Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Chance meetings and changing plans

The hotel we stayed at in Kusadasi (pronounced "koo sheh darzy") was on the waterfront and hosted by a cheerful Turk who goes by the name of "Mr Happy". He is a very outgoing and cheerful host who is keen to make his guests welcome - but who speaks alarmingly like the Australian comedian Akmal Saleh.











We had a room with a seafront view on the third floor. On the first evening we heard some Aussie voices outside so I went out onto our balcony and found a very friendly and relaxed Aussie couple drinking wine on the balcony next door. We got to talking and sharing their wine and found a number of similarities in our journeys through life. In the course of our conversation Jenny mentioned the fact that one could fly over to Cappidoccia from Izmir airport (which is close by).

Judith and I had been trying to work out the rest of our time in Turkey without spending 40% of it traveling, so the next day we went to a travel agent around the corner and arranged to spend the next six days in the area, and particularly to spend four days on the Greek Island of Samos (one and a half hours away by ferry). And then to fly from Izmir to Cappadiccia in just over an hour!

That evening we caught up with Mark and Jenny on the balcony again and shared the day's events over a couple of bottles of Turkish wine. We all agreed that Ephesus was indeed impressive and awe-inspiring. We then went and had dinner together along with their three teen and adult children. We had a great evening not only with great company but also with great food. Yes folks, we have finally had some very nice food (in my case a large plate of barbecued king prawns!).

As a matter of fact we had another very nice meal the night before at a seafood restaurant on the foreshore just 60 meters away from our hotel. We shared a barbecued sea bass which was deboned at our table by the waiter and came with a simple salad. It was excellent.

So the next post will be about, and from, a Greek island just off the coast of Turkey... well, SOMEONE has to do it!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Judith and Milton - we arrived back in Melbourne yesterday and dug out your card....from deep in that well traveled shirt pocket. Great catching up with ya on the travels. Your Blog is great! That seasickness wind you copped on the way to Samos also "nearly blew us right back to Australia" (apologies to Eric Bogle) when at Gallipoli the next day.

My mate in Bendigo is Phillip Brown. He and his wife Terri used to have Babushka (I think - Jewellery store)and now run the Alexandra Place Motel. They live at Strathfieldsaye. Be great to catch up some time. I'll send you the pic of you two on THAT balcony. We are at 191 Oak Street, Parkville. Home number is 938773573.

Cheers

M&J, Hugo Lloyd and Lucinda.

Milton said...

Great to hear from you guys. We are current,y in Granada. Will catch up when we get back to Oz. Milton & judith