Calis Beach and Fethiye Turkey Discussion Forum
Calis Beach Forum => Calis Beach Questions and Information => Topic started by: Scunner on December 19, 2013, 20:12:19 PM
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I was reflecting on the year just about to pass and have to share my thoughts on what has been a truly brilliant year for us, especially with all things Turkey.
In January we sold our house in Calis which was bitter sweet but necessary - and in truth more sweet than bitter, even though our family have so many happy memories from there - but also meant we had a visit to Turkey in April, booked ages before to sort out a few things with the house - and now no house to sort out! Steph and I had a week of no kids, not cleaning, not paying bills, not chasing up gardeners, not queuing to sort out direct debits. It was fantastic - the first time in a decade we were there with nothing to do. We started and finished at the economy but terrific value for money Manas Park Hotel (with sea view) and spent the middle part at the Ece Saray - magnificent and in April such good value. Breakfast on the rooftop restaurant looking over the marina and across the bay was sensational.
Then in July we had a fabulous holiday to Morocco - with the Calis link being our travelling companions Lesley and Steve - great friends of many CBfers and Calis people (affectionately known as the "Sausage People" in Calis back the day). We had a brilliant laugh. Be warned though - it looked dodgy immediately from the first hour - we hadn't left the airport when we noticed we were very different in some of our ways. In the airport bar the flight status went from "wait in lounge" to "boarding" - that is my cue to head off there and then to the gate - those two proposed another round!!! Honestly, Alfie Moon boards planes earlier than those two!!! But we had a ball for 11 days in the sun (and rainstorms, sandstorms...).
Then September brought a Highlander to Perth to see us. I knew it was CBF's 10th Birthday on the 3rd, and I knew I was meeting Highlander on the 3rd but didn't associate the two events at all, not even once. To run a website not just full of good info, but full of such good people is great, but for them to have a collection without me suspecting a thing is, quite frankly, worrying :). The award and gifts were very touching but hey, a book of people telling you really nice things about yourself - who wouldn't like one of those! Thank you all again.
October finally came allowing us (after booking it all 6 months earlier) to tell our twins that they would be leaving the next day on a jet plane to celebrate the birthday that would see them become teenagers in the place where they spent so much of their childhood. We met friends, visited their school, our old house, stayed at the lovely Oykun and managed (just) to keep their surprise party at Kings Garden a secret. I think about that night every day, often several times. It was like a dream playing out in front of your eyes - such a great night, friends including their ex-teachers came to make it a surprise party containing many surprises within. The whole holiday was simply amazing from beginning to end - too many reasons to list.
As if that wasn't enough for one year, December gave us a wonderful weekend in Glasgow, including meeting up with some of our Calis-related Scotland friends for a most memorable meal (not all memorable for Highlander) at the brilliant Anatolia Turkish restaurant in the city centre. A truly great night of friends brought together purely because of Calis and/or CBF.
Not a bad year then :D
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I'll raise a glass to another good year for the Campbell clan
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Brenda and I are so happy to have been a small part of your year and are desperately sorry not to have been able to be with you in October.
As for September it was a great personal pleasure for me to represent the good folks of CBF on a thoroughly deserved award.
As for December I have no excuses I am afraid. But I remember enough to know that it was a truly fabulous night
Best wishes to you all.
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Nice one Keith and it was a great pleasure to share one of your 2013 highlights. All the best to Steph, the magic girls and yourself. Hope we see you soon in 2014
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You shared two of them actually mate :)
Many thanks and all the best to you two for 2014. If you could just tone down the popularity a bit!! ;) ;)
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You shared two of them actually mate :)
Many thanks and all the best to you two for 2014. If you could just tone down the popularity a bit!! ;) ;)
I'm trying, really, ask Chris !
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Lovely post bossman. Wishing you and yours an equally happy, exciting 2014. You'll never top the 13th birthday stunt though. That was a belter!
:)
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Wishing you and your family Keith and all members of the Forum Best Wishes for Christmas and The New Year
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Thanks Patrice and everyone - I would also like very much if the above could be the post that started any/all Christmas goodwill messages between members :)
And as if I hadn't rambled on enough in it - I want also to say that the girl's birthday was staged magnificently by Salih and the staff of Kings Garden, and also the night before, when they actually became teenagers 2 hours early (10pm in the UK, midnight in TR!) at Mozaik Bahce, where the sensational in so many ways Nichola helped them celebrate by giving them a proper photo shoot - great times.
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Good on you Keith, you, steph and the girls deserve it all, and it was a pleasure to meet you and your family at last. :) :)
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Just come across this post Keith,what a lovely reflective post.I am happy that you and your family have had such a lovely year and wish you more happiness for Xmas and 2014(twin teenage daughters,double trouble lol!)
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I,m glad that 2013 has been good for you Scunner. Sadly for us it hasn't been so, both losing our Mam's. However, we seem to have turned the corner and look forward to our new life in Turkey and a better new year.
So here's to all forum members, wishing you a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy 2014.
Love
Bernie and Martyn xx
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And to you, Bernie and Martyn. Sometimes I think events draw a line under episodes for us - and maybe that is the case after your bad time, now on to the next chapter in the adventure. Have a great Christmas yourselves and good luck for the future.
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nice post scunno and family have a great xmas and a new year 2014
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Very Merry Christmas, and a Happy and Healthy New Year to one and all xx
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Very happy to have been a part of the twins birthday surprise and a couple of other nights :). Looking forward to another memorable year in 2014.
Wishing everybody in CBF land A very Merry Christmas and Prosperous New Year from Kaz and myself. Especially the Boss, Steph xx, Abbie xx and Robyn xx.
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I would like to send the warmest wishes to, the creator of this cyber watering hole and his wife and twin girls,
a wonderful couple from the UK who moved to Calis and along with all their fantastic team of helpers set up a
Magic Factory to manufacture happiness for hundreds of deserving local kids, a guy from the highlands with a
knack of extracting currency from bemused punters,and his present wife, a whole load of volunteers who work
tirelessly for the betterment of social and animal welfare in the area, and EVERY member of this fantastic forum,
along with their loved ones.
May you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year. :)
h
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Lovely post Keith, I almost welled up! Looking forward to the day when the CBF gang come to Gods own county, there's enough of us here. I'd like to wish you and yours festive greetings too hope you have a fab time. Meantime, we ( around 10) of us are booked in the manas park in June for 8 nights, have you done a review?
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I did a wee one yes Maria - warts and all ;)
http://www.calis-beach.co.uk/forum/hotels_private_rentals_calis_questions_and_information/calis_manaspark_hotel_mutlu_lite_50931.0.html
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Ahh thanks yes having breakky on the prom can't be beaten hence us staying on the prom for 15 years , it was a wrench to move 'up the back' to erdemler and that's only a spit away, any further I'd get a nosebleed.
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Not sure when you last stayed at Erdemler but the route now turns left just before Club-e, so no following the path through Club-e's garden anymore (or for the brave the twilight walk across the Club-e grass avoiding the minefield of sprinkler heads).
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Lovely review of your CBF related year, Keith.
This forum has provided me with countless moments of mirth and joy, those tear jerking moments when someone really lets you see inside their soul and loads of free invaluable information.
Enormous thanks from me to all the expats that represent the rest of so very well with your selfless and amazing charitable work - you all represent the true spirit of Christmas the whole year round.
Have a lovely Christmas, all of you, whether you are with family and friends or alone.
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Heart warming - really pleased for you :-)
PS also nice to know CBF can make an old man very happy ;)
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I knew that ages ago, you told me in 2006.
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Lol :D
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Lovely Keith!
We've also been blessed with a lovely year and the best is yet to come when my wonderful children arrive on Monday for Christmas.
Happy Christmas CBF'ers and a very Happy New Year to you all, love from Linda & John xx
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Not sure when you last stayed at Erdemler but the route now turns left just before Club-e, so no following the path through Club-e's garden anymore (or for the brave the twilight walk across the Club-e grass avoiding the minefield of sprinkler heads).
Yes stayed August last and the changes were good! Not staying next year though , at the Manas for a week and that's it!
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You'll be fine at the Manas - as long as you don't want too much room round the pool. The beach isn't far of course ;)
I forgot to say it is being renovated room by room - sadly when we stayed there on our first night and last night they didn't allocate a renovated room to us on either occasion, even though we never once saw any evidence of any other room being in use, or a single other soul at breakfast,or in reception...
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Glad youve had a great year, heres to many many more....And Happy Christmas to all CBF members, im not sure how long ive been a member but i have thoroughly enjoyed the banter and discussion, and it help me keep our Turkey dream alive!