A Busy Bodrum Sunday for many

 But not for me as I'm still stuck at home with a chest infection. 

Bodrum Spor football team is playing a home match against Kayseri Spor. A top league match between bottom of the division sides so in an attempt to draw in spectators, tickets went on sale for a very small sum and the match is sold out.  Apparently the roars from the crowd can be heard across the other side of town.  Bodrum needs to win this match* 

It's also Camel Wrestling day. Another crowd puller  Tickets completely free and for those that like the testosterone filled atmosphere, not to be missed. Not being able to attend either event, I was going through my photo library looking for suitable photos and came upon this one.

On a very cold winter day,  4 years ago in lock-down,  I came across a lorry parked behind the football stadium. On the lorry was camel in a headscarf.   I've seen stranger things in Bodrum but this peaked my curiosity. It turned out that this was a champion wrestling camel  and because of covid, he hadn't been to any events for a year  and had sunk into depression.  To try and cheer him up, his owner had decked him out in all his parading gear and driven him to Bodrum.  Both owner and camel still looked pretty miserable but I hope this camel is one of the ones strutting his stuff in Bodrum today. 

* They drew 1-1 after having a goal disallowed in the first half.  

Happy New Year from Bodrum

 

This is why I chose to live in Bodrum. Even in mid-winter, we get hot, sunny days.  After a week of cold, wet weather, the first afternoon of 2025 was warm and clear. Like most Bodrumites, what I wear is dictated by the date rather than the weather forecast  so I set off in a jumper and a down coat. By the time I got to the seafront I was experiencing sauna-like temperatures. I had planned to spend the day with my daughter, but I came back from London on Sunday with an unexpected and unwelcome extra Christmas present; a cough which is turning into bronchitis.  I was informed by those dear to me that I not only sounded awful but looked terrible too so all socialising had to be postponed but a walk down to Kumbahçe seemed like a good idea.  As a measure of how ill I feel, the offer of a pint of Guinness was turned down and I sat watching the world go by with a large glass of tea in front of me.   

A visit to the herbalist shop on the way home to buy some olive leaf extract will hopefully put me on the road to recovery.  

Happy New Year. 

There are worse places to live.

There is one week left until the elections.  Twitter is banned which has made even the most anti-twitterer like me feel obliged to sign up to show solidarity. The streets are full of electioneering buses blasting out competing campaign songs which all sound like a nursery class on speed.. BUT.. the weather is fantastic, the beaches are empty, the sky is blue and I can't think of another place I'd rather be.