One of the real pluses of traveling in Turkey is the well-developed system of public buses that are affordable and efficient. We caught a minibus into Bodrum from the front of our hotel and were deposited near the center of town about twenty minutes later. It cost about five Turkish lira, or $2.50 each.
This is a busy town, an attractive destination for people from Istanbul looking for a seaside getaway and for Europeans, and to a lesser extent North Americans, seeking sun and fun.
We walked down one of the main streets into the center of town and toured Bodrum Castle, built in the sixteenth century by the Knights Templar and home to an underwater archeological museum that displays the oldest shipwreck ever recovered from the sea.
One thing you should do in Turkey is enjoy the pomegranate juice – we had big chilly glasses of it, uncut with water or ice- delicious. Our waiter claimed that it was good for the heart.
We strolled along the Harbor to the left of the castle, the more sedate and upscale part of the city, and found the fish restaurant that had been recommended by Gizem at the Kempinski. It was perfect. We picked out our fish, a fat John Dory, and our meze – fried calamari, Grilled eggplant with olive oil and garlic, and a large tomato salad – and took a seat on the upper outdoor patio.
It was the perfect place to people watch, as the sun set.
Later, the minibus took us safely back to our hotel.
Heidi, Editor-In-Chief
