shore are actually very picturesque.

Temple of Apollo, Didim: Oracle, Ruins, and Property Developers

It was almost nine years ago when I visited the Temple of Apollo at Didim for the very first time, during my very first trip to Turkey. As it was not the age of digital camera yet, I did not take any photos which I could then upload to the web.

Upon my return to Didim (Didyma) in the spring of 2012, not much has changed around the Temple of Apollo itself, but the resort town of Didim has experienced a huge building boom, with new apartments blocks and holiday villages rising out of the horizon at virtually every corner of the town. Except for the immediate surroundings of the Temple of Apollo, the townscape of Didim has undergone such a drastaic facelift, I could hardly recognise the places I had been to back in 2003. 

Gocek: Exclusive Marina, Expensive Accommodation, yet Inexpensive Cay

The very first time I heard of the marina of Gocek was when a friend, who works as a captain on one of those beautiful classical gulets that take tourists on the fabled Mavi Yolculuk (the Blue Voyage) between Marmaris and Kas, told me he had his gulet parked in one of the marinas of Gocek for repair during the winter months. When I asked why he chose Gocek, the answer was 'because Gocek has a very beautiful natural harbour'. That remark left its impression on me, and I thought given the opportunity, I would stop by Gocek and see for it myself if the place is indeed as nice as it was claimed.

Tucked away about 500m off the main Fethiye-Dalaman road, Gocek is indeed a beautiful jewel, but also an expensive place to visit. In part due to the presence of four marinas in the harbour of Gocek and the absence of high-rise blocks of hotels, price of hotel accommodation in Gocek is fairy pricy. A simple room with partial view of the marina, basic en-suite facilities and air-condition, costs 50TL per day without breakfast. If you choose to stay at one of the nicer local hotels, be prepared to dish out at least 100TL per day with breakfast for a room without seaview. Just a cursory look around the tidy streets of the tiny centre of Gocek, and you know immediately that this village has positioned itself at the top end of the market and aims to attract only those who have the money and the time to appreciate its silent beauty.  

The Bazaar of Izmir's Old Quarters

As I have said several times in other essays, Izmir has so much more to offer than what meets the eyes, it is really a pity that most visitors to Turkey's Aegean coast have decided to give this beautiful coastal city a miss. When it comes to shopping, Izmir's traditional bazaars have everything that is on offer in Istanbul's Grand Bazaar but at a fraction of the price.

The traditional bazaar areas of Izmir congregate around the streets surrounding the metro station of Cankaya and Konak. These bazaars are further sub-divided into different sections specialising in different goods and commodities. For instance, there is a section with hundreds of goldsmiths and jewellery shops, and there is another section where you get buy kitchen wares, household utensils etc. In general I find the prices of merchandise for everyday use cheaper in Izmir's bazaars than in Istanbul and Bursa. In addition to the usual items which tourists frequently purchase as souvenirs, such as traditional tapestry, handicrafts, spices etc., this bazaar also has a few stores that sell unique hand-made items which are not found elsewhere in Turkey.  

 

Fethiye: Beautiful Harbour but Lacklustre Centre

Of all the big names resorts on Turkey's Aegean coast, Fethiye is on par with Kusadasi to compete for the dubious honour of having the most boring and lacklustre city centres of them all. In spite of the scenic countryside, the beautiful bays and all the historical sites around  Fethiye, I have never been much of a fan of its city centre. Perhaps this has something to do with the feeling that downtown Fethiye is somewhat lacking in character because it is far too modern and a bit short on traditional buildings for my taste.

There are now several newly built luxury hotels along the route leading out of the town centre next to the marina, with expensive dining options, cafes, and open-air bars catering to the rich and the affluent yacht-touring class. For those who are fed up with Turkish food but have no time or place to conjure up your own meal, there is now a place in one of the expensive-looking hotels on the hills overlooking the marina that serves Indian curry. Yes, Indian curry in Fethiye, finally!! As soon as I saw the menu on display outside the hotel, I decided to give it a try. The restaurant is located on the open terrace on the topmost floor, and is very nicely decorated with candle lights, crystal tablewares, nice views of the yachts and the marina, as well as the rolling hills and the bay beyond. As for the food, the chicken korma with rice I ordered is actually quite good considering the fact that it is almost impossible to come across any decent non-Turkish cuisines in Turkey. At least I emptied the plate and all the sauce and left the restaurant feeling rather happy :)  

Rushing to Gokceada and Back: a Hit and Run Day Trip to Turkey's Biggest Aegean Island

The island of Gokceada, the biggest of all Turkey's Aegean islands, is located west off the port of Kabatepe on Gelibolu Peninsula, and about two hours away by ferry from Turkey's mainlands. There are regular scheuled ferries to Gokceada from Kabatepe throughout the year, although the sailings in winter are much less frequent (only three times a week) and are often hampered by rough seas. During the summer months from May to September, there are several sailings per day from Kabatepe, which enable tourists from mainland Turkey to visit this unique Aegean island where ethnic Greeks and Turks still live together side by side in the same settlements. 

The best time to visit the island is actually in May-June, as the weather is sunny and pleasant, not as scorching hot as it often is during the summer months. Gokceada has some of the best beaches one could find in Turkey, with virtually no crowd, lots of natural white sands, and an abundance of nature and wildlife seen only on this island. For those arriving from Istanbul or Izmir by bus, get off at the harbour of Eceabat and wait for the mini-buses (see photo below) at the fountain next to the local tea house. The mini-buses, whose departure time from Eceabat is coordinated with the sailing schedule of the passenger and car ferry from Kabatepe to Gokceada, would take you virtually straight to the ferry waiting in the harbour of Kabatepe. 

Gokceada, also known by its Greek name of Imbros, has been on my list of 'must-see' places in Turkey because it is a place of great historical significance, at least for someone like me who is interested in the history of  Greco-Turkish relations in the 20th century. Gokceada, alongside its smaller sister island of Bozcaada (Tenedos) and the province of Thrace, are among the few places within the boundary of modern Turkey whose ethnic Greek inhabitants were exempted from the compulsory popuation exchange that affected more than one million people in the aftermath of Greece's defeat in the Greco-Turkish War of 1919-1922.

Car+Passenger Ferry between Europe and Asia: From Eceabat, Thrace, to Canakkale by Ferry

Quite a few people asked me the following questions when planning their trip to Turkey: How exactly does a car & passenger ferry that peddles between Turkey's European shores and Asian coastal towns work? What happens when they are on a direct bus from Istanbul to Canakkale: Do they need to buy a separate ticket for the ferry? Can they get off the bus during the ferry crossing? Do they need to get off the bus when boarding the ferry? So I thought it might be useful to write an article, with photographs illustrating the procedure of  using the car & passenger ferry from Eceabat on the European side of Turkey to Canakkale on the Asian side, when you trave on board a direct bus between Istanbul and Canakkale. 

First of all, the above photo shows how a car & passenger ferry operated by the ferry enterprise Gestas  (http://www.gestasdenizulasim.com.tr/) that is responible for the route between Eceabat - Canakkale looks like. This type of ferry travels between Eceabat and Canakkale every 20-30 minutes from early in the morning till very late at night. If you are passenger on a bus from Istanbul or Izmir, just stay on the bus while the bus waits outside the embarkation point, in the queue to drive the bus onto the ferry. If you are a foot passenger getting on the ferry from Eceabat, first buy your ticket from the ticket kiosk located at the entrance to the harbour, then wait at the gate until the harbour security guard opens the gate for passenger disembarkation.

Karşıyaka: the Little-Known Side of Izmir

Unless you have local friends, usually the circumference of non-Turkish visitors to Izmir are limited to the southern half of the Gulf of Izmir only: namely the areas surrounding Konak Square, Alsancak, Basmane Station and the Izmir Expo and Trade Fairs ground. Few visitors venture northwards across the Gulf of Izmir to Mavisehir, Bostanci and Karşıyaka, although these neighbourhoods have a lot of interesting shops and good restaurants, where you can experience the authentic atmosphere of this beautiful coastal city first-hand and gain some personal insights into the lifestyle of upper middle-class Izmir.

Being an upper middle-class neighbourhood in Izmir, the promenade of Karşıyaka has no shortage of high-rise apartment buildings, each with its own seaview balcony or terrace, and equipped with sun decks or detachable window shutters to shield out the hot, burning sun in the summer months while keeping out the elements in the winter. Along the shore are spacious public parks with sports facilities, bicycle paths, playgrounds for children, and teahouses and restaurants for the adults.  

Regular ferries operated by the city of Izmir shuttle between both sides of the Gulf of Izmir, connecting Karşıyaka and Bostanci on the north with Konak, Alsancak and Pasaport on the southern side throughout the day. It is a must-do for any visitors to Izmir to take a ride on one of the ferries that cross the Gulf, as the journey offers spectacular views of Izmir's coastlines and the city centre. The scenery is even more impressive in the night, when the whole city is lighted up and sparkles under the smooth, silky night sky. The view of Izmir's south shore from Karşıyaka is on par with other famous night views of cities in Asia.

The Asansör, Izmir: A Little Piece of Jewish Past

Actually Izmir has a lot of to offer in terms of tourist attractions, but for some reasons this beautiful metropolis on the Turkish Aegean coast has always been overshadowed by those big-name neighbouring coastal resort towns such as Cesme and Kusadasi. Most visitors consider Izmir as a transportation hub, and see very little of the city apart from its huge inter-city bus station and international airport.

Which is really a pity, as Izmir is a lovely place to spend a few days. Although with more than three million inhabitants, Izmir is a very leisurely city with plenty of open space, parks and scenic waterfront. Unlike other mega cities in Turkey where you often feel crowded out by the sheer number of people that seem to be  constantly moving about on the streets at any given time of the day, in Izmir the presence of the Gulf of Izmir and miles of landscaped green space along the open waterfront ensure that there is always enough space and lots of fresh sea air for everybody.  

Being one of the oldest cities in the world - with at least 3500 years of documented history and possibly even before that - Izmir has a special place in both the Turkish and the Greek national psyche. Even today, many Greeks still fondly remember the city as Smyrna.

Hotel & Restaurant Club Caravanserail, Kusadasi: Original Boutique Hotel in the Heart of Kusadasi

To be honest I am not a huge fan of Kusadasi. For me it embodies some of the worst aspects of summer bazaar tourism in Turkey - pushy salesperson, countless shops without much soul or character, all selling counterfeit designer footwears, T-shirts and fake Made-in-China Gucci bags, and over-priced carpet and jewellery shops. For that reason I had had a rather unfavourable impression of this seaside resort town.

Last year I had to stop at Kusadasi for one day, and  I was at first reluctant to do so until someone recommended this boutique hotel to me. It is a small hotel located just 100 meter away from Kusadasi's international ferry terminal, where ferries connecting Kusadasi with Samos arrive and depart on a daily basis during the summer months.

The hotel Club Caravanserail turns out to be quite a relevation. It is housed in the original building of a former caravansaray (Kervansarayi) built by Okuz Mehmet Pasa in 1618. There is at least one such 'han' or inn in many turkish towns located on the major trade routes, and many of them have now been converted into trendy boutique hotels and restaurants. It has become a kind of passion of mine to visit each and every of these former caravansarays and stay overnight on the premises if the budget allows. The rooms of such caravansaray are usually quite elegantly decorated, with heavy wooden antique furnitures, carpets with classical motifs, and other artifacts from the Ottoman times. It is certainly much more interesting to stay in such a place with a continuous heritage than one of those modern concrete-steel-and-glass high rise blocks of hotels and holiday flats.

In Memory of the 95th Anniversary of ANZAC Day, 2010: Visiting the Gallipoli Battlefields on a Cold, Rainy February Day

                                     "Those heroes that shed their blood 
                                                    And lost their lives. 
                  You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country.                                                      
                                                Therefore rest in peace. 
                        There is no difference between the Johnnies 
                And the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side 
                                               Here in this country of ours. 
                                                     You, the mothers, 
                            Who sent their sons from far away countries 
                                                 Wipe away your tears, 
                                    Your sons are now lying in our bosom 
                                                   And are in peace 
                   After having lost their lives on this land they have 
                                           Become our sons as well."
                
                                                                       Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, 1934