Chapter 8: 'We're going to need a car'
It's a distinctive house. I recognised it immediately. As we rumbled along the lane, I could see the top facade of it against the backdrop of pine trees. I know that TA had challenged Beni but I also knew this house was way out of our price range. I'd admired it online many a time back in Sheffield as I visited and re-visited my favourite Fethiye area estate agency sites. However, it was too big and considerably more money than we had set the budget for.
Before I got chance to say anything to TA as we clambered from Beni's car, he was already up the steps and stood on the terrace. He turned to me, grin in place and said, 'This is it.
This is the one'. We hadn't so much as stepped inside yet.
There was nothing to fault about the house. It had character, felt homely despite it's huge size and was different to just about every other place we had looked at. Beautifully tiled neutral coloured floors at every level and marble stair cases, with wrought iron bannisters. There was a strong sense of well thought design and well, yes, love, sitting in the corners and stroking the curves.
Stepping onto the upper covered terrace through the french doors, we were smacked in the face by the most glorious and expansive views. Mount Babadag soared into the blue at south east, the thin soil summit luminous white in the sun and the steep side facing us dark with dense forest. Directly south was a glittering, extensive wedge of sea spotted with paragliders silently swooping like colourful gulls.
South west to the left of a softly rounded high hill, a smaller wedge of sea and layer after layer of mountains marching into a final hazy horizon. Fethiye to the north west and revealing to us a smattering of tiny far away houses. And all around pine trees throbbing with the vibration of a million cicadas laying a white noise backdrop for the overbearing heat.
'We’re very high up the mountain side’, I mumbled to no-one in particular. ‘We’re nowhere near any dolmus stops or shops’. I directed this to TA.
‘Well, we’re going to need a car then’, he grinned.
