To market, to market to buy a .........

We had been told by one of the waitressing staff that the market is held in Ortica on Fridays, so we decided to include that into our busy week!

The best way to get to the market is on the local domulus (bus), and as the temperatures have been high during the day we decided to head off early. We caught the 9.30 a.m. shuttle down to the beach and met the local bus. It cost three lira (about $3NZ) each, each way and the bus was more like a van and seated nineteen passengers. The trip took 40 minutes and by the time we arrived in Ortica we had twenty six passengers, with the extras standing. Most of the locals who joined us were women off to buy their vegetables we thought, or it may have been to catch up with friends.

As we arrived in Ortica, which is a reasonable size town, it was just after 10 a.m. and it was 43 deg which rose to 45 deg within the next hour.

The market was divided into two sections - clothing and miscellaneous and then fruit and vegetables. I was the first to buy - a sunhat was high on the agenda and was the only shopping for me. Peter bought a couple of more polo shirts and a pair of shorts (as the washing fairy seems to have gone on strike in Turkey). Sharryn missed out completely but Garey, who loves shopping, was in his element.

The fruit and vegetables area was really interesting - my love for cherries came to the fore and for 4 lira you could buy a kilo of succulent cherries. Half a kilo was enough for me as Peter doesn't like them and I didn't have to share!

We caught the bus back to the beach where we again caught the shuttle back to the hotel just in time for lunch - afterall we would hate to miss out on a meal.

Siesta was next on the agenda for me before down to the beach for yet another swim. It is a very busy life we are living. It is now pre-dinner drinks time and while I type, Peter and Garey are playing pool and drinking beers, and Sharryn, well she is just relaxing.