Weekly Market Day

As always, click on any image for larger view.

Oranges, pricing converts to 21 cents per pound

As I have said many times, we are going to really miss Turkey when we leave for the final time in early May.  And one of the things we will miss most are the fabulous vegetables and produce sold at the weekly Market Day that is held in every town.  Organically grown local produce at bargain basement prices.  The selection is not as wide as what one can find in any supermarket back home, because this is all seasonal.  If it is not harvest season for a particular veggie or fruit, then you will not find it here.

Lemons also 21 cents lb.

Apples, also 21 cents lb.

Tomatoes 53 cents lb, at least 6 varieties

In Fethiye the weekly Market Day is held on Tuesdays.  It is less than 2 mile walk from our dock to the market.  Sometimes we walk to and from; sometimes we catch the dolmus (small van-bus) back home from the stop nearest the market.  Depends on how much I have bought that day.

Artichokes, 21 cents each

Last week I finally succumbed and purchased a rolling shopping cart to make shopping the various vendor stalls at the weekly market a bit easier.  We could not find a good cart and had to settle for a poor-quality one that I hope will last a year.  As luck would have it, several days after I bought the poor-quality one then one of the shops on the main street received a shipment of the better-quality carts like I would have preferred.  Oh well; it is what it is.

Cauliflower 42 cents per head, red cabbage  45 cents each

Recently on Facebook I posted a list of all the vegetables that I had purchased one Tuesday at the market.  People were surprised at so much for so little cost.  This is because we are shopping where the local people shop and not in the supermarket.  So this week I brought along the camera to snap a few photos of our weekly Market Day in Fethiye.

Bill patiently waiting for me to catch up

Broccoli was 47 cents per large head.  Yes, I bought!

The 'Ronco Man'
demonstrating a manual miracle
kitchen utensil

As one walks toward the market stalls from the main road, the walkway is lined with rural women who have brought whatever they have available to sell that week.  They put down cloths on the walkway edges and lay out their goods for sale -- produce, eggs, herbs, vegetables, ayran (that nasty salty yogurt buttermilk drink), olive oil, headscarves, whatever.  I always try to make it a point to buy something from at least one of these women.  This is the best place in town to purchase that delicious cold-pressed unfiltered olive oil.  

Hand-carved wooden cooking utensils

Proceed down the walkway a short distance and the 'cheaper' tables are lined on the right side.  The main market is farther down and this area does not get as much traffic, so the main market area is the more desirable location for the vendors.  Often the prices on this walkway are a few cents cheaper than in the main market area, although the selection remains the same.

This market is pretty big.  The only market which we have seen that is larger is the one held at Muğla, and that one goes on for blocks in several directions.  

Olives of all sorts

Cheeses, all kinds white

In the center of the market are located the vendors selling olives and cheeses.  Most of the cheeses are homemade.  It is wise to taste before buying!  The cheeses favored by most Turks are too salty for my taste.  I finally have learned to taste before buying, and no one ever objects to handing out free samples to prospective customers.  

Dried beans, lentils, rice, couscous, etc & more cheese

Walk on past the cheese and olives and there are yet more produce vendors.  Then one enters the housewares vendors.  Wind around through that area and find shoes and handbags.  Then cross over to the clothing and textiles area of the market where one can find just about any article of clothing desired.  Honestly, I don't have the patience or the energy to shop that section of the market more than a quick walk through.  This is the place where we purchased scarves as Christmas gifts for all our female relatives.  At a price that no one would believe.  Suffice it to say that these were the least expensive Christmas gifts we have ever bought. 
 What a deal!

It goes on and on

There also are pastry vendors scattered about.  And one tented section where one can sit and enjoy all types of food and beverage (no beer or alcohol, of course).

Everyday produce market, about half of it

Gorgeous leaks everywhere this week
21 cents per pound

On the way home from the market we walked through the fish market.  I wanted shrimp (prawns) to stir-fry with the snow peas that I found at the market this week.  Next to the fish market there also is a produce market.  This market is there all the time; quality is good and the prices are not much more than at the weekly market.  

Fish Market surrounded by restaurants to cook it

Town quay showing more activity

The fish market in Fethiye is a special experience.  It is built 'inside' of a block, meaning that retail shops face the sidewalk all the way around the block and the fish market in in the inside or middle of that block.  There are 4 entryways to the fish market area.  Surrounding the fish market are small restaurants.  One purchases a seafood selection; the fishmonger cleans whatever is purchased and delivers it to the restaurant of your choosing, where it is cooked according to your instructions.  The restaurants charge about 6 lira (less than $3) to cook the seafood.  Salads, sides, breads, deserts and beverages (yes, beer and wine is sold here) are reasonably priced.  We have eaten here a few times with friends and each time was good and fun.  

More of town quay

On this day, however, we did not want a restaurant to cook the shrimp.  We asked the vendor to clean the shrimp rather than deal with doing that on the boat; then we were on our way back to the boat.  

Every day old men sit on the quay
for hours, quietly talking

Need to try this!

On the way out we took an exit which we had not previously used and discovered a small butcher shop.  He had a wall case of dry-aged beef!  That is the first time we have seen that in Turkey.  I plan to visit that shop again and try a few steaks or a small roast if the prices are not exorbitant.

Boy fishing on  town quay

Caught one!

Walking back along the quay it is obvious that spring is just around the corner.  Seemed to be more people about than just a few weeks ago.  And some of the tourist boats have removed their winter coverings and are starting to spruce up for the upcoming tourist season.

Orange trees everywhere!

I noticed that orange and lemon trees are prolific early this season.  These trees grow wild all over the place. 

Spring flowers already

And in a few spots there are flowers of spring already showing up.  



What happened to winter this year! 

Almost like it never happened.

Cleaning carpets

We have started spring cleaning aboard S/V BeBe.  The carpeting is held in place by velcro.  Easy to remove for cleaning.  We brought all the carpet pieces up on deck and Bill used the pressure washer to clean them.  Nice!






You know how in the States our advertising shows things like Cokes with burgers and fries.  Here is a label off a bottle of Diet Coke, which is called Coca-Cola Light everywhere outside the USA.  People in other countries do not like the word 'diet' and never label a product with that word.  This label speaks toward the healthier food choices of people in this part of the world as compared to what we chose to promote to eat back home.  Salad rather than burger and fries.



.Remember the photos I posted recently of the snow capped mountains in the distance.  The snow had already melted a lot up there before I took those photos.  Here is a photo taken this week.  Notice there is a lot less snow; can barely see it on the most distant mountaintop.  Will be gone soon.