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.
