Friday 31st August 2012 Marmaris

We took the opportunity today to go for a long bike ride out along the west foreshore from the old Marmaris port. The promenade we rode on was very well constructed and wide enough to cater for bikes, scooters and pedestrians. It follows the foreshore for several kilometres past many hotels and resorts which cater to all types of holidaymakers. There is a combination of inexpensive high rise hotels and resorts together with some more upmarket ones. Many English, German, Dutch and Turkish tourists come here to Marmaris for their holidays and enjoy the package deals that are offered where everthing is included in the tariff. You will notice that many of the tourists here wear coloured armbands for this reason. We could not help noticing that many of the tourists here had more than armbands on. Many were also covered in tatoos!!! Not a good look!!! The further we rode the better the hotels became and several kms west there was one particular luxurious hotel with it’s own marina and helipad. On recommendation of our Melbourne friends David and Trish, we dined at the Jan De Wit Restaurant which was only 50 metres from where we berthed our boat. We were given the best table in the house on the 3rd floor, in the front corner of the openair space there. In this lovely warm climate, to sit outside under the stars is a wonderful experience. The food and service at this restaurant rated one of the highest scores on our enjoyment scale since arriving in Turkey. We certainly will return here in the future! The fabulous evening was finished with drinks with David and Trish and a couple of their Australian friends that had just arrived in town.