Days 506-519, 31 Oct-13 Nov '15, Fethiye, Turkey - Where has the time gone? We have taken pottering to a new level over the last couple of weeks and can't believe we've been in Turkey for 3 weeks already - and just another 5 to go until Christmas in Malta. The grounds of our gated community and surrounds continue to reward us with mandarins, oranges, lemons and pomegranates which is fabulous. We even had a neighbour on the door step this morning presenting us with a massive stalk of finger bananas (30+) that they had ripened and were surplus to requirements. The freezer is now full of bananas - for smoothies, cakes and possibly curries. We've been researching the whole banana phenomenon as a result and have learned that it's a plant, not a tree. That the whole plant is edible (considering making banana blossom fritters - that's the big purple pod at the end of the stalk). That bananas are actually berries (that'll be great for a trivia question one day). Speaking of trivia, last night we joined some folks for a trivia quiz and dinner in aid of Animal Aid down at Calis Beach. (FYI - Calis is pronounced Charlish - came as a surprise to us too.) Was great to get out for an evening jaunt. Summer is persisting in existing here in Fethiye - still in the mid-twenties during the day but dropping to snuggly quilt weather of 8-11 degrees or so overnight. We've been jumping in the back of cars like over-keen labradors every opportunity we get which means lifts into Fethiye and also to the Sunday Calis Market. From there we take the promenade walk from Calis to the Fethiye waterfront which is around 4 kms. In the pleasant "cool" of late autumn this is a lovely flat walk and the last time we did it we rewarded ourselves with a shared fish sandwich - around A$4 or 8 lira - pretty reasonable for a cafe right on the waterfront with a stunning outlook. Every Thursday (well... 2 at last count), we make our own fun with grocery shopping at our closest village, Ciflik (prounounced "Chif-lick). There is a little supermarket there which is only fractionaly more expensive that the massive ones in town, it stocks Sharwood curry jars in deference to the local expats and, most importantly, will drive out to us on demand and take us to the store - and return us to our front door afterwards with our shopping. Thursday is also Ciflik's market day - so we visit the local bakery. Their claim to fame is 2 hour baking - literally every two hours fresh bread is on the shelves - it smells incredible. We usually stock up on artisan loaves x 2, a large turkish bread, a loaf of olive bread and a Borek pastry for A$5. There are many things that are expensive in Turkey - but bread is not one of them. We call them artisan loaves but here, bread is bread. After the bakery, we do a shop at the supermarket then pop across to the fresh market for our fruit and veges. We also bought a couple of fresh trout yesterday for 4 lira (A$2). How fresh? Well, the man has a tank on his truck and it's full of happy, innocent little trouties swimming about - oblivious to their fate. Except for the two shiny specimens he whipped out, knocked out and gutted for us on the spot. You know how they say look to the eyes to determine how fresh a fish is... these two were darn near winking at us. Once loaded up with groceries, bread, fresh and fish, it's into the supermarket minivan and home again. Super outing and saves on transport costs. It's great that between markets, long coastal walks, walking down to our local ghost-beach (about 30 minutes) and budget cafe eats we've got a bit of time on our hands. We're currently planning our 3 week Malta odyssey and we think we may have to go back there when we get the chance - it appears to be a small island packed absolutely chock-full of things to see, do and experience. Most importantly at this point we've booked our tickets to the Teatru Manoel in Valletta for the traditional Christmas pantomime (panto). This year it's Robin Hood and the Babes in the Woods (the mind is already boggling). Next or perhaps most importantly, we've booked Christmas lunch with roast turkey and all the trimmings at a hotel in St George's Bay. That, of course, is still 5+ weeks away! What have we got planned for the immediate future? Going to see Spectre, the new James Bond movie in the next couple of days (Yay!) Getting the flu vaccination (not so much yay... but definitely a necessity given the germy-jims on planes). Stocking up our travel kits with painkillers and antibiotics (loving the over-the-counter culture here). Last, but not least, visiting an internet cafe downtown for a massive printing session of plane tickets, car rental receipts etc. Tune in for the next enthralling episode and hopefully we can report on Banana Blossom Fritters!