Turkey

[mikeymouse]

Due to the sky high prices for flights to Orlando at the moment me and my family have just found it to expensive to return to Florida this year:eek: , so instead we are going to Turkey next week for 2 weeks to Icmeler we have been reading SK trip reports and just wondered if anyone has been to Icmeler and has any advice? one thing for sure is it's Hot Hot at the moment high 40's but we can handle that after the temps we got last year in Orlando very excited and cant wait :happy-thumb:)

[dmrevis]

Have you been to Turkey before? We went as a family in 1995 and had a wonderful time. We went to Antalya, Istanbul, Side, and loads more that i cant remember. Great food - you must try the stuffed type bread that they do (we have a name for it in Urdu but not sure what they are in Turkey). It is also obviously the home of the real doner kebab. Very good - even though the proper ones are made from goat meat and not lamb.

[mikeymouse]

Hi DM thanks for the reply, how's things are you missing Orkney?did you see the news about the Kerry holiday camp idea ?:happy-smi:happy-smi back on track no we have never visited Turkey before but cant wait to give it a go been looking around the web and found some great tips , lots of different cuisine to try the fish dishes are good i hear just love fish sure we will try the kebabs too, to be honest dont really know what to expect it may be that we will expect to much especially after getting a taste of things in Orlando :confused: One thing for sure its going to be like an oven out there just hope the air con is as good as you get in the USA:)

[ELAINE]

My mother has just got back from Turkey and had a great holiday... loved the food etc but it drove her mad that whereevr you went you were hasstled to buy things or go into bars, restaurants etc. She said it was worse than in Egypt and she thought that it was bad out there. so you may need to be prepared to say no firmly... In the end they pretended not to understand English or German which confused them:laughing:
Whatever i'm sure you'll have a great time... lets hope the euro pulls its socks up soon.

6 days til we go:purplejum

[mikeymouse]

My mother has just got back from Turkey and had a great holiday... loved the food etc but it drove her mad that whereevr you went you were hasstled to buy things or go into bars, restaurants etc. She said it was worse than in Egypt and she thought that it was bad out there. so you may need to be prepared to say no firmly... In the end they pretended not to understand English or German which confused them:laughing:
Whatever i'm sure you'll have a great time... lets hope the euro pulls its socks up soon.

6 days til we go:purplejum
Hi ELAINE , thanks for the reply yes i have read about the hassle you get but i have been assured by friends who just returned 4 weeks a go that the police in Icmeler have clamped down on it (ctv) and it has made a real difference no hassle from the waiters to get you into the restaurants anymore if they are caught doing so they are punished and closed down and not allowed to open the following night :happy-thumb we have came across this sort of thing in the past i remember Tenerife was bad for it but always found a nice NO THANKS done the trick or i live hear mate LOL:happy-smi yes it would be great if the Euro got back on track and we would go back to the Med area that is why we chose Turkey because it still has the Lira :happy-thumb

[dmrevis]

mm, yeah i am missing Orkney a lot. Its the little things like not being about to nip out after work and catch a couple of Mackeral off the pier for my dinner.

[ELAINE]

Sorry being dense... forgot turkey wasn't euros!!!:eek: Put it down to old age or holiday excitement!!!:purplejum

[dmrevis]

Not sure what its like now, but when we went inflation over there was so high that their own currency was pretty worthless, and people did not like taking it for goods/services. We had a much easier time spending dollars as their value was stable.

[sex kitten]

Hi, I found that the Lira was the best to use. They will take sterling, not bad, but do remember to convert it properly as they will give you a totally different rate from here, One of the ladies only had euro's on her, and seemed to spend her money much quicker than us with lira, some places quoted us in dollars, but hey, they are stashed away for next August's trip to florida. [Roll on 2009 Yipee]
On the hassling, it wasn't something i experienced in Kalkan, but was very aware of in Marmaris, but a polite no thank you with a smile nearly always worked and was accepted.
Turkey was nothing like I expected and I can't wait to visit again someday :happy-thumb

[Simon Veness]

I heard on the news the other day that Turkey's inflation rate (about 5-10 years ago) used to be 70 per cent, hence it's currency was very shaky. Now it is down to less than 14%, hence a lo more stable. There is a lot of building and economic development going on, which suggests a thriving and growing economy. You might be getting in just before it all starts to get as expensive as the rest of Europe!

[dmrevis]

yeah when we went the inflation was the very reason hardly anyone in Turkey would take Lira - their own currency. Even now i expect at 14% inflation they would be happier to take Dollars or Euros.

[mikeymouse]

Thanks for the replies :happy-thumb we fly out today and cant wait will let you all know know how we got on bye bye for now:)

[Catlady]

Probably too late but have a great time.:beachball:

[mikeymouse]

Probably too late but have a great time.:beachball:

cheers Catlady had a great time just got back and have to say Turkey is one of the most friendly places on earth :happy-thumb excellent value for money :)

[Susan Veness]

TRIP REPORT!! :purplejum

[martin1]

we go away again very soon. 2 weeks in altinkum in turkey flying on sept 1st , cant wait another holiday. then dom rep next march houston in april and cyprus in may!

[Catlady]

we go away again very soon. 2 weeks in altinkum in turkey flying on sept 1st , cant wait another holiday. then dom rep next march houston in april and cyprus in may!

Blimey Martin you sure you haven't won the lottery......:laughing: