Up 6:45am, but Andy (despite his sleep apnea machine) snored for an hour starting at 2am and again later. I slept in the rare awkward position with my right fist buried in my right ear and my left arm locking it into place, and my left ear against the pillow. And earplugs. None of it worked. This is why I pay extra for a single room. I still slept ~6 hours though. I had a dream about being offered free tickets to a Dodgers game (my parents and my boss Milton were in on it) but in the end I turned them down because I had so much to do after the trip. And they were pissed at me because they couldn't go to the game.
Breakfast 7am. At 7:30am Ibo tried to lead us on a walk to the lake, but all paths were too muddy (rendering my silver shoes muddy).
Ibrahim and Muray's house. More modern than I expected.
Village of Kuşluca. One of those local street scenes I have on my list to take photos of but I always forget.
Village of Kuşluca. One of those local street scenes I have on my list to take photos of but I always forget.
We went back to the house and watched cow-milking, which was done by machine, so it wasn't as rural as expected.
Moo-cow!
Peas porridge hot! Peas porridge cold! Peas porridge in a pot...9 days old! (He was 9 days old. I think. Otherwise the nursery rhyme is ill-suited.)
Left the house 9am.
We stopped at a temple from 1300 BC, built around a natural spring, but it's been restored badly with new stones and clay mud that sticks to shoes. After that and the abandoned walk to the lake, the bus was filthy.
I tried to nap on the bus. At one point I opened my eyes and saw woodsy mountains. The next time I opened my eyes I saw palm trees. We descended quite a bit in altitude and I saw that my water bottle had been crushed by the pressure like when I went from Cusco to the Amazon.
Lunch was at a piyaz place, where I had köfte and piyaz ("salad" consisting of beans, tahini, egg, tomato, etc.). I added some yellow pepper to my meatballs...mmm. Katie: "Ibo, why is there so much food?" And despite the full table, Brick Tamland asked for even more water. Warm here now that we're on the Mediterranean.
I was still carrying that bottle of wine from the Turkish night. Every time I went to my bag, I saw the wine and my camera and wished I had a bicycle shop.
Arrived at Lazer Pension 2:45pm. By the marina and hot. I could spend a week here. Ibo says we're doing karaoke tonight.
At 3:15pm Ibo led led half of us on a brief walking tour (just through the alleys to Hadrian's Arch).
Every cool city has a Hadrian's Arch.
Some people took the tram to the museum and the free beach. I went to Starbucks to look for mugs that my coworker Betty wanted me to buy. They didn't have them.
I walked back toward the beach. Antalya is full of hotties! Most of them are probably tourists though. I went down to the marina on the wrong side of the beach and had to walk up stairs again.
Local merchant to an athletic-looking black guy and his woman: "Yes! Mike Tyson! Good price for you!"
The marina was crowded, as was all of Turkey up to this point. "Low season" evidently ended before my trip. Packed everywhere.
I found the private beach (TL 11) which was accessible only through a restaurant (oh, that's the Marmar place Ibo told us to look for). I tanned 4:45pm-5:45pm. One beer.
As I said, some people went to the free beach, but I went to the paid one. Only the best for Sung.
Had some of that stolen wine after. And some before. Prettied myself, then left for dinner at 8:15pm. It was an unofficial group dinner. I happened to be walking behind Mary and Mike, and we went to the Castle Restaurant (recommended by Ibo), but the two young couples and Kate and Shirley were already at a full table, so we had to sit at the little kids' table. But then Andy showed up and sat at their table! What an incohesive group. I ordered salmon and fed some of it to kitties! Mary and I were served the worst caipirinhas ever. They were dark and foul-tasting. The opposite of caipirinhas. No tip! Lee looked different tonight, because we were seeing him without a hat for the first time, like Eric Cartman.
At 10:45pm we left for karaoke at Jungle Pub. Terrible. There was a live band so loud that conversation was impossible. Most of us went outside to escape the noise but it was still too loud. And it was too loud to rehearse for karaoke. We'd agreed to sing We Will Rock You as a group, but even passing around the lyrics on phones, it was tough to get them down. And then when it was time for karaoke, the band played the songs, and there were no lyrics, and the band didn't know any of the songs on the list, except I Will Survive which some whale sang along to. Left 1am, disappointed.
I had some more wine in my room. Including that, I was at 10 drinks for the day. Barely buzzed. No good night yet.
I got 22 likes on my beach pic!
Internet, then bed just after 2am. Turned on the air conditioner. Now it feels like vacation.