Author Topic: ArtyMar's blog: buying the dream  (Read 120817 times)

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Offline ArtyMar

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ArtyMar's blog: buying the dream
« on: February 20, 2015, 21:55:09 PM »
Just seen the 'new topic' label at the top, so . . . here goes . . .

OCTOBER 2009 LONDON

BLOG 1: wouldn’t it be nice…

Am I really going to do this? I don’t mean ‘buying the dream’ – we’ve already done that. I mean, set about writing a blog about it. My fellow CBFers might wade through it – I hope so, or why bother writing it? But perhaps that doesn’t matter too much – maybe I’m really doing it for me. I’ll read through it, and remember the highs and the lows (and boy, there were plenty of those along the way).

So, here goes.  To start this ongoing saga, we have to wind back the clock: 2014/2013/2012/2011/2010 …back to October 2009. . . .

I’m in my bedroom at home in London. It’s late October and I’m looking outside through the window. Grey skies - beginning to drizzle. Winter is coming – months of cold, rain and gloom lie ahead. Half term week is approaching. Wouldn’t it be great to get away – somewhere sunny –

Say idly to OH (other half, next to me): “Wouldn’t it be great to get away – somewhere sunny –“ 

He is reading the paper, says “mmm”.

Me: “Where should we go? I’ll have to book soon if we really want to get away, my half term starts next week!” (I’m an art teacher).

He continues to read paper, says “mmm”.

“So shall I look for somewhere – somewhere warm? Shall I go ahead? We’ll have to be quick!”

He says “mmm” again.  In my present mood, that means “yes” so I start to Google “holidays in the Sun”.  There are so many lovely places. Ah, this looks interesting: a week in a place called ‘Olu Deniz’ – never heard of it – in Turkey.  Hotel, meals included, and so cheap. A good package deal. Can’t really go wrong with a price like that and it looks lovely.  To my delight, OH agrees, or at least doesn’t say no. We’ve travelled a lot over the years to many countries but only been to Turkey once before and that was many years ago, to Bodrum. 

I start to Google “Olu Deniz”.

It will be the last week of October, hope the weather will still be sunny. Olu Deniz, here we come! We’ve booked!




Offline Bluwise

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Re: ArtyMar's blog: buying the dream
« Reply #1 on: February 21, 2015, 07:10:01 AM »
Glad you decided to post - look forward to the next one.......thanks.

Offline patrice

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Re: ArtyMar's blog: buying the dream
« Reply #2 on: February 21, 2015, 10:59:05 AM »
Look forward to your next post ArtyMar  8)

Offline chris35

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Re: ArtyMar's blog: buying the dream
« Reply #3 on: February 21, 2015, 22:21:07 PM »
Would you believe it,that's how we first started out . Last week in October in Olu Deniz staying at the Pink Palace. We'll never forget it for many reasons.

Offline ArtyMar

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Re: ArtyMar's blog: buying the dream
« Reply #4 on: February 21, 2015, 23:58:04 PM »
Well, Chris35, you'll have to start your blog - so we can find out why you'll never forget it!
My aim is to post a weekly edition of my blog. Let's see if I can do it!

Offline Menthol

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Re: ArtyMar's blog: buying the dream
« Reply #5 on: February 22, 2015, 00:46:49 AM »
  :)

We'll remind you ..... good reading, Marcia!

Offline ArtyMar

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Re: ArtyMar's blog: buying the dream
« Reply #6 on: February 26, 2015, 16:03:48 PM »
OCTOBER 2009 OLU DENIZ

BLOG 2:  Taste of Turkey

Here we are in our all inclusive hotel in Olu Deniz. It’s great.  If we get up early enough (about 8 am) we can have a cooked breakfast to our own specification – otherwise there’s a good buffet.  Hotel is 3-star, simply furnished but spacious and clean and only a minute from the ‘pedestrian only’ lively area of shops, cafes and bars leading down to the beach and lovely lagoon. Even though it’s late October, the weather is warm, sunny and bright but not too hot. Perfect. I’m congratulating myself on discovering this treasure.  We wander down past the car barrier toward the beach. This place obviously caters to British tourists as many of the cafes and bars have blackboards outside advertising current English football league matches being broadcast on TV. Music is blaring forth from some, but there is plenty of choice and I pull OH away from these temptations: “we didn’t come here for that!” (in my best school-marm voice).

My OH is a collector. By that I mean he collects ‘souvenirs’:  magnets, postcards, nicknacks, magazines – you name it – if he sees it, he may start a collection, so this densely populated tourist area is a paradise for him. In days gone by, he was an avid tourist, wanting to check out local attractions. As for me, I like sitting in a coffee shop or sipping a cool drink by the sea or in a square, watching the world go by, luxuriating in the sun – just chilling out and absorbing the atmosphere. If we’re on the beach, or by a pool, I’ll take a novel and be constantly dipping in and out. We walk down to the sea which is delightfully and unexpectedly warm, though the pebbly sands underfoot requires rubber shoes but that’s ok.

The blue skies are full of people whizzing by on kite contraptions and I know our sons would be up for this. Me too, for that matter but OH says “no way” meaning no way for either of us. Maybe he’s remembering a time some years ago when we went para gliding off the Gold Coast in Australia.

Unlike here in Olu Deniz where you fly strapped in together with an expert and take off and land from the ground, in Oz we each went up on our own in an individual parachute. Although takeoff  and landing was from the shore, the chute was pulled along by a speed boat causing the chute to rise into the sky. We were instructed that when the man below waved at us, it was the signal to pull a certain lever to lower the chute.  OH went up first and I filmed him with a digital video camera (no smart phones then).  He came back, exhilarated, and it was my turn to be strapped into my chute. Wow! Up I went and it felt amazing. Floating up there, I was lost in a strange, silent blue world. Looking down at the little boat, the golden sands with the tiny figure of OH looking up, I felt I could stay up there forever. After a while, enjoying myself in my new world, I glanced down and noticed the little guy on the boat waving at me. Friendly, I thought, and gaily waved back. More time floating up there, and the guy was still waving – even a bit frantically. I began to wave back again, and then it suddenly clicked: he was signaling me to come down. I was supposed to pull the lever! I came back down to earth literally and figuratively.  We had to pay quite a bit more because I’d been up there so long.

Back to Olu Deniz. We are surrounded by mountains, lush greenery and turquoise sea – plenty of nightlife and places to eat if we tire of hotel cuisine, we have nothing on our minds but to relax and enjoy ourselves.  What shall we do tomorrow?

. . . To be continued (probably in about a week’s time)

Offline Karennina

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Re: ArtyMar's blog: buying the dream
« Reply #7 on: February 26, 2015, 18:45:41 PM »
Loved reading this Artymar OMG that made me laugh so much re the paragliding in Oz  ;)

Offline WordBird

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Re: ArtyMar's blog: buying the dream
« Reply #8 on: February 26, 2015, 19:33:04 PM »
You are a better person than I. If Mr WB tells me 'no way'' about something, I will do it no matter what!
(Fortunately he enjoys paragliding as much as I do!)

Offline ArtyMar

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Re: ArtyMar's blog: buying the dream
« Reply #9 on: March 05, 2015, 12:42:09 PM »
I said I'd try to post on Thursdays - hope you've been waitin' and anticipation'

…….

OCTOBER 2009 OLU DENIZ

BLOG 3:  Hiccup in the holiday

We’ve been here two days, weather has been clear and sunny, though rain is forecast and there are some clouds low on the horizon. We’ve been walking quite a lot and OH complains of a painful back. He says he is feeling below par. We ask at the hotel where we can find a doctor and are pleased to learn that there is a walk-in clinic in amongst the tourist shops on the way to the beach. “It’s just opposite the pharmacy – you can’t miss it.”

It’s day 3, no heavy schedule, so off we go to find the walk-in clinic. Sure enough, there it is and there’s quite a queue. We decide that he will wait his turn and I will browse around the shops and check back in about 20 minutes.

On the side of the pharmacy, I notice an Estate Agent shop window with posters and models in the window. As an artist and miniaturist (making a dollhouse and model scenery as a hobby) I am always fascinated by architectural models, so of course I go in. There’s a well made model of a whole mountainside of little houses and some larger models of individual villas complete with mini stone walls, grass and blue glass swimming pools – cute! I’m examining these purely from a technical, artistic point of view you understand. The guy there is busy with another couple but I can see him glancing at me. I nod and smile and murmur “just looking at these lovely models”. Truly that’s all I’m doing – filling in a bit of time. He looks as if he’s trying to shake off the other couple to attend to me so I grab a brochure and make my escape back to the clinic.

OH is still waiting, so I read my brochure. It shows some floor plans of villas with computer generated images of the completed buildings. All have pools and a map showing the buildings are in areas not too far from Olu Deniz. – Kemer , Ciftlik and Calis Beach. I show the brochure to OH, who after so many years, knows me and my daydreams very well.  When and wherever we travel in attractive touristy places, I’ll always look in the local estate agents windows, pick out a few idyllic residences and picture myself there. He smiles indulgently and says, “Yes, they do look nice”.  I want to show him the little model villas in the estate agency opposite, but don’t want the sales guy to pounce on us. There are no prices listed in the brochure and I can’t help wondering. Of course, I’m not seriously interested, it’s just idle curiosity.

So, off I trot back across the road. This time, despite myself, I spend longer there than I intend. The guy is helpful (of course!) and I can’t believe the prices! Completely furnished with white goods included, a whole 3-bed detached villa with its own pool is less than a 1-bed flat in much of London. Can’t help feeling a flutter of excitement.  Would we – could we…  I find out that the company that builds these villas also manages and lets them out: that is a part of their business. Mmmmm-

Back I go to OH at clinic. He’s finished with the doctor – nothing very wrong.  He’s looking impatient. Can I persuade him to come across the road and look at these villas? Wait till he hears the prices. He won’t believe it!

. . . .  To be continued (hope to post on Thursdays)




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