Türkiye: A
Secret Diamond
Autumn 2002, in my former home Switzerland, I was trying to decide on where to go for my holidays - I love travelling - but where to? If my travel agent had not mentioned Turkey, I would have never have thought of it.
Several people told me how beautiful it was and after being sceptical for a while, I decided to take the risk and go there. It was the first holiday that I went on without my mum and by mistake I got booked in to a fully booked hotel.
To make up for their mistake, the travel agency arranged for me to stay in a five star hotel for 900 Swiss Francs including the flight - a bargain!
When I got there another surprise was waiting for me, instead of just having a 'ordinary' double room I got to stay in a bungalow! What can I say - great value for money - Lady Luck had flown over with me!
On my first evening I got lost looking for the restaurant where the evening meal was served and walked right into a wedding celebration on the private beach. It looked beautifully decorated and all the waiters were standing in line to greet the guests. Quite embarrassing really, when I found out that I was in the wrong place! When I finally found the restaurant, I was astonished! It was open air - right on the beach - there is no better way to watch a spectacular sunset. The choice of food was exquisitely displayed buffet style, offering a mouth-watering choice. There were many well-looked after cats around discreetly mewing at the guests, hoping for a few delicious scraps.
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The hotel had its own private beach as I mentioned earlier, an open-air disco, three restaurants, a bar, a swimming pool, some shops and a jeweller. If you stay in the bungalows you may be disturbed by the constant music played outside and if you go in the colder months the swimming pool will be too cold to swim. The staff was very friendly and fulfil every wish you may have. It is well worth to take a trip to the Antalya waterfalls, the market and a jeweller. The jeweller you will visit is much cheaper than the one in the hotel, the waterfalls are beath-taking, however not the Niagara-falls, and the market is a bustling hive of activity. You can buy clothes, seasonings, perfumes, tea, and just remember that Turkey is one of the leading countries producing fake imitation articles carrying the names of top designers. You won't see a difference and the quality is good. A good place to wheel and deal but be careful not to buy anything illegal.
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My second visit to Turkey in 2003 came as a surprise as I won it in a competition! Once again it was during one of the colder months but I stayed in a different hotel in Antalya. It was great fun re-visiting places I had been to before. The market, the jeweller (a different one this time) and the waterfalls. I even treated myself to a necklace that I still have.
The most enjoyable trip was the one to Pamukkale, Turkey's famous thermal spring. The sight of the chalk deposits looking like overlapping lakes is breath-taking. I would recommend using the scenic route there, which takes you over the Taurus Mountains. On the way you will be able to sample a vast variety of the finest Turkish food. If you've seen the film "Not without My Daughter" or read the book, you can imagine just exactly how the mother running away over the Taurus Mountains with her daughter must have felt. The rough mountains can give you goose bumps, especially on one part of the journey, where the way is steep and narrow.
The people there are friendly. You can easily enjoy the luxury of a four or five star hotel without spending too much money.
Tip: Don't forget to bargain at the market, even at the jewellers where the prices are clearly marked!