Calis Beach and Fethiye Turkey Discussion Forum
Other Local Resorts & Areas => Fethiye Turkey Discussion Forum => Topic started by: JohnF on November 03, 2016, 22:51:10 PM
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For the first time for umpteen years, we shall very shortly own no property in Turkey whatsoever. Nada, zip, sıfır... not a brick.
We've accepted an offer on our place in Ikinci Karagözler and for all the attachment I had to it, curiously I don't have any regrets.
Those who know me (other than a grumpy username on CBF) know that we've gradually reduced our commitments in Turkey over the past few years, our house in Istanbul also going a couple of years ago or so.
I suppose in many respects my attitude to Turkey has been totally at odds with many on here, i.e. the thought of living full time in Turkey has always left me cold. Had plenty of full time job offers but always knocked them back preferring to tele work and visit the office (in Istanbul) only when necessary.
Heading off to Jerez de la Frontera in the south west of Spain in a few weeks house hunting and looking forward to it.
Probably still upset folks on here on the basis you wont get rid of me that easily :)
JF
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Those who know me (other than a grumpy username on CBF)
I also know you as the grumpy JohnF in real life ;)
One or two mixed emotions I am sure - but it does feel odd when you don't own anything at all anymore after years of ownership. Good luck in Jerez, let me know when we can come over and use your spare room for free :)
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Well done John, enjoy your search. :)
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Aye, nearly twenty years now in Fethiye and not that much less in the 'Bul for me - stick on another ten years at least in the 'Bul for the missus.
I've seen a lot of changes in Turkey over the years, some I'm happy with, some I'm less happy with - I can't say I disagree with any because at the end of the day we've just been visitors. That said, the current political climate has had a big influence on our decision to sell this property.
Politically, wow... we've really seen changes. I actually started working in Turkey in 2004, right at the start of the "rectification" period when inflation went down into single digits from the previous year when it was in the twenties (see my post in other thread for guy who was responsible for doing this) and a period of stability, both politically and economically, looked to be on the cards.
Didn't take those akp phukers long to make an arse of it, did it? Initially we had the wee fella and his mucker being BFF's - they were like a political roller coaster with highs and lows but ultimately the wee fella ended up in the high castle. Once he got there, the old boy became toxic and we all know the fall out from that break up!
Now we have the purges that, if anyone on here remembers the 1980 coup, are set to make that look like a storm in a teacup. My OH was here in '93 and '97, neither were considered bloody coups but more than a few lost their lives. These current purges have hit home to the extent that personally I know a lot of folks who have been directly affected and from a professional perspective... I'm not sure how much I can actually say, other than it has now started to directly affect me, a yabanci without a provable affiliation to the HDP :)
The recent arrests have shown that the government can have you arrested for "assisting the cause of terrorist organisations without being a member". Woah... getting a bit close to home, considering the law firm I now work with! We do a lot of pro-bono work for Kurds and Kurdish organisations, something I feel totally comfortable with. So far we've lost four colleagues. Three arrested and their whereabouts unknown and one dismissed from his position as a professor at a university. I just hope they don't find out about all the sneaky sh1t I've been up to over the years to promote free speech in Turkey, they'll throw away the key :)
On a more local basis we've seen Fethiye prosper. Hmmm... maybe thats not the right term to use - ok, we've seen a select few in Fethiye make an awful lot of money over the years and to my shame, I've helped some of them spend it. Mostly on raki and denizli balik, certainly not on the wine available! Nah, but seriously Fethiye as a town has prospered and we should be thankful to the conservative belediye that did not allow it to become another Akbuk or Altinkum.
They kept the fun stuff up the hill (sorry Kev et al) and the boring stuff over in the swamp (sorry CBFers) :)
I have a confession to make, to some that is - in all these years I've been to Calis four times. Twice to see Keith, once to see Cenk and the fourth time our girls wanted to go to "the beach". On that latter occasion they both said "yeugh, its stoney, full of fag ends and dog sh1t, can we not got to Olu Deniz dad?". Aksazlar didn't exist at that time so I simply said "yes".
I will miss the times we've enjoyed in Fethiye, but as a family I think we've moved on. Neither of our girls are that bothered about going back (Istanbul is a whole different story though) and we're a bit "meh". Latterly, four or five days has been my limit - time enough to catch up with who's dead, who's gone home and who's skint. When there for a week, by day five I either want to head back up to the 'Bul or back to the UK. It simply doesn't do it for me any more. When I think back to when I used to spend weeks at a time in Fethiye, with the odd scoot up to either Ankara or Istanbul, the Fethiye of then is very different to what is there now.
Anyway, that's all behind us now (to a certain extent) - we're in process of selling up in the UK also and are heading off to the south west corner of Spain. Lovely part of the country with very few expats from the UK (although a few from Istanbul that we've known for years) and a pleasant climate. We've spent a fair bit of time there over the past two years, putting into practise the advice we've spouted often enough in respect of Turkey. Rent first... yada yada yada. I can do Malaga to Istanbul with THY for €189rtn and, as long as I don't get arrested in the immediate future, that's me sorted :)
So... is that ignorant, rude, intolerant, grumpy so and so heading off or is he hanging around? Well, sorry to disappoint a few of you but as I said previously you don't get rid of me that easily. To the IYDLHSU club, and its members, GIRUY :)
JuanF
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Good luck John we took the plunge after ten years and sold up in September.One or two little regrets at the time but we thought Turkey and our lives were changing so the small regrets I had have vanished.We still intend to visit as we have lots of friends in the area but will also go further afield.
Good luck hermanos Juan
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Flights for Christmas 2016 dalaman to istanbul to Malaga..free digs n dinner..tick
Flights for August 2017 dalaman to istanbul to Malaga...free digs n dinner...tick
Know where the area is just gotta say ¿Dónde vive el loco Scotsman?
:-[ :-[ :-[
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What a lovely part of Andalucia you've chosen John. Good luck house hunting. :D
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Buena suerte con su vida nueva en Espana! 8) A new adventure, you must all be so excited.
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Best of luck with the next phase in the life and times of JF.
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Nice part of Spain. Much better value than the Algarve but a similar coastline. We have friends selling their detached property at the moment but I think it's taking a lot longer than they expected. Not sure what the price is or what value it offers.
Flights much cheaper too. Good old Ryanair!
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I don't get your point Juan F
Hisaronu is the Epicentre of Conservation and Conservatism, (con for short) but I must
admit you are spot on with the Swampies and Crusties down in C world. ;) ;) :)
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Good luck on your house hunting John. Any chance we'll see you and the missus on A Place In The Sun. As you search for your ideal place? That would be fantastic viewing I am sure. ;) :D
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Muchas gracias por sus felicitaciones.
We're looking to buy an old Andalucian style town house with a central terrace, already identified several good prospects but to get good value you need to take on something needing a bit of work. Right now prices are good, 400/500m2 with 10/12 rooms over 2/3 floors for well under €135,000 in the sherry district of Jerez so no "A Place in the Sun" for us! We know what we want and there's plenty out there. Our experiences in property refurbishment in Turkey will hopefully stand us in good stead when dealing with Spanish builders. Or maybe it wont :)
It will be a wrench cutting ties with Fethiye, but I'm sure it wont be forever.
Today's events just summed up what is so wrong in Turkey just now - I was all geared up for an early start (Turkish time), had all my (skype) meeting prep done by 4.30am which is so unusual for me, but that's kinda gone out the window. Anyway, that's for another topic.
JF
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Best of luck with your new adventure. Sad, mad days for ahead for Turkey. And we thought July was bad.
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Good luck to you and all the best.
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Good luck.
I feel another road trip coming on after this mornings events.
Going to investigate Albania :)
Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk
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Wishing you all the best John :D We left Turkey a few months ago after 12 years and have no regrets. It's a big world out there. Be happy!
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Wishing you all the best. Do let us know how the new adventure goes. We too left 18 months ago after 12 great years of full time living. Even then the future looked scary and even more so now. Good luck.