Marmaris harbour

Marmaris, Turkey
October 2005
Sony DSC-P73

The massive city of Marmaris enjoys a spectacular setting at the foot of wooded mountains which encircle an enormous bay.

Aside from a hillock above the marina which is home to the old town with cobbled streets, stone houses and a fortress, the city is completely modern. Hundreds of high-rise flats and hotels stretch all along the shore, with hundreds of shops, restaurants and bars in between.

In the summer they host something like 14 million tourists, then when the five months of winter rains come the population shrinks to 15,000 residents.

We visited on a daytrip by catamaran from Rhodes Town. It was one big shopping trip as we were escorted around a jewellery store, carpet shop and Turkish Delight kitchen with some free time in the bazaar and old town.

Ah yes, the carpet shop, that patented combination of fine art, generous hospitality and the hard sell. You will be told less about who made the rugs but rather how they use only the best wool or silk, how natural dyes never fade, how you get a certificate of authenticity to allow export and how they ship anywhere. Only the selling points, in other words.

Our escorts acknowledged what they were setting us up for: 'They are experts in their trade who will use all the tricks at their disposal to empty your wallet, but with a smile.'