Because the tiny flame moved nearer to the fitting aspect of my head, I sat frigidly nonetheless, gazing straight forward on the mirror, trusting that this may finish properly.
That afternoon, I’d determined to get a haircut within the Adriatic seaport of Bodrum, southwest Turkey. Getting haircuts within the varied counties I go to has turn into a peculiarity of mine. Whereas the fundamentals of barbershops globally are a lot the identical, a number of the sudden oddities have been, within the parlance of my Boston brethren, “actual doozies.”
This was one such case. Though the younger barber and I couldn’t verbally talk, all gave the impression to be going as typical till he dipped a cotton-tipped stick in alcohol and set it alight with a match. As he introduced the burning flame as much as my ear, I used to be greater than vaguely trepidatious. All of a sudden he gently blew the hearth towards my aural cavity, inflicting the tiny hairs ensconced there to singe away in puffs of faintly acrid smoke. “That is each singular and hair-raising,” I reasoned to myself, “however severely? I feel tweezers might need achieved as properly.”
Nonetheless, whereas I hadn’t predicted any show of pyrotechnics once I first sat down on this barber’s chair, it’s a on condition that true vacationers relish such unanticipated happenings — as soon as we recover from the preliminary shock. I’d arrived in Bodrum touring by ferry from the Greek island of Kos, simply reverse this strategically vital coast. In case you’re touring as a household, inter-island ferries are the “highway journeys” of the Mediterranean.
As we approached, I discovered that Bodrum metropolis’s title means *dungeon* in Turkish, which didn’t precisely advocate it. I resolved to maintain an open thoughts and keep alert for some critical upgrades to that picture. Positive sufficient, as we sailed into the scenic harbor, we weren’t dissatisfied.
The unique *dungeon* for which Bodrum was named is a stalwart fifteenth century fort devoted to St. Peter the Liberator. That was an apparent trace of its connection to crusading knights, Seems, this outpost served as their sole refuge on the west coast of Asia for over a century, beginning about 1400.
On our left, a excessive cliff dotted with romantic however sadly weathered windmills neglected the magnificent bay. Beneath them was a thriving neighborhood of white stucco homes on hillsides with bursts of good bougainvillea flowers brightening the panorama.
E-book Your Keep in Bodrum
Immediately forward, inside secure moorings, a whole lot of costly yachts created a forest of excessive masts floating upon the ocean. This was the best assortment of fancy wood sailboats I’d seen wherever on the planet. Known as *gulets,* they’re a specialty of Bodrum, and have been for hundreds of years. A few of them are out there for constitution cruises.
We disembarked from the ferry beneath the fort, greeted by rows of historical statues left behind by long-ago Greek and Roman invaders, who known as the place Halicarnassus. Alongside the waterfront, a boisterous public fete was underway. The group we handed by way of was enthusiastic however pleasant, though I had no concept who or what they had been cheering. Definitely not us ferry passengers, as they resembled a political rally greater than a welcoming committee.
Flanking them, not sudden, had been scores of waterfront outlets, cafes and boutiques, together with one the place we had been enticed to enter by a proposal of sizzling apple tea. The store proprietor’s curiosity appeared linked to sharpening his English, whereas including to our information of native coloration. He proudly talked about that whereas Bodrum had a historical past of over 5000 years, “at the moment it’s Turkey’s hottest seaside resort and nightlife vacation spot.”
True, there was no scarcity of eating alternatives, Earlier than lengthy, we opted for a restaurant that had set out appe-teasing dishes crammed with grilled hen, marinated salmon and Turkish-style steak.
The chop-house supervisor requested me if I’d heard of the “Seven Wonders of the Historical World,” however I may solely title a pair.
“One in every of them was right here,” he stated. “The tomb of King Mausolos. Massively spectacular. Over 150 toes in peak.” My daughter picked proper up on that, asking, “So that is the place the time period *mausoleum* originated?” Sharp she is, however a dungeon and a mausoleum sound fairly grim paired collectively. So as a substitute I stated cheerfully, “Sounds majestic. What occurred to it?”
“You noticed it, however repurposed,” the supervisor knowledgeable us cryptically. “The crusaders instructed their work crews to disassemble the Mausoleum and use the stones to assemble this fort fortress behind you,” he defined. “in the event you run your hand alongside its partitions, in actuality you’ll be touching the stays of one of many historical Seven Wonders!”
