Calis Beach and Fethiye Turkey Discussion Forum
Calis Beach Forum => Calis Beach Questions and Information => Topic started by: lmaddy on July 17, 2009, 10:56:10 AM
-
What a week I have had in Calis. The regular readers of the forum will know that I have been planing my friends 50th Birthday in Calis.
Here is our week:
Katrina's Birthday Extravaganza - 7 days of Sun, Sea & Sassy friends
6th to 13th July
Villa Annirozi,Seaside Residence, Calis, Turkey
Our Moto:
"We don't stop playing because we grow old: we grow old because we stop playing"
The Gatwick team arrived late Monday & relaxed with a glass of two of wine while we waited for the Manchester lot to come in. There were 4 excited ladies and one apprehensive lady as Katy had no idea what was in store.
Tuesday was a lovely relaxing day, got up late sunbathed, swam & did the obligatory trip to the supermarket to get suppliers - well mainly wine actually.
Note to alcoholic forum members Angora was on special offer for about 10 lira a bottle at Tansas. We bought 8 - that should last us a day or two!
The evening was dinner & shopping in Fethiye. We took the water taxi in , I had forgotten how lovely it was and our Turkey virgins (TURKEY VIRGINS, the other would be VERGING on the ridiculous) were very impressed. We had dinner right by the harbour looking out to see. Can't remember the name of the restaurant but the food was good and the view extraordinary. Time after dinner for a little bit of shopping. 5 ladies got the last water taxi home, hot, tired but happy - the sort of happiness shopping, food & wine bring on. The trip back was as magical as I remember it sitting under the stars and viewing the lovely colourful lights of Fethiye as we head back towards Calis.
Wednesday - we hit the road Jack! A Trip to Kalkan and Kas was on the cards. First stop Kalkan for a walk round the town (well the flat bits), lunch overlooking the harbour and then hit the art gallery, handbag shop & watch shop. yes we drove the poor shop keepers mad while we made our well thought out purchases. Early afternoon we head towards Kas, I just love the drive, you could be on the Almafi coast, simply divine. We head straight to the Medusa Beach Club. If you go through Kas and head out of the town you come to a number of hotels built into the hill, they all have beach clubs over the road. The beach clubs all have sunbathing platforms on different levels you choose your spot & chill out. The best thing for me is swimming off the rocks in the clear cool (freezing) med waters. Amazing and certainly cools you down. This is one of my favourite trips to do when I Calis. After a few hours sunning ourselves we feel a shopping trip coming on. Kas has lovely cobbled streets & lots of lovely shops. We found one of the best handbag shops - I know have a pink Chloe handbag - just divine & beautifully made. I also picked up a Louis V bag (silver with grey snake skin handles) & purse (fusia pink - just yummy). We finally headed home, hot, dusty and with that shopping glow! Dinner was at Bella Mamas, so a nice end to the day.
Thursday - Katy's big day!. Up early, put up balloons, Happy Birthday Banners - all very subtle with Happy 50th Birthday on them, everyone on our complex knew whose birthday it was and how old - well you got to do things in style. We set the table for our champagne brunch - went into Calis for freshly squeezed orange juice & fresh cherries. Katy was delighted when she got up as the terrace & the table was all decorated. Brunch served:-
Scrambled eggs & smoked salmon
Bacon
Fresh bread & Honey
Melon & Cherries
Champagne & Fresh Orange Juice
Rest of the day spend sunbathing and relaxing & 5:30 everyone told to go and get ready. At the point Katy had no idea where she was going. All she was told was that she had to be down for 6:45 ready & waiting. Amazingly everyone was ready at 6:45 & we started the evening with a bottle of Rose Moet - not bad at all. The lovely Mehmet then picked up at 7pm and we drove towards Sat. At this point Katy thought she was going to Sat. But we stopped half way and yes you have guessed, at the Sat jetty there was a gleaming yellow speed boat ready to whisk us off to KIZILADA ISLAND. The speed boat is fantastic, we sat right at the front and loved every minute of the 15 min journey to the island. As we approached the island, the sun was beginning to dip an we gliding towards the jetty slotting in between two very nice yachts. The island is stunning, there are steps leading up to the restaurant all lit up and it looks like you are ascending into a magical kingdom. We of course took the little funicular railway up - wow what a view as you rise towards the restaurant you can see for miles around you, the beautiful turquoise sea and the crimson fire of the sun setting. The restaurant didn't disappoint, the views are amazing & we watched the stunning sunset & the moon rise. For one night only we were superstars living the high life! The table next to us were from Istanbul (the people not the table!) who had arrived on their yacht. They were celebrating their 17th wedding anniversary with family & friends and they all stood up and did a toast to Katy and thanked her for spending her special birthday in their country.
We shared a number of meze starters served with fresh, warm walnut and olive bread, four of us has the seabass & 1 had steak & the chocolate souffle was on the house (as they has forgotten the birthday cake!). We has 2 bottles of wine Rose Lac @50 lira a bottle. Total bill was 110 lira each including speed boat - magnificent and worth every lira. at 11:30 totally satisfied we took the speed boat back to the island, even better in the dark as the driver did some moves you normally see in a James Bond movie. As we headed back towards the Sat jetty our lovely driver Mehmet was waiting or us to take us back to Seaside. We rounded off the evening with coffee and baileys while we mulled over the magical evening. Katy was totally overwhelmed by the evening and couldn't have wished for a better birthday.
Friday - A chill out day, spent by the pool & going into Fethiye. Dinner was spent at the Kale Park Restaurant. Another good meal will fantastic views.
Saturday - We had booked the Lady Christina for the day. This is a beautiful boat moored in the Fethiye harbour just a few boats from the Water taxi. We took the 9:30 water taxi to get us into Fethiye by 10am, turned right on the harbour & Lady Christina was moored about 5 boats along. Beautifully kitted out and the owners Christine & Sami are great hosts. There is a large open plan kitchen sitting area where lunch is served, the deck is in two parts the bottom part has 8 sun loungers and the upper part has 4 bean bags & more sunloungers.
Another magical day as we headed out to sea and did a tour of the lovely bays of Fethiye & surrounding area. For 1 day 5 middle aged (but fantastic looking) ladies were teenagers again, we jumped from the deck into the clear cool waters. The sea is more definitely Turquoise and deserves it name. The scenery was amazing and absolutely stunning. We moored in bays with high cliffs, in bays which lead to a sandy (ish) beach, in bays that were sheltered. The sea glimmered like a million diamonds. Lunch was excellent, more champagne & a fruit bowl that looked & tasted fantastic.
More swimming and sunbathing - we held our own against the yachts moored in the same bays. Another day when we were filmstars!
We headed back to Fethiye about 5:30 with one more surprise for Katy. Sitting on the beanbags on the top deck coming in to Fethiye there was only one thing left to do - champagne & chocolate birthday cake. A perfect end to the day.
Sunday - The ladies wanted to go to the Sunday market so I dropped them off (July 40 C and a hot airless market not for me!) they did their haggling and I picked them up at 10:30 back to the villa for a swim and a cool down! We left at 12 to head towards Olu Deniz - 2 of our members were going to do the jump, nervous and apprehensive we headed towards the Cloud Nine Bar where we were meeting Ferhat & Jamel their pilots. I can not recommend these 2 enough they were fantastic. Sue & Anne were jumping. Anne's jump was being paid for by her boss - it was cheaper then redundancy!
Anne's daughter did text while she was up in the air - we did text back with " your mother is jumping off a mountain and is currently paragliding down from 6500 ft now" to be answered by "please tell me you are joking"!!! Arr teenagers they think it is all about them.
Sue has only one leg after a motorbike accident 18 years ago and was determined to jump. Ferhat & the boys couldn't do enough for her. We could watch everything from the bar as there is a web cam - just fantastic. Watching them both do there jump we were quite proud as we eat our lunch and had a glass or two of wine! When Sue landed and came back into the bar there was a round of applause from the whole bar - a handkerchief moment.
We headed back to the villa to relax & chill out by the pool. Enough excitement for one day. Dinner was at Sat on the jetty looking out to sea. A lovely meal in a lovely setting.
Monday - OMG our last day we were heading off later that evening. A last brunch (no champagne we had drunk it all by then), we enjoyed the last moments at Seaside & relaxed & sunbathed. Our last supper was at the Flamingos in Fethiye and we waved goodbye to each other with hugs, kisses & tears. A great week for 5 lovely ladies, a week in which we felt like movie stars & acted like free spirited teenagers. We all had a lovely time but it was now time to head home to husbands, partners, children, grand children & dogs!
When I get the photos sorted I will give you the link to view plus the details of Kizilada Island (booked by Cathy of Pazar Cafe), Lady Christina & Ferhat the best pilot to fly with.
Also I would like to say we were 5 ladies alone & we were treated with nothing but respect by all Turkish in shops & restaurants. The only issue our party had was in the market where they felt some of the stall holders were over familiar and a bit touchy but this was dealt with in a poliet manner. At no point did we feel unsafe - however we had a car and didn't take any unusal risks.
For those of you who would like to see the photos, clink on the link:-
http://katys50th.seasidevillas.co.uk/
-
A fantastic report! Well done you girls meticulous planning - great to read and congrats to Katy. 8)
-
I couldn't agree more....what a lovely beautifull story to read, I could just about imagine myself being there too. If I had never been to Calis before this report of your weeks holiday would definatly have sold it to me.
-
That's the spirit :D
That's the Calis and area I know :)
-
What a fantastic week! Thanks for sharing it.
-
Wow what a fab week you had! We also did the boat trip on Lady Christina so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for taking the time to write such a lovely review. Brought back happy memories of our recent trip.
-
aww how lovely i bet you make it a regular trip each year
thanks for posting really enjoyed reading
-
what a fab read, made me quite envious
-
Excellent - thanks for take the time to let us share your week :)
-
Absolutely magical and very well described.
-
Brilliant report Lorraine, now you have to consider where to take the girls next year. Suggest;
Sundial Hotel
Sunset Restaurant on Sovalye Island
Kaya Village
Tlos/Yaka Park/ Saklikent (stay overnight in a tree house)
Gocek
Fish Market (Oztuklu Restaurant)
and the mud baths so you can all look 10 years younger !
-
Katy is a lucky lady to have such caring friends :)
-
Sounds like a fantastic week Lorraine, your descriptions were so perfect I thought I was with you
-
:) Great, can we do it again soon, ;)
-
Fantastic Lorraine. Will hire you to organise a girlie week for my 50th in 20 months time :) (give you plenty of time to organise it, lol)
-
OMG Dont know about a 'handkerchief moment'in the bar- I need one now! What a fab report of a magical week!
-
When my 50th comes I.............Oh Damn I've missed it:D
-
quote:
Originally posted by Rimms
Brilliant report Lorraine, now you have to consider where to take the girls next year. Suggest;
Sundial Hotel
Sunset Restaurant on Sovalye Island
Kaya Village
Tlos/Yaka Park/ Saklikent (stay overnight in a tree house)
Gocek
Fish Market (Oztuklu Restaurant)
and the mud baths so you can all look 10 years younger !
I've been to the mud baths four times & am celebrating my "20th" birthday on 20 July, and am taking early retirement & moving out to Calis soon! 8)
-
I so enjoyed reading that Lorraine and sounded like you had an amazing time, you certainly did not waste any thats for sure!....
Also how great to have such lovely caring friends like you, Katy certainly had a 50th to remember...or never to forget:D.....just lovely.
June 8)
-
What a fantastic week you five beautiful ladies must have had, it really was fascinating reading, Katy must have been on cloud nine. Well done to you all.:D
Margie
-
Thank you so much for your kind comments & I am glad you all enjoyed the "report" it was truely a magical week and made me realise how special the area is. When you go for 2 to 3 visit per year for a number of years you forget the sheer beauty of the area.
Lorraine
-
That was a great read! It was so good to read such a positive review of the area! Glad to hear you had such a fab time - you certainly did it in style!
-
Absolutley lovely! Will definately be going back there next year! So glad you and your friends had such a good time, one birthday she will never forget!
-
If anyone would like to see the photos, here goes:-
http://katys50th.seasidevillas.co.uk/
-
Beautiful Photo's.Thanks for posting.Looks like you had a great time. :)
-
Wow, what fab photos. Thanks for sharing your wonderful holiday with us. That is a birthday to remember!
-
8) Same here, what a happy outfit you all look.:P
-
Looks amazing, thanks for sharing with us.
-
Thanks Lorraine for sharing you holiday with us, you certianly know how to enjoy yourselves. Hope our holiday will be has nice, thank you once again. Margie
-
Fabulous photos lmaddy. We were actually staying in the townhouse on the extreme right in photo 4 the week before.
Thanks for sharing your holiday experience with us. Ours was much more mundane ;)
-
Fabulous photos. We are going to be in Calis for 10 days from the 9th August. Our two friends will be with us. We have both had our silver weddings this year but haven't had the chance to celebrate together. We have booked the Lady Christina and The Lighthouse on Kilzada Island. We are so looking forward to it. Was lovely to hear all about your holiday and certainly gave us some ideas for ours. Many thanks and so glad that you had a fantastic time.