Bodrum Days - Yalikavak Market

hard bargaining!

We arrived on Tuesday evening. We had a busy few days in İstanbul but now it is time to relax. Wednesday got the basic shopping done but left the fruit and veg until Thursday. We went to the market in Yalikavak.The ladies were awed. Mum had left her money at home. I had told her to bring it but she didn't plan on any shopping......until she got to the market. two new tops later she was in debt to the tune of 35tl. Bee was looking for a "sirt cantasi" a backpack but all she could find was rucksacks. I knew what she was looking for, a small leather bag she could carry on her back. I set off about the stalls and eventually found what she was looking for. The stall had just one left and it cost 30tl.  I bargained him down a massive 5tl with my spiel about how Bee was retired, pensions are reduced and the economic crisis in Ireland was terrible:-)) I had to try and get her to keep her surprise at the cost under control because the exclamation of "Is that all it costs" was not helping me bargain. After Bee purchased Mum too said she would like a bag like this. A pattern for things to come. Bee bought the last of something, Mum also wanted it.
Later we did the fruit and veg shopping, I had threatened my mother on the poor guy selling oranges. If they

deal done!

were not sweet as advertised Mum would come back after him and the ensuing bloodbath would not be pretty. Never under estimate a sweet-looking white haired old lady of she has to eat bitter oranges. The ladies were surprised with the amount of shopping but fresh veg was on the menu for the next week. Homemade ratatouille with lamb chops. Not a squeeze or spoonful of tomato puree anywhere. All done from scratch. In addition our trip to the market, resulted in freshly squeezed orange juice, homemade lemonade and homemade strawberry jam. Try making fresh jam at home when strawberries cost €9 for a kilo. Her I bought three kilos for 12tl - less than six euros.


 After the market it was  time for coffee and a snack. We went across to the Belidiye  coffee house on the seafront. I introduced the ladies to Gozleme -  a Turkish style pancake made from lavas bread and filled with many different filling but spinach and cheese one of the more common ones. Later a stroll along the seafront and then back home.