Kaş and Fethiye (Turkey)

After several abortive attempts, we finally got to try the meze (selection of small hot and cold plates) dinner on the terrace of our delightful hotel in Kaş. Found in the cuisines of many ex-Ottoman empire holdings, the Turkish meze we sampled included: stuffed grape leaves; pasta - or maybe it was cheese - and other unidentifiable chunks of goodness masked in thick yogurt; white beans and carrot in a tomato-based dressing; a concoction of finely shredded, roasted red peppers and bulgur; tomato-y roasted eggplant; pickled red cabbage salad; and a dip which looked like hummous but had a very strong walnut taste. Washed down with a generous glass of Turkish red wine (a nice, medium-bodied selection, maybe lacking a little in complexity) for me and an Efes beer (pilsner) for Rich, it was a delicious meal with a splendid view of the sunset over the harbor.

We headed to Fethiye to join in on one of the quintessential Turkish holiday experiences - the blue cruise. Gulets (traditional, two-masted wooden boats) have become a popular option for taking in the Turquoise Coast. Choosing the 12 Island itinerary, we cruised along to different small bays and islands for the occasional dip in the water or hike up to ruins. Unfortunately, with motoring being such a convenient and speedy option, the sails are for show in most boats. Our vessel's single attempt to unfurl its jib had us wondering if we had actually started drifting backwards. Life on board was very relaxing. The most pressing concerns were whether to snorkel now or wait until the next idyllic spot, flagging down the ice cream man who would chug along in his tiny skiff delivering joy to blue cruises along the way, or deciding which book to read next in the book exchange. We were lucky in that our dozen or so companions on the boat were amiable, well-traveled folks swapping funny stories (including one about a live show where Dave Chappelle had a nervous breakdown on stage for 9 hours... did you even know he was still alive?!) and not hardcore gap-year booze cruisers which can dominate the scene (kids these days!).