A Moving Experience

I had a crowd of friends round for a pre Xmas drink and also as a sort of farewell ‘ forgotten but not gone’ party, before I move from Dalyan to Beldibi. It was a mixed crowd of people, English,Turkish Dutch and German . There seemed to be more women than men and I realised that seven of the women there, Turkish and yabanci, had been invited as couples, but none of their partners had come. The partners are all Turkish men. Now they all speak English, most are friends of mine as well, and I wouldn’t call any of them shy, but they didn’t come. I remembered one asking me if it would be all yabanci, I said no there would be Turkish friends, male friends, but he didn’t look convinced. If they had come then they would have been in Turkish company, but the Raki that I had bought went unopened and they missed a fun evening.
I know that it has been the tradition for men and women to socialise separately, but none of these men appear to be traditional. In Britain immigrants are often criticised for remaining in their ethnic groups; that happens here as well, but there is a large element of the local culture forcing that separation, which is really sad. It rather reminded me of Yorkshire in the 1960’s, with separate bar lounges for men and the twain ne’er meeting. Actually according to the Daily Mail (this is the only time you will ever hear me quote it, ever) in Yorkshire the sexes still go out separately , but to get drunk. Wonder what it will be like here in 40 years time ?
Turkish boat owners were conspicuously absent from the marina Xmas party as well. I know it was Xmas and that’s not celebrated here, but the yabancis happily go to Byram parties . OK - most yabancis will go anywhere where there is booze. The local TV station were doing interviews at the party. Isn’t it strange that if someone sticks a microphone in your face you lose the ability to talk sensibly. I just simpered blondily, and said, In answer to the question ‘ what do you want for 2009’, “well I should say world peace, haha, but I just want to enjoy myself, and do something nice”. Doh! Bet Hilary Clinton or Mrs Obama would have come up with something a bit more meaningful. In fact I bet Page 3 girl Jordan would have come up with something more meaningful.
We all won a prize in the draw at the marina party. The Star prize was a bike, but Offshore Skipper Dave didn’t win that, he won a sailing course which pleased him no end. I got a glass hedgehog and a glass thing with an engraving of a legless golfer. It might be a para olympics trophy ? Make a nice present for someone next year I think. I know a few sailors who are frequently legless.
I woke on the boat in Netsel marina on xmas morning, to find an enormous cruise ship blotting out the sun . It made a startling contrast to the picturesque scene of the castle and its surrounds sparkling in the bright sunshine. The revellers from the ship straggled through the marina mall. Italian women in stilettos, French in hats and chic boots and English in shorts and wellies. Quite a lot of passengers stood on the quay side, I suppose they just came for what must be one long party, and weren’t interested in seeing the places that they stop at. The boat is really just an enormous floating hotel, and it could probably not bother to go anywhere, just sail it round in gentle circles, and everyone would be happy.

Then the big day, moving to Marmaris .A friend had found a real removal firm. He had never met them or heard about them but he assured me they were professional. They were due at 9.00 but turned up at 11.15 - they had had a puncture ! But the lorry was big and they seemed to know what to do. They didn’t want to walk through the gardens from the front so they built steps out of rocks so they could climb over the back wall and take everything that way. I had packed most stuff , but I needed a couple more boxes. They didnt have any. They had instead rolls of cling film. Giant cling film They didn’t take the books out of the book case, they cocooned it all in cling film and carried it out like a giant fly caught in a web. I left them to it and when I got back found that they had gift wrapped everything including the rubbish bags I had put outside, the crockery I had left for the lady buying my house , and the cat food left for Faz to feed the cats, and it was all on the lorry.
They stopped for a late lunch on the way to marmaris, then they got stopped by the gendarma check point. . They waved me through but I stopped and said it was my furniture , I explained I was moving to Marmaris and a very nice gendarme, said 'Welcome to Marmaris' and let them through. Then they got stopped by a police road block. I tried the ' its my furniture' routine again, but this time the policeman said they had to check their papers , but it would only take 10 minutes. I let lucy dog out for a stretch and she charmed the policeman. He introduced me to the police captain and when I said I was a yacht captain they took my tel number and made a date to come sailing with me. Aren;t Turlish policemen wonderful.
We finally got there at 4.00 to find the lorry was too big to get down the narrow road to the house. After much muttering and climbing over walls they all disappeared , to reappear 15mins later with a small truck which they used to ferry everything from the big truck, and then drop it over the wall at the back. They were amazing . One man effortlessly carried the bookcasecocoon on his back from the ferry lorry and up 2 flights of stairs ! They finished in darkness, but everything was in one piece apart from a box of food stuffs. They had put it intact on on the floor and when I picked it up the bottom fell out depositing a mixture of rice, soy sauce and cereals ( bran flakes and fruit ) on the floor. I gave them an extra extra big tip - they were worth it.
Before I left I went for a last walk along the Iztuzu beach in Dalyan. This time of the year it is perfect, empty of people, and unspoilt by sunbeds, umbrellas and litter. It does have a new and rather worrying sign though. About half way along. It says - ‘It is forbidden to swim in this area as it is out of control’ . On the walk back I kept looking over my shoulder to see anyone was about to attack me . No-one did. I hope I’ll be safer in Beldibi.