Here we are again 9 years later….
You will not turn the pages….. our new online mag will cover a wider range of subjects and offers you the possibility to
comment, ask and contribute to each month’s issue....`please do send feedback.
The name of our magazine is ‘ lagoon’……
A lagoon is a body of water protected from the open waters by a sandbar or reef….there are many such in Turkey but none quite like Oludeniz. You can find its story in our Features.
For the seafarer the lagoon is a place of refuge, a door opening onto the realms of terra firma.
To protect the Oludeniz lagoon mooring of larger boats inside the lagoon is no longer permitted …… unless there is a storm !
Up to some 40 years ago the lagoon was home to flat-tailed Lobsters, Pina, Oysters and Mussels…….today fish still abound there but one can no longer search for a seafood salad!
In those ‘good old days’ we used to boil marrow bones, attach them to strings and take them to the lagoon, where sitting in a rowboat we would dangle the stringed bones over the side. Within minutes several octopi would attach themselves and we would pull up the bone with the octopus firmly attached. Depending on the size of the octopus there were different ways of preparing them for the pot. The most authentic and that chosen by true fishermen is to cook them in their own ink until they look like pieces of soft liquorice with a taste of sea. Today I am thoroughly ashamed of this past-time with high protein zap. Having watched My Teacher Octopus I personally will never again indulge in ‘Pulpo ad Olivo’…or similar. I will just stick to the nourishing olive. However humble the olive is as an addition to the Turkish breakfast table, the tree itself is sacred to the goddess Athena. Whole groves of olives were planted in her honour, and in each grove she was present.
Many who have read our Beach Magazine will be regular visitors to Oludeniz while others may choose to explore further afield; to discover Turkey’s varying landscapes and archaeological treasures; or just to find out what makes the Turks tick!
Our magazine aims to provide a birds-eye view of Turkey,…. coast plain and mountain. In this issue we start locally and then move on…..
Maybe you have only viewed Turkey from a sun-bed or visited Istanbul for a long weekend. Sad… when there is so much to experience…
Did you know that Turkey has seven climatic zones which harbour as many ancient civilisations within in its boundless mountains ceaseless rivers and integrated plateaus….not to mention the country’s 8000 km stretch of coastline and islands
We shall explore each zone introducing its nature, history and cuisine. First I would like to give you a synopsis of the local area and then move further afield …..
Oludeniz is even today a relatively small resort linked to the local harbour town of Fethiye. After international flights started to Dalaman in 1985 visitors have formed friendships here , sealed on return visits and never forgotten.
Oludeniz enjoys a seascape little equalled anywhere in the world, backed by the Western Taurus mountains and fronted by a sea of turquoise.
The local mountain Babadag holds many secrets: ancient cedars with girths as wide as windmills, pine needled slopes hiding orchids in spring and mushrooms in autumn.
Mossed stone spoilage used and reinvented: was it an apse, is it now a shepherds hut? Footprints; a lynx, a hog, a wolf ?
And through the forested mountains run marked paths leading to a viewpoint or a bowered villager offering a welcome refreshment.
Where the mountain meets the beach calcium carbonate churns its waters to a deep turquoise.
What was an isolated paradise... so isolated that the only mode of transport was the mule…. is now a sophisticated hub for nature-lovers drawn to the beauty of this turquoise shore. The villagers of yesterday run pensions and welcome guests with the usual Turkish hospitality. Larger complexes host those who just want to ‘cool’. The local peak ‘Babadag’ soars to 1969 metres at a distance of 1500 metres from the Oludeniz shoreline making it the world's most picturesque paragliding venue: a scenic take-off and a soft landing.
Due to the peak's proximity to the sea many relic plant species are endemic to the area. Five million years ago ice melting on the Eurasian plateau flowed south to form glacial canyons, of which the Seven Capes of the Babadag range are prime examples. These canyons hold waterfalls and sandy coves whose depths offer excellent scuba-diving possibilities.
Two years ago a Cable-car was constructed running from Oludeniz up to the Babadag peak. Three restaurants at differing heights offer astounding views, great food, a children’s play area and evening concerts. The local plains of Esen and Fethiye provide pre-season fruit and vegetables.
For the seafarer the lagoon is a place of refuge, a door opening onto the realms of terra firma. To protect the peace of the area mooring of larger boats inside the lagoon is no longer permitted unless there is a large storm !
Up to some 40 years ago Oludeniz lagoon ( Turkey Fethiye) was home to flat-tailed Lobsters, Pina, Oysters and Mussels…….today fish still abound in the the lagoon but one can no longer go there in search of a seafood salad!
In those ‘good old days’ we used to boil marrow bones, attach them to strings and take them to the lagoon, where sitting in a rowboat we would dangle the stringed bones over the side. Within minutes several octopi would attach themselves and we would pull up the bone with the octopus firmly attached . Depending on the size of the octopus there were different ways of preparing them for the pot. The most authentic and that chosen by true fishermen is to cook them in the own ink which makes them look like pieces of soft liquorice with a taste of sea. Today I am thoroughly ashamed of this high protein zap. Having watched My Teacher Octopus I personally will never again indulge in Pulpo ad Olivo…or similar. I will just stick to the humble nourishing olive. However humble the olive is as an addition to the Turkish breakfast table, the tree itself is sacred to the goddess Athena. Whole groves of olives were planted in her honour, and in each grove she was present.
Many who have read our Beach Magazine will be regular visitors to Turkey. Some may return to Oludeniz every year, others may choose other resorts, and there may be visitors who wish to explore further afield to discover the many archeological treasures or just to find out what makes the Turks tick! That is why we have launched this magazine. We aim to provide a birds-eye view of Turkey…. coast plain and mountain. We shall start locally and then move on…..
This first issue covers local areas with a magazine section where each month we shall include dıfferent places of interest, customs, recipes etc....while in the Extras section you will find little snippets about Turkey. Our next addition has a section on Mount Nemrut and its surroundings plus 'Kukuba' the Mother Goddess of Anatolia and a dessert recipe.
The Turks believe in Sweets just as the Dutch believe in eggs!
Contact information.
WE WOULD TO HEAR FROM YOU
Do contact us on our blog with stories we can publish and your queries….my name is Anthea, I have lived in Turkey with my family for many years. My pastimes are walking, weeding, pottery mosaics and archaeology as I was a government guide for many years
Contact Us: info@lagoon-magazine.com
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