A beautiful old house by the Cesme harbour
Celebrating the Turkish Republic and Atat?rk
 
Cesme harbour at sunset
Light and shadows in the fort at sunset
Cesme fort
Old man getting ready to fish in Cesme's harbour
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The morning gets off to a smooth start as we all get ready while watching the local music videos in utter disbelief of the lack of style displayed. As Rusen puts it, these local artists try to imitate the ways of the Western pop stars, with very little experience or taste. We laugh at some particularly ridiculous scenes and displays, such as a scantily clad widow with a digital image of her heart on fire, guys dancing in exaggerated manners, or a man surrounded by four sexy girls washing his Porsche in silly outfits. Today, we are driving all the way west to Çesme, located at the end of the peninsula opposite the Greek island of Chios. We halt for a generous breakfast by the water, in one of Füsun's favourite places - unfortunately, she could not be with us this week. Later, and without particularly intending to, we stop at the Altin Yunus beach resort that is a posh holiday place for foreigners and rich locals. The turquoise waters draw us in, and we go for a swim before resting on the beach. I begin my quest for ping-pong rackets, which I eventually get an hour and a half later, after many discussions with the staff, which offer me an unwanted insight into the culture of some locals and the tourist industry. I have an amusing game with Rusen, then with Tariq, before offering one to a dedicated Turkish boy. The resort's animation team then takes over in an effort to get me off the table, but all their jeering and crafty moves fail to undermine my determination to stay undefeated, as one orange man after the other bows out. I wrap up with a game against a Turkish father, who nearly wears me out. We leave for a walk in Çesme town centre, in a pleasant pedestrian area. There are many shops to cater for the large number of German and English tourists who come here for holiday and have even often bought summerhouses here. Still, I am surprised by how little there remain old houses in all of these towns and villages. We stop for food, making good choices, and enjoy nice fish, shared with a young cat and the restaurant's pet albino rabbit. Our strolls take us to the castle, as I find a lucky charm on floor, to ward off the evil eye. We are allowed into the fortress just before it closes at dusk. Its undeniable charm lies in how its medieval stones contrast with the more modern city, and in its prime location by the harbour. We finish our visit by the water, where we have tea as we watch the sun set behind the hills, while some locals are settling down to do a bit of fishing. The drive is long on the way back, but the highway is in an excellent condition. The country's infrastructure is uneven, a true reflection of the mix between European and Middle Eastern standards. We head into town and meet Bilgin, who takes us out to Asensör, where we have a drink with a superb view over the entire Bay of Izmir. At the beginning of the century, this lift was built to connect the bay area to the top of the hill, and is now a prime venue for the Izmirites. As it is fully booked, we head for food to a local diner that seems open at any time, consequently one of Bilgin's favourite haunts. We choose from dishes ready to be served, in yet another tasty experience.
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Cesme 