Private transfer from DLM transfers promptly picked us up just before 5pm yesterday afternoon. Umut (manager of Sahin Palace), Del and Helen were there to see us off. After choosing disco music and getting offered a bottle of water, we headed off to Dalaman airport, arriving at 6.30pm. Was very expensive at the airport to buy anything, except duty free, and was told its the most expensive airport in the world. Flight was 21:10 and took 4hr 40 minutes to land at Birmingham. £7.40 taxi cost to our car which was parked in someone's driveway using Parkatmyhouse website, and taxi driver even offered to jump the battery if it was flat, thankfully it wasn't. It took 3hr 30min to get home due to motorway closure and car accident, arriving at going straight to bed at 4.30am.


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Home day today. Had to be out the room by 12pm, so packed suitcases around 10am and hit the last minute sun. Our pickup is at 5pm with flight being just after 9pm. Now having lunch at Sylivias..

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Very cloudy day today but did brighten a little in the afternoon. Weather has been excellent for the last 2 weeks, for October anyway. Today was the worst but still t shirt and shorts weather. :) had a very relaxing few hours in afternoon ( sleeping ). In the evening we had an excellent meal at the love boat in Icmeler. It's the best restaurant in Icmeler and was a perfect last meal for our holiday. You can't miss it when walking around near the canal. It's the bright white restaurant where they are dressed like sailors. Now having our last coffee in cafe Anne's before heading back to our apartment for our last sleep here in Icmeler, Turkey.....

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Just had the worst English breakfast as the red lion in Icmeler. It was tinned mushrooms, watery fried eggs, tasteless beans, uncooked tomato, not English sausage like it said it was and very salty bacon. Service was terrible and slow. It was that bad that a couple
Walked out and the waiter asked where they were. Someone replied they walked away and waiter said I don't blame them. That says it all. After we left the red lion, and walked past, the waiter asked us if we wanted breakfast? Just goes to show they don't know who there serving.

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Cheesecake at cafe Anne's ... The best!

Done our boat trip yesterday. Was promptly picked up from hotel at 9.10am and headed straight for dock and boarded boat. It's basically visiting little beachs or bays and stopping there for 30 minutes or so to swim. Had lunch on board around 12.45 which consisted of salad, a piece of chicken, 1 tiny meatball and cous cous. Lunch was ok. We went for the all inclusive option so we could have bottled water, local beer, and non diet(light) soft drinks. If you do a boat trip which ours was all inclusive, I recommend asking what you have is included in the all inclusive price. The prices are quite expensive and u could end up with a fairly big bill. Boat stopped at Turunc for an hour. Around 4.30pm he got back to Icmeler dock and got transfer back to hotel.
In the evening we went for a fish and chips at Harry rams which was excellent, followed by another visit to cafe Anne's.

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John terry getting ready to go home to uk!

Resident rabbits at Sahin palace....

Booked a boat trip last night for Tuesday. We went for the all inclusive option that includes lunch and all you can drink for £10 each. You can just have lunch for £6 each. They pick you up from the hotel, in our case around 09:15 and drop you back around 17:00. We booked with a guy called Eric at april travel that is based on the same side as Tansas (supermarket), just a few doors down towards the main strip. Recommend you book with him for trips, as he's not pushy and fair priced and also gives you plenty of advice and he's very friendly.
Going to have a lazy day by the pool today and this evening were cooking a meal for our friends, Del Boy and Helen.

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Coming back to cafe Anne for cheesecake.....

Cafe Anne. Cake pic coming up.....

Fancied change of "pool" scenery this morning so went over to Senem apartments and used there sun beds and pool. The staff there were more than happy for us to use, as we said we would buy drinks. 2 sprites, 6TL. After few hours lazing we had a quick look at the rooms. Ok for two people and they had everything you'd need for self catering, including a toaster. If we were to stay there, best stay the opposite end of the bar.
After few hours, we went back to our apartment then headed to Sylivias for a BLT.
Haven't slept to well for the last few nights so we had an afternoon siesta.
In the evening we done a it of pressie shopping in Icmeler. Got some vans for £10.
Around mid evening we stopped at cafe Anne for really nice "illy" coffee. We also had pancakes with ice cream and chocolate sauce and waffles with ice cream and chocolate sauce. Highly recommend cafe Anne if your in the mood. Really nice and music is gentle.
Another cafe latte please!!!

Had a bowl of coco pops for breakfast then relaxed once again by the pool catching the rays. Was a slightly cooler day today after another thunderstorm early yesterday evening.
Now evening were hitting the cocktails with a BOGOF offer going on at the hotel.

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Blog for Friday 5th October.....
Had breakfast at the hotel, then had a lazy day (again) by the pool. In the evening we caught a dolmus (bus) which will pick you up and drop you anywhere, and headed to Marmaris. Only cost 2.5TL each. We went to a restaurant called "Natalie's" in Marmaris, which is on the sea front, as recommended by our friends Del Boy and Helen. I had a 32oz steak as in picture and the wife had a prawn salad. Yes, I did manage to polish it off and the fried ice cream for afterwards. Afterwards we had a stroll around Marmaris's main strip for a bit of window shopping. After catching the dolmus back, we headed back to to hotel and hit the sack.
Personally didn't like Marmaris. It was far too busy and smelly.....

Icmeler square at night....

Blog for Wednesday 3rd October.....
Had breakfast at hotel, then headed for icmeler market that's on every Wednesday. It's pretty much the same market that's in Turunc on Monday and Marmaris on Thursday.
It's all the same really and as you probably know, all fake. Not a problem buying fake clothing as long as you take it out the packing and inspect it. If your happy to buy the inspected goods, make sure the stall seller doesn't get different ones behind his stall. What is a NO NO to buy, is perfumes or aftershaves. Steer clear of them.
We had a look at one stall to buy some Vans. We actually wanted two pairs, so we asked the price. He was asking lot of money so we said we'd give Him £10. Reason we asked that price was because there was another stall offering 2 pairs for £10, but he didn't have the size we wanted. He was little upset to say the least and verbally threw us off stall.
After getting back from market, we relaxed by the pool for the afternoon. In the evening we went for a walk around Icmeler and down by the sea front. Bumped into, of all places, a work colleague. Stopped in Alins grill again for a very late tea.

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During our stay at hotel, we met a couple, Del and Helen, who we got on very well with. We arranged a day of relaxing on Icmeler beach. So, after breakfast, we met up in the bar and headed for the beach. We knew that to get a sunbed on the beach would cost around 2.5TL each, but fortunately, Del knew someone who works on the beach and we got it for free. We were also told that we wouldn't be hassled to buy drinks or food, as that is what they do because of the bars on the beach front. It was a cloudy day today, after our thunderstorm last night, but still managed to get slight sunburn on the parts that have never seen the sun. Saw a few military fighter jets flying around and a helicopter with a water scoop, but he didn't stop to collect water.
Around lunchtime we went the Kontos beach hotel for a spot of lunch, which was very nice and enjoyable. We went to pay the bill, but our friends paid for it, which was really nice of them.
After lunch we headed back to hotel and then went back to the bar to have a few drinks.
Plan for this evening is to relax at hotel.....

View of Icmeler.....

Bus back to Icmeler .....

View of Turunc.

The cafe.....

Turunc harbour.....

Just coming into Turunc....

Leaving Icmeler on water taxi to Turunc....

Yesterday we didn't do much, just a relaxing day by the pool, hence no blog.....

Today, we went on a trip to Turunc.
We left Icmeler on a water taxi that cost 20TL for the both of us. Journey from Icmeler to Turunc only took about 30 minutes and that wasn't going fast as driver (captain), was doing a spot of drag fishing off the back of the boat, As you can see he caught one.
After arriving at Turunc, we headed straight for a drink at a cafe where the local Turks drink.
We then went for a walk round Turunc, which actually didn't take to long, so we headed up to the market that was on today.
I wanted to get a wallet so had a look at one stall. As soon as you start looking , there all over you. I picked up a wallet ( fake and not genuine leather ), and the guy said that's 165TL. We laughed and started to haggle. We got him down to 30TL, but to be honest , I wasn't going to buy that one.We gave him a firm NO, and started to walk off, and then he started to run after us, lol, and say he will sell for 28TL. again we gave him a no and carried on walking.
Then we saw some fruit and veg, so we got mushrooms, cucumber, aubergine, potatoes, spring onions, strawberries and peaches which we paid 20TL. Also got some saffron, at 5TL, but he did want 28TL for it.
We then went back to the same place we had a pancake type meal for 4TL. It was pancake, herbs and cheese, but it was a bit bland.
After that we got a bus back to Icmeler for 6TL each, which at same price would take you back to Marmaris. It was a bit hair raising on the bus as we had to go high up into the mountains which had sheer droops, but the views were amazing.
We survived the journey back, which took 30 minutes, and conveniently dropped us about 4-5 minutes from hotel at Icmeler market. Just gave the driver a shout and he stopped there.
The next few hours was sunbathing next to pool until it went cloudy and a thunder storm rolled in with rain. So we had a few drinks at apartment, before going to the bar.

Will post few more photos of our day out......