Has a purrfect time enjoying all historic Antalya has to offer
ROSS MCCARTHY
ATRIP to a foreign country can always throw up a few surprises. And a tale of women having the last laugh over men was not something I had expected to hear on a recent visit to Turkey.
In times past, not surprisingly, when it came to the matter of inheritance in Antalya, the males were given the most fertile land while the females left with the poorer plots by the coast, our guide, Aysa, told us.
But of course, with the tourism boom the women’s land increased in value greatly, turning them into millionaires leaving the men to till the fields.
Lots of hotels have sprung up now on one of Turkey’s longest stretches of shoreline, including Barut Lara where I had my second surprise.
One of the many activities it has to offer is mini golf. There are numerous hazards you can come across on golf courses, but one I hadn’t anticipated was having to abort my putt because a cat had stuck its head in the hole to drink rain water.
And having satisfied its thirst the ginger and white moggy, with seemingly no regard for the game’s etiquette, proceeded to make itself comfortable on the eighth hole.
That was far from the only feline friend at the all inclusive Barut Lara, which is heavily populated by a large colony of cats who wander around its substantial grounds.
And while the guests are pampered so too are the cats. They have their own house complete with slides and chairs and are fed and provided with veterinary care.
The hotel, about a 20-minute transfer from Antalya airport, is situated on a strip of equally large hotels of all shapes and decor, including one that looks like a cruise ship.
Eating options are endless, starting off with a breakfast buffet where you can choose from salads, cheeses, meats, cereals, yogurts, fruit, cooked food, pancakes, waffles and even some Turkish delight.
Lunch and evening buffets are equally wide ranging, including vegan dishes. Alternatively you can dine in one of eight à la carte restaurants, also part of the all- inclusive package.
I dined at one which specialised in Turkish cuisine, where all the ingredients were locally sourced. I enjoyed a selection of dips, before going on to Turkish noodles, with walnuts and Tulum cheese, sea bream with Mangavat tahini and finishing with citrus cake and pumpkin ice cream, all washed down with some good local red wine.
And for those still feeling a little peckish in the afternoon, there is a tempting selection of sandwiches, cakes and crepes on offer near to the main lobby area.
Having sampled the country’s food, I was anxious to sample another Turkish delight – its famous baths, so I headed for the hotel spa.
I started with five minutes in the steam room to open up the pores before I was taken into the treatment room for my peeling foam massage.
For the next twenty minutes or so I lay face up and face down as I was doused in warm water by the dance floor.
My ground floor room was spacious, with a well stocked mini bar and a balcony overlooking a grassy area, from where I watched a spectacular thunderstorm one night.
It is perfectly possible to spend a week or two at the Barut Lara without leaving its comfortable surroundings, but Turkey has much to offer. An excursion will take you through a fertile countryside where fruit and vegetables, including tomatoes, cucumbers, aubergine and water melons grow under plastic tents and oranges, lemons and bananas hang from the trees, the Taurus Mountains rising in the distance.
And you will be rewarded by such sights as the Manavgat waterfall, the substantial Roman ruins at Side and the Aspendos Roman amphitheatre, used as a place of rest for nomads and the scene of many a gladiatorial battle, as our guide explained.
For a shorter trip, visit Antalya Old Town, a hive of activity that boasts the remains of a gate built in the time of Emperor Hadrian – he didn’t just build walls – which leads on to a quarter with restored Ottoman houses and narrow streets lined with restaurants and tourist shops. Eventually you’ll reach the harbour, with views that help you appreciate why the town was described as ‘Heaven on Earth’ by early settlers.
Just off the Republic Square there is the street theatre of ice cream sellers teasing customers by offering them a cone and then taking it away, and here too, around every corner will find yet another sweet cat or kitten. Like them, I can’t think of a better place to curl up in the sun and relax.