Fethiye, named after a WW1 pilot who had the misfortune to crash into the local mountain range, was pretty much destroyed in the same earthquake that flattened Marmaris in 1958. Unlike Marmaris, however, this new-looking town isn’t ruined by the loud bars, gulet-full of lobster Brits-abroad puking up at every street corner, or aggressive stall-holders. The closest one gets to all that is at the Tuesday market, which sells everything from fake t-shirts to corn-on-the-cob. This market is huge, an entire bedouin village of traders selling everything to keep locals, yotties and tourists happy. After walking the equivalent of a marathon and stocking up on large pink tomatoes (these, sliced, salted and served with white cheese and balsamic vinegar, are a meal unto themselves), it’s obligatory to have a fish sandwich on one of the floating cafes on the waterfront and watch the pelicans. Yep, there are a couple of pelicans hanging out in Fethiye for some inexplicable reason!

On the next page you’ll find Millie’s first log entry (Millie is our cat and yes, she did type it all herself), which is followed by a Cruisers Guide to Fethiye and Gocek.