Feeling fully nourished, I departed into the dark of night. My next destination up-coast … Kusadasi literally translated ‘The Isle of Birds’.
In simple words … this is the largest and most Turkish of all the resorts I visited. It hasn’t got the warm cosy feeling of Altinkum nor the sparkly touches of Marmaris, the greekness of Bodrum or the quirky character of Fetiye. What it has got that’s different, is a Turkish identity that’s resistant to change. Okay, a small part of me will succumb to the needs of tourism but the other part will stay ruthlessly Turkish! Complete with dirt and disdain. Yes, I’m afraid, large cities in Turkey come as a complete package … the good with the bad. And there were definitely parts of Kusadasi that needed a damn good scrub! But if you’re willing to put up with that, there are many delightful surprises in store for you here.
If you want to feel …
You’ve arrived in a foreign land, and not some starry eyed
mock-up that panders to your Britishness (that’s Marmaris!)
Big ports with visiting world luxury cruise-liners
Transported through time with jaw-dropping antiquities
the rough with the smooth
A smattering of sophistication, palm-lined riverias, Nice, Monte Carlo
A kaleidoscope of diversity and choice
Then come!
If I had to sum it all up in one word … I’d have to say AMERICA.
Now many of you will think how bizarre … one minute I’m saying it’s very Turkish and the next comparing it to the US! Is she barmy? I don’t know. This place has just got a bigness to it. I’m not going to say it’s grand or opulent, more like a feeling of expanse and possibility. Even a trip to the local bathing-grounds, Long and Ladies beach, edged with Californian style sites, gave me a sprawled out Miami feeling … still in embryo, but it’s there. Here you are likely to encounter any nationality, unlike many of the other Turkish resorts. However, I will say the Germans have tended to make the sites on Long Beach their haunting ground.
As for properties … well, Kusadasi is where you could really live out your Californian style dream with a mod-con, spacious property perched high in the hills, overlooking the Aegean Sea coming in at a fraction of the price. Yes … you’ll be happy to know, even though this place feels big, the prices are not! In fact, I would say they are on a par with small and friendly Altinkum, if not cheaper. Wow, what a real estate choice this amazing country gives you!
My emlak star here is Sarah Jane Wilson and Gurcan Durgun of Bati Emlak. In a large spread-out place like Kusadasi you really need someone who’s been around for a while and Sarah has. Sixteen years living and working in Kusadasi along with being fluent in Turkish makes her an ideal candidate for the job.
In recent years she’s been working in real estate and has decided to set up her own agency with partner Gurcan. You’ll find them a friendly couple who are genuinely keen to share their vast knowledge of the area. They also have German and Dutch translators on board if you require. And don’t be surprised if whilst sitting in the office, you may think you’ve mistakenly arrived in a United Nations drop-in centre. Sarah’s natural willingness to connect and help people attract many visitors of all nationalities.
It was a real joy to sit, dine and talk to their friends. Especially Berta from Hamburg who ended up taking us on a walking tour of the central town complete with introductions to all her pals en-route she’s made over the last 11 years. Kusadasi maybe big but it certainly isn’t impersonal!
Heading out of Kusadasi for the motorway to Marmaris, I spotted another road-sign I could simply not ignore. Efes (Ephesus), it read … do I have time I thought? The pull was just too strong … This site was once considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
This archaeological site had been on my hit-list of trips to do for the last five years from Marmaris. And here I was a mere five kms away. A swift turn of the wheel and I was on my way. I’m not going to bore you with all the details because archaeological sites of this scale are not everybody’s thing. But what I will say is, even if you’re not into archaeology GO!
If you can, try getting there independently. Early morning or late evening will enable you to escape the madding crowds and tour guides glugging away in all languages. And believe you me, coaches arrive here from all over Turkey … it’s an archaeological feast for the eyes.
I’m not going to give too much away … just a little tip to stand with your back to the amphitheatre and look out. Close your eyes and breath deeply … now open. That’s what I call a real lifting of the soul. Boy, did these ancients know a thing or two about Feng Shui. That’s what I call perfect placement!
A quick replenishment at the roundabout patisserie on my way out (highly recommended) and I was heading back down the coast for the little known Datca peninsula.
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