Wednesday dawned bright and sunny but it was soon chilly and although we optimistically packed our swimsuits and towels for a day on the beach, we knew really that the chance of getting a suntan that day wasn’t likely as we headed off for town again.

Audrey's roommate Pat, the one who had been having migraines so badly, had again had a bad night. She was in two minds about asking the travel agent if she could go home on the Thursday flight. Her friends had gone off that morning to Ephesus and she was looking rather downhearted and depressed. She had breakfast with us but felt she then had to go back to bed. So Pat and I set off with the postcards I'd bought the day before and had written the last evening in search of the post office.

As we passed by our carpet friend's shop, Pat was keen to walk by and not get involved in another conversation with him since we were in a hurry to do other things but I turned around and waved to him as we went by and decided that I would go and visit him later in the day. He was sitting outside his shop watching us, so he had been very aware that we had tried to avoid him.

When we got to the waterfront, we went left which we thought was how we were directed, but seeing nothing that looked remotely like the Post Office, we went into the Caravanserai to ask directions. This was a large recently remodeled building which in the ancient days had been where the nomads had parked their caravans all together for protection. It was a round building with arches spaced around on the lower area and the centre being empty for the caravans. It. now was a restaurant. The man who talked us about the building spoke very good English too, and told us we were going in the wrong direction for the Post Office. So we went back to the right, stopping on the way to climb up to the 14th century castle ruin which gave an excellent view over the harbour.

We eventually found the post office and got our postcards sent.  After we left there, we bought some bread for our lunch. Then we sought out the dolmus which is a local transport system - a minibus which runs between the small towns and literally stuffs people in (the word dolmus means stuffed) until the bus is packed. We caught the dolmus by the travel agent's office and not knowing what to do, sat down and waited for someone to tell us.

We had got on the dolmus labelled Ilica which was the beach we wanted to go to, having heard it was the best one in the area. The bus had about 10 people in it and everyone seemed to be passing money up to the driver as he went along. He kept giving me searching glances in the rear view mirror which Pat couldn't see. She had the money ready so I kept saying to her to pay the man, but it just seemed so awkward when we didn't know how much, they didn't speak any English and he was driving all the time. They would stop wherever anyone wanted to get out, and we didn't know where we wanted to get out.

I nearly made us get off at the first stop, but since we weren't near a beach, decided that maybe we should risk going on a bit more. I was really worried - feeling totally out of control. They could have taken us to another area completely and we just didn't know or understand what was going on. Pat was in her element enjoying every minute of this new experience.

Finally we reached a beach -like area and got off - paying the driver as we got out. He charged us 3000 Turkish lire each. Then we started walking down the road by the beach looking for a place to buy fruit for our picnic. Pat had brought Dairy-lee cheese triangles from England for just such occasions and we had made up drinks of gin and orange, we'd bought our bread- now we needed bananas and apples.

The first greengrocer had very nice looking fruit, much better than we had seen in Cesme. So we picked out 2 nice big bananas and 2 large apples and asked him how much. He wrote 2000 on his paper. Then another man in the shop started talking to him telling him, or so we thought, that we were gullible English suckers and why not charge us double that. So the price then became 4000. Pat was really upset by this and was going to object but I wanted to avoid a confrontation so tried to pay the other extra money but had only 1000 lire. So the man took my 1000 and said it was okay. We found out that the fruit was not such a big rip off after all, because bananas were very expensive and we had very big ones. Our 4 pieces of fruit cost about £1 not much different from what we would have paid in England.

We continued our journey down the street crossing over onto the beach area. It was starting to rain and really was a most miserable day. We went to the sort of kiosk area and to eat our food- but didn’t really enjoying this picnic much. The beach was empty and beautiful despite the weather. Then we wandered on towards the shops in the town. This town was very sleepy and untouristy. We looked at a few dresses in one shop and the lady was quite insistent that she could find what we wanted, but neither of us was in a buying mood.

On we walked in the dripping rain and eventually came to some rather posh hotels But we were about ready to give our day up as a bad idea and head back for Cesme. We needed to catch another dolmus to go home but didn't know where to get it. So we returned to the tourist shop and I bought some little dishes and we asked the man who spoke excellent English where to get the dolmus. He told us we had to retrace out steps back to the area where we had bought fruit. This we did and caught a bus within a short time. 

This time the dolmus was even fuller. We had our correct money ready and passed it to the driver as we were supposed to do. I sat on the back bench with 3 Turkish ladies all dressed in black with headscarves covering their hair. Pat carried on a smile and eye contact conversation with them, and when we got out, one little lady waved to her. I was so relieved to be back in Cesme where I felt at home but Pat had thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

I was still feeling rather out of sorts, partly due to the bad weather, and I wanted very much to visit my friend. So I dragged Pat with me on the pretext of getting a much needed cup of tea, and we sat and talked with him again. I had told Pat the night before that I had decided to buy a carpet from him but didn't want to barter.

So I told him this. "I want a carpet and I want to buy it from you. I don't know quality and you do. I want to spend £40 on this carpet and I would like you to choose some of your carpets that you could offer me for that price and then I will pick my favorite from between them. I trust you because we are friends not to cheat me," I said.

I was expecting him to be pleased that I was buying from him, and he was but he was also in a quandary. Because I had asked him as a friend to not cheat me, I was putting the issue on a moral level, and he said I was making it a matter between him and his God. He was really worried about this. He knew he had to be more than the good businessman and salesman that he obviously was, and make sure I was not cheated. At first he asked if we would come back another day for this purchase. I really wanted to buy as late in the week as possible to make sure I didn't run out of money so this suited me. But then he said "but I want you to be my first customer. You will bring me luck.”

So just at that time, his partner came into the room and this long discussion between them started. It was obvious from his facial expressions that his partner didn't like the terms of my agreement - and yet our friend was quite determined that he should make this sale to me. Then they went over together to a pile of carpets and began throwing a pile of them down. Two largish and very pretty ones were put on display for me, but our friend said they were £60. I said that I was prepared to buy something smaller because £40 was my limit. So then he took out a few of the kilim woven rugs but I didn't really think they were worth the money to me as I didn't like them, and I'm quite sure my friend was in agreement, as he almost spit when he talked about kilims.

He showed us three designs, one was really very beige, and I wanted something to brighten up my living room. I asked him what the patterns symbolised and he told us, although I have since forgotten. I then asked him to decide for me, and he picked one with bright red designs, and I could see it was of very good quality. He then kissed me on both cheeks. I paid in Turkish lire practically spending all the cash I had and again this pleased him. He would have accepted traveler's cheques but felt happier with their own money. He then gave us his card and we found out for the first time his name - Niyazi   (pronounced Knee-azee ). He asked for our names too and we told him. He asked if we would write out our addresses for him as he would like to send us each a Christmas card to show how much he appreciated our friendship. Niyazi asked that we would continue to come down each day to visit him, even though we had already bought a carpet.

My spirits had bucked up considerably during this whole exchange. And as we left, still feeling on top of the world we went across the road and I bought a beige handmade lace trimmed two piece dress called a silebezi according to Niyazi (he also told me to be careful because you could see through the material) and two scarves for my daughters. I went back to the hotel feeling rather pleased with my bargain carpet and my new friend Niyazi. When we got there we heard that much excitement had taken place in our absence.

Many of our friends feeling the need of hot water very strongly had gone to the Turkish baths. We had to hear all about this. They went as a group - 3 men and 10 women. When they got there, they were told to leave their shoes by the door, were given towels - told to take off their clothes and put them in lockers, and given keys for the lockers. They then went into the large rotunda shaped room with marble slabs all around. They sat and had a bucket to pour hot water over themselves. But the spirit of mischief had its way and it was soon a free-for-all with everyone pouring water over everyone else. Audrey got very upset because her new perm was soaked. Most of the towels were lost in the rough house that followed and yet they all say they had a great time. These weren't teenagers- people mostly between 50 and 70, none with beautiful sylph like figures.

Then after the water fight the massages began. There were two masseurs dressed in just little towels around their middles. They had the subjects lying face up three at a time on the slabs. They got a four part treatment, but had to get up between bits so everyone could have each part done before they moved on to the next stage.

The first stage was just massage but these men were real experts in hitting right nerve and making everyone feel much better. The second stage was with rough gloves on which took the skin off it was so abrasive. Then there was a sort of oily bubble bath which was massaged in too and the finally rinsed off. All the procedure was done discretely so nobody was every completely naked ever. But tops were not considered as being worth covering up. The ladies remarked it was no worse than being on a topless beach. They then got dressed, had a cup of tea, and paid the men.  But everyone said it was a marvelous wonderful treat and thoroughly recommended it. So Pat and I decided we would be brave and try it too.

The meal that evening was spaghetti for first course, followed by a lamb stew with potatoes and an orange for dessert. We weren't too impressed with the cuisine.

Thursday's weather was looking up again. We were eager to get out and about and yet have our quota of sun. But since Pat who'd had the migraines was feeling better and since her friends were still in Ephesus, I asked her if she would like to come down with us, and meet our Turkish friend. She admitted that up to that time her holiday had been a misery, but she found out that even if she had wanted to return home, it would not have been easy, because this was the first week of holidays with this group, they were not having any Thursday flights home. So it was just as well as her health took a turn for the better.

We went into a jewelry shop to price rings. Pat of the Migraines wanted to price ruby rings. She and her husband were celebrating their ruby anniversary in a month's time. They had priced them at home and found them to be about £300. So when we found the jewelry shop that Pat, my roommate had found an emerald ring that she fancied earlier in the week, we went inside to price them and see what they looked like on. The ruby ring had 7 largish stones and was very pretty. He said it was £150. The emerald ring was either slightly more or less, but he had said if we each bought a ring he would give us a special deal. I had no intention of buying a ring - certainly not at that price. So we left the rings and said we would think about them and come again. Pat my roommate was keen to get back to the hotel for a swim so the other Pat and I went to visit Niyazi. Most of the time we were in his shop there was nobody else in it. Occasionally a customer would come and he would leave us to chat with them, but we never actually saw him selling anything else to anyone.

Niyazi served us apple tea. It was migraine Pat's first experience of this lovely drink and she like the rest of us decided that she would get some to take home. She told him she had been looking at rings and told him what the rings were like and how much they cost. He said he would ask his son-in-law to bring some rings and other jewelry with him when he came to visit on the weekend.

Friday night at 8 marked the end of the month of fasting that the Moslems do far the Ramadan. They could only eat and drink before 8 in the morning and after 8 at night for a whole month. They were not to smoke and do certain other things (sex) either. Niyazi was a good faithful Muslim and followed the laws strictly - but it was obvious from the number of Turkish men that we saw eating each day that many people ignored this ruling.

He said that the holiday to mark the end would be allover the weekend. His wife and youngest son would come from Izmir to spend the time with him. Also his other son and son-in-law and their families would come for the day on Sunday. We asked him if it was hard to fast for 12 hours like that, but he said if you didn't expect food, you didn't miss it. And as they could eat early and late, they weren't really in any danger to their health. He didn't look as if he had lost weight.

We told Niyazi that some of our group had gone to the Turkish baths and he said it was a good practice, but was for men only. He couldn’t believe the women from our group had been allowed in there and that they had been topless. He said there was a topless beach used by foreigners in the summer, and that the Turkish men, not being used to that sort of thing stared at them. This in turn frightened the English women who thought the Turkish men had designs on them. But he said, "Turkish men aren't used to that sort of thing.”

I assured him that English and American men stared too, and we didn't think anyone really even got used to that sort of thing. Pat said she felt that if his country felt that it was wrong to have topless bathing, they should make a rule against it and stick with it. But he said they very much wanted to join the Common Market, and therefore they had to allow the sorts of things other European countries allowed or they would not be accepted. He felt very worried by the lower standards of morality in young people. I said I thought my daughters had  good moral sense.

When we got there, migraine Pat felt like she needed a rest. I joined the other Pat at the pool. She said after she had left us with Niyazi she had been walking along the very uneven pavement outside the shops and had fallen. She cut her knee and elbow and got blood allover her white slacks. The problem was due to her glasses. Earlier in the week she had left her ordinary glasses on the bed and without thinking had sat on them and badly bent the bow. I tried to straighten it and it snapped off completely. She did have other glasses- new bifocals, and she found it hard to go down stairs wearing them so normally she took them off and on this occasion she had forgotten and had fallen. We got about an hour’s sun and ate our bread and cheese and gin snack but I felt rather sick and headache, possible due to slight sunstroke, so I felt I needed a nap too.

When I was out Pat went off and went all alone to the Turkish bath and had a marvelous experience. On the way back she got lost. We often got lost when we went back up from the town to the hotel because the streets ran at such odd angles. We always found our way in the end because as long as you were going up you were bound to hit the road which ran next to our hotel. So Pat had had quite an adventurous day all on her own.

I felt bad in a way that I had missed the Turkish bath experience, and rather relieved in another way. This being Thursday, most of our bunch had taken a boat to Donkey Island. Another lot had taken a trip to Chios, the Greek island nearby. I had to decline both these trips because I was in charge of the bridge that evening.

I went down to the lounge about 5 to get organized for the 5:30 start. I got all the tables set up and waited and waited. Nobody came. Finally about 5:30 the two Pats came down and I made them play three handed bridge with me, just to show willing. As people trickled back from their boat trip, they really had no interest in bridge. They wanted to talk and relax and I decided that. it was a waste of time trying to get them to do it. Pauline the organizer and her husband were going out for a meal that evening. We all agreed that they picked the right day not to be there.

Our evening meal was salad, followed by a large plate of cold chips with tomato sauce. Many of the group complained and sent them back and refused to eat them. Next came the main course, a lamb stew with potatoes and a side serving of rice. It was quite tasty, but because people were still upset by the cold chips, they weren't very forgiving. The pudding was bad too. Round circles of some sort of bread product, not sweet, soaked in some sort of fruit juice. Nobody ate that either. We made such a fuss about the meal, bringing in the Lancaster representative, that in the end the hotel agreed to give us a very good meal the following night to try to get back in our qood graces.

The bridge later that evening was pretty disorganized too. I was in charge, but because others than those of our party were at the hotel and wanted to eat in the dining room, we couldn't just kick them out. We had to play bridge around them. The waiters didn't understand me, or were too busy, and didn't clear tables for us to play in time, so I started taking off the glass tops myself. When they saw me doing this, one rushed in to help, and ended up breaking one of those large glass tops. Thank goodness it wasn't me who did it. One table of non-players were particularly noisy, and I was requested to ask them to shut up. I didn't feel I could do this, so asked the manager to do it, and he didn't want to either, so in the end our bunch moved to another table farther from the noise. It really was chaos. The people had requested we finish at 11 sharp, which I was happy to comply with that. I think we all felt a certain overdose of bridge