I've never been one for 'labels', as in all honesty I don't really understand why anyone would pay through the nose to advertise someone else's products; but if Gucci shoes, a Louis Vuitton handbag or a Breitling watch is your thing, then Turkey is designer paradise.
Until work and finances got in the way, I was a regular traveller, having visited both Papua New Guinea, Peru and dozens of places in-between. I had not however sampled the delights of Turkey, and until now, I had not readily appreciated the desire for many Brits to return, year after year. After a week spent in Dalyan, on a cheapie last minute holiday, I can now safely say that I get it.
Providing the perfect East meets West balance, this sunny resort is sufficiently foreign to make you feel like you've been abroad, yet familiar enough to ensure that more cautious visitors do not step out of their comfort zone. Some basic English is spoken in most places, it is clean, safe, and with very little traffic. Oh, and did I mention how genuinely kind and helpful the people are? With borders shared with some of the world's most troubled spots, they seem to have got the balance here just right.
Accommodation is plentiful, whether in a traditional hotel setting or self-catering, and it is by any standards cheap, ranging from the most basic (ours), to really quite luxurious, all at prices well within even the most constrained budget. One of the joys is the complete absence of high rise buildings; nothing above two-stories high is permitted, and unlike many other resorts, visitors are not plagued by building work, as outside the main season, from May to November, all construction work is banned.
Dalyan is not a place for those seeking a vibrant nightlife, and on passing menu after menu offering English breakfast and chips with everything I did begin to despair on the foodie front, but away from the main drag, with its wall to wall tourist tat, there are some hidden treasures to be found. We got into the habit of stopping anywhere that looked as if it did little to cater for tourists, and whilst the food was not exactly gourmet some excellent 'mezes', with homemade bread, can be had for very little money.
We chose not to avail ourselves of the many tours to local attractions that were on offer, as inexpensive as they were by comparison with other destinations; much preferring to travel by the regular local co-operative buses and boats for little more than 4tl (just over £1). Lulled into a false sense of security, and the flat landscape, I even agreed to hiring a bike. Not an activity for the faint-hearted as, pleasingly, they have not quite embraced the concept of health and safety yet.
On the wine front, high taxes mean that prices can be on the steep side, but whilst Turkish wines are unlikely to win any awards, we drank wines mostly made from native (unpronounceable) grape varieties the whole week, and for that bit of extra oomph, topped up regularly with the odd shot of Raki.
They have been making wine in Turkey for thousands of years. The climate around Marmara, and along the Aegean coast, in addition to the volcanic soil of Cappadocia, provides suitable growing conditions. Nowadays, particularly for their premium wines, there has been a shift towards grape varieties that we are all much more familiar with, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot etc., with the most interesting wines being produced by small local vintners. Look out for wines from Kavaklidere and Doluca vineyards, which are reliable and not too pricy, whilst from Cappadocia, Kocabağ and Turasan are popular labels.
For an after dinner treat try Tatlisert, a fortified wine similar to port.
I won't mention the mosie bites!
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