Tuesday 20 December 2016

Christmas Past


In September I met up with Ken Jennings, one half of the Gülsüm Balcony Project. He handed me a small piece recent history; a Christmas Greeting letter I'd sent out in 1997.  I hadn't kept a copy and could hardy remember writing it, but it makes interesting reading now.

"Inflation isn't showing any signs of slowing down.  £1 = 323,000TL.  Bread =35,000TL, 1lt petrol = 135,00 TL. "  
Taking devaluation into account that means in 1997 one UK pound in today's money was worth 0.323TL.  Today it is 4.3TL.  Somebody brighter than me please work out the real devaluation.

"The ever increasing foreign community organises a carol concert on the Friday before Christmas and this year there will be a Christmas Fair with tombola, wine tasting, children's plays, local crafts and a visit from Santa Claus." 
I do remember the hours of meetings I sat through helping to organise the first ever Christmas Fair in Bodrum with funds raised going towards the first children's library.  That library didn't survive but now there is a Festive Fair almost every day of the week in the run up to the New Year.


"A private hospital has just opened 100m from our office and another is opening in '98" 
This doesn't seem groundbreaking news but for us it was momentous. The local state hospital was scary so most Bodrumites traveled either to Muğla or Izmir for treatment - 2 to 4 hours on the road. The Özel Hospital is still going strong, the second opened, changed names a couple or more times and is now no more.

'First Choice, Airtours, Sunworld and Inspirations are selling flights to Milas-Bodrum airport"
Remember them?

"The international arrivals-departures building is due to be completed by January 98."
That building is now the domestic terminal and we have a much shinier International terminal.

"The town council now has a refuge for stray dogs and are collecting, sterilising, vaccinating and trying to find homes for strays" 
I'd forgotten the refuge opened so long ago.

"The keel was laid for Bodrum's first sail training ship"
It took a while and a lot of fund raising but it was built and is a fine sight in full sail.

"I'm sure that you will all be happy to hear that Mustafa has got married...I'm sure you will join us in wishing him and his wife Tülin a happy life together" 
Mustafa and Tülin are coming up to their 20th wedding anniversary in 2017, with daughter Aytaç at university and son Erdoğan a star pupil at secondary school and to round off  - here is a photo of the happy couple at my daughter's wedding this year.




Erdoğan, Celal,  Esi, Mustafa, Tülin and your truly. 








16 comments:

  1. Wow, interesting to look back to see what's changed. Almost like looking back at an old blog post - of the non abstract variety. :) Wish we had lots of different fairs in the run up to New Year. The two we have had were ridiculously well attended, though. :)

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  2. these last twenty-odd years the changes have been monumental!

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    1. Still waiting for someone to work out the devaluation.

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  3. Lovely wedding photo. And nice to see Mustafa and Tülin at Esi's wedding.

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    1. I should have also put a photo of Mustafa and Tulin's wedding

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  4. It must have been lovely to receive the Christmas Greetings letter written by you both which conjured up moments of a time past and re-remembered.

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  5. Wishing Mustafa and Tülin a wonderful 20th anniversary next year. I was ever grateful that Özel was only a sort walk away!

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  6. Gorgeous post and lovely wedding photo, you all look amazing - and you, dear Annie, looking great!:) My best wishes for Christmas and new year, cok sevgiler, Ozlem xxx

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  7. Nice to know that part of my stash of holiday memorabilia has brought back a few memories, and to hear your thoughts on the changes. Please give Mustafa and his family our best wishes, we always relied on him for local news, both Dave and myself also found him a virtual library when we discussed the recent history of Gumusluk.

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    1. Thank you so much for the photo copy - I wish I had kept better records

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  8. Uncle Sun - gosh there's a blast from the past from one of your first customers so many years ago! It was so lovely to meet up with Mustafa and family at the wedding. Happy memories xx

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