Into Antalya's Embrace

The escape from the all-inclusive hell of the Orfeus Park was swift and painless. Rather than just leave, I checked out, thus letting them know they had three nights of a free room to resell. Still, I encountered a bit of shock (You are leaving?!? Where will you go?!?), before the clerk said good bye and pointed me to the nearby minibus stop.

A minibus, bus and taxi ride and 16 Euros later, I arrived at a little hotel that can best be described as a bit of paradise, the La Paloma Pansiyon in Antalya's old city. Here, EUR 35 buys me a faithfully restored, air conditioned double with free wireless internet and a modest breakfast buffet. But best of all was the pool situated in the courtyard with a pool bar selling. reasonably priced drinks in congenial company.

Arrival at the La Paloma signalled the beginning of the vacation part of my vacation, the previous days being far more of an ontological obstacle course. Suddenly, I lack plans or intentions above and beyond which much-taste Turkish treats I have still to indulge in before my departure on Wednesday midnight.

What makes the La Paloma really work is the woodwork and foliage--it was an Ottoman mansion and still very much looks the part, down to the lush foliage in the poolside courtyard. Its neighborhood is a bit mixed, comprised largely of similar hostelries, restaurants and architectural sites of varying levels of repair.

Beyond Hadrian's Gate is the city's modern commercial centre, offering goods of varying degrees of brand authenticity and numerous grills and restaurants serving often-fantastic renditions of Turkey's national dishes.

I don't feel compelled to explore. The combination of climate, chatter and chaise lounges at poolside allow me to have the downshift that the culmination of a hard-fought year of consulting and an equally hard-fought six month job search have richly earned me in my relatively generous estimation.

Still, the city beckons--certain basics like cash machines (La Paloma doesn't take plastic), filter coffee (most establishments here offer the all or nothing choice of strong Turkish or rough instant), and restaurants with a local clientele.

Quickly, I find a cross between a street and a food court, with stands selling Iskender and the natural Doner kebabs side by side, most with the telltale wood fire of true professionals. Sampiyon was the best Iskender, Sultan the best doner, and Ozdemiz the best airconditioned place to sample both.

With the abundance of historic buildings, there may be a temptation to hire a freelance local guide, particularly if a reasonable fee is agreed beforehand. My experience was not salutary, even after throwing in lunch and a tip, my 'guide' not only insisted on €20 more than agreed, but also was demanding I 'change' an additional €50 at a busy intersection, a transaction with potentially hairy implications.

I said "that's enough" and walked in the other direction. Mercifully, I was not followed, and proceeded to buy sneakers with velcro straps instead of laces (shoelaces being a perennial nemesis of mine since early childhood) at a fair discount over Low Countries prices.. What goes around, comes around, so they say.

While Antalya is now a city of 800,000 plus, with easily 100,000 seasonal 'residents', it had barely 250,000 in the 1980s, accounting for its relatively small historic center and comparatively puny football stadium, named for the nation's "father" and everpresent icon, Kemal Ataturk.

The question I ponder, aside from its convenience as an alternative to the five-star nightmare that was the Orfeus Park, is whether Antalya is worth a visit in its own right?

I wouldn't choose Antalya as my first helping of Turkey. Istanbul is much more compelling, Bodrum much more welcoming to the English-speaking traveller. But what Antalya has going for it is a combination of a well-contained historic center, congenial and cheap poolside lodgings, tangible urban buzz and proximity to excellent beach and water journeys. To chill out for a week, I'd certainly return to Antalya and particularly the excellent La Paloma.