Aye, Mama!

Once she was beautiful, and at nearly eighty years old, still her face is handsome.  Her back is bent into a crescent and she is only four feet tall. She wears a babushka which hoods her face.  Her brown eyes miss nothing, however, and she has decided that I need to buy something. We are climbing the winding limestone steps leading to the Ottoman fortress, built in the time of Suleyman the Magnificent, which still stands watch on the hill above old Marmaris town

We cannot pass without running the gamut past her tiny shop. She presses me with bracelets, made of silvered  metal and macramed beads. I say no, no, thank you, thank you, I don't need them.

She persists, and we say we have to go  now or the museum in the castle will be closed, since dusk is approaching.  I say we will look at her wares on the way back.  With my first step out of the fort, she has me in the cross-hairs.  She grasps my arm in a viselike grip and escorts me to her shop. I ask her name; she says, "I Mama". Bracelet after bracelet are pressed upon me, the prices creeping higher. "Where you from?  Ah, America good. Twen'y five years I here. America good"  . She starts putting several bracelets into a bag.  She pins on me a tiny safety pin with a blue eye bead and tiny dolphin on it."Is good luck", she says, and adds a handful to the bag. She tosses in two more bracelets as well.  I protest feebly, to no avail. I can do nothing but burst out laughing. I am being hustled by a tiny ancient land-shark.  I take the bracelets out; she replaces them with bars of olive oil soap, decorated with olive sprigs and blue eye beads.  She reaches up and gives me a brisk little slap on the cheek, saying "America good."

HELP!!

 Finally I cannot but yield and ask the final price. She says 15 lira, then adds another bar of soap and ups the ante to 20.  I get 15 out of my purse, still chuckling.  She says "5 more, 5 more".  Her son is enjoying the show, chuckling in his folding chair across the street. I give her the money, by now as much a ransom as a mercantile transaction. At last she releases me. I call her back and give her a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

Turkey good, Mama good. Is lucky.

Yes, Virginia, there are pirates.

Turkish Delight

It's my third day aboard Celedor, a 41' Beneteau , and life is good.

A  map of the Aegean Sea

The Turkish Coast from Izmir toAntalya

My flights and transfers from Orlando to Instanbul to Dalaman, Turkey, went without a hitch. I was seated next to  Irena from Ukraine on the the Trans Atlantic leg, and the flight was so enjoyable with her cheerful company.  Arrived here around noon.

Marmaris Yacht Marina, Adakoy

My Scottish Captain welcomed me aboard graciously.  My cabin was all made up and ready to move into when I arrived. We have already chatted for many hours.  He has traveled and lived worldwide during his career and has a thousand stories of a dozen countries lived in, told with insight and humor. 

It's hot and dry here during the day, so I have been spending mornings working 
on the computer, afternoons by the pool. In the evenings we ride the bus
into Marmaris, where the souk and town come alive with light and sound
into the wee hours of the morning.  Restaurants in the old town beckon, with elegant outdoor dining overlooking the traditional wooden "gulet" boats and yachts med-moored along the quay. 

Dining under the stars along the quay, Marmaris

 A huge fountain dances in the colored lights, the water jets coordinated to music. The illuminated battlements of the castle overlook the bustling waterfront scene. Town is clean, safe, prosperous, and for me, delightfully exotic.  The call of the muezzins echoes through the bustling town, evocative of ancient tradition. Passing by the mosque, I saw the faithful kneeling on red carpets at their evening prayers.

The castle overlooking the harbor

Turkish food is delicious and healthy Mediterranean fare; herbs. peppers, onions, olives
tomato, lamb kebabs, eggplant, and lots of really good yogurt served in varied ways . Mild cheeses may be mixed with savory sesame and nigella seeds for a snack. 

Mezes=Eggplant, mussels, savory yogurt dip, olives, pepper salsa, hummus....mmm...

Honeyed pastries and nuts or fresh peaches are for dessert. A wide variety of breads are soft or crusty according to their nature, and hot from oven. We've been enjoying "mezes", like  tapas, and made with whatever is fresh in the market that day.  Tiny cups of strong Turkish coffee or little tulip-shaped glasses of tea, made from linden flower, apple or other botanicals, finish the meal.

Refreshing drinks at a cafe, in a centuries old caravanserrai. These buildings were provided as way stations, a day's ride apart throughout the Ottoman empire for merchants to rest their pack animals and store cargo in safety.

I can't spend enough time admiring the lovely carpets , each a work of art and artisanship. The carpet merchants entice me in, close the doors behind me and roll out one lovely carpet after another. They lyrically describe the intricate techniques of weaving, the months it takes to complete one, and the design characteristics of the different traditions in Turkey and beyond. The choices are endless ,and  I've resisted... so far. 

There is also beautiful
pottery, hand-painted and embellished with glazed relief.   

Love little Turkish Ali Baba dude!

Talismans to protect against the evil eye are everywhere.  It's fun to see where they

are located and what form they take.  Usually a  blue eyeball  stylized in
fused glass, the image also appears woven into fabrics,  painted on
propane gas cylinders, peeking out from refrigerator magnets.  A large glass one is hung on the wall of the pool
enclosure, a modern and sophisticated building.

We had intended to depart yesterday to cruise east along the Turkish coast, but due to some bureaucratic requirements it looks like we will sail for Rhodes and the Greek islands of the Dodecanese on Monday!

Around Nassau Town

I found myself at liberty to wander the streets of Nassau and Paradise Island for three weeks, much longer than the average cruiser would normally choose to remain in bustling Nassau.

To be honest, Nassau has a rough reputation, and several locals confirmed that I should watch myself as I rambled alone around the city.  A marina owner told me that in the area east of the bridges linking Nassau to Paradise Island, several people- including a couple of big burly men -had had jewelry snatched right off their necks  by local toughs with fast hands and faster feet. To combat the situation, the police maintain a visible presence in the blocks surrounding the cruise ship docks, and plain-clothes policemen and bicycle cops patrol the main thoroughfares and tourist areas of the city.  While exploring on foot, I turned down a narrow pedestrian lane several blocks away from the harbor.  A voice called out from the garden of a tiny wooden house, and the old man kindly warned me to keep to the main roads and not to venture into the neighborhoods. 

My friend who kept me safe.

That said, in three weeks of rambling I had no trouble, and many friendly, interesting encounters with local people.  Still, it is advisable to maintain an active situational awareness when out and about, and to head back to the boat before darkness falls.

I spent a day exploring the splendid Atlantis resort on Paradise Island.  For $125 a day, you can have full access to all amenities.  In addition to grand, whimsical architecture, granite floors and mosaic domes, there is a large water park, pools, gardens, shops and a private beach. 

"In Xanadu did Kublai Khan a stately pleasure dome decree.."

The aquariums were a highlight, showcasing the full range of local reef fish, sharks, rays, and  jellyfish illuminated to enhance their otherworldly morphology. Even for an experienced diver, there was much to admire.

It was time to hit the streets. The old town of Nassau centers around the cruise ship docks and stretches for blocks in all directions. The oldest building, Balcony House museum dates from the early 1700’s and many coral stone Georgian and Victorian structures still nestle along narrow streets. 

Balcony House , the oldest house in Old Nassau

Colonial-era Government House and Parliament Square buildings painted tropical pink are adorned by fine statues of Columbus and Queen Victoria. Occasionally a horse-drawn surrey clip-clops by.

Government House

The Queen’s Staircase, cut into the living stone and climbing to Fort Fincastle, is impressive. Walking up Blue Hill Road, you pass through older areas of town to the Graycliff Hotel. Built by a reformed buccaneer after Woodes Rogers cleaned up the pirate stronghold which was Nassau in the early 1700’s, the restored mansion hosts a fine hotel furnished with antique furniture, and lush gardens where you can find refreshment.  

The Graycliffe Hotel

A short walk further takes you to the Art Museum of the Bahamas, a delightful respite from the heat and noise of the city.

Food is expensive in the Bahamas. You can find great local food at local prices at Fish Fry Beach, just to the west of downtown.  Originally this area consisted of little shacks cobbled together with local vendors cooking it up with whatever they had.  Later, the structures were improved by government grants, and the area is now tidy and colorful, and is popular with locals and tourists alike.  It is situated on a lovely beach.

Another great place for lunch is “Under the Dock”, located beneath the easternmost span to Paradise Island.  

Conch salad  in progress....mmmmmmmmmm.

Walk under the bridge leading to Potter’s Cay where the fishing and conch boats moor and you’ll find rows of small shops where you can get a fresh conch salad and a local Sands beer for around $12. 

Carol and Ken Unda da Dock  :)

 Walk east on Potters Cay, and find the local fishing fleet moored on the south side. You can buy fresh conch right off the boat, and watch them be cleaned and sliced so that they’re salad-ready. Four conchs, enough for two big salads, sell for around $10. You can also buy cobia, permit, several varieties of snapper and other fresh panfish here.

While buying fish off the “Last Day”, skipper C.W. Malone  told us his and other local boats recently signed to be filmed in a reality show about Bahamian fishing. I hope it's not like "Real Housewives".....

Captain Malone

Once you’ve bought your seafood, the market ladies nearby can provide the vegetables you’ll need to make your own conch salads back on the boat.

Roaming around Nassau Town was a surprisingly good time.  Most of all, the friendly good nature of the local people I met, who politely and protectively guided me in my wanderings, and who shared their stories, recipes and customs, made these weeks a happy and memorable visit.

With special thanks to D'Angelo...

...Mary and Keith...

....Donna, Indira,and all my other friends who made my visit unforgettable.

* Note, due to a malware hit on my computer, I lost a lot of photos I would have otherwise included. To my other Bahama pals, love and hugs.



A version of this article appears in the August 2014 edition of Blue Water Sailing Magazine.

Wilkommen, Bienvenue, Welcome!

Welcome back, friends.

For my earlier stories about experiences living aboard S/V Sinbad, a 42' ketch, in the Caribbean, check out www.voyagesofsinbad.blogspot.com