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Drawn by the rather strange logo "Bodrum hugs the world", my daughter and I wandered down to the harbour today to see what was going on. We found lots of tables, fronted by national flags, selling food typical of that nationality. Having only noticed the adverts the evening before, I asked a few stall holders how they had heard about the event. Several of them were taking part in the free Turkish lessons that the Municipality is sponsoring and were approached during their classes. Which explains why most of the long term, Turkish-speaking ex-pats had no idea about the occasion. I'm going to be a pedant now and suggest that "Bodrum embraces the world" would have been a better translation of the Turkish, but you can put this down to the niggling irritation that I would have liked to have been there with a tray full of hot-cross buns.
As this sedate affair was taking place on one side of the square, the other side was full of motorbikes.
The 2013 Turkish Enduro championship season commenced today and to pay tribute to Kemal Merkit, who was killed in a race last year, the season started in Bodrum, where Kemal used to live.
The tourists enjoying their lunches in the Spring sunshine must have had second thoughts about their choice of tables when all the bikes started revving their engines as they waited for the flag to fall and a haze of exhaust fumes descended. The cacophony of engine noise was accompanied by a pop group serenading the World Huggers on one side and a truck advertising bikes playing "Gangnam Style" at full blast on the other. I left them all to it and headed home for a quiet lunch.
Hmmmm. Now we've had the bike serviced we're contemplating heading out your way... But there is only the one bike (albeit one very noisy bike).
ReplyDeleteYou'll be in good company
Deletebet they're sorry they didn't get to sample your hot-cross buns...but, oh my, eatables and exhaust fumes...I'd of been right behind when you left
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed watching but my ears were ringing afterwards
DeleteI couldn't help laughing out loud. It's soooo klasik. Hey, what's your problem lady? Making noise at the highest possible volume is cool and fumes? What fumes? This is the road, our turf - get out of the way and quick!
ReplyDeleteYou are so right.
DeleteWhat a shame the day wasn't widely publicised. I would certainly have been over to sample your hot cross buns! With the motorbike event going on at the same time, I'm tempted to say "only in Turkey".
ReplyDeleteI was tempted too - but just managed to resist
DeleteSeems a wonderful idea, I wished they would do something like this in Antalya - without the bikes of course!..
ReplyDeleteI think the bikes will be near you in Kemer on 20th and 21st April.
DeleteI agree Annie - Had I known about it I would have tried to take the multi-national zumba kids down for a spot of dancing...
ReplyDeleteShame it wasn't better advertised.
ReplyDeleteBunless in Bodrum (except the buns in leather, of course)!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like Costa Rica...really good ideas but limited communication.
ReplyDeleteI find out something has happened afterwards....
And France! Most events seem to think that a tiny flyer in the window of the boulangerie in the next village will bring the crowds flocking.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fascinating mixture of events. :-) If this had been in our local town in Wales it would have been thoroughly advertised for ages, whereas if it had been in our village in France, we'd have been lucky to see the poster in the boulangerie mentioned by CB. Mostly our fete has no publicity at all!
ReplyDelete