Кемер - 2010 Kemer - 2010

Once upon a time, our second president Leonid Kuchma published a book "Ukraine is not Russia. " Speaking in the same spirit about Turkey, one can write: "Turkey is not the East. "
Having once again visited Kemer, which has already become native and settled, and comparing it (and with it the Antalya region of Turkey) with the same Egypt, I can say that I almost did not feel myself in my beloved mysterious, mysterious and many-sided East. Well, except perhaps the mournfully invigorating cry of the muezzin, who called the faithful to prayer at 5.20 in the morning, did not let us forget that we were in a Muslim country. Otherwise, there is no Islamic flavor in Kemer. I state this with responsibility. Starting from the fact that there are 5 main currencies (US dollars, euros, rubles, hryvnias, Turkish liras), among which the lira is not in the honorable first, but somewhere in the 3rd or 4th place, ahead of perhaps that, my native hryvnia, however, also willingly accepted. sellers at the rate of 1:5 (to the lira). English and Russian speech is heard everywhere from the lips of the natives (Russian - more often). Others speak Russian much cleaner than the notorious "persons of Caucasian nationality. " I have never heard the remembrance of Allah anywhere and ever. Maybe because God sounds different in Turkish? Arabic is not their native language. Yes, and in Russian, Allah will sound like God.
We settled not in a very prestigious, but quite tolerable hotel "Astoria", located on the 3rd line from the coast, but in the very center of Kemer. To all sorts of hot spots 7 minutes walk, the same amount to the beach. A decent number, which met us with towels traditionally folded into swans. The hotel does not live up to its stars except for food. If it were not for our diet, which excluded all flour-fat-spicy foods, we would hardly have eaten up. I noticed that the cuisine is close to Russian (because the main contingent of tourists was from Russia). For the first, every day they cooked either borscht (this, of course, is a parody of this dish), then pickle, then cabbage soup. The second was chicken in different versions, lamb, beef and liver. Grilled mackerel a couple of times. Well, the mezes (snacks) were Turkish-Russian style. Two or three varieties of Olivier and vinaigrette spoke of "Russianness". There was not enough sweet in an oriental way, and in small quantities, according to the principle, who did not have time, he was late (left without sweets). Fruit was available every day for lunch and dinner. Grapes, pears, watermelons, melons, apples. A couple of times gave my favorite figs. I, as always, became friends with the chef and the head waiter, with whom we discussed the intricacies of oriental cuisine. I asked why there is no hummus and can you get it in the city? They promised to make this meze especially for me, but, of course, they never bungled it. And in the city, as I was told, this is also a problem. I realized this myself when I asked a couple of restaurants if they had it. There was nowhere. One told me that there is. A large portion costs. . . $25! I eloquently twisted my finger at my temple. Even here in Kharkov, this paste of chickpeas, sesame paste, lemon and olive oil can be bought at a price of $ 2 for a serving of 150 grams. This despite the fact that we do not have chickpeas (peas). A little later, I did find hummus in 250g jars. at the nearest supermarket. And this rarity cost... 1.50 Turkish liras (dollar).

The sea was exceptional as always. Warm, transparent... Where is the cold Red before him off the coast of the Sinai Peninsula. If I could not sit in it even for 15 minutes, then in the Mediterranean I sat for 2-3 hours in a row. Sunbathing is contraindicated for me, I preferred to sit in the sea. And everything was a little fried. Brazen biting fish almost did not pester this season. They gnawed two or three times a week out of harm. The beach bar is paid, for 4 stars. And everything is 2 times more expensive than "at home", in a hotel. the same freshly squeezed juice costs 1 dollar in the hotel and the city, but here 2. A bottle of Efes beer costs 4 dollars (against 1.80 in the supermarket). Since we are talking about alcohol, I note that in the "Astoria", operating on an "all inclusive" system, there was plenty of alcohol. Wine red and white (dry and semi-dry, bottled and cask), gin, beer, vodka, whiskey and local aniseed rake. I slowly leaned on the crayfish, because everything else can be tried here, and anise is only here (we don’t even sell it in duteshniks). And what's interesting. The fact that this alcohol will not get drunk. True, I did not set such a goal for myself and did not try because of my health, but still... It happens with us and it becomes good from one glass. And from their drinking, not in one eye.
Wandered around the city. Nothing has changed in the 2 years that I was not there. Except that a new mosque has been erected near a large supermarket behind the square, which is not yet working. Poor tourists! Now 2 times more adhans (calls to prayer) will fall on them. The goods in the shops are the same. Painted plates, "eyes" from the evil eye, magnets, gold-silver, glasses. I finally bought myself a set of my favorite glove boxes (pear-shaped tea cups found only in Turkey). The glasses are larger than my old simple, patterned and unbreakable ones. Praise be to Allah, I brought them safe and sound.
Traditionally visited the mosque. It was the 10th, just on the eve of the beginning of Ramadan. I was greeted by the local caretaker Mustafa, already a little cheerful on the eve of Lent. He took me around the mosque, allowing me to take a picture and taking a picture of me (the photo is a bit fuzzy because of the gaiety of the guide). In the end, he presented me with a Turkish edition of the Koran in Russian translated by D. Boguslavsky, which includes both the text of the holy book and tafsir (comments on the text). Interestingly, in this translation, Allah is everywhere unusually translated as God (I wrote about this version of the sound of the name of the Almighty above). Thank him very much. Good man. He invited me to tea, adding the traditional "free" (he knows, probably, our free nature).
Basically, that's all. I didn't spend too much time, but I'm satisfied. Rested.