Our first day in Antalya, but also our first night. The airport did not feel welcome after İzmir… It seems that they did not pay attention to the domestic routes.. The moment we step out the door, we encounter the coolness of the air.. Of course, my dressing a little thin also has an effect.
As the airport is far from the city, we wait for Havaş shuttles.. We ask the driver what time he gets up, he says in half an hour.. We understand that we should not trust the driver when he gets up exactly 12 minutes later.. As the Havaş service shows, we see the city center and pass to the Teacher’s House.. Teacher’s House, which has the consistency of a 4-star hotel, surprises me.. This is a much better place than I expected.
After settling in my room, I am ready to explore the streets of Antalya.. We need to make good use of the short time.
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Our tour, which starts from Güllük Street, becomes colorful with transvestites waiting for customers under the apartments on the right and left.. If someone pronounces the name Güllük in Antalya, the first thing that comes to mind is transvestites.
In fact, we see about 50 transvestites on the street.. That’s why the rents on this beautiful street are quite low.
When we reach Antalya Cumhuriyet Square, we learn that the square was not that wide in the past, that the municipality had the government office building here demolished and prepared a square project, and that there is an underground car park under the square.
The historical building we see right behind the square was a school in the past and was moved to this building when the government house was demolished.
The square displays a bright appearance.. We drive towards Kaleiçi with our vehicle and arrive in front of the historical building of the municipality.. This is one of the places where we can safely park our car.. The security guards of the municipality are everywhere…
After parking the car, we come to Kaleiçi from the shore of Antalya Bay, looking at the sea.. It is a different experience to visit Kaleiçi in the winter season, where it is impossible to take a step in the summer…
The narrow streets are quiet and on their own.. Shopkeepers have opened their shops, and since there are no customers, they are watching the surroundings in front of the shop.
We come across the Historical Cut Minaret Mosque.. Surrounded by garbage heaps. This is pretty much destroyed.. These images do not befit a tourism city like Antalya.
We travel to history in streets full of historical houses and various trees.. The absence of people on the streets increases our enjoyment.. We walk as if all the streets and houses are ours, freely…
The writing on the sign on the door of a cafe in the garden attracts our attention.
“Once upon a time, there were grids in Antalya;
What is possible now, they’re all gone.
Magnolias? Unfortunately, there are no traces of them either.
But sometimes, besides, an orange garden in the middle of the city!
With the effort of the sun, water and earth!
And it is astonishing, the wallflowers and daffodils that still decorate the houses with bay windows and balconies…
Here is the fertile wind that nature does not spare from Antalya; generous…
In favor of people.
And here is an old barge, resting on the shore… Its crew has already washed up on the shore.”
“The heart wants neither coffee nor a coffeehouse, The heart wants a conversation and coffee is an excuse.
They say so in seven languages…
We are happy that it is still possible to experience these beauties.”
We read the article from the beginning to the end and feel sad, then this time we read only the ones written in bold characters one after the other.. It makes us happy to see the Antalya lovers, we walk by inhaling the scent of jasmine.
At the exit of Kaleici, we take pictures at the historical gate and return to the streets of Antalya…
Before, when I saw trees on the streets of Adana filled with fruits, the branches of which resembled tangerines, I scolded my friend saying why you don’t collect them.
Antalya streets are also full of citrus trees.. The branches of every tree are almost touching the ground thanks to the citrus trees…
While I was asking myself why people cannot use these fruits, I thought emphatically that these fruits should be evaluated in some way and that they are national wealth.. Just at this moment, an old uncle started shouting while he was picking an orange.
-They are bitter, they are inedible.. Don’t smash it!
First I was surprised what I was, and then I said that I would take it home by saying that I knew it was bitter orange.
It is necessary to start the orange jam business, which is frequently done in the Aegean Region, by establishing a factory here.. Even if the raw material is free…
The streets of Antalya hosted us during the winter days, while we were returning to the Teacher’s House with a few citrus fruits in our bag.