This evening we turned left and had the most fantastic walk. Even the travel agent rep advised against walking into Marmaris. It took us 1/2 hour to Bar Street another 10 minutes to the statue of Attaturk (cool man - I like him and will probably blog more later) and it was great.
A colleague had been to Marmaris and said to my friends, "I've been to Marmaris. What's wrong with it?" My friends looked at her, looked at me and said, "You're young. I can't imagine it has anything to offer Julia." Now, I'm not just saying this to pretend to be cool and trendy and much younger than I am but I loved it. There is nothing like a lively, buzzing town, full of real people. As you walk along the beach, locals try to get you to come into their shops and bars, they are full of banter they want to shake your hand and are not affraid to admit that they want your money. Old men and women shuffle along the promenade for their evening walk but more often than not the old men are sitting on corners, fingering their prayer beads, drinking strong Turkish coffee or tea and putting the world to rights while the women are running (yes literally - and in that heat) between the greengrocer, bread shop and laundarettte to get back before their husbands have finished their important discussions. The children are learning early to be entrepreneurs; a ten year old girl sits on the promenade with her guitar, absorbed in her singing, hoping that people will put some coins in her case, while 8 year old boys have taken the scales from the bathroom and offer to weigh tourists (who have gorged on the all-inclusive all-day food) for a small fee.
I would definitely recommend the walk, even if you aren't young and trendy but if walking isn't for you there are always the little blue buses (called Dolman, meaning stuffed - although we always got a seat) for just 2 Turkish Lire.
A colleague had been to Marmaris and said to my friends, "I've been to Marmaris. What's wrong with it?" My friends looked at her, looked at me and said, "You're young. I can't imagine it has anything to offer Julia." Now, I'm not just saying this to pretend to be cool and trendy and much younger than I am but I loved it. There is nothing like a lively, buzzing town, full of real people. As you walk along the beach, locals try to get you to come into their shops and bars, they are full of banter they want to shake your hand and are not affraid to admit that they want your money. Old men and women shuffle along the promenade for their evening walk but more often than not the old men are sitting on corners, fingering their prayer beads, drinking strong Turkish coffee or tea and putting the world to rights while the women are running (yes literally - and in that heat) between the greengrocer, bread shop and laundarettte to get back before their husbands have finished their important discussions. The children are learning early to be entrepreneurs; a ten year old girl sits on the promenade with her guitar, absorbed in her singing, hoping that people will put some coins in her case, while 8 year old boys have taken the scales from the bathroom and offer to weigh tourists (who have gorged on the all-inclusive all-day food) for a small fee.
I would definitely recommend the walk, even if you aren't young and trendy but if walking isn't for you there are always the little blue buses (called Dolman, meaning stuffed - although we always got a seat) for just 2 Turkish Lire.
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