It was the first morning of our August fortnight in Icmeler.
After a light breakfast in our apartment of coffee,toast and cereals,we packed the bags ready for our "First Day At The Beach".
Now the bags we take to the beach are Huge, having to hold 6 towels,
2 each, various grades of sun oil ranging from 2 for me to total block for Mrs Genes nose, snorkel and mask for Andre, lilo for the Rhino to play in the sea with and the obligatory reading books for Ann.
We also take two x two litre bottles of water that I have frozen in the fridge overnight, and these will keep iced all day if kept out of the sun.
Last visit to the toilet then we are on our way yours truly laiden up like an human pack horse.
We have decided to spend our first day on the stretch of beach in front of the Kontes Hotel,so having walked past the Prince Apartments on our right, sauntered passed the Efendi Hotel also on the right with the Etoil Hotel on the left, we arrived on the Promenade.
A voice shouts "Sunbed Sir", and an arm with open palm is thrust in my direction which I grasp and shake vigoriously.
"How much for the beds" I enquire.
"A £1 sir" is the reply.
"Can I have one near the waters edge " I ask.
"I have saved these just for you" he says as he escorts us to three beds and a brolly right on the waters edge.
How do they do that?
How did he know I that I was coming on that day?
He wiped the beds for us, gave us one of those cute little pots to put our rubbish in and told us if we needed anything to give him a call and that he was there to make our holiday a memorable one.
We exchanged names and I offered to pay for the beds.
"You pay later " he says.
Another friendship has been forged.
Gene