Calis Beach and Fethiye Turkey Discussion Forum
Calis Beach Forum => Calis Beach Questions and Information => Topic started by: Scunner on November 14, 2015, 20:56:46 PM
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As regular visitors will know all too well, I have suffered from a bipolar relationship with Calis for a number of years. It holds a tight invisible pull still and on the other hand I seem to go, have a great family holiday, then decide enough is enough - it's not as good as it used to be and it's time to give it up after countless visits and time to explore the many other parts of the World. Mrs Scunner always has a good time but always leaves saying the same, let's go somewhere new next year.
This year I had it bad - having found ridiculously cheap flights to Dalaman for our newly traditional kids' birthday week in October - we were booked again. I had it bad because as October approached I started wondering why I'd done it again. Topics on CBF told of flights being dropped and I actually quietly wished that ours would be too - then we could pick up a cheap holiday to anywhere.
No such luck so we were going. Laughably we decided that as this would be our last visit for at least a few years, it would be nice to stay on the seafront - and since getting the full (and impressive) tour of the soon to open Hotel Delta in 2004, I have always thought to stay there and never did. So this being the last chance for years or perhaps ever, rooms booked.
Unbelievable - I have no idea what happened to us. We had a most relaxing experience at the airport - very chilled, good flight, efficient transfer and a lovely professional check in at the Delta - and what a view. It's a quality hotel, superbly run. Fabulous having breakfast looking out to the calm sea, with famously wonderful Turkish fried eggs and omelettes made to order and lashings of Turkish bread and toast.
Before all that and after a swift bag drop, off to Frank Cannons for our arrival tradition - a chicken durum (or possibly 2) with Baz & Kaz.
Wonderful meals at Mozaik Bahce - Sahil Lokantasi - Bella Mammas - Amethist - Receps - Meeting Point - Kahve Alti- Pasa Kebap - Kings Garden - a chicken doner half bread in Gunlukbasi High Street....and many, many more ;)
A fabulous boat trip on the day when nearly every other boat stayed in due to the storms - a boat with just one type of person on it - our friends.
The girls adore their holidays to Calis - they slip effortlessly into totally relaxed mode from the minute we land, something they never quite do on all our holidays elsewhere. I love to see them like that/
Anyway, I could go on but suffice to say - after every October Calis holiday I tell people we'll be back next October and Mrs Scunner tells them we certainly will not (I always win mind you) I can report that just a few days into our holiday, Mrs Scunner demanded we book the Delta for next year, which we have.
Damn you Calis Beach, the place I fell in love with then had a love hate relationship with for several recent years. We are totally in love again, and that is something we never, ever expected. See you in 2016 - can't wait.
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Great post.
Your love for the place was fairly obvious from the moment you posted the photo of the sunset with the two boats. :)
Glad you and the family had such a wonderful time.
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Fabulous post! There's such a pull to this part of Turkey for most of us aficionados. You've put into words exactly how it is for us too. There are many places we all would like to see but we still hold a warm deep place in our hearts for Fethiye and Calis. On that note - hope to see you next year! X
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Think you miss "The eye of a needle" episode.... Or did you have such a good time you forgave Frank??
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Put us down for the boat trip :) ;) ;)
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Think you miss "The eye of a needle" episode.... Or did you have such a good time you forgave Frank??
I can't pin it on Frank. Or should that be needle...
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Put us down for the boat trip :) ;) ;)
No Baz & Kaz, no boat trip ;)
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:'( :'( :'( :'( :'( ;) ;) :)
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Cracking post Keith I hope you enjoy many more visits
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We swore we wouldn't go next year as we have a perfect storm of a year where our eldest finishes school in late June after his GCSEs and Youngest doesn't start at school at all until September. So.....we could take advantage of the fact we could go in term time and decided to have a special holiday. After much searching we have booked ourselves on a fortnights cruise with P&O, even better it sets sail from Southampton which is 20 minutes away. Lots of luxury, splashed out of a big cabin and plenty for the kids to do....
....until of course we figured out we could get flights to/from Dalaman a week before those dates and with BA they worked out at £60 each......
....so now we have a week in turkey followed by a fortnight relaxing onboard the Ventura......
......and now the in laws are asking if we would take them to turkey in October with other family....well.....what could we say....
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Cracking post Keith I hope you enjoy many more visits
Thanks Steve
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Great post .I think we all need to hang to good memories and think positive for future holidays in Calis .I know I am
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Fab post Keith and made a great read...
I am the same one minute i want to sell up in Calis and move to what I call "proper Turkey" i did view a stunning house when i was over but need to spend more time in said area before making such a big decision....would also be only a 30 or 40 minute dolmus ride away from Fetiyhe/ Calis...
I do i start looking at holidays in other countries see pictures of sky scraper hotels and think oh i really dont fancy that.
I am most certainly not done with Turkey just yet it is still a country i love soooo much for a variety of reasons mainly the slowly slowly way of life (this certainly applies to visiting the bank in Turkey)
There is just something about the place that i love sooo much :)
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You can take the boy out of Calis, but etc etc.
(Obviously the term boy requires spadesful of political licence) ;)
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A very brave post H.
I nearly enjoyed the boat trip but didn't manage the easy bit. I couldn't get to Turkey October. Next year.?? :(
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For the last last 2 years I have said goodbye to Calis and our friends there, but its a pull on the heartstrings that mean I will be booking for next year. There is just something about the place that makes you want to return, no matter what the problems in the country, basically for many of us its our little piece of heaven
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Yes I think that's a lot of it with us too - I think many things, big World out there, most of our friends have gone now, many of our favourite bars/restaurants gone too, it's not dirt cheap like it used to be, we've been there, seen that, done that to death.
But almost incredibly, when we went there once again, truly believing it would be our last for many years/ever, it dragged us in and intoxicated us all over again :)
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I think the changes could be part of the draw, living here they seem to be quick now, so not seeing the place for a year it's like coming somewhere new, but familiar, and you want to compare what you knew, to what is now.
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Refreshing muses Keith. I do think that Calis is a calming place, what is there to get stressed about, er well, price of Efes and do they have proper napkins etc I suppose. Glad your love have returned and if no boat trip next year, then a definate get together for all us die hards still here!!
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All rings so true. Over the years we decided we really must try different destinations rather than keep going back to Fethiye.
We tried various places including Mallorca and Malta, Greece etc, but spent 2 weeks comparing and wishing we were in Fethiye.
Now that we live here it's a bigger decision, and strange as it sounds you still need a break and change of scenery.
Cambodia and Vietnam were incredible, and so different, you don't compare.
This year we went to Bosnia and Croatia. The best part of Bosnia was the Turkish quarter in Sarajevo with its familiar borek and Turkish eye souvenirs. Croatia is stunning, scenery wise very similar, but the people are totally different, and we couldn't wait to get back to Turkish hospitality and mayhem.
Next year were off to Bali and Borneo, as we've realised the only way for us not to compare and miss what we have here is to go to Asia.
My sister and family have also fallen for Calis, they went to Thailand for a change this year, but couldn't face not seeing Calis til next year, so are coming for Christmas.
My dads already looking forward to his trip here next year and he hated the idea of coming to Turkey, now we can't keep him away.
It has a magic that grabs you, and like it's been said on he threads on here before, people fall in love with it the way they first knew it, so they don't mourn the same changes those of us remember from many years ago.
Glad you had a wonderful time and are booked for next year despite the awful weather.
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I love reading why people keep coming back - helps me try to explain why we do too :)
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I have met so many people with the "go back" bug and they all have their own individual reasons and explanations.
The "comfy slippers" analogy is the only way I can explain it.
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Lovely post Keith and made a brilliant read. Actually made me feel good about being lucky enough to live here permanently. So glad you had a great time and it was lovely catching up with you and the family once again. Will look out for you next year on the seafront . Your "girls" are no longer girls but beautiful young ladies . You must be very proud of them.
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Yes those little toddlers from Calis prom
(http://calis-beach.co.uk/rafalcon.jpg)
Are little toddlers no more
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/11694858_10204297059526678_6543751632307113629_n.jpg?oh=1455f63a365ff93c7e095fa9c156004e&oe=56F1D780&__gda__=1458663935_4280a2dd254063f8fbeea1357f74636a)
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Quite a post........
Speaks volumes.
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Great post Keith.
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You big soft 'apeth. Personally can't see the attraction! Didn't even bother going this year . Of course it's the first time in 27 years and by September when we weren't going we wished we were and so booked for next year just to make sure wouldn't miss another year. But personally can't see why it's that good. The worlds a big place blah blah blah....
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So true,after my experience of Lanzarote, find myself putting Turkey in the search boxes on holiday sites..think I,ll just stick to what I know ;D