Having said goodbye to Lexi the previous evening we were still up early on Wednesday 11th December to set off for our little roadtrip to Izmir and Ephesus just for a couple of days. Armed with a list of IKEA items Captain Caveman drove from Dalyan towards Izmir but neither of us had eaten breakfast so had to stop for a snack on the way. We lunched at IKEA after a massive walk round the place – I hate shopping! The food was very cheap but the beef meatballs had gluten in so I spent a lot more time than I would have liked in the loo and have decided I’m not a fan of the square toilet seat. We managed to buy a boot and a backseat full of IKEA stuff before going to Emen hotel in Izmir. It was really lovely and in the evening we ate at a small Turkish restaurant round the corner where I had lentil soup, salad and a chicken shish. We didn’t even have any alcohol that day!

On Thursday 12th December we skipped the hotel breakfast and headed towards Ephesus calling for a pitstop on the way, as well as stopping off to buy Captain Caveman a multipocketed waistcoat (for aeroplane travel when he has limited luggage allowance), and a drill. Ephesus was great and we could have spent more time there had we not got there quite late. In the evening we stayed in a cute little B&B in Selçuk (called Nica) where all eating establishments appeared to be closed so we ended up back at the restaurant next door where we enjoyed a feast!

Before we drove back to Dalyan on Friday 13th December (we had to get the car back by 5pm) we had a leisurely breakfast of cheese, jam, honey and olives for me then went to visit the museum a few doors down the street. It was impressive but the weather wasn’t great and we decided to head back early. On the way back we bought some groceries including some gluten free sourdough from a bigger Migros supermarket than we have in Dalyan. I ate some with cheese spread as soon as we got home and then got ready for another birthday night out. The guy from Dalyan Window Cleaning and the apartment cleaners had been in while we were away and the place looked really nice. Captain Caveman had to unload the car in the rain but then he decided to keep the car for another week. We met Maddie and Bianca in Lukka before heading to Spice Garden for dinner. The buffet wasn’t on so we ordered from the normal menu and it actually worked out cheaper and it was a great night.

After cherry jam (bought from the prison) on gluten free toast for breakfast I looked after Lexi while Captain Caveman went to Ortaca to sort out the communal electric bills. We then had a second breakfast at Jiks while the window man looked round the apartment to give a quote for the windows cleaning (some of which involved getting on the roof).
We ate brunch in the sun and then Captain Caveman had Beer Club to attend while Lexi and I tried out more selfie taking and sent photos to her new owner.
We met back up at Soul Kitchen over wine and then he had to go help a beer club member catch an old dog who had an offer of a home. I was just about to leave when Maddie came by, shortly joined by VLS and then Bianca. We ended up having more wine, met the kind Turkish man who feeds the street dogs salami every day and then ended up going to Amy’s and Jiks for more drinks. I decided I needed food so Captain Caveman and I headed to Rendezvous with Lexi, but the customers in there wouldn’t let us in with a dog so we ended up back at Jiks where I had chicken and chips. I also had agreed to meet Maddie and Bianca at Lukka bar at 10am the next morning for breakfast!

Captain Caveman woke me up on Tuesday 10th December with not long to get ready if we were to meet people at Lukka bar for breakfast. I was hungover and really had to pull myself together to get there for 10:30am where I had an English breakfast, hoping it would sort me out before our day out.
Maddie was also late and hungover and it was her birthday so we went to the mudbaths. This week it wasn’t too sunny though and, because they heard us speak English, we were charged 20 lira for a beer (oddly a double measure of vodka with sprite was only 30 lira). We had a nice time and Lexi enjoyed it again and wasn’t phased when heavy rain came.
Having been rained off we headed back and after showers to get rid of the sulphur smells we were back at Lukka bar to meet the rest of Maddie’s friends for birthday drinks and food – we were meant to go to Okyanus but because it was still raining we holed up in Lukka and were still there when the evening lot arrived so we had our dinner there before the quiz. After the quiz we said our goodbyes to Lexi as Süleyman was able to caretake while we headed off to Izmir and Ephesus for a few days – he would kindly hand Lexi over to the foster people.

On Friday 6th December, after a breakfast at home, we decided to check out the mezzes at Dalyance as we had heard they were cheap however we didn’t realise dogs aren’t allowed inside so we had a table outside in the sun instead and I had a burger and chips without the bun while Captain Caveman had a steak and cheese toastie. Mine was good and I got a free Turkish tea at the end but then we left so that Captain Caveman could get to Beer club. Friday night was meant to be girls night but it wasn’t going ahead so we stayed home and had chicken salad for dinner and no alcohol, for a change. The next day we had arranged for a trip out with friends which we were looking forward to.

A week in to December and some of my countdowns had started and it wasn’t that long until friends were arriving and Captain Caveman was leaving!
On Saturday 7th December it was my turn to go dogging while Captain Caveman looked after Lexi. It was a busy morning and we didn’t get to walk nearly as many dogs as I would have liked. Back home I had a quick shower and then joined the others (and Lexi) in the car for our short roadtrip.
When we arrived at DAC restaurant at Dalaman prison, unaware that dogs were not allowed either in or out door eating areas, I was ravenous, especially after the dogging session. I sat in the (very nice) smoking area with Lexi while the others went ahead and ordered. She would not be quiet and cried until Captain Caveman’s return and then I had my turn to go inside. The food was nice and very cheap and I was very jealous of all the bread products and dessert my companions were eating, while I ate chicken and onions. The staff are all inmates and the place runs like clockwork, it even has a shop where we bought Turkish delight and jam!
We felt sorry for Lexi so on the way back we all made a stop off at Backyard No.9 for her to run around. In the evening we popped to Jiks for wine and dinner and I tried a new chocolate bar which resembles a Snickers.

Captain Caveman had an arrangement on Sunday 8th December to go over to a mates to use his tools to shorten some shelves so I looked after Lexi. In the afternoon we went to Backyard No.9 again and this time ate food there. In the evening Captain Caveman cooked a nice Sunday dinner then we tidied up for the window man coming on Monday morning.

The first couple of days in December were fairly easy going as we both tried to make the most of looking after a dog. On Sunday 1st December we decided to take Lexi to the Çalış Winter fayre, accompanied by our dogging friend, Jane. Because I thought I might not get food I doubled up on breakfast, having both gluten free cornflakes and gluten free toast. The journey was about an hour and when we arrived Jane went for a look around the stalls while we took Lexi for a walk on the beach, which she loved. For lunch we found a great little cafe with a table in the sun so we could have a glass of wine, there was also a chicken kebab stall in front which we managed to get without the bread for me and was lovely. On the way back we stopped off for a wander round Göcek and then back home Jane gave us some grapefruits from her tree. She was off back to the UK and so we said our goodbyes and I walked back with Lexi, while Captain Caveman went home. In the evening we had chicken and salad then went to Lukka bar where we had already missed the Grand Prix but still managed to see some highlights and share a bottle of red wine.

Even Monday 2nd December was calm as we had breakfast, lunch and dinner at home. I looked after Lexi while Captain Caveman went to a beer club he had joined with some Dalyan dwellers. That night we had some chestnuts while sat on the sofa and Lexi tried carrot but didn’t take to it. We had an early night and were ready for a busy Tuesday.

Captain Caveman decided we were off to the mudbaths on Tuesday 3rd December and so we got up, had breakfast at home and took Lexi with us. She watched the seagulls, got concerned when Captain Caveman jumped in the lake and still didn’t know where to look for a selfie. We took it in turns to watch the dog or go in the hot pools and it was a lovely hot day, until the sun went in and I came out to find it was chilly – Captain Cavemen was fully dressed and he and Lexi were ready to go home for a late lunch. Cheese on toast was eaten at home and Captain Caveman excelled himself with a wild mushroom risotto for dinner. The evening was spent at the Lukka quiz with friends and we shared just one bottle of wine.

I looked after Lexi while Captain Caveman had a bit of a jolly on Wednesday 4th December. After breakfast at home he went dogging then he went with Murat from Volkan Adventures, a local tour company, to test out a potential new tour for 2020. Murat had asked me but as it was a horse riding tour I had volunteered Captain Caveman – I’m not in to horses.
For lunch I ate chestnuts, figs and Turkish delight and Lexi was a bit sad because she wanted Captain Caveman to come back. On his return Lexi and I met him at Soul Kitchen and he reported back that the new Volkan horseriding tours looked to be really good and another great option for holidaymakers (or Dalyan dwellers) wanting to get out and about, doing something a bit different. We had a quick drink at Lukka while our jacket potatoes cooked at home then went home to have bolognese with them and just a glass of wine indoors.

On Thursday 5th December it was my turn again to look after Lexi and source items from IKEA (for the apartment) while Captain Caveman went bumming. We arranged to meet friends for drinks and lunch at Nehir Restaurant where they had specials on offer and wine or beer for only 15 lira – we embraced the offers and had a few. When we left it was still sunny so we called in to River Terrace for a cider in the sun.
In the evening we stayed in and had Turkish delight, figs, and gluten free spaghetti bolognese!

On Friday 29th November I had been invited to the local girls night out and had accepted so Captain Caveman and I went for a light and cheap lunch at a place that always seemed to be closed when we went past. Çiçek had been recommended by followers of a Dalyan Facebook group I’m a member of and was serving a selection of dishes which we selected from the kitchen area and they were brought over.
We had chicken stew, spinach, meatballs with potatoes and cold drinks – the food was undoubtedly great and traditional Turkish at its best as well as being a great price.
In the afternoon Captain Caveman and I called to Backyard No9 again with Lexi but it was closed so we had a drink in the Rock Bar. We had a drink in Lukka Bar where I met one of the girls before heading over to Casa Nova for a drink and to meet the others. Our meal at Spice Garden, an Indian restaurant, was brilliant and the buffet was 80 lira for an all you can eat. They do very good gluten free choices, the wine is nice and the place is nice and warm. Jamie was missing a good night out but we kept a chair for him at his request!! I also got to meet some of the girls on a more sociable basis which was good fun.

November was ending and the time was going so fast! On Saturday the 30th I had been in Turkey 3 months and we were starting week 13 already. Breakfast was with Captain Caveman at Soul Kitchen where we had our usual of potato skins and baked beans for me and menemen for him. There was a protest being held at the beach so Captain Caveman and some Dalyan dwellers went, taking Lexi, while I went dogging by myself.
For lunch I had figs and cheese on gluten free toast before heading to the market to buy our fresh vegetables for the week, on the way back we had an afternoon wine and cheese at Soul Kitchen. In the evening we ate at home – a chicken salad and a couple of gins! Inspired by our Russian lodger we had decided to try a budget week to see if we could survive on 500 lira (about £70) for the week!

The next couple of days were a little bit harder work than they needed to be, really – mainly due to the dogsitting and having house guests who were now staying on our floor for a bit longer, due to the weather.
On Monday 25th November I stuck to my gluten free cornflakes while the other 3 in the house had omelettes and fresh bread. By lunchtime Captain Caveman and I had taken Lexi for a walk and due to it looking like rain we decided to try a lunch at Casa Nova restaurant. It was empty and we had a table inside, by the huge window with impressive views. The food was really good and the service had vastly improved since the previous year so we were happy.
I also picked up my residency card, which means I no longer have to carry my passport with me at all times and can stay here (or come and go as I please) until 4th November 2020.
In the evening we ate at home again, the four of us plus Google translate, and had spaghetti bolognese.

On Tuesday 26th November our guests had decided to walk Lexi for us, so being free from responsibility Captain Caveman and I popped in to Dalyan and then headed to Jiks for lunch. I decided to try the chicken with honey and it was a bit odd but I ate it and tasted a bit creamy, along with 2 glasses of wine.
I got more gluten free bread and some treats from Bakery No10 and we had more wine before heading back home for bolognese with jacket potatoes and a Russian cabbage dish on the side. As it was their last night we all had cake (gluten free) and an early night as they were keen to set off early.

After six nights of sleeping on the floor in Captain Caveman’s apartment our house guests were back on their cycling mission. On Wednesday 27th November the weather was better and after breakfast they packed up and headed off to Fethiye (it’s 60km by car through the tunnel so they would need to go the alternative route which is longer). Lexi also came to say her goodbyes as she had made friends and was curious about the bicycles.
Later we (I) ate the rest of the gluten free cake and for lunch we had a leisurely meal at River House, sat in the sun with a drink. I had a fantastic mushroom risotto and 2 glasses of white wine. Captain Caveman’s burger looked good and the meal was very reasonably priced. It’s definitely one of my new favourites.
In the evening we enjoyed having our home back to ourselves and we finished the rest of of the delicious chicken soup for dinner.

I took my turn of looking after Lexi while Captain Caveman went bumming on Thursday 28th November. I had breakfast of gluten free toast with fig jam and cheese while Lexi had one of Bill’s biscuits.
After a walk I took Lexi to the tea gardens to meet the Riverbums when they returned from their morning’s work. It was a sunny day so we sat around and had a beer before Captain Caveman and I took a walk to Backyard No 9 for lunch. Lexi loved it there as she could be let off the lead and play with Dora (the resident dog) and other visiting dogs too while we ate delicious food and drank great wine. They don’t do gluten free food so I had a burger with no bun while Captain Caveman had a lovely pizza. The people running the place are very nice and the service is really good too so we stayed a bit longer than we thought we might before heading back for ‘one’ at Lukka. It turned in to a bit of a night out and we even ate at Lukka (you really can’t go wrong with our local)!

The weekend became a little unplanned and different to how we might generally spend it, on account we had a dog to look after and we now had guests for a couple of nights. On Friday 22nd November our guests had decided they would cook our dinner that evening and so we had a walk with Lexi and then went off to get some shopping. We called in to BC Spa to look at the price list as the rainy weather was ideal to book in for an hour or two, but they were on a very tight budget. The guests were finding it expensive in Dalyan and so they preferred to eat at home while Captain Caveman and I ate lunch at Jiks and I bumped in to Sarah and Jamie who forced me to drink extra wines with them. Back home our guests had made a tasty homemade chicken soup and I tried to speak a bit of Russian. The two of them were supposed to be heading off on the rest of their cycling journey the next day but rain was forecast and I caught a mention of them perhaps staying another night (or two). You can read more about our house guests on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/SimboBenbo/

Saturday 23rd November was meant to be the day of the Dalyan Winter fayre but had to be postponed until the next day, due to the bad weather. After a breakfast of gluten free cornflakes I took Lexi for a walk while the other three went dogging at the shelter (photos by Captain Caveman). In the afternoon we decided to go to Lukka for lunch while our visitors went for a walk to Kaunos as it had fined up a bit. We tried to locate a Russian or a Russian speaking person in Dalyan but with no luck. In the evening Captain Caveman cooked a beef stew for the 4 of us and I attempted to learn more Russian.

It was the Dalyan Winter Fayre on Sunday 24th December and so I made sure I had some breakfast of gluten free cornflakes with milk and a bit of cheese while Captain Caveman and the guests had omelettes and coffee. At the fayre Captain Caveman was running the Splash game while I flitted about the doggy people’s stalls with Lexi in tow. She loved it and got lots of treats to eat as well as me buying her some of Bill’s homemade chicken skin biscuits – I was quite tempted to try one myself when I realised there was not anything edible at the fayre which was gluten free. In the end I was hungry so I had a hotdog and ate the onions and a tiny bit of the sausage meat before passing it on to Captain Caveman who finished it, as well as his own. I also chanced a beer – it’s so shit going to events when you can’t have gluten and everyone is tucking in when you’re hungry!
In the afternoon we went to Lukka Bar for some proper food and I had a halloumi salad. It was also my ‘new friend’ Jamie’s last day and we wanted to give him a good send off before he got his flight home,via Istanbul. Our guests were still here and had made us a chicken curry and rice for tea followed by a dessert of Turkish Delight, figs and fresh bergamot tea. The weather forecast looked bad for the next few days so Captain Caveman agreed they could stay until it was fine enough to continue their cycling expedition.

There was no time for breakfast on Monday (18th November) morning as I was being picked up at 06:30am for a drive to Muğla. I was stood outside prompt (a little hungover) and it was a bit chilly and still dark when Leanne from King Emlak arrived. The drive was quicker than expected and so we stopped off at a cafe where I had a couple of teas and gawped at all the amazing gluten offerings they had. My residency meeting was at 8:30am and we had to wait in a corridor with all the prepared documents.
The appointment didn’t last long, they checked all my paperwork and took my fingerprints (all of them) on a machine. No questions were asked and they gave me some paperwork which said I now had a 1 year residency in Turkey. It was a bit of a relief as it meant I could continue my 4 month stay here without having to leave the country. I could also come and go as much as I liked between now and the 4th November 2020.
To celebrate we had lunch at Jiks where I had to have a couple of soda waters before my chicken shish on account of having no breakfast. I managed a glass of red wine with my lunch though. We had a stroll and another drink at Amy’s too. On Mondays a lot of places take their day off and although we had planned to go out we decided to stay in. I enjoyed some wine gums (brought by Captain Caveman’s parents), a red wine and some really nice onion soup with cheese on gluten free toast. Overall a successful Monday!

On Tuesday 19th November, while Captain Caveman tootled off to the mudbaths for the day, I took Lexie to the vets in Ortaca with Hilary. She was very well behaved and we also got to say goodbye to Jilly who was being adopted from the shelter too. I didn’t really eat much (gluten free toast with fig jam, yogurt with honey, a bit of cheese and some wine gums) before going to the Tuesday quiz at Lukka with Sarah, Arif and Jamie. I had the (gluten free) fish and chips washed down with a bit too much wine and we had a right old laugh at the quiz. We even managed to learn some rude Turkish words!! Jamie and Sarah brought snacks and we didn’t win but enjoyed it – even Lexie had some attention, meeting other dogs in the area.

While Captain Caveman went dogging on Wednesday 20th November I took Lexie to Köşem Restaurant to help with preparations for the forthcoming winter fayre. Lexie wasn’t too keen on it but she got lots of fuss off dogs, cats and other helpers. I put trees up while others decorated them (after last year where I was told I was shit at decoration).
For lunch Captain Caveman and I went to Okyanus, a place which hadn’t impressed last year, but turned out to be a great little spot. Our food was lovely, the sun was shining and Lexi got on well with the resident dogs and cats there. Jamie (our new friend) came to join us and I’m blaming him for being a bad influence because then we ended up having one at Soul Kitchen before ‘going for one’ at Lukka. Sarah joined us and we had a bit of a boozey night but luckily I was looking forward to having a loll about on Thursday.

Captain Caveman went bumming while I looked after Lexi on Thursday 21st November. I was hungover and felt like death and didn’t do much apart from feel sorry for myself and be glad I wasn’t bumming!
Captain Caveman came home and we were planning the rest of the day when the doorbell rang. An English friend of Captain Caveman’s and a Russian girl were at the door, and were coming to stay for a couple of days. They were currently cycling long distance, him raising money for charity along the way. I, in my hungover state, had completely forgotten all about what day it was and that they could be arriving. Captain Caveman was well aware but had still not acquired a bed for the spare room so they were going to have to sleep on the floor!
I was starving and wanted lunch so we went to Pamukkale Restaurant, only to find they were only serving pide and pizza – I was gutted! I would love nothing more than to eat the sucuk pide but instead they were able to rustle me up some chips. I was still hungry when I got home so I had crisps, carrot and hummus as a snack.

The Riverbums have been going for 7 years and so we had been invited to an anniversary party at Nazo’s. Of course we had only been part of the ‘bumming team for a relatively short time. The steer was we all brought a dish each and then we share the buffet. I took havla (a sweet treat made with tahini which I bought from the shop). Captain Caveman took a whole roast chicken which he’d had in the oven that morning and was still warm when he carried down the street.
Nazo’s is a lovely bar with a great garden area out the back and a big dog who really wanted some buffet. We even got a medal and a certificate for volunteering with the Riverbums which were given out earlier in the year but we were in Vietnam.
At the buffet I ate chicken, yogurt, carrot, radish and crisps for my first lot before having 2 pieces of gluten free cake which was delicious. I also managed to have 3 red wines and a laugh with our fellow Bummers.
In the evening we went to a restaurant we had really enjoyed last year but had not being able to visit this year before it closed. M-Eatery was now reopened for the winter and had a lovely fire to keep warm inside. I had baba ganoush for starter and had a little bit of Captain Caveman’s halloumi then the beef with chips and red cabbage which was so good and, of course, we shared a bottle of red wine.

By lunchtime on Saturday 16th November we had already entered in to a different kind of day. After my usual breakfast of gluten free toast and a bit of cheese Captain Caveman and I went up to the dog shelter for a bit of dogging. We walked a few dogs and then I gave Lexi a bath because she was leaving the shelter and had very muddy paws. We had agreed to look after Lexi until she was ready to go and pretty soon she was going to live in Scotland.
As it was Saturday night we decided to take our new friend, Lexi, to the local to meet our friends. We also were the designated welcome party for Sarah and Katrina’s mate, Jamie who was landing in Dalyan about 9:30pm and we were all looking forward to his arrival.
Jamie arrived at Lukka bar straight off the plane, practically, and so we were already merry and had a great night – my face hurt from laughing so much!

On Sunday 17th I ate my gluten free cornflakes and had an earl grey tea and we took Lexi for a walk. We had already booked in for Sunday lunch at Lukka bar and so we ended up getting on it again at 5pm, then staying to watch the Brazilian Grand Prix from 8pm. I only had 4 red wines but I think it could have been a top up from the previous night. I couldn’t get too pissed as I had a very important appointment on Monday morning but we were having such a good laugh it didn’t really matter.

We had a fun day on Tuesday 12th November. There’s a boat which goes every Tuesday to the mud baths so we decided to get on that and I chose to take my breakfast of gluten free toast with mulberry jam with me in tin foil. Unfortunately it went soggy so I only ate a little of it and fed the fishes with the rest. We had a hot drink at Okyanus while we waited for the boat and then off we went on the boat across to Köyceğiz lake. We left at 10:30am and then had until 2:30pm to go in the hot pool, the mud bath, the dome pool or swim in the lake. We did all of them except the mud and I even had the fish feet thing to get rid of my dead skin – 6 minutes was enough! It was a great day out and really cheap and I was already looking forward to going again.
In the afternoon we decided to buy some furniture from a woman on Facebook who happened to be singing at Mico Hotel before getting ready for fish and chips at the Lukka bar quiz in the evening.

I was meant to eat more for breakfast on Wednesday, 13th November, as I would need my energy for a bit of dogging! I ended up having gluten free cornflakes with milk before heading off to the shelter on foot while Captain Caveman cycled. We had a good morning of walking as many dogs as we could but as the amount of visitors declines in winter months there were some who didn’t get one. There was also a couple of dogs getting adopted including an older dog who had been in the shelter a while. There was talk of some further adoptions but as we left, the charity workers were arguing with the staff about not giving as much care and attention as they should. On the way home Captain Caveman lost his house keys and I had a message from a Dalyan dweller who was buying us some bedding at IKEA, to tell me all the codes were incorrect. Captain Caveman went back to the shelter only to find that his keys had fallen out of his pocket in the puppy kennels!
Back home I had a quick lunch of yogurt and honey as the carpenter’s were back to finish off some last bits on the fitted wardrobes. We left them to it and headed off for a cheeky drink at Jiks. Luckily the IKEA lady came good in the end (the product numbers are not the same in every country) and we got the stuff for our new bed, which we picked up in Lukka bar over a glass of wine (of course).
Dinner was at River House which turned out to be another one of my new favourites. The starter of garlic mushrooms was great and the chicken risotto main was superb! Captain Caveman had the mantı dish (a traditional dumpling which looks like pasta containing minced meat and served with yogurt and butter), the carafe of wine was smooth and went down well.
When we got home we admired the new wardrobes and I was even happy with where the mirror (which should have been on the wardrobes but I didn’t like it) had ended up. Fire Opal B6 was starting to look how we wanted it to and we were happy to have the work completed at last.

The rain came down quite heavy during the early hours of Thursday 14th November, bumming was cancelled because of the weather forecast. I had 2 small gluten free chocolate cakes as well as gluten free toast with mulberry jam and an earl gray tea for breakfast. I managed to order minced beef at the butcher’s in Turkish so that we could have a spaghetti bolognese that evening. Captain Caveman’s task of the day was to help the dog shelter out by making leads and fixing some old ones. By 11am the rain had eased off but the sky looked like it still might rain again later. It was a quiet day and very relaxing, which made a nice change.

It was a significant day for history on Sunday 10th November! In Turkey they remembered Atatürk who died on this day in 1938, the English expats held a gathering for Armistice Day and we made the most of Captain Caveman’s parents’ last day in Dalyan.
I had arranged a boat trip (maybe the last of the season?) with Yusuf Toprak from Amy’s Bar for the 4 of us and to join us would be 4 of the Grubb family plus a Turkish friend of their’s.
We had a breakfast at home because we had all the lovely fresh produce we had picked up from a local cheese and jam maker so I enjoyed 2 slices of gluten free bread with mulberry jam, white cheese and an earl grey tea.
At 10:30am we grabbed our bags and walked a few steps to the river and our boat for the day. The crew of two were ready for us and we got on board, it felt fresh but the sun was out and it looked to be a good day. Vanessa and Brad arrived with Di but the other two from their party appeared to have overdone it on the previous evening and were no longer joining us.
There was morning tea or coffee with pastries and we set off to the sea and towards some quiet bays for swimming. It had been Brad’s birthday the day before and so he was in a bit of a tangle but had made it! Vanessa said she wasn’t drinking but before noon she and I were having a nice chilled glass of rosé wine.

There were so many chances to swim in the sea and I was surprised how warm it was considering it was November. Captain Caveman even did his own beach bumming by cleaning up lots of rubbish he found in a bay. Lunch was a BBQ and buffet which is always excellent and had chicken, lamb and fish as well as all the mezzes. There was more wine and relaxing and I even swam from the boat and in to a cave to explore before Captain Caveman and Vanessa joined me.

In the afternoon we sailed to the beach for birthday singing and cake – this time Brad had us sing Happy Birthday to him instead of having to sing it to himself in a late bar! Yusuf even asked if we would like to try a swim in the lake, which we did and were the only ones there! It was cold at first until you found the hot thermals beneath your legs and there was only a couple of us brave (or daft) enough to get in. We finished off the day with a fruit plate and a sail back to Dalyan all fully relaxed.

In the evening I thought we would be going out to dinner to celebrate for the last evening but, as everyone was full and tired from the day out on the boat, we sat on the sofa and relaxed! Yusuf had given us all a lovely day to remember – the photos don’t do it justice as we were too busy having fun!
The week had gone fast – Captain Caveman and I were sad to have to say farewell to his parents the next day.

We woke up in the Richmond Hotel in Pamukkale on Saturday 9th November after a good night’s sleep and went for the buffet breakfast. Of course a lot of the choice was full of gluten so I had cheese and fruit with Turkish tea while Captain Caveman filled his boots (well, his face) with delicious food.
We decided to have a bit of free time to enjoy the hotel’s thermal pool before we headed off to sightsee at Hierapolis (the waters of Pamukkale). Richmond Hotel was very reasonably priced and near to where we needed to be so I would definitely stay there again.

Captain Caveman parked at the North carpark so we could stroll through and along the top of the travertines, right up to the South gate where we could see more of the pools and even have a paddle. It was impressive but it was clear there had not been a lot of water as some were empty. Captain Caveman and his mom went walking in the pools while his dad and I stayed up the top. It was a great view, fairly busy with tourists (including one in a bikini looking a bit nippy). The photos don’t really do it justice but I took some on my phone anyway and we were pleased to have seen the famous site at last.

While I went to the loo a plan was hatched for Captain Caveman to walk back to the car and drive it to meet us at some vague point at the bottom of a hill, of which none of the remaining three of us had a clue how to get to. We then had to wait rather a long time in the sun and walk back the way we had just gone, lost! It didn’t surprise me that Captain Caveman had to come and get us in the car, after which we drove back to Dalyan in (mostly) silence for about 3 hours! It was a tiring day and I think if time wasn’t an issue I would have stayed for longer and took our time seeing more. We had not realised how wonderful Aphrodisias (the day before) would be and could easily have made a longer trip. On the way back we saw the cafe made from an actual plane, it’s the 4th time I’ve been past but never visited.

Back in Dalyan later that evening we had a dinner at Kaunos Antic restaurant, another first time for all of us, which turned out to be absolutely lovely for food and service. We even polished off the night with a complimentary fruit plate and a shot of amaretto each!

The weekend was a busy one and on Friday 8th November Captain Caveman, his parents and I packed an over night bag each and got in the hire car ready for a mini adventure out of Dalyan. We had hired a car from Süleyman Çardak at Complete Holiday rentals especially so that we could journey out of Dalyan for a day or two’s exploring. Our first stop on the way to Pamukkale was for a delicious breakfast at Orfoz in Akyaka, which I’d visited a couple of times already on a Volkan Adventures day trip. We had the traditional Turkish breakfast which was delicious (I so wished I could eat all the gluten-filled items though).

I’d been a few times to the same spots and you can read my previous blog about the trip I took with Volkan here:

https://joloyolo.wordpress.com/2019/11/04/dalyan-day-trip-to-akyaka-akbuk-and-the-akmak-river/

We did the boat trip with some other tourists down the Akmak river before driving to our second stop at Afrodisias.

None of us had been before and it was very impressive. We saw the archeological museum, the temple of Aphrodite, as well as Aphrodisias theatre and stadium which were all amazing and we had a glorious sunny day with hardly any tourists around.

We arrived quite late at our pre-booked hotel in Pamukkale, The Richmond, which was big and very busy – it was the kind of hotel with free products and a large outdoor pool. We checked in to our neighbouring twin rooms and I had an overpriced wine from the minibar. We’d took the windier route there which had been a little hair-raising at times so I needed a bit of alcohol to calm my travel sickness. Dinner was a large buffet in the dining room and was actually quite nice for the price. I had lots of salad, chicken and rice and we had a bottle of wine in the bar while watching the live entertainment. The belly dancer was good and managed to get several volunteers including a rather tipsy Japanese man who was very good, we managed to evade the joining in!

We like to go dogging on Wednesday and so on the 6th November we invited Captain Caveman’s parents to join us at the shelter. First we had breakfast at Lukka bar and I have to say the food was excellent – portions are substantial too.
We walked to the shelter from there and then took a dog each for a walk, it was a hot day and I should’ve worn a sunhat. It was great to let them experience the good work of the dog shelter and see all the friendly dogs who were so happy to get a walk or even a bit of fuss.
In the afternoon we all had a walk around Dalyan and had a cold drink at the tea garden,then a glass of wine at Soul Kitchen, before going to one of my favourites for dinner. Kordon was excellent food and drink, as usual, and the owner is so good at catering for gluten free customers. Captain Caveman and I shared the beetroot starter and garlic mushrooms with cheese which were both lovely and I had the chicken shish with chips and salad. The others enjoyed their lamb and fish dishes too. The evenings were getting a little cooler and so we sat inside which was very cozy and made everyone feel relaxed.

Most dog photos and ones of me taken by Captain Caveman.

While Captain Caveman took his parents for breakfast at Ekin restaurant and to see the turtle hospital at the beach I went off bumming on Thursday 7th November. Süleyman at Complete Holiday Services had sorted out a hire car for a few days so we could nip out and explore outside of Dalyan too. The Riverbums had a successful day collecting lots of rubbish and then I went back home to meet the family so we could go for a bit of exploring over the other side of the river in the hire car.
I’d already had one slice of gluten free toast with butter at breakfast but I was very hungry by 1.30pm and had to have 2 more slices, this time with a molasses and tahini paste. We went by car on the ferry over to Çandır and Kaunos and had a little bit of an adventure – we were lucky with the weather too, as it was a hot sunny day! In the evening we went to a restaurant that had one of my all time favourite dishes from last year, crispy belly pork. Rendezvous had been on my list of places to visit since I got here in September although we’d never made it but it is open all winter and they can cater for gluten free meals well. The prawn starter was good too and we had a bottle of Angora wine which wasn’t the cheapest on the menu but was thoroughly enjoyed before we went on to the red wine!!It was a lovely day but I was begging for mercy by the time it came to going to sleep and the forthcoming weekend was going to be full on!

On Monday 4th November it was a very busy house, trying to get ready for Captain Caveman’s parents arriving the next day. We still had the workmen trying to fit a very awkward wardrobe and the kitchen cupboard wasn’t finished yet either!
We went for brunch at Dalyance where Captain Caveman ate menemen and I had bacon, sausage, mushrooms and beans. The food was good and a first time of eating breakfast there.
While the carpenter struggled to finish on time we had a drink in Jiks and then went out for dinner in the rain. We tried another new one, Nehir, where we were the only people in because of the weather and the season had ended. I really enjoyed my chicken with salad and potatoes while Captain Caveman had a pide which also looked great.
When we got home we had to apologise to our new neighbours as the workmen were still there and it was a very late night!

It was a little stressful on Tuesday 5th November after not getting to bed until almost 2am! I didn’t have too much to eat in the day because we needed to get organised as the house was covered in dust and in complete disarray. The cleaner was meant to be coming in the morning but I’d had to cancel it as we didn’t know if the wardrobes would be finished. We worked hard to clean everything as best we could before I rebooked the professionals in for 3pm. We use the ones with our rental management company and they are very good and can do it much faster than us. I had also decided to view a balcony table and chairs I’d seen a month ago but the owner had only just arrived in Dalyan. We had a a drink in Rock bar and then one in Amy’s (where I took a bag of crisps for my lunch), after we went to check out the balcony furniture, which we bought and took home.
Captain Caveman’s parents were a little delayed but luckily we had booked a table at Serendip for 9:30pm. As usual the food was fantastic and I really enjoyed the lentil soup as a starter. We shared the mixed mezzes and a cheeseboard and the gluten free bread had been improved to a homemade version which was very good. (They gave me two portions of it at no extra cost, which was appreciated). After dinner we had a nightcap at home and the parents had no idea at how bad the apartment had looked that morning.
They were only staying 6 nights but we had a full itinerary lined up and so the alarms were set for the next day!