The Mama & Dada Summer Camp: Day 21-25

It is 21 days since we started the summer camp and the excitement is still on. Niall and I really look forward to the evenings when we can sit down for our activities. 

Here's where you can find our previous posts. 

Activities of Day 1 - 5

Activities of Day 6 - 10

Activities of Day 11 - 15

Activities of Day 16 - 20

Day 21: Best out of waste

Something we all have done when we were children - craft with pista shells. I was almost going to give up today as I couldn't think of any quick activity. I thought I'll name it the 'let Niall get bored day'. But then, I didn't want the camp to have a break. Of course, I wasn't worried that Niall would be bored, it is good for children to get bored sometimes and have nothing to do. Anyways I will keep it short. Here's our art and craft work with pista shells. I stepped in to apply glue and add a few finishing touches for the grass. Idea source - Pinterest. 

I am excited about tomorrow. Niall and I have been working on something really special. We hope we'll be able to share it with you tomorrow.

Day 22:  Sign Language

Go beyond. We introduced Niall to the alphabet in sign language when he was 4. But because we don't use it often, it was soon forgotten. So this week, we've been learning simple Indian Sign Language. Both of us would like to be able to have at least a basic conversation in sign language. The trigger to pick this up again was a video I saw recently. We're looking for friends who can help learn the language better or with whom we can practice.

As a parent, I think this is as important as any language we learn so our children do not have limitations when it comes to communicating. I miss watching the news for the differently abled. I do understand we have various apps to help them but what about conversations with those around. We need to make it possible for all of us to talk to each other with or without speech and hearing. This journey shall continue.

Day 23: Make your own battery operated toys

In the last week, Niall was introduced to basic electricals. Ever since, he's walking around with his personal pocket fan and light bulb that runs on batteries. To take it a step ahead, dada dearest taught him to use the same motor to make toys. We didn't have fancy stuff around, so we used whatever was available - a broken wheel, a medicine cap, toy accessories from other toys. Niall experimented on the speed of the toys in proportion to the weight the motor carried. A few experiments and he came up with this. Dada helped to drill the cap and explain the mechanics around it. Niall has already made his list of things to buy to make more sophisticated toys with better equipment. Oh Amazon, we miss you.

Day 24: Digital painting

Though we are not too fond of screen time even if means an activity, we felt this one was good for Niall to be engaged in. Niall's long wish of 'learning designing' came true today. He has always watched Vinod use photoshop and other tools and has been requesting for an activity related to designing. Today, with Paint, he was able to make his own picture. And it's not the end result that mattered but the very detailed and colourful story that accompanied this activity. Keeping children busy is easy. It's us parents who complicate it.

And thank you for all the love all of you have been showing us on our posts. It means a lot to us and keeps encouraging us. Apart from many whatsApp messages, I got a query from a corporate and a freelance reporter. Three other parents have started their summer camps as well. Yaaayyy. Happy that a personal holiday activity is helping many around.

Day 25: Don't just cook, make it a meal to remember

Niall now starts getting restless about what's in store for the evening as part of the summer camp. He's loving it. So today, Niall made an entire meal for himself (and a little for us too). We didn't have much time at hand today so picked some super easy recipes. On Chef Niall's menu we had tomato soup, cheese omlette and a chocolate mug cake. He was done in 20-25 mins and was very thrilled. Proud that my boy can now feed himself a happy meal. In the process however the kitchen was extended to the living area and bedroom as well. But I am not complaining because with this actity Niall covered exercises of reading the recipes (he read the word ingredients right in the first attempt), refresher/ revision of ingredients in the kitchen cabinet, using a cooker, pan, induction cooktop, gas stove, weighing and measuring ingredients, dropping an egg and denying it, multitasking with three dishes and of course plating. I played the role of a good sous chef who was just being ordered around and had to clean up after his highness. Lots of fun nonetheless.

Apart from this, Niall's favourite timepass is spending time with his pup Brownie. Part of the same litter, Brownie was the weakest. So Niall ensures that he is well taken care of. Hours go in feeding the pup and forcing him to sleep under a thick bedsheet on a warm afternoon. But the pup seems to be happy. They love each other. Yes, we'll be bathing Brownie shortly as that's entered our goal sheets for the week, courtesy Niall.

That's not all. This camp just got a lot better. Catch up on the rest of the camp using the links below.

Activities of Day 1 - 5

Activities of Day 6 - 10

Activities of Day 11 - 15

Activities of Day 16 - 20

Activities of Day 26 - 30 (coming soon)

The Mama & Dada Summer Camp: Day 16-20

It is 20 days since we started the summer camp and the excitement is still on. Niall and I really look forward to the evenings when we can sit down for our activities. 

Here's where you can find our previous posts. 

Activities of Day 1 - 5

Activities of Day 6 - 10

Activities of Day 11 - 15

Day 16: Planting veggies

Playing with mud has always been fun. Niall got his gardening tools out today and decided to get to work. We decided to plant some methi and tomato seeds. Let's hope they germinate. Niall always likes to assist in gardening. While I am certain he likes digging mud and watering plants the most. Let's hope the seeds we sowed today germinate soon enough, else I'll have a lot of explaining to do. And there you see Niall's friends as well. I'm also attaching a video for how they helped Niall. Sadly one of the pups who was sick yesterday didn't make it through the night.

Extras: This one was taken at the start of our summer camp. In conversation with Niall Greg Lobo. You must try this with your children. I borrowed this idea from another friend. Here are the questions I asked Niall.

1. If you got a million rupees what would you do?
2. What does mum or dad always say to you?
3. What would you like to become when you're older?
4. When do you think, you will be an adult?
5. If you could eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
6. How can we make the world a better place?
7. Where do babies come from?
8. How much money do you think is needed to buy a house?
9. Why should we be nice to others?
10. What is really important to you?
11. If you were to change one rule in your house, what would it be?
12. What are you scared of?
13. What do you want your mum / dad do everyday?
14. How long do you think it will take to reach Australia?
15. How does God look? (My question was grammatically wrong, but Niall answered it right)

Day 17: The lockdown haircut

The lockdown presents us with so many possibilities and opportunities. Who knew that one day Niall and mama would cut dada's hair (and beard) and that he would allow us to. We are super proud of the outcome of our 90 minute effort. The results look great, don't they?

On the other hand, we know that Niall and I are never going to be barbers or hair stylists, we are done with our curiosity and quota of fun. In case you find any flaws, don't tell us about them. :-)

This summer camp does have some weird and crazy offerings.

Day 18: Craft from old newspapers

Niall comes to me one evening and dramatically tells me how he 'can't live' without art & craft and for long has been asking me for a craft activity. You are likely to see a lot of craft from us in the days to come, now that Niall has announced his life's calling. :-)

We've always been appreciative of craft made out of waste. So here's what we made today. A wall hanging made with old newspapers and flowers made out of used wrapping paper. It was super easy to do and we helped Niall only with the cutting of flowers and final assembly. It's a perfect lockdown activity because you don't need any fancy material. Since I score very less in the department of craft, dada dearest was the expert for this activity.

Day 19: Crash course in electricals 

I can barely change a bulb. During this lockdown, I realized it's so important to know certain basic skills which we have conveniently ignored. Here's Niall learning the basics of electricals. Topics covered: sources of electricity, using batteries to light a bulb and run a fan, fixing wires to plugs, fixing wires to bulb holders and finally the joy of lighting a bulb that you fixed completely. Niall also has a basic electric kit in which he assembled the motor to run an LED bulb. He also tested all the batteries at home to check if they were in good condition. It was interesting to see dada and Niall engrossed in the two-hour long activity. As for me, my knowledge on electricals is so poor, I had to take help for today's post. Left to me, I would have just said they did something with wires. 

Day 20: Understanding Indian currency. 

My mum has a great collection of stamps and currency. For today's activity, mama and Niall spent some time understanding the journey of Indian currency, the different types, what's still in circulation and what's not, how to identify denominations and the components on each note and coin. The worst part? Explaining that something called Paise existed. The questions around this were too many giving me loads of homework. 

Remember how much fun we had tracing coins back in school? I introduced that to Niall today coupled with a spelling and writing exercise. He dislikes writing so I have figure out ways to get him to write. This activity involved a little history, math, spelling and writing. Cool, isn't it? Through the activity we realized the coins needed cleaning, so that's going to be the activity for my mum and Niall tomorrow morning.

That's not all. This camp just got a lot better. Catch up on the rest of the camp using the links below.

Activities of Day 1 - 5

Activities of Day 6 - 10

Activities of Day 11 - 15

Activities of Day 21 - 25

Activities of Day 26 - 30 (coming soon)

The Mama & Dada Summer Camp: Day 11-15

We've already completed 10 days of our camp and we're super happy. We are always looking out for exciting things to do. If you've missed our previous updates, here you go. 

Activities of Day 1 - 5

Activities of Day 6 - 10

Day 11: More cooking and grating coconuts

Niall has never complained about chores. He in fact loves being a part of everything at home. We've never had a maid at home. Yes, shocking but true. So all of us at home share responsibilities. While he usually operates the washing machine, cleans the restrooms, and swabs the floor, he has always shown an interest to cook. Now with all of us at home, we don't just eat together but cook together. Niall prepared a raw banana dish with help only in cutting. We follow the OPOS way of cooking. Easy peasy for children as well. Do read up about it. 

Coconut is an important ingredient in our cuisine. So here's Niall learning to grate a coconut the traditional way from dada dearest. If you ask a Mangalorean, they'll say it's a life skill. We can't do without coconuts.

Day 12: More painting and the fan club increases

It's now confirmed. Niall prefers painting to drawing. Ever since his first "good" sunset painting, he's been asking for more painting sessions. After a long day at work, we were still able to squeeze in time for this painting. For long, we allowed his painting and drawing to be spontaneous. We still do most of the time because they are accompanied by a hundred stories. But it's recently, that we started engaging in a little structured art to inculcate a few techniques and most importantly the art of patience.

Mama and Niall enjoyed doing this night sky of Mount Fuji. It wasn't as easy as we thought it was. It had our favourite elements - a volcano and cherry blossoms. Niall completed the cherry blossoms with a combination of brushwork and fingerprints. If you know me, by now you know that this painting session was accompanied by a mini class on volcanos and Mount Fuji. Yes, I won't disappoint you. Moreover, Niall enjoys contextual learning. Both of us are loving this time!

Day 13: Niall, Kannada, flour and loads of fun

When Niall was around 3, my mum began sending him to the nearby store to buy some stuff. His task was to walk to the store, request the shopkeeper in Kannada, pay, and then walk home with the item. In the cutest way, he would say "uncle, ondu packet mosaru kodi" or "yeradu motte kodi" (uncle, a packet of curds please) That's where his class in conversational Kannada began. He today understands anything spoken in Kannada but is shy to speak.

We're now guiding him to recognize letters and write them so he can eventually read boards. So here's something fun we did today. We got this idea from Niall's school - Aurinko Academy. Quite a lot of practice happened until the two got bored. Knowing the local language is a must. Don't you think so?

Day 14: Painting beyond the canvas

When the boy is on a painting spree, be quick to get some pending work done. Our composting khamba needed a facelift and we just couldn't get ourselves to do it. Today we had the time, paint and the painter. Dada dearest gave us a class on the different kinds of paint and how different it is from painting on paper. Niall did most of it before his pups came along and then he was gone. Dada, on the other hand was waiting for one of us to give up. He said this kind of painting brought back a lot of childhood memories.
Being Good Friday, we had two online church services to attend and a whole lot of Bible stories to talk about. 

Day 15: Getting familiar with kitchen ingredients

Today Niall was introduced to various ingredients in the kitchen. Surprisingly he knew quite a few. We got our containers out and one by one he touched, smelt and tasted them. It was quite a simple activity but the learning was immense. From spitting out tamarind to asking for a second helping of cinnamon to fighting over why I gave him pepper, this activity activated all the senses and brought forth so many emotions.

Thank you all for following my updates every day and encouraging me with your kind words. Many of you had questions for me. Let me try answering some of them.

1. Yes I do work during the day. But set aside some time every day depending on the activity.
2. No, I don't have a list. I just plan my day and choose one task or activity that can be made exciting. Sometimes I pick something different to dodo outside of my routine.
3. I spend anywhere between 30 mins to two hours depending on the activity. Most of the activities I plan are after 7 pm. Niall and I have painted past midnight too.
4. I post on social media to help other parents and that also motivates me to make each day interesting.
5. No, I am not going out of my way. All our children deserve our time. I have just hyped it into a summer camp to keep Niall interested.
6. Yes, Niall does more than this in a day. He helps with chores, plays, wants to be read to, does some puzzles, spends some time in prayer, plays with his brother and stretches each meal to two hours.
7. Of course, he watches TV, but in installments. But all put together not more than 1 hour of screen time and that includes tabs, mobiles and tv. Yes a lot of drama happens when it time to turn off the TV. During school time he gets two hours of screen time every week and we've all made peace with that.

Happy Easter to all of you. Oh and before I forget, we have an update on the 8 pups Niall had adopted. Two are missing and two are really sick. He just fed them separately and I hope they make it through the night.

That's not all. This camp just got a lot better. Catch up on the rest of the camp using the links below.

Activities of Day 1 - 5

Activities of Day 6 - 10

Activities of Day 16 - 20

Activities of Day 21 - 25

Activities of Day 26 - 30 (coming soon)

The Mama & Dada Summer Camp: Day 6 - 10

We hope you're enjoying our activities of the camp. If you've missed out on our previous blog of the activities from Day 1 to 5, click here.

Day 6: Introduction to painting in a structured way

Niall and I had a great time painting together. We indulged in some freehand painting. I say structured here because usually Niall is free to do whatever he wants on paper. We don't insist on him imitating another picture. It has its own pros and cons. In today's exercise, we picked an image that needed no drawing. We worked on different shades and then painted the tree. The silhouette of the cheetah was done with a hand made stencil (courtesy Vinod) and the sponge dabbing technique. The leaves on Niall's tree are dabbed with earbuds. We are super proud of ourselves. The biggest reward - the boy sat through this for an hour. Idea source: Pinterest

Day 7: Cooking, reading, and some DIY craft

Niall made his first dish today - carrot and beans poriyal. It was a cooking and reading activity where he had to read the recipe and put the dish together. The cutting was done by an adult. Needless to say, he loves the vegetable because he made it himself. And we opened a treehouse to assemble. It was time to put all those return gifts to use. Clearly Niall now is bored of the pictures I keep clicking during his activities. He is camera shy and is not too keen on me go click, click, click all the time. 

 Day 8: Biblical stories

Niall had the opportunity of being a part of a Sunday School activity today. Thanks to a friend of ours, who included him in their Chruch activities. He thoroughly enjoyed the Biblical story of Moses and the journey of the Israelites across the Red sea. He quickly made the sea on paper and took us through the story. 

Niall has now begun reading on his own, so the Children's Bible is one of his favourite books. Tomorrow's a big day. Stay tuned!

Day 9: The best birthday party ever

Niall and Nigel (my younger son) share their birthdays. While we generally don't indulge in lavish celebrations, but we definitely try and make it memorable. With no options of going out, we camped on the terrace. We created a cozy corner with decorative lights and music. We baked two cakes with their favourite themes and their favorite food. This was an awesome party. Happy birthday to my boys. It was activity time for dada and mama today from setting up the place to making cards to cooking and feeding the 8 pups we spoke of in our previous posts. Thanks to all the video calls and two online meetings with Niall's friends from school and our family. It was truly a memorable day for all.

Day 10: Introduction to cameras and photography and fixing the drip irrigation pipes

Niall got his hands on three types of cameras today. The film camera (yes, we do have one with films), a point and shoot and a DSLR. It was quite a task to explain that photography before digital cameras existed. This lesson has gone a long way as Niall now keeps using the 'point and shoot' camera to click a lot of pictures. 

Niall also got his hands dirty trying to fix the drip irrigation pipes in the garden. Tools used: hacksaw blade, pliers, winding tape, and immense strength. He loved it but we felt he had to grow a little more to do it. Niall was introduced to knives and scissors quite early and has been very careful. This activity required a lot of supervision. He finally did fix a few pipes and rearrange some pots. Gardening has been one of his interest areas for some time now.

That's not all. This camp just got a lot better. Catch up on the rest of the camp using the links below.

Activities of Day 1 - 5

Activities of Day 11 - 15

Activities of Day 16 - 20

Activities of Day 21 - 25

Activities of Day 26 - 30 (coming soon)

The Mama & Dada Summer Camp Day 1-5

Niall is our 6-year-old, who like most children of his age loves to keep himself busy with some activity of the other. Holidays are a challenge and we are always looking for ways to keep him engaged. With no access to summer camps in our locality and the lockdown in the country, we decided to make one ourselves. We called it 'The Mama and Dada Summer Camp' and created a lot of hype about it and how exciting it would be. We were lucky to sell the idea to him and live up to the hype created as well. We post daily updates on Facebook and the response has been truly encouraging. Through this blog, we want to reach out to other parents who could benefit from these ideas. 

The camp has one exciting activity a day in addition to household chores that Niall has to do, some writing exercises and some prayer time. Since my husband, Vinod and I are working from home these days, it's only in the evenings that we are able to dedicate time for an activity. So my mother, Vinod and I are always thinking of what activities we can bring to the table each evening. 

So here's a compilation of what we have been up to all these days. 

Day 1: Introduction to cooking

Cooking is a life skill that everyone must know. And I believe it should be taught early in life. The lockdown has taught so many of us that you cannot survive on instant noodles alone. This activity involved learning to wash and cut vegetables and helping in the actual cooking. 

Day 2: Introduction to guitar

When you have three guitars at home, a guitar class is a must. An activity that will be a long term class to make complete use of the in-house instructor. We have guitars of three different sizes and I am thinking Niall can use them for the next 15 years or until he finishes college. If only dreams came true!

Day 3: Setting up a puppy shelter

Imagine having 8 little pups to keep you company. That's how lucky we are! A street dog near our house littered and Niall has gone all out to ensure they are well taken care of. Niall set up his 'Dog, puppy, cat, kitten pet house' and today feeds about 10 dogs and pups. He has his favorites among the litter and ensures they get privileged treatment. Here's an interview as well so you get a better idea.

Day 4: Sky gazing

The weather has been good and air clean. Almost every evening is ideal for sky gazing. Download any of the sky gazing apps and you're sorted. Niall and I had a great time identifying different stellar formations and we even spotted a planet. But activity meant more homework for mama as well. More for another day. Several sky-gazing apps are available to have a great experience. Try it!

Day 5: Drawing with numbers 1- 4. 

This is an easy way to practice writing, get some hand exercises, and learn basic drawing skills. Perfect for a 5 to 6-year-old. There were several practice sheets before we got to this final copy. 

That's not all. This camp just got a lot better. Catch up on the rest of the camp using the links below.

Activities of Day 6 - 10

Activities of Day 11 - 15

Activities of Day 16 - 20

Activities of Day 21 - 25

Activities of Day 26 - 30 (coming soon)

The Turquoise Paradise – Fethiye

If you were a child who grew up in the ’90s, you probably had a treasure of picture postcards of countries you never visited and destinations you didn’t know existed. Traveling to Turkey was like looking into those cards, one at a time and seeing each of them come alive in front of me. Waters in different shades of blue, lush green mountains, snow-capped mountains, decorated streets, ships docked along the harbour and sunsets by the beach. You get the idea, don’t you?

Turquoise paradise

The Turkish turquoise coast attracts scores of tourists from the world over. Amongst the many popular destinations along the coast, Fethiye, a natural harbour in the Turkish Riviera is among the prettiest towns to stop by. I found it as a perfect and balanced destination compared to the crowded city of Antalya and the very active town of Bodrum. I was on a solo holiday, so I wanted some peace and quietness. Actually, lots of it!

Fethiye is a quaint town that gives you a taste of slow life. The people are polite (as in the rest of Turkey as well) and a little more sophisticated and seemingly rich in this part of the country.

Getting there

The closest airport to Fethiye is Dalaman which is approximately 1.5 hours away. There are daily flights to Dalaman from many cities in Turkey, but most come via Istanbul. I took an evening flight from Istanbul and was in Dalaman in about 2 hours. There are two airport shuttle buses – Muttaş and Havaş available to ferry passengers from the airport to Fethiye and is the most cost-effective means of travel here. The buses have stops at prominent locations and the fare to Fethiye was 23 TL. The last stop is the Fethiye Otogar (bus station) and you can take a Dolmus or taxi to your hotel from here.

Taxis are another option and could work well for groups or if you want to reach your hotel directly.

You can also reach Fethiye by buses from most Turkish cities. I heard from other travelers that this is a good option too if you have more time in hand.

Accommodation

As a backpacker and solo traveler, hostels are my preference. There are several options from beach resorts to luxury hotels to guest houses available in Fethiye depending on where you would like to stay. I wanted to stay around the harbour and Sakura Hostels was perfect for me. Extremely clean, modern, affordable, comfortable and great hosts…what more do you need? The terrace was overlooking the harbour whereas the balcony opened to the mountainside. With an affordable breakfast option, this place gets my 5 stars.

The ladies dorm that comes with a clean shared restroom

Truly, this is all the space you need

The colourful Turkish breakfast spread at the hostel

Turkish tea - çay

The view from the hostel

The good thing about hostels is that you are bound to make friends. And if you find good fellow travelers, you can also visit places together and share meals. I found two very good friends in Fethiye – a Japanese young traveller and a Dutch psychiatric nurse. My Japanese friend even accompanied me on my first day at Fethiye.

Best time to visit

June to November is when Turkey comes alive to welcome tourists. Be ready for a half-show or no-show of attractions and things-to-do outside these months. I picked the end of winters when it was cold and with drizzles on and off. It did not deter my travel plans in any way. I still made the most of what was available with my muffler, cap and jackets.

Getting around

The Dolmus - the government-run minibusses are affordable, comfortable and the best way to get around town and all the nearby places. Taxis are also available if you don’t mind spending more. I prefer public transport as its eco-friendly as well.

Places to visit

Fethiye Marina

A hop, skip and jump from my hostel landed me at the marina, quite literally. I landed there on a rainy day during the off-season period, so all the boats and ferries were docked making it a beautiful sight. I call them ‘boats’ because I can’t differentiate between a luxury yacht, a speed boat or a water taxi. They all looked great. There are several restaurants along the harbour but most were closed owing to the low inflow of tourists and the cold weather. No regrets, the lazy harbour is a great photo backdrop.

The quiet Fethiye Harbour

One of the restaurants along the harbour

Çalış Beach

Ever visited a beach that was empty despite being the most popular one, Çalış Beach was that on my trip. Being winter and with all the shops and hotels closed, there were just a few locals around. A beach full of pebbles, I was like a child picking the smooth and shiny ones until I realized it would add to my overall baggage. Needless to say, my pockets were full. Then, the most disappointing task of letting go of some. While I picked these for my son back home as souvenirs, it reminded me of my childhood and how I had loved collecting pebbles. The waters were cold and hence swimming was ruled out. It was around sunset time and with rainy clouds above us, the beach wore a dark look – beautiful nevertheless. 

Anybody here?

The beautiful pebbles almost fit to be jewelry

Çalış Beach is about 6.5 kms from the Fethiye Otogar and can be reached in 15 minutes by the Dolmus. It was deserted in early March but can get very crowded in the summers.

The beach under a cloudy sky

Fethiye Fish Market

Yes, a fish market! Why would someone want to visit a smelly fish market on a holiday? The Fethiye Fish Market is an attraction and a crowd-puller for tourists and locals alike all year around. You can find fresh fish (and not smelly at all) here and a huge variety to choose from. If you are a seafood lover, you will want to make this home. From sea bass to mackerels to large shrimps, what’s special is that you get to pick fish of your choice and walk up to any restaurant at the market and ask them to cook it for you. 

My eyes popped out at the freshness of the fish here

Pick your choice

Eat all you can

Restaurants offer appetizers or meze while your fish is getting ready. Turkish mezes are traditionally little appetizers that appear on the table before the main course. This is especially true if you go to a fish restaurant. Mezzes include Hummus, Salads, pickled vegetables and fish, loaves of bread and other hot and cold starters. The displays are very inviting, but I chose to go easy on the starters and wanted to do justice to the fish.

Turkish Meze

More Meze

Pay for what you eat

Absolutely fresh and delicately flavoured, the fish was a super hit. I went back to the market twice during my trip to Fethiye. And I usually don’t repeat places unless they are exceptionally good. The restaurants charge 10TL to cook the fish and the appetizers are charged separately based on what you pick. The fish is charged based on the price of the day and the quantity you buy.

Dolma - Stuffed vine leaves

A crab based starter

Prawns in a spicy sauce

Grilled fish

Baklava - a sweet and rich pastry

 The men in Turkey were extremely good looking, the ones in Fethiye being the best. They looked like stars out of a Hollywood movie. The owner at the restaurant I visited was so good looking, he was the topic of our conversation throughout lunch. In the end, we couldn’t figure if we liked him more or the fish.

Ruins of Tlos

When the weatherman predicts rain, the beach is ruled out. Fethiye has quite a few options for a rainy day and visiting ruins is one of them. The Tlos ruins are located about 35kms away from town. Now in ruins, Tlos once served as the bustling urban center of ancient Lycia. While it may look like a short visit at first given the size of the site, it will take you a good 3-4 hours to make the best of your visit. Even if you are not interested in history, the city walls, ampitheatre, public baths and market street all overlooked by the fortress and Lycian tombs are sure to send you back in time. 

The ruins of Tlos

The entrance to the ruins

The great bath

A tomb on the site dating back to 350-320 BC is associated with Bellerophon of the Lycian royalty. In 168 BC the city started minting coins in Lycian style. In 43 AD the Lycian region became a Roman state, in which Tlos was a metropolis. Many ancient roads from the neighbouring cities met in Tlos.

Hisarönü

Hisarönü is a tourist town dotted with resorts, hotels, restaurants and great pubs. For the Indian, it is the equivalent to Baga or Calangute in Goa, but cleaner. Being a transit point and a great place to stay, I felt it was important to mention it in my blog. But guess what? All shutters were down owing to the off-season. Even at 11am, there was no life in the town setting the right mood for my visit to Fethiye’s famous ghost village.

The empty streets

Why bother giving a name

Mr Perfect's place

Kayaköy

Kayaköy village, which is 13 km (8 miles) from Fethiye, was built over a Greek town, with a history going back to the Lycians. During the Byzantine period, it was called Levissi. The ancient city has 3500 houses, chapels, churches, schools, a hospital, and a library, most of which were built when it was a Greek settlement. In recent years, only two churches, a school, and a few houses were restored and the whole area was made a museum. It was occupied by the Greeks till the 1920s. After the Republic of Turkey was founded, the Greeks living in this area were swapped with the Turks living in the western Thrace. It was abandoned during the population swap so now it looks like a ghost town with lots of partially destroyed houses, churches, and schools.

The dead town

The ruins are stunning, and you can choose to trek along the rocky pathways. I was visiting this place alone. For one, I am terrified of anything remotely ghostly, two I went there alone. The terrible decision if you know me. Nonetheless, I still went up the village (literally praying aloud, yes that’s me!), walked in and out of abandoned homes, walked into chapels and schools until I started feeling uncomfortable. There’s nothing wrong with the place and there’s nothing ghostly here. But I had fed myself enough thoughts to get me running down.

Hello? Anyone home?

The Church

Kayaköy can be reached by Dolmus from Fethiye. An hour or two is enough to visit the village. However, if you like trekking, this is the start point of the world-famous Lycian way. The Lycian Way is one of the world’s great long-distance hiking trails of 540 kms, regularly featuring in top-10 lists of must-visit places. I am told this trek takes about 29 days.

Ölüdeniz

Get ready to go click, click, click! That’s what Ölüdeniz makes you do. A couple of kilometres from Hisarönü, this resort town is a must-visit if you are in this region. As you drive through the lush green mountains, the turquoise beauty reveals itself. This is by far the most stunning beach I have seen. While I thought Thailand and the Andamans had great beaches of the ones I had been to, this one beat them all. Again, with just a few people around, I literally had the beach to myself. I had read so much of this place, but seeing the empty shore, I wondered if I had reached the right place. I spent an entire day here basking in the sun, thanking God for this marvellous creation of His.

The blue expanse

A sea amidst mountains

The blue cave

Making our way into the cave

50 shades of blue

The calm waters make it look like an infinity pool. Get into your swimwear and you could spend the entire day here. Ölüdeniz is known for paragliding. I had booked a flight too, but it was cancelled because of a local protest by paragliders and instead I opted for a solo boat tour of the surrounding islands. Pure luxury I must say, and I realized it only when I converted the currency back home. All I can say is, at 350 TL for 1.5 hours at sea, it was worth every pie. The famous blue lagoon is right here. If I ever come back here, I would like to stay at one of the star resorts on the shores of the lagoon.

Paragliding over mount Babadag

I could sit here all day

One of the best views ever

The calm seas

Butterfly Valley

Wait did I say Ölüdeniz was the best beach? Well, I would like to change that to Butterfly Beach. Imagine being on a beach that is inaccessible by road, no tourists around, only a café that’s closed with its owner guarding the place and my ‘boatman’. I literally had the beach to myself. Of course, my mind was racing with scenes from Bollywood having to land at a beach with two men. What if….. Well, Turkey was extremely safe and so I could tuck my fears away. To reach Butterfly Beach, you either must take a boat from Ölüdeniz or trek down the valley.

The absolutely beautiful Butterfly beach

The lodge that opens in the summers

The still waters

My ride for the day

Butterfly Valley is one of those off-beat places surrounded by steep, vertical rocks of up to 350m. There’s a waterfall at the end of the valley but I warned against going there alone. And yes, it gets its name because of the different butterfly species around.

During the season (April to November), there are several water taxis and boat tours available so you can make this tour at a much affordable price. The beach is not too big so even fifty people may seem like a large crowd.

Old Paspatur Market

This wasn’t really on my itinerary, but my hostel was located in this area and I found this place pretty. The Old Paspatur market is home to many stores covering apparel, jewellery, sweets and some great restaurants. What I liked best though are the cobblestoned pathways with umbrellas for shade. I did buy some honey, one of the specialties here. The market looked quite popular with the locals here. Do visit it if you are near the harbour or the fish market.

The umbrella covered street

While I had picturized the ruins of Turkey, I never expected the coastline to be so stunning. Fethiye was truly a gem and was the best part of my Turkish travel. Being a solo traveller, it was safe and the people were more than willing to help. Compared to the other Turkish cities I visited, I found this the most affordable too. The non-touristy feel of the place, the slow life and yet so much to experience….I loved Fethiye!