This stretch of the trip is through a very touristy
section.  However, the Mediterranean is really
beautiful,  and there is a lot to do here, so I think
this area would suit most people for a great vacation.

My morning starts off looking for breakfast.  My
pension is so empty at this time of year, that the
owners don't bother getting up to make breakfast for a
couple of people.  Unfortunately, as I am in a tourist
zone, Turkish breakfast costs $8 wherever I go!  I
stroll around hungrily until I go to a fruit market to
buy some bananas, which cost 6 times more here than in
Canada.  Well, ironically enough, the market staff are
eating Turkish breakfast, and they invite me to join
them.  I willingly accept, with more cay, and am
further invited to go partying with them.

Bodrum's well known for its nightlife, and the
Halikarnas is an outdoor club that looks like the
Coliseum (literally).  Unfortunately, like I've
mentioned before, the seasons ends Nov. 2 and
nightlife is dead.  It kind of bothers me as to why
there are so few people visiting when the weather is
still so sunny and hot as hell - like high 20's.  How
hot does it have to be for vacation weather?

Well, I have my snorkelling gear on me, so I try a
little swimming on the beach.  It's so-so, but at
least there are tons of free lounge chairs to chill
on.  I move on to a nearby rocky area, and it's much
better.  I chase a couple of colourful fish around for
a while, tire myself out, and chill for much of the
day.  I decide to head to Marmaris.

The bus station offers something of a bit of interest.
 There is a large outdoor cafeteria, and there are
tons of hungry devout Muslims sitting around tables
loaded with bread, pasta, and lentil soup, waiting to
eat.  They look very hungry.  After a lengthy wait,
the call to prayer finally sounds, and they start
devouring the food.  It's a silent event - no
conversation or smiling whatsoever.  Just eating, and
them dissipating to the mosque (?).

The distance to Marmaris is short, but the ride is a
long, windy one in the dark.  I arrive late into
Marmaris, and have to go through the difficulty of
finding my hostel located deep in a bazaar!  Half an
hour of searching, and I finally reach it - of course,
it's empty, which is good for me, as I can rent a dorm
bed, but get the whole room for myself.

I'm in Marmaris not to see Marmaris - it's much like
Bodrum - but to see Rhodes, Greece.  

The catamaran ride to Rhodes is pretty short, but one
must go through a delay through customs - once leaving
Turkey and once entering Greece.  In fact, I held up
the whole ship because Turkish customs had trouble
letting me go because of the warped condition of my
well-travelled passport.  Eventually, I get the green
light, and we're off.  Greek customs has a lengthy
lineup, but I get through fast in the "non-E.U.
passport holder" lineup (almost all the passengers on
the boat are retired Germans and Brits on vacation).

The old town of Rhodes is the largest medieval town in
the world, and is completely fortified.  In fact, it
is so large, that I know I won't be able to cover it
all.  It's very touristy (lots of big cruise ships),
but you should still come, because it is quite a
sight.  Plus, if you wander off into smaller streets,
you can easily find a small plaza or restaurant all to
yourself, as the town is big enough to absorb the
tourists.  

I get lost in the old town, and find myself trekking
all over the place - the moat (a very scenic hike),
parts of the fortress wall, the Palace of the Grand
Master, and the Archaelogical Museum - not much to see
as unfortunately, all the great Greek artifacts are
located in foreign museums.  What I notice that's
different in Greece than Turkey is there are more
roped off areas, "no stepping" here and there signs,
etc.

Greece, now a member of the EU, has also become quite
expensive.  I remember 4 years ago when I was
backpacking through Western Europe, Greece was
supposedly the place to go for cheap thrills.  Well,
hsotel accommodations run for 30 euros a night, and
everything else seems overpriced (5 euros for a map of
the old town!).  Maybe if I go into the smaller towns
on Rhodes island, it might not be as expensive, but
even half the price is quite costly.  Thankfully, food
is barely reasonable, and I enjoy some mystery
shellfish for lunch - Fouskes and Pines.

Back in Marmaris, I meet a VERY experienced traveller
from France who seems to have been around the world 5
times.  He gets me interested in travelling to the
cold and vast eastern part of Turkey, where I won't
see much in terms of ruins, museums, or beaches, but
will see nomadic people and rustic villages.  We hike
over to a nearby national park, which we find closed. 
He decides to sneak into the woods to camp for the
night, whereas I go back into town.  I make my way
into the supermarket, where I try to find breakfast
for tomorrow, but cereal isn't popular with Turks... 
There's a lot of fresh products though, which I really
like - bakery, fruit, cheese.

Some food I've tried in the past few days:  Kofte -
spicy meatballs.  It's okay, but I don't think I ate
at a renowned place.  Kokorec - lamb intestines
grilled on a spit.  I really liked this, and will
probably have it again.  Rice pudding - baked crusty
top and served cold - I really like this.

It's really relaxed here, and I kind of am getting a
hunger for adventure already, after talking to my
French friend.  We'll see what lies next.