For instance, there we were,
anchored in the middle of nowhere one morning, and this little boat
turns up - complete with lady making borek (similar to pancakes),
hotplate right there on the boat !! Now that’s what I call
enterprising ! We had a great breakfast - borek with cheese, herbs,
chocolate, honey, all varieties !
Another fact which surprises
many people is that, if you’re into ancient ruins, archeological
sites, etc... Turkey is the place to be ! Scattered everywhere around
the south Turkish coast. are amphitheaters, fortresses, cliff tombs -
many dating back to 1000 BC or so. In the little coves where we
anchor, there are former pirate villages to explore; Lycian cliff
tombs to climb, the remains of sunken cities to snorkel. And the
coolest thing of all, is there are no gates, no guards; no "tourist
shop"... you just wander around, completely freely, and imagine
how it might have been thousands of years ago.
If this so far sounds like Turkey is winning the
"best place to visit" vote easily - sorry, the choice
isn’t really so easy! With all the bad press that Turkey had with
"Midnight Express", I always feel a need to redress that
balance and tell people that this impression is all wrong, it’s a
beautiful country and the people are soooo friendly and welcoming!
But, our taverna owner friend was right in one way;
the Greek isles DO have something quite unique that will always make
people fall in love with them. The stark beauty of the
blue-n’-white villages; the idiosyncrasies of each of the different
islands; the music, ambiance, the tavernas, and just plain feel of
the islands. And, most of all, the people ! Arrive with our
westernised concepts of timekeeping, and "GMT" (Greek Maybe
Time) will drive you potty ! Loosen up and get into "Greek mode",
and by the end of 2wks, you’ll have forgotten how to get uptight.
On the little islands, the old traditional values
of hospitality still hold true; and some of the best parties we’ve
ever had have been at a local islander’s home! Often when one of
our Greek buddies gets into a festive mood (something Greeks are
genetically pre-disposed to do), we’ll be there, dancing till 3am
under the stars...
Despite their differences, there IS one major
aspect in which Greece and Turkey are both very similar - the basic
honesty of the people. I am so used to it that I take it for granted;
but every now and then, I’m reminded when someone says, "So,
aren’t you going to lock the boat up whilst we’re all gone?"
No. We don’t. Never needed to, despite all the expensive electronic
gear we have lying around. Nor have we ever heard of gear being taken
from a boat, in all the years we’ve been there. Now that is cool.
Not only on the boats, but just in general around
both Greece and Turkey. "My camera is missing!" came the
distressed cry one day. We realised that it must have been left in a
local bar on Leros - 3 days ago! I called my bar owner buddy, Savvas.
"Sure, we have it, no problem", he said. "One of the
local guys brought it to me, he thought it might belong to one of
your people".
Now where in the so-called First World is that
likely to happen ??
(This article is contributed by SeaScape
Sailing - Editor.)
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Categories
"Sailing
the Greek isles..." - a phrase packed with romance and imagery.
But Greece has been facing some stiff competition these past few
years from next door neighbor Turkey - a relative newbie to tourism.
They are so close together, and yet so radically different - which
would you pick, if you’re considering sailing in this part of the
world ?