Sinanation

What to expect: Some call it the St. Tropez of Turkey. Others use it as the gate to serenity. Whatever the case may be Bodrum is undeniably one of the best summer resorts found in the Southern Turkey. Dressed in the white of its architecture, this vacation spot provides visitors with a wide range of activities, welcoming the old and the young with arms wide open. The multiple bays that surround Bodrum are decorated with wooden decks built by private resort managers, helping the guests avoid the pain of walking through rocky beaches. The hotels are the most popular for beach and happy hour time with their great service and music. Dinners are usually at local seafood restaurants. The night parties are at restaurants that turn into beach clubs right after the evening’s final desert is served.

One characteristic that makes Bodrum so appealing to the Turks is the mild wind here that never ceases to keep the air fresh during the summer. It blocks humidity and eases the sizzling effect of the summer sun. So it is no wonder that all the metropolitans, especially the Istanbul locals who have been deep frying during the summer week, hop on a plane on Fridays to cool off their stress and temperature with a weekend in Bodrum.

Getting there: The flight from Istanbul to Bodrum Milas Airport takes approx. an hour. You can either fly from the Atatürk or the Sabiha Gökçen airports. Keep in mind that Sabiha is located on the Asian side of Istanbul and the cab ride can take upto 1.5 hours depending on the traffic. Atatürk is the main airport and is located on the European side and takes approx 45 min. from the city center (depending on the traffic). I recommend Turkish Airlines or Pegasus for the flight. Delays are usually unavoidable because of busy airports and crowded flights. So expect to be a little later than your original arrival time.

Where to Stay: It all depends on what kind of a vacation you are looking for. There are so many other bays to mention including the Bodrum center full of shops, restaurants and clubs, but I will be focusing on my two favorite:

• You need to be in Türkbükü Bay if you are looking to party and swagger on the beach, gaze at the socialites and mingle with the crowd. You can either rent a boat for the duration of your stay and park it in the bay among the numerous million-dollar yachts gliding gallantly on shallow waters or stay at Maça Kızı, the most popular and my favorite hotel in Türkbükü. For boat rentals I recommend Durukos Yachts (if you mention Sinanation at the time of your reservation you will get a 10% discount on your rental). Durukos has been in the charter business since 1970s and has available fleets in Turkey, Greece and Croatia.

• Yalıkavak Bay is where you should head to if you are looking to have all the glitter of Türkbükü, but wish to avoid the heavy crowd. I recommend Palmalife or Highlight for your stay. Keep in mind that both hotels have sandy beaches, definitely a rare find in Bodrum.

Where to Eat: You will be having lunch on the beach whatever resort you choose to visit or stay at. Maça Kızı is known for its phenomenal open buffet lunches and famous Sunday Turkish raviolis with yogurt. You can not leave Bodrum without having the famous Midye Dolma (muscles prepared cold with rice, spices and lemon) sold by street merchants in the afternoons in almost every bay. Midye Dolma is sold by piece and we usually have 10 pieces per person.

Seafood should be the main focus dinnertime. You need to try Sait’in Yeri in Yalıkavak (Tel: +90 252 385 5386) and Mimoza in Gümüşlük. Do not leave Sait’in Yeri without having the Köpoğlu for starter and Kabak Tatlısı for dessert. Irmik Helvası is unavoidable for desert at Mimoza. Reservation is a must and should be done a few days earlier.

Where to Party: The one and only Ship Ahoy in Türkbükü. Adamik Bar and Küba in the Bodrum center. Party starts past midnight and goes until the early morning.

What to Drink: Satsuma shots! Satsuma is an unusual tangerine collected from the trees at early age. It has a comforting scent and a sour/sweet taste that goes great with vodka or any other hard liquor.

Shots made with satsuma have been the best shots I have ever tasted so far.

Came across this pool in between the takes from a private home. I am very impressed by the genius design.

She came to us on a sunny afternoon;
She was the spirit we were waiting for;
Spread into our ears like the sweet melody of a lagoon,
she was the energizer we have been craving for;
Bubbled up our laughters
like the hot stove below warm waters
Disorganized and unprepared,
we have forgotten about the only thing that matters

So glad she found us;
So glad she reminded us,
How precious our everlasting friendship is,
How important its unconditional support is

Cease to pretend,
to restrain;
Caress the plain;
Dance to sunny days;
Dance to fresh waters;
Dance to caressing winds;
Dance to true friendships

Dance to Shay-DA

Download Shay-DA to your computer (Click on the arrow blow info on the player)

I think every modern living room occupied by residents who love to lounge needs this couch setup. The only problem will be when grandmothers/grandfathers visit and wish to sit straight. You will need a lot of pillows on the back to make that happen. I have no idea what the brand or the price is, but I am a big fan.

A few readers have been asking if they could receive notification of follow-up comments via e-mail. They wanted Sinanation to send them a reminder whenever another reader made a comment on their comment(s). This service is now available. All you have to do is to fill the appropriate box and leave your e-mail address when making a comment on any of the posts on the blog. This feature is optional, but I believe many will be happy to use it.

Sinanation has been active since September 2007, posting close to 300 articles on travel, food, restaurants, music, art, women and luxury items. Within that time frame the daily clicks to the site have been at a minimum of 300 with readers from all over the world, but mainly from North America and Europe (as stated by Google Analytics).

Sinanation should be a perfect ground for any company that is looking to promote its online sales and/or increase brand awareness. Do not miss the chance to be among the numerous brands (displayed on the right column) that advertise on Sinanation today.

Please contact Sinan Bastas at cnanb(at)hotmail.com for any inquires.

Hotel La Roccia stands like a fortress on top of a bay that runs into the town of Castro. In the southern tip of Salento, approx. 1.5 hours away from Lecce, this town is a smaller version of the romantic Italy you are used to seeing in movies.

Secluded estates that reveal only their entrance gates line up around the rocky shoulders like a string of pearls. You take extra caution driving on a snake-like road built right next to a cliff that rolls into the Aegean Sea, but you still wish you had a convertible red Ferrari or a classic sports car to test your skills on such a memorable track.

Beyond its rough topography, Castro is built for peace and serenity.

I can’t say much about Hotel La Roccia, but I believe it could be an amazing hotel once given a good renovation and a modern vision. It has a great setup and a unique beach that comfortably stands on a narrow cliff running down to the crisp Aegean waters. The hotel’s seafood restaurant on the other hand has so much more to offer.

On a bright night where the moon dives into the Aegean, we take our seats outside at Ristorante La Roccia with Andrea. We wait impatiently for food, trying to avoid the undisturbed romantic scene that lacks the right partners.

Dinner starts with fantastic appetizers of muscles, tuna carpaccio and an octopus salad dressed up with celery and carrots.

The spaghetti with muscles and tomatoes here (prepared for two, modified a little by Andrea) is simply the best I have ever eaten so far anywhere around the world. It is simple yet prepared just right to provide the best flavor out of all the ingredients that made up this unforgettable dish. Every bite gives a hint of an amazing olive oil, fresh tomato, parsley, muscle wrapped around pasta al dente. The main course, a sea bass oven-baked covered in salt, is equally impressive and prepared with the same vision. I demand that you save room for dessert and order the Panna Cotta and the warm apple cake served on top of a vanilla sauce.

I hope you make it to this place. I certainly want to go again.

No way on earth would I imagine finding the best bakery/ice-cream shop in Hungary in a completely remote village 150 km outside of Budapest. Thanks to Janos and Dina for ordering their wedding cake from this amazing shop of delicious wonders and pushing me to check the place out right away.

From a distance Szent Korona Cukraszda looks like a regular bakery shop found in every city around the world. Yet once you step inside you are mesmerized by a long line of displays filled up with some of the most exotic and delicious ice cream (“Kinder Tej” is my favorite) and millefeuille I have ever eaten. Regulars flock this place day and night, ordering scoops of desert for any occasion. If you think Korona is only good for its deserts, you are mistaken. The bruschetta here takes on the original Italian recipe and tops it with steamed red pepper slices and melted cheese. I wish I could tell you to just run out and check this place out, but most probably many of you will never make it there.

I will let the images speak for themselves.

Up until my trip to Budapest I thought the Russians had the biggest weapon in alcohol. I was wrong. The vodka, although the most common and cherished tranquilizer in entertainment, can not come near the Hungarian Palinka with an approximate alcohol level of 70%.

This harmless-looking all-so-natural fruity monster travels your veins like a heavy carriage of 15 horses. You take it ice cold in shots and wait until you can finally taste the fruit it was made from.

It is a fruit brandy that punches you like Muhammad Ali. Only after it comfortably settles in your belly you reach for a cold apple juice. Then the Palinka warms up your blood and pumps up your energy like the women you love. The real fun begins without the fear of a hangover the morning after.

I came across this house on the Cool Hunter. Unfortunately I have no idea where it is or how and when it was constructed. The mystery kills me, but these photos are worth a thousand words. I would be thrilled to be the owner!