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 Marmaris
is a comfortable place.The marina is secure, well maintained and
the facilities of Gina Marina Technique areexcellent. Sea Gem has
been in good hands for our repairs. Parts were ordered and received
for the heads. A new VHF antenna has been installed and is working
well. The single side band is now in service due to the expertise
of Sami, an able and expert technician.
We have developed friendships
here and last night were hosted by one of the managers to a lovely
dinner in his home. Sinan his wife, Safak and their two sons, Deniz
and Onur, made us very welcome as we shared a wonderful meal Safak
had prepared. Onur, who is ten, and Deniz who is fifteen are both
learning English. Deniz has already determined that he wants to
attend college in the United States to study computer technology.
This morning I went to
the weekly Friday market. This is a huge "fresh market"
that also includes clothes, household items and "stuff."
I arrived back at the boat with a whole  cart
load of fresh vegetables, fruit, and a couple of pairs of casual
pants, one for myself and one for a gift. The pants were three million,
less than three dollars a pair.
I have walked to the post
office or internet each day and cut through the bazaar to stay in
the shade. That part of town is frequented by both tourists and
locals. The intricate alleys and shady passageways have endless
shops and stalls. The merchants sit or squat in front of their establishments
and call to you as you walk by. If they recognize you they let you
know. Their determination of nationality is usually accurate; only
occasionally are we mistaken for British or German. I have stopped
wearing white walking shoes, which is a dead give away for being
American, but even Tevas do not make a difference. We just do not
"blend" here.
The smells of the old city
are a potpourri, the intensity and mellifluous quality of which
depends on the wind, the time of day, the temperature and if there
is road and sewer work. Outdoor cooking with the inevitable meat
rotating slowly on skewers and garlic and olive oil spluttering
on huge pans release their essence. Refrigerated cases of various
forms of meat and whole iced fish, ready to be cooked to your order,
are positioned in plain view to whet your appetite. Inside the bazaar
the streets are shaded by awnings and occasionally  there
is a terrace covered by a dense growth of tangled dark green vines.
The shiny green grape, Virginia creeper and honeysuckle are accented
by the vibrancy of bougainvillea. The marina area has the most spectacular
display of purple bougainvillea we have seen.
This area has multiple
charter services for crewed and bare boat charters. Also there are
fleets of gulets that take day trippers to the outlying islands
for sun and sand. The sunburn ratio is definitely coordinated with
the number of Northern Europeans on limited holiday determined to
go home relaxed and
tanned. From what I have seen I believe most go home blistered and
tired. What a privilege we have, to have a generous amount of time
to savor this wonderful area of the world.
Today, May 26, or tomorrow
we plan to wind up our stay in Marmaris and push off on a leisurely
journey westward. From Sea Gem in Turkey, until later. . . .
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