On the Bodrum peninsula, the village of Türkbükü encircles a calm bay off the choppier waters of the Aegean. While the ruins of a Byzantine castle grace the skyline of Bodrum proper, Türkbükü’s main (perhaps only) attraction is its water—clean and clear, a welcome respite from the August heat. The hills around Türkbükü form a natural amphitheater, and techno from the village nightclub echoes off them til 4am. Fortunately, a day in the sun makes me a heavy sleeper.
I’m sorry to leave Turkey so soon. There’s more of this country I’d like to see—much more—but now is not the time to head east. Still, I’m glad to have spent these days in Bodrum; it’s a slower vacation than I’m used to. After two months dashing from one monument to another, it feels strange to pass an entire day—let alone four—on the same beach. It’s been peaceful, and that—I think—is what I hope to find, wherever I end up next.
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