Turkey Holds its Breath

Spring is arriving in Turkey. Flowers are coming out and the snows on the mountains behind the rugged coast are slowly retreating. In Kaş the shops and restaurants that have been shut for winter are all reopening or carrying out redecoration before the tourist influx descends on the pretty little town.

But it is not only shops that are opening. Everywhere political banners are flying and government and opposition offices are springing out of nowhere. Because Sunday 30th March is local election day across all of Turkey and this year the local elections are not the same as previous ones.

 

This year, Turkey is holding its breath because the outcome of the local elections will be a pointer to what happens in next year's general election. Pro Muslim Prime Minister Recep Erdoğan's popularity has plummeted since the recent disturbances in Taksim Square which were followed up by peaceful protests across much of Turkey. Things were made worse when a 15 year old boy died from a tear gas injury incurred during the Taksim protests after being in a coma for months on end. He was simply crossing the square to buy bread for his family at the time he was hit.

Since then Erdoğan has become increasingly concerned over the rise of the opposition. Unrest that began as opposition to development to one of the last green spaces in central Istanbul has now escalated to unease that the secular status of Turkey is under threat and indeed very genuine concern for the future of the country.

Most of the Turks that we know are educated people, proud of their country and its recent rapid progress on the world stage. Kaş in particular is very supportive of Ataturk's reforms in 1923 and keen to retain the country's unique position between east and west. Without exception they are worried about what is around the corner for Turkey.

So, we will watch with genuine concern to see what happens here after Sunday's election. Hopefully you will not be seeing any more images from Turkey on your TV screens next week.

A Winter Project - Making a Table

How do you turn this...

…into this?  

Take the old spreaders that we replaced when we took Petronella’s masts down. Give them to Süleyman, an immensely skilled Turkish craftsman who lives in the village above the marina. Wait a week and pick up the beautifully made table.

Then caulk the joints with Sikaflex – a very messy job.

Sand and oil the surface and there it is.

A lovely cockpit table made out of part of Petronella’s history.

Recycling at its best.

John's 60th Birthday

60 today. Good Lord. Can that really be?

Thanks to Taner, Ümit and the rest of the staff at Meymekan, the marina bar of choice for a great evening. Here are a few photos (yes, the Rasta hat is in there somewhere Vera).

In the final picture above I am narrating my 60th birthday poem and short speech. Gilly told me to post it on the blog so here it is......

So, what an amazing birthday. I think the last time I had so many people to my party was probably when I was about 10 years old. Now I can add another 50 (50!) to that. I'm not a big speech maker but I do want to say "Thank you all for coming tonight to help me celebrate my 60th birthday." It's great to see so many of the friends here that we have made over the past three years. I'd specially like to thank Ann and Kevin from Sailaway. Gilly tells me it was you who bought and hung all the decorations. So "Cheers guys".

As I said I'm not a big speech maker so instead I have written a very short poem for you. Apologies in advance to Edward Lear and The Owl and The Pussycat went to Sea. So here it is. It's called "The John and The Gilly went to sea"....

The John and The Gilly went to sea

In a beautiful old green boat

We sailed from Lagos and on to Gib

In the hope that we'd still stay afloat

We travelled on east to the islands of Greece

No marinas or taxes around

And so on to Turkey and Goçek and Kaş

Where a nice new marina we found, we found

Where a nice new marina we found

The last three years have been some of the best

Many friends, what a strange motley crew

Alixora and Whitestar and Blue Talisman

Silver Lady and Sailaway too

We've sailed to Datça and Lesvos and Kos

Petronella will tell you the tale

She's old and uncomfy but sturdy and strong

And she's safe as can be in a gale, a gale

Yes, she's safe as can be in a gale

But 60 has come and I'm getting quite old

So it's time to cast off and sail west

To the land of the rasta, the boat boys, the Trades

Where the lobster is simply the best

And Gill will look up at the moon, what a life

And stare at a solitary star

As for me, I will think, as I gaze at my wife

What a beautiful pussy you are, you are

What a beautiful pussy you are!

Watch out Gilly, you are next.

Quality Vegetables from Kaş

Gill is back in Kaş from Istanbul so we went shopping for vegetables this morning. Here is what we can buy for the equivalent of about £4 from Üçarlar, our favourite vegetable shop.

Oh yes, it is also citrus fruit time so yesterday on the way to Marmaris I bought 3kg of superb local oranges for a grand total of 3TL or 75p.

Great fresh food is one of the many things we will miss when we leave Turkey.

Breezy Night

Yesterday the marina kindly pinned details of a gale warning on our sailors noticeboard. Unfortunately it blew away during the afternoon!