I am teaching summer school for seven weeks, so I knew I would need some sort of vacation between the semester and summer school to survive. Luckily, I the end of Ramadan feel in the perfect place for me to take a holiday at the end of week 2 of summer school. I decided to go to Bodrum for a few days because I knew I could get sea, sun, and good food during my time. There are a lot of all inclusive resorts in this area and they often include so much food, alcohol, entertainment, a disco, pool, etc. They also have a spa, which is extra of course. I read all of the reviews (my sister would be proud), talked with my colleagues, and decided that I liked a resort called Rixos. I called them several times to ask various questions and they were all very kind. So, on Friday evening I traveled to Bodrum for a four-night stay.
The most impressive thing about this resort is the facilities, the staff, and the food. There is a huge pool, private beach, large deck, spa, and sprawling grounds. They must have a large team of gardeners because the flowers and grounds are immaculate. There is also a team of people who constantly work to clean the groups, pick up after everyone, and keep everything tidy. It is truly impressive. Then, there is the food. So, much, food. I have never seen this much food in one spot and they repeat it over and over. There is breakfast, lunch, and dinner along with snacks and restaurant around the beach. There are also inclusive drinks at all of the bars, even mixed drinks. I thought it was just local beverages, but I tested out that theory several times. They also have several restaurants in which you can book and the service is also good. I like the buffet more than the restaurants, but all are top-notch.
After a few days of lounging in the sun, I thought I might try a day trip to Pamukkale in western Turkey. The trip included transportation, lunch, fees into the museum, and a guide. It cost about $50. The tourist company called me and told me to be ready about outside the hotel groups at 6:30 a.m. The resort is quite extensive and it is a good two-minute ride from the entrance into the lobby. The hotel has these little golf carts that run you everywhere, but my room was close the lobby, so I didn't need to use them. I left my room at 6:25 and as I was walking into the lobby, the driver called me to tell me he was here. He actually came all the way down to the lobby, so I didn't need to go up to the entrance. I got in the van, which was full, and thought this would be an interesting four-hour ride. What I didn't anticipate it that we would be meeting under an overpass to join up with three other coach buses to travel together. There were two buses for Russian speakers and one for English. We set off and I had my own seat. Several people also had their own seats, but along the way, we picked up people. However, I still had my own seat the whole trip, which was fantastic for eight hours of driving. We stopped along the way to have breakfast (traditional Turkish), but the place was too small to handle all of the people. We stopped for only 30 minutes, so I spent 20 minutes of that time waiting in line. The breakfast was only adequate and not much choice. Then, we drove a few more hours to Pamukkale. We stopped at a place to show us how they turned the stones into jewelry, which seemed like a tourist trap. They did have a lot of cool stuff, but it was all very expensive and in Euros. I, of course, didn't have Euros, so I would always ask in Lira. There were a few things I liked, but I didn't buy anything because I really felt it was overpriced.
Then, we arrived at the main attraction, finally, and had only two and a half hours to explore. Pamukkale has mineral-rich waters that create these beautiful, white rock formations along with many Roman ruins. There is also a thermal pool where old Roman columns fell into the pool. I bought the extra ticket to swim in the pool, but I only stayed in like 20 minutes. I explored the grounds and the travertine area first and then went back to the pool The whole area is protected and has turned into a museum. I thought it was a cool thing to see and something that should be checked off my bucket list at least once. It was worth the trip.
During my last day at the hotel, I booked an "After Tanning Package" which included a soothing honey mixture smeared all over the body, a Turkish bath, and a massage for 105 Euros. This is a picture I snagged from the hotel's website, but the Turkish bath looks just like this. For those of you who have not had a Turkish bath, it is absolutely delightful but feels very intimate. Someone of the same gender gives you the bath. You lay on this heated, marble circle in the middle of the room where the lady drops foam bubbles all over your body. You are covered in a Turkish towel and some sort of bottoms. I wore my swimsuit bottoms. The entire treatment was decadent and relaxing. I really enjoyed it and would do it again.
Overall, my four-day vacation was relaxing and exactly what I needed in the middle of summer school. I look forward to finishing up summer school and going back on vacation for a month. I love the life of a teacher!
