Göcek

After two days in Rhodes, my host family decided they wanted to sail to calmer seas. Thus, we left for Göcek, Turkey. Göcek isn’t a town so much as an escape. There are far more boats than cars, and more people living on the sea than land. It is filled with hidden lagoons and peaceful waters with tranquil landscapes.



We were fortunate enough to see the second evening of the meteor shower here, as the only lights blocking are view were the stars being too bright. This marked the first, of many, nights that I opted to sleep outside.



Sunset on a sailing boat

We stayed in Göcek for two days so that we could meet up with business partners of my host father. After two days, which marked 5 nights being on the boat, my family decided that it would be best if they spent two nights in a hotel for their sanity (and the sake of keeping their relations with one another friendly). Though I was a bit skeptical for the need of the hotel (and actually decided to stay on the boat) I was quite thankful for their international buffet. This is truly the first time I have been able to select what I want to eat since I have been here, as the majority of restaurants we visit serve either Turkish cuisine or seafood. Needless to say, my stomach was pleased.

After the hotel we returned back to Göcek and docked in a bay that is home to Cleopatra’s Hamam. Though I have found zero evidence that this was actually a place where Cleopatra visited, I did find a bit of mythology behind it for those of you that are interested. Göcek is where Icarus, son of Daedalus, fell into the water after escaping from prison with the wings his father built. Don’t worry, that didn’t mean too much to me either, until I remember who Deadalus was. Among other things, he is known for creating the Labyrinth of the Minotaur at Knossos (where the son of King Minos and Queen Pasiphae, a half-man half-bull was kept). In hopes to keep your interest, I will keep the story short. The point is this is where Daedalus’s son Icarus was said to have died.

We remained in Göcek for the rest of our trip, entertaining ourselves with swimming, tubing, and playing countless hours of backgammon. Ah, I haven’t mentioned backgammon before. Backgammon is the most common board game in Turkey, and is played daily. When walking through the streets, of any town, most of the outdoor restaurants and cafes will have both menus and backgammon boards on the table. Though it is far more common for the men to be playing, I have occasionally seen a few coed games consisting of tourists. In the house however, no gender rules regarding competitors: may the best player win.