Strolling Around Kaș

By Claire
We're still here, enjoying the Turkish Riviera. The weather continues to be lovely but with a bit of wind, especially near the water. On our usual walk into town today we decided to do some more exploring. We are continually astonished at our finds.

We started through the town square down by the harbor. It’s such a nice, quiet, traffic free area—not that there is much traffic anyway. In fact, we watched a little girl jump rope her way across the street yesterday. Naturally, there is an ATM located right next to the park on the square.





From there we wandered up some side streets, enjoying the neighborhoods. We also saw one of the typical unfinished houses, the first two floors already lived in. Someday it will be finished





Here’s an apartment building under construction. Everything new in Turkey seems to be concrete.



We passed the local school. This is the blue tunic uniform. It buttons off center, up the side.





Then I saw some stairs leading steeply up and away. I’ve never been able to pass up a bend in the road, always wondering what’s up ahead, just out of sight, so naturally I encouraged Chuck to join me. We reached a wonderful street with great views over the city and to the sea. We also found 3 Lycian rock tombs. Just your everyday occurrence. Here’s the best one.



Our neighborhood mosque.


We found the street leading down to our bakery and bought our daily bread, this time two loaves including a new one to try, covered in sesame seeds. From there we decided to finally give a new grocery store a try. What a find! They have everything we could possibly want including a honey squeeze bottle. We have been shopping at two other groceries, one for some things and the other for their olives in a jar—the best we’ve had in Turkey.





Remember that "OK" game I mentioned back in Cappadocia? Well I found it for sale in a shop here in town--it's the one with the numbered tiles that sit on a little shelf similar to the one in Scrabble.



Chuck was in search of a large needle to repair a small leather bag we bought in Florence. What can I say? This town has it all. After Chuck mimed a person using a needle, the owner of the store found a large needle with a large eye that would work and let him use it. When he was finished, Chuck asked how much for the use and the man shook his head, waved his hands and said "free." Then Chuck asked how much to buy the needle and he said 2 TL, (€.90).



Our finale on the way home by way of the harbor was to spot yet another sarcophagus.



Update: That was yesterday. Today we walked in again and had prints made of the photos I took at the barbershop, at the bakery and of Mehmet. We went to each place and gave them the prints. Mustafa of hairdressing fame was quite delighted, shook our hands with a big smile and when I turned back after we walked away, he was still watching us and waved happily. The woman at the bakery smiled with a look of disbelief and asked in Turkish "for me?" I could tell because she kept pointing at herself. We seemed to get special treatment too. I picked up two loaves of the sesame bread rings and put them on the counter and she went and picked out what may have been better ones. I guess we're special now. On the way to Mehmet's office which is a long street that leads to the campground, we noticed a foot race going on with some kids. The police were there and people snapping photos, including me.



Mehmet seemed pleased with his photo. We asked him which was the best road to take out of town on our way to Istanbul. He showed us two ways but we're still not clear which one is better, especially for a camper. Then he asked us if people in America eat small fish with their hands. It was an interesting conversation. He then wanted to know if Americans eat meat with their hands. We aren't sure what this was all about. We told him we use forks in both cases.


We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive at where we started
And know the place for the first time.
~ T. S. Eliot, Little Gidding