Bodrum

I made it to Pamukkale. My next stop. I've spent all last week in Bodrum, which was been pretty nice. Well except for those thunderstorms the first day.  Bodrum is a coastal town in Southwest Turkey. It seemed like a pretty popular place to visit, so I figured why not. And really I'll take any excuse to get to the coast. So after a short flight from Istanbul, and a bus into Bodrum, my Airbnb host picked me. Which was really nice of her, especially as I was late due to a flight delay. And she she took me the long way home in order to give me a quick tour of the area. She took me to her home, gave me the lowdown and then headed out. She was actually going on holiday for a few days with her kids, so I had the house to myself. Which was a nice change of pace from the smallish apartment I was staying in Istanbul.

And it was even better when I spent the first day watching the rain pour down from her living room. Of course, I go to the beach and it rains. But not just rain, thunderstorms. So I decided to relax for the day. But once the power went out, I decided to catch the Dolmus (shared minibus) to town. Which may or may not have been a good idea. Water was just gushing down the hills of Bodrum, and the house I was in, wasn't the only place that lost power. It didn't seem like this was a regular occurrence. So just tried to go with the flow. Good thing I brought my rain jacket.

Dolmus going down a flooded street.

The following day was definitely better, so I went to explore the area. I walked around the various bays that make up Bodrum, including Gumbet and Bardakci, and of course the marina. So many hills. They make for great views and pretty pictures. And strong calf muscles. Inn my wanderings, I visited some of the older parts of the town, including the windmills and castle.

windmills.

Bodrum Castle.

On Thursday, I finally thought I had a beach day. However, the weather was still not cooperating. I decided to make my way to Yahsi Beach, which is in Ortakent Bay, regardless. Once I got there, I walked along the boardwalk and then planted myself at a cafe right on the water to have some Turkish tea. With cover from the rain of course. The sun eventually came out and I went to have some meze (cold appetizers) for lunch. I had some stuffed peppers and eggplant in yogurt, which may be one of my favorite dishes. I also tried the Raki, but I wasn't really a fan. The liquor was a bit too sweet for my liking. I think I'll stick with Efes beer from now on. After my food digested a bit, I took a dip in the Aegean Sea. The water was very nice. Not cold at all. Not like the Atlantic Ocean in the Northeast. Even though liked the warmth of the water, I wasn't a fan of all the rocks. I do like my sandy beaches. You do need to be careful when going in as to not slip and hurt yourself. They actually have ramps that go down into the water to avoid injuries. 

meze and raki.

The following day was the perfect day to be on the water and good thing I waited to take the boat trip I was thinking about. We departed from Bodrum marina in the morning. The weather ended up being fantastic as we explored all these coves on the coast. Again, the coast is very rocky, but it was much prettier away from all the touristy bays. We would anchor in a cove and just swim for a while.The water was so clear and beautiful. Every chance I had, I was in the water swimming around. And I actually got somewhat of a tan. My runner's tan is still prominent, but hey, progress.

all the boats enjoying the coves.

My last full day in Bodrum was spent taking a day trip to Efes (Ephesus). It was quite a journey, but definitely easier than I expected. I took a nice coach bus to Soke. From there I took a dolmus to Kusadasi, and then another one to Selcuk. I feel like a pro at the dolmus now. Especially as the first driver, just stopped in the street, flagged down the 2nd driver to let me on. I figured out very quickly what was happening and I ran across traffic to hop into the other dolmus. And I was on my way. 

After a short walk (1 kilometer), I found myself at the lower gate entrance. The day was another beautiful beach day, however, I tried to stay cool as I wandered around the ancient Roman town. It was very cool walking around imagining what it was like back in the day. A day a very long time ago. There were some pretty cool spots, like the different stadiums (which I had to climbb to the top of course) and the Library of Celcus.  

Efes.

My last day in Bodrum was spent running 17 miles around the peninsula and eating. Oh and packing up my bag. Which I think I'm getting quicker at, but probably not. 

After spending way too long on a bus, I made it to Pamukkale last night. Even though I'm not a fan of buses (who is?), I can appreciate the Turkish making it as comfortable as possible. It's almost like you are on a plane.They come by with beverages and snacks. Which I did need when the ride turned into 5+ hours. 

Now to go check out Pamukkale.