Christmas 2002 at Netsel Marina, Marmaris, Turkey.
This is the 6th Christmas Derek & I have spent at the Marina since we first arrived in 1996. With a new influx of sailing people staying for the winter months, it becomes more like a little village, with events and activities to join in with.
The weekend leading up to the Christmas holiday, a three day Christmas fare is held within the marina and organised by the local Rotary Club. All sorts of craft, toys and bric a brac are available.
On the 23rd December, an invitation for an evening of Carol Singing was given out, to be held in My Marina Pub. Over thirty people came and an enjoyable evening was had by all. Hot mince pies and chestnuts were supplied.
On Christmas Eve, Netsel Marina gave their 13th annual party which is held outside in the shopping mall. It started at 1300. The price of the ticket was 20mil.T.L., approximately £8, for a powerful punch, beer, wine or soft drinks, a hot buffet was served by the marina staff, with as much as you like to eat and drink. This was followed by the highlight of the party, the raffle, hence the price of the ticket.
With 50 different prizes to be had and over two hundred tickets sold, the excitement built as the draw went on.
The prizes included such things as t-shirts, a case of red or white wine, a box of beer, free transfer to the airport, a jetwash off when your boat is lifted out, a 3 day pass to the swimming pool or tennis court, a 2 litre bottle of whisky or gin, a custom bond for your boat, quite a few dinners for two, donated by the local restraunt owners and many more items.The top three prizes this year were, 3rd, a mountain bike, 2nd, a free lift in an out for the boat and finally the main prize. €500 off the cost of your next years moorings.
At last, I was lucky enough to win a big prize – the mountain bike. Unfortunately it was a mans' size bike. Never mind, I was able to get on with a little help from my friend Ihan, and manage a ride to the bridge where there was enough room to turn round. I was just too small for the bike, but no problem, it was exchanged for the ladies version the next day. Derek's prize was wrapped in gold paper, so he decided to keep it until Christmas morning before opening. What a let down. It was a black skirt, not his style and too small for me.
The party finally finished at about 1630 as the sun was setting.I spent the evening making mince pies, with home made mincemeat Mandy, a friend, & I started making in October.
Christmas Day with sunshine.
Our friends Mike & Grace arrived at 1100 from Orhanyie on the local dolmus, (mini bus). Ergun and Rezzan, our Turkish boat neighbours, also joined us for coffee, sloe gin and mince pies. Rezzan was the right size for the skirt, which she was pleased to receive.
Calorie counting had now stopped: we were off for Christmas lunch at the Pineapple Restaurant. Each year the bookings increase, and this year was no exception – 87 people sat down for the meal. There were friends from all nations: England, Canada. America, France. Germany, Israel, Australia and New Zealand. Quite a few Turkish friends and family also joined in.
We started at 1400 with a punch cocktail, but not as much alcohol as the day before. We all have to take a small present that goes into a chest, ready for Father Christmas to appear.
Dinner was served at 1500 with a large prawn cocktail for starters, a choice
of turkey or steak for main course with all the trimmings. Finally, Christmas pudding
and white brandy sauce, then coffee and liqueurs to finish.
A choice of wine or beer was included with the meal. This was for an all inclusive
price of 25 milTL., or about £12.50 a head.
After a splendid meal served by the staff of the Pineapple with a short speech of thanks, we all retired upstairs to the bar where we had the present giving – a long process due to the numbers. Finally, to finish, dancing. This is one way to reduce the calories!
Boxing Day came with rain (typical bank holiday weather)
We had an invitation to go to Mandy and Bahattin's house, just up the hill and in a pine wood. There are not many houses about Marmaris, mainly apartments. Mike and Grace had stayed overnight with Mandy. They had brought with them a leg of pork, cooked on their boat on Christmas Eve. It was bought on the Greek island of Symi, and kept in a freezer. We enjoyed the dinner that Mandy cooked including her first ever go at making a Christmas pudding. The sultanas, raisins and currants were bought at the local Friday market – the best I have seen here – large and juicy. The only snag was the pips, Mandy spent one evening stoning all 3 kilos of them for the pudding, mincemeat and cake. We spent the afternoon watching the Harry Potter film over the sound of a giant JCB outside the house. A new block of apartments are to be erected feet from the windows of the sitting room. The pine trees were laying on the ground when we arrived, but within a couple of hours, they had been moved down to the bottom of the hill and the digger was beginning to level the site.
By Saturday, we had a big overnight storm with terrific thunder, lightning and lots of rain. We woke up to find the marina water a deep red colour which we think was the top soil that came from the diggings up the hill. We had a text message to say the house was still standing.
We did not stay late as the wind was due to pick up. Mike and Grace were not in a marina but in a bay, moored up at a restraunt pontoon, so they felt it was time to head home and see to their boat.
For the next few days, the weather was wet with strong winds so we stayed aboard, and caught up with e-mails and some reading.
What to do for New Year Eve?
This is a big night in Marmaris for celebrating the New Year in and there are a lot of options in what to do and where to go. One of the big hotels on the sea front was having a party with something like 2000 people, spread over three large rooms, each with different music and food. Restraunts that are normally closed for the winter open for the one night and usually have live Turkish music. A new marina called Yacht Marina, found at the far end of Marmaris bay at Yalanci Bo_az, was holding a dinner with dancing, including male and female belly dancers.
They also ran a half hour bus service for the benefit of people from Marmaris.
Derek went off in the morning and came back with a fish called a Palamut, a cross between a large mackerel and small tuna, which we cooked on board instead of eating out.
Derek and I joined friends at the Escape Bar where at midnight everyone goes out onto the front for fireworks, flares and fun. This year was the wettest that we can remember for the midnight hour, so we were not out for long.
After an hour of Turkish music and dancing, we slowly worked our way back to the marina where we had one last dance and drink before falling into bed at 0300.
With the festivities behind us, the work programme could resume along with teaching English to some of the Netsel staff, aerobics, and painting, drawing classes, and ten pin bowling at the new stadium. New tennis courts are available if you feel really energetic. Me, I have a new bike to get use to and no excuses left for riding further afield!