Consuming a piece of Turkish Delight


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Middle East » Turkey » Mediterranean » Antalya
September 24th 2005
Published: March 10th 2011
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FrogsFrogsFrogs

Who said that all travel photos have to be serious? Don't you just love this frog quartet!!!
My teaching career took me as far afield as central Japan, but back in the mid-1990's, the very first piece of the teaching career jigsaw came in the shape of a very short-term teaching post in Izmir in Turkey. I was intrigued by the mysticism surrounding Turkey back then, and I vowed to return, so in late September 1995, a trip to Antalya seemed like a fitting way to pay a '10 years on' return visit, and see another area of a country which I really had not seen enough of first time around. Antalya is a sizeable place for sure, a sprawling city which seemed to be in a fairly constant state of outgrowth, from modern out-of-town shopping malls to densely-packed commercial areas in the city centre. The hotel Adonis was located about 40 or so minutes' walk from where the city proper seemed to commence, and a neighbouring water park (Dedeman) ensured at least half a day of solid aquatic entertainment. Excursion options were more than plentiful for a week-long stay, and having had the most thrilling quad bike tour in the Dominican Republic in 2002, I repeated the experience near Lara beach just outside Antalya, along with 3
Bay ViewBay ViewBay View

Sea view, steps away from the Adonis hotel in Antalya - tasteful!
Russian businessmen staying at the Cremlin Hotel. Out-classing the Russians was clearly unintentional, but the amount of dust and sand kicked up by the bikes made for a crazy, hazy biking session, and as a result, I'm as much of a keen quad biker as an international traveller, which explains my sense of euphoria when I arrive in a new resort, and find out that quadding is an option. The truly priceless excursion from Antalya was a full day spent at the layered mineral springs of Pamukkale and the neighbouring ruins at Hierapolis, both splendid tourist spots, and a vital travel experience for certain. I seem to recall going out to a local nightclub by the name of Club Alley, which was an open-air affair, and would have had real atmosphere, had it not been for the fact that an important Turkish football fixture was being played at the very same time, resulting in a poor turn-out at the nightclub, which shows the way in which the Turks have embraced football over the years. Antalya has no doubt developed even further, and has added features that would make a return trip seem valid, but folks, the world is a huge
PamukkalePamukkalePamukkale

My fave ever picture taken in Turkey, of the layered mineral springs at Pamukkale - sublime!
place, and that's what makes this lifestyle feel like you're sampling a bottomless bag of pick and mix with no two contents being alike....


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Mosque

Typically Turkish-style scene in downtown Antalya
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Carpet Factory

Carpet-weavers at a carpet factory in rural Turkey - artistic!


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