Kalkan, Turkey sunset. I snapped this picture from the roof of the villa.
Do you want to spend 5 minutes with me on our house sit in Kalkan, Turkey?
My intuition told me to film the video below to offer you a “moment in the life” type glimpse into circling the globe.
Point blank; some imagine me to be a guy who spends hours daily staring at various-sized rectangular screens. Toss in clear images of same guy tapping little squares while staring at said screens and you likely built a picture of me and stored it in your mind.
I actually experience life away from the phone and laptop. No; not every travel experience oozes crazy.
Hiking, mind training, house sitting, pet caring and learning about various cultures around the globe occupy much of my time as a digital nomad.
This is the really fun stuff that world travelers experience.
For example, back in the States I typically secure a leash to a dog and walk the pet around the block.
Here in Kalkan I listen to the call to prayer beside a lemon tree in the yard in a resort town while the dogs pal around, per the experience I recorded in the video.
The pooches marched outside to use the loo and the Azzam began. Our neighbor fired up the tractor; farming is still popular in the region although I suspect he builds more frequently these days, this being a boom town. Eventually, the 3 dogs mingled as I preserved the moment via 1080 HD.
I enjoy that change up from mindlessly trudging down a less culturally stimulating suburb to the drone of steady traffic.
But that’s just me.
Ultimately, to each their own.
5 Minutes in Kalkan
I filmed a video from the 4 story luxury pad where Kelli and I are caring for 3 dogs.
We decided to spend the month in a small village nestled onto the Mediterranean Sea called Kalkan.
Kalkan and surrounding towns make up the fabled Turkish Riviera. Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous it is not, per se, but ample million dollar villas dot the coastline.
In truth, well-heeled Turks and prospering expats mix with local villagers whose families set up here for generations, forming an eclectic mix of old world charm and new world glam.
The nearly toothless, squat, shawled woman who prepared our divinely tasty Gozleme vividly reminded me of my grandfather’s sister from Transylvania when she visited The States nearly 43 years ago. I wander out on a limb when I ponder that perhaps she does not own one of the many BMWs we see whizzing around town. If she does, obviously, tearing out in a Beamer she values more than her teeth.
Yet, a million dollar villa with stupendous views of the Turquoise Coast sat a hop, skip and jump away from her food stall. The homeowners we help now mentioned how a wealthy expat or two invested in a high end villa not for enjoying personally but as a rental investment. Moolah reigns supreme in a few areas of town.
Toss in an army of British tourists during high season and you have a decent picture of this formerly quiet fishing village turned into a Turquoise Coast treasure. Brits arrive in droves not but a few months from the post publish date. Prices for everything skyrocket from drinks, to flights to moderate increases for rentals.
For example; the homeowners noted how flights to England range from $60 USD offseason to $500 USD during the high season. Never mind the astronomical liquor price hikes in a Muslim nation Brit-town dominated by those English folk who love The Sauce.
We picked this sit because low season trips agree with us. Picture sunny days, pleasantly cool mornings and 70 degree temperatures with virtually no tourists traipsing the streets.
Kelli and I seem to be the sole foreigners anytime we go shopping or laze on the beach.
Perhaps a small group of Turkish tourists descend on the village each weekend but we’ve not seen throngs of anyone swarming the peaceful coastline.
Forget mornings and evenings. Sometimes I wander to do cardio during off traffic hours. I see 5 times more street dogs than human beings; this is a dearth of humans not an embarrassment of street dogs.
Street Dogs and Cats
Kalkan – like Turkey – boasts a strong street dog and street cat culture.
Pooches and kitties roam freely around town in largely serene fashion. Locals feed and provide water for our furry brothers and sisters as Muslim culture in this part of the world preaches care for all living things.
Although some Turks tend to fear street dogs it seems a fair portion cares deeply for the 4 legged Fido’s, along with a mindful expat community preaching spaying, neutering and general responsibility as far as curbing the street animal population.
Two of the three dogs we care for hail from the streets. One clung to her proper diva ways (words of British homeowners) after migrating from England.
Dogs in Kalkan, Turkey
Video Highlights
- neighbor fires up tractor before driving away
- call to prayer (Azzam or Salah) blares from loudspeakers in the background
- 3 delightful doggies make cameos to horse around for a bit
- sideview of the 4 story villa
- pool and property view of the villa
- 1080 p video clarity
Click to enjoy the video:
