36.41N 27.34E

Sunday 16^th June 2013.

Back, after 15 odd years, in Ogun’s place at Ova Buku. As always a bit smarter but much the same Semra, his sister, has set up a place in Lyons but remarkably is coming back tomorrow, sadly not to cook though. Ogun remains much the same, like me a bit stouter, but with the same pressure of speech. His hotel is now very smart.

We got here by sailing almost all the way thanks to C, which she appeared to enjoy.

Having stopped in several places the main difference is that the town quays have all been taken over by the council, this has two effects; firstly they take £20-30 from you each day and secondly, whereas previously the quay was bursting with waiters eager to take your lines, now there is one bored council worker who couldn’t care less and takes a 3hour lunch break. It’s a bit like the NHS. They also allow their cousins in gulets to, literally, push their way into a space the size of a dinghy, and 60metre gin palaces to do the same and then run their engines all night so their clients can enjoy the totally unnecessary air conditioning. I threatened them with the Police which, to my surprise, worked; we slept all night.

Premier Erdogan seems to have a death wish; his latest plan to create a radical Islamic state is to ban all alcohol within 100m of both mosques and schools and to make female tourists wear headscarves. This will obviously kill off the entire tourist industry and the vast amounts of mainly American aid. The elections here are about as credible as the Chinese and Stalin’s. A friend says she has been to Constantinople several times in recent years and each time it is measurably more Muslim.

I suppose nothing stays the same, but why does it always change for the worse?

K

We have just been in Datca which still has good restaurants but the town planners have turned the bustling town quay into a concrete area with no shade. The cafes have been moved further back which is a shame.

The weather forecast was for gusts up to 30 kn this afternoon so we left early and had a lovely sail. We are now safely parked and listening to the wind whistling. A charter boat has just had a nightmare time trying to tie up.

Ogun’s  place is really lovely now. Much the same but beautiful tiles and some fountains dotted around. He is still keeping an eye on everything and chatting to everyone. Something has at least changed for the better. Also the new rules about holding tanks and pollution seem to have stopped the gulets polluting the bays and harbours. Even in Datca harbour the sea is pristine and you can clearly see the bottom.

Sadly it is still a bit chilly for me (22 deg)! But it should warm up over the summer and I can start swimming again.

C