I’ve been told that Bodrum is the playground of wealthy Turks, Greeks, and other Europeans. Judging by the yachts in the area, it must be true. However, I never made it into Bodrum, just viewed it from the water.
I took a tour on a “gulet,” a traditional two-masted wooden sailing vessel built and used in this area. While it looks like a sailboat, all but one of the gulets I saw operated on engine power rather than wind.
Wind or engine, I didn’t care. The tour took us along the coast and stopped a couple of times so people could jump into the crystal blue water and swim. I stayed on the boat, knowing that if I got into the water, I’d never make it up the steep staircase. The people, mostly kids, who did go in had a blast, though they did say the water was cold.
I relaxed on board and chatted with the other passengers and guide while the crew plied us with drinks and snacks. It was an utterly relaxing day. Someday I’ll need to return to explore Bodrum, but boy did I enjoy the cool breezes, beautiful scenery, and simply hanging out.
Our one exciting moment came when the hydraulics failed, and the crew couldn’t get the anchor up. It took a lot of effort and help from the crews of neighboring boats. Turns out our anchor and the anchor of a nearby boat had gotten tangled. A crew member dove down and disentangled the two anchors.
The remainder of my day was equally relaxed.