To provide a little liquid respite from the endless book edits, I joined the Gümbet Gals for toasts and tittle-tattle. I hailed the dolly on the promenade, paid my fare and sat next to an elderly Turk who began to engage me in animated conversation. Despite my pathetic attempts to explain in Turklish that I couldn’t understand a word, he wittered on regardless, much to the amusement of the Turkish ladies in front of us. I smiled sweetly like the Queen Mother, nodding now and again to pacify him. The dolly sped over the hilly promontory that separates Bodrum from its uglier sister and dropped me off at the edge of the resort. I strolled through the silent streets. Gümbet is closed for the winter and all the tattooed pot-bellied Brits have returned to Blighty. My destination was Jack’s Bar (the name’s just a happy co-incidence), an inexpensive and unpretentious little watering hole just off the now locked up main drag. It’s one of the few establishments that stays open all year. I spent a funny, sunny afternoon gassing and guzzling with the Gals. As the sun set and the air grew chilly, I’d had my fill and the delightful owner gave me a lift home. What a gent.
You might also like:
Perking the Pansies 
Dearest Jack: YOU BELONG ON THE BEST SELLER LIST! You indeed have a gift and write so well I’m surprised your face isn’t plastered all over the New York Times. Have you ever looked @ my Amazon book–both Kindle and hard and soft copy? I would really love your opinion. Here are the links my dear:
Kindle version: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005G127E1
Hardcover and paperback:
It has been by goal to help abused women become survivors. At first meeting with them, there are tears. But when we finish, there are smiles and hugs! For every woman bound by this chain of horror, there is a way to get them out! Rejoice! It’s working!
Penelope Van Buskirk
LikeLike
Oh no, the photo looks terrible… Wall to wall Brits!! The kind of place I avoid like the plague…
LikeLike
No Brits there now which is why I wander down out of season!
LikeLike
Good! Yes, the British tourist is a very seasonal creature, isn’t he… He is pretty rare in these parts altogether. 75% of our tourists are American.
LikeLike
I seem to have the same problem every time I get the village dolmuş..old ladies chatting away to me. Ive given up trying to tell them I don’t understand..so I just nod and smile. There is a heavy dialect in this village. Even my Turkish husband finds it difficult to understand what they’re saying so not much hope for me.
And isnt the weather still glorious during the day? Perfect for getting out and about.
LikeLike
The weather’s just wonderful. Better than last year, I seem to remember.
LikeLike
A well deserved jaunt out IMO – glad you enjoyed it.
I had a gander at the book sleeve and am anticipating the announcement of the launch of it’s “inners”.
PS. Jack love the christmasly snow effect – although it took me a while to realise it wasn’t a virus attacking my lappy – ho ho No!!!!
LikeLike
Any time now! Glad you like the festive feature. Gets you in the mood.
LikeLike
Oh my, another memory tainted. Gümbet seems to have altered a lot since I went there in ’91. Germans and Dutch dominated the scene then and that suited me fine. A lot of French and Italians too so it was easy to keep away from the Brits as they kept away from the “continentals”. IT didn’t have the regimented parasol set up either. Lots more space and random sites of the day camps of sizzling northern Europeans with a laid back atmosphere. Shame. No doubt there are dozens of new resorts to replace it though.
LikeLike
I’m afraid it’s very different now. Very 18-30. I’m far too old for that nonsense!
LikeLike
. . tell me again, which planet were you visiting? The natives seen jolly nice though!
LikeLike
They call the British Republic of Gumbet. It truly is a parallel universe.
LikeLike