honest

[cassie]

i cant write like gene but thought id tell you my little story....well here goes
having spent quite a few holidays in turkey and afew in icmeler last year hubby i and went on our own it was july and very hot the wether making everyone a bit tetchy!! well on the morning of the market hubby decides hes not going he doesnt like shopping at the best of times so after a few raised voices it was declared i could go alone !!
so i thought i ll show you and of i went a little bit apprehensive but i thught i do it everyday in england what could happen?
well i had the best time ever no hassle what so ever i couldntbeleive it i thought there must be somthing wrong with me im blonde an essex girl and work in a gym ok im the wrong side of 40 but hay not that bad ,well after speaking to a few turkish friends thay suggested that perhaps the stall holders thought i was a rep or lived out there and would be piontless hassling me i would recommend going alone anytime,
well this year hubby declares as he thinks ill be ok i can go shopping alone and he can prop up the bar!!well someones got to!
so of i go armed with a purse full of money and sticked intructions not to buy too many handbags
well after a couple of hors wandering round icmeler town a few handbags later a couple of presents oh and some fresh strawberrys (yummy)
i decide to make tracks well the next thing i know i could hear toot toot coming from a motorbike and a man who i didnt know shouting at me in turkish oh my god just ignor him and he might go away i thought but know he starts following me getting a bit worried now handbags ready to take a swing if he gets too near when he starts shouting louder i turn and he thrusts some money in my hand hey im not that sort og girl im about to protest when he explains in broken english hes been driving round looking for me as he short changed me by £15.00 !!!!!!
can you imagine such honesty here in england if only!!!

[redrhino12]

cassie that was great,I could just imagine you having the fear of god in you when you were being followed.
You didnt break out into running then cassie, then again if he was on a
motorbike he would soon have caught up with you.


I do think shopping is a womans domain and is not really in mans nature to browse the shops, a man knows what he wants, buys it, then returns home.

Thanks again for sharing your "Adventure".

Gene

[skilly]

Thanks, Cassie that was a good tale. I can't think of anywhere on earth where people are that honest. No wonder we all keep returning. It's magical

[tania]

Thanks for sharing your story with us Cassie. As we have said before, where else would this sort of honesty occur?

Tania

[babs]

I have a similar story. Some 9 or 10 years ago we went to Alanya. We stayed on the outskirts some 8kms away from the centre. Half way through the holiday we thought we might as well look at the centre of the city. One the way back to catch the bus we saw some perfume for sale at a little stall at the side of the road (yes - a couple of mugs us!!), however the chap could not change the note that we had so he took a few smaller notes from us and asked us to come back later in our holiday to pay the remainder.

We actually did go back - twice!! But he was not there. We felt very dodgy going through the Airport though, expecting the strong arm of the law catching up with us before we were let out of Turkey.

It wasn't till we got home that we realised that (in those days) we porbably owed him a couple of bob!

Things have not changed though cos some of the bars just wave you away and say pay when you come back tomorrow - wouldn't work in my town!!

[reesy1959]

This reminds me of my first trip to Turkey, this was July 2006 and we had chosen 1 week in Marmaris. We had never chosen Turkey before, because we had the impression (like many still do) that the Turks were not the cleanest of people etc etc.

Well we arrived around 7pm and we were very surprised by the cleanliness of our Hotel. We unpacked and quickly found the bar and had our first ever taste of efes! We couldn't have been there more than 30 minutes when Phill and I were discussing how friendly everyone was. We ventured out for dinner and enjoyed our first meal in Turkey as well as a good few efes. When we returned to our Hotel much later in the evening we decided to have a nightcap at the bar before heading for bed. The nightcap lasted a few hours. As we got into bed (air conditioning switched on) we both talked about our first night in Turkey and couldn't believe the outstanding hospitality that had been shown to us both during the night.

On our last night, Phill felt really ill (I think its sadness at leaving - this happens every time) and wanted to stay in bed until we got picked up by the coach around 2am. We had eaten in different places during the course of the week, but we always ended up at 1 particular restaurant from about 9pm onwards and we had made firm friends, which we still visit every time we come to Turkey now. This restaurant was about a 5 minute walk from our Hotel, so Phill told me to go and have something to eat and say goodbye and also to say goodbye from Phill, who just didnt feel well enough to even smell food. I ventured down on my own, a little wary at first but felt I couldnt leave without saying farewell to our new friends.

I had absolutely no hassle at all this evening as I passed the many restaurants on my way to our newfound local, because I was on my own. I arrived and was greeted by the 8 or so waiters who worked here and everyone was asking Phills whereabouts. I explained he wanted me to say farewell on his behalf and that he was not feeling well enough to come.

I ordered a light meal and at no time was I left sitting on my own, they each took it in turn to come and sit with me so I was not left alone. I finished my meal and my efes and it was time to say goodbye until we would meet again.

Again, as I was leaving, I had the usual kissing and hugs to everyone. I left them all waving to me as I started my 5 minute walk back to the Hotel amidst the trickle or two of tears that was escaping from my eyes. The next moment Erhan was beside me and said he would walk me back to the Hotel.

Where else in the world would you find this genuine friendliness. Needless to say, we got home the next day (Phill had made a miraculous recovery) and we booked that same day to return in September, 2 months later. It was on this next trip that we found Icmeler.

I just thought I would bump this thread up seeing as there have been a few negative posts lately. Lets share our happy posts.

[ola]

Well said Mary, There have been some negative posts just lately but if people didn't love it they wouldn't keep returning!!! And if some people are fed up with it then they do not have to return. At least you know what you are getting when you go to Icmeler!!!!


Ola

[reesy1959]

Ola, I cant wait to get back there next month to sample that wonderful hospitality one more time.

[Keith]

We have just returned from our holidays, and cant wait to go back next year again. While we were on holiday my daughter slipped and fell just outside Deja Vu. The waiters came running out to see if she was alright, and typically she put a brave face on and side she was fine and limped back to our apartments. When the waiters from our apartments saw her they were running about sorting a chair out, she had scrubbed one of her knees , so they dressed that, and her left foot was extremly sore and swollen. They elevated the foot and got clothes and ice to try and reduce the swelling, could not have been any more helpful. Next morning Fionas foot was still very sore so Clare the receptionist said she would take us to the medical centre in icmeler. the doctor had a look and said he would like to take her to hospital to get an xray. The doctor organised a car to take her to the hospital. On arrival there was a wheelchair waiting to take her in to a consulting room, were there was already a translater waiting. They then took her for an xray, and to the plaster room and put a pot on her foot and lower leg as she had broken her foot.
The longest wait she had was waiting for the lift!!
When she returned to the apartments the lads at Deja Vu had seen her with the plaster cast on and came along genuinely concerned and offered to do anything.
She had to return to the hospital the day before we flew home to get a fit to fly certificate, no appointment required just turn up when it suits us. We again were seen within five minutes of arrival.
We arrived at Dalaman and did not move a meter from the bus, as a wheelchair was found, and a guy pushed fiona through the airport.
Fiona was also allowed on the plane first and to get herself in her seat.
When we arrived back at Newcastle we asked about a wheelchair. None available.
Fiona had to go to our hospital when she got home to have her pot checked. Three and a half hours later this was done.
George, my other son had an ear ache while we were traveling home so i phoned the surgery to make an appointment. Five days before the doc can see him!
Welcome home to England. I thought we were supposed to be one of the richest and powerful countries in the world.
Honestly i wouldnt knock Icmeler, there are plenty of worse places alot closer to home.