Exporing where East meets West in Türkiye

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Saturday, 18 April 2026 - We spent the day between Bodrum’s markets, harbor, and castle. The Saturday market in Karatoprak was lively and local, filled with produce, spices, fish, and friendly vendors. Later we explored Bodrum Castle and its underwater archaeology museum before ending the evening with fresh sea bass overlooking the harbor.

turkey2026 — We began the day traveling to the Saturday market for the area in the coastal town of Karatoprak. The market was local, very local, we were the only tourists, and the locals were very friendly.

Fresh fruit - the ever present tomato.

turkey2026 — Bright peppers were stacked in long rows at the market. Many were intended for cooking, spice, or stuffing in traditional dishes.

turkey2026 — Peppers in shades from green to deep red covered the tables. The different colors reflected varying stages of ripeness.

turkey2026 — The pepper displays were impossible to ignore. Their colors and textures made them especially photogenic.

turkey2026 — Green almonds, which are the immature fruit of the almond tree. They are edible when young, often eaten whole with a sprinkle of salt to balance their tartness. They have a fuzzy, peach-like exterior and a crisp, grassy flavor, while the kernel inside is soft and jelly-like.

turkey2026 — Vendors lined the crowded market aisles. The Saturday market served local residents from nearby coastal towns.

turkey2026 — Purple artichokes were carefully arranged for display. Cut artichokes are often placed in lemon water to prevent browning. Their color was striking in the morning light.

turkey2026 — In the foreground yellow pears, complemented by a sign in Turkish reading "Extremely Sweet Like Honey".

turkey2026 — Apples and quince were arranged side by side. Quince is commonly used in Turkish preserves and desserts.

turkey2026 — Several vendors agreed to portraits with a smile. No one objected to having their photograph taken, which surprised us.

turkey2026 — Spinach, the red or pink color seen at the base of the stems is natural to the spinach plant, often referred to as the crown. This portion of the plant is edible and often considered one of the tastiest parts.

The arrangement looked almost sculptural.

turkey2026 — The spinach vendor paused briefly for a portrait. His stand was one of the most colorful in the market.

turkey2026 — Small tomatoes still hung from the vine. Fresh vine-ripened tomatoes appeared throughout the market.

turkey2026 — This lady was selling stuffed grape leaves. She offered us a sample. Several vendors offered us samples of their wares.

turkey2026 — Candied strawberries, raisins, and golden raisins. The candied strawberries were delicious.

turkey2026 — Large piles of raisins filled one corner of the market. Dried fruit was sold in bulk alongside nuts and spices.

turkey2026 — One vendor wore an elaborate patterned headdress. We both admired the colors and detail of her traditional clothing.

turkey2026 — The dark purple, slender items on the left and right are hollowed-out eggplants dried for winter storage. The bright orange and red items in the center are hollowed-out peppers also intended for drying.

turkey2026 — Fresh fish was sold outside the main market hall. The fish vendors stayed outdoors because of the strong smell.

turkey2026 — One fisherman paused while preparing his catch. The fish market was busy with local shoppers.

turkey2026 — We stopped to walk around the Turgutreis Marina. The marina was lined with sailboats and yachts along the waterfront.

turkey2026 — Back in Bodrum the harbor was crowded with visitors. Tourists and local schoolchildren filled the waterfront on the weekend.

turkey2026 — The Bodrum marina was packed with all sizes of ships. Many for hire to sale for 2 days up to 2 weeks visiting various Greek islands.

turkey2026 — We stopped at a local café to snap a few pictures of the Bodrum Castle. Bodrum Castle, also known as the Castle of St. Peter, was built starting in 1402 by the Knights Hospitaller (Knights of St. John) as a strategic stronghold on the Aegean coast.

turkey2026 — Later we entered Bodrum Castle itself. The fortress dominates the harbor from a rocky peninsula.

turkey2026 — The architect applied the latest features in castle design; the passages leading to the g ates were full of twists and turns. Eventual assailants could not find cover against the arrows, stones, or heated projectiles they had to confront.

turkey2026 — The knights had placed above the gates and on the walls hundreds of painted coats of arms and carved reliefs. Two hundred and forty-nine separate designs still remain, including those of grand masters, castle commandants, countries, and personal coat of arms from knights and religious figures.

turkey2026 — This group was fashioned between 1521 and 1523. The left side is of an unidentified knight on the right is the coat of arms of the Grand Master Philippe Villiers De I'Isle-Adam.

turkey2026 — The main entrance opened into the inner castle grounds. Heavy stone walls protected the central complex.

turkey2026 — An ancient marble well-head stood inside the museum collection. The carved bulls and garlands likely date to the Hellenistic or Roman period.

turkey2026 — A White Peacock, which is a color variant of the Indian Peafowl. These birds are not albino, but rather leucistic, a genetic condition that prevents melanin from being deposited in their feathers, resulting in pure white plumage while retaining normal eye color.

turkey2026 — A carved stone lion guarded part of the display. Animal sculptures appeared throughout the museum collections.

turkey2026 — Amphorae, which are ancient Greek or Roman jars used extensively for storing and transporting goods such as wine and olive oil.

These are in one of several small displays of the Bodrum Underwater Archaeology Museum.

turkey2026 — Yassiada shipwreck, sank in 626 AD it required 3,533 dives to bring the entire ship and cargo to the surface.

turkey2026 — An iron trident from the Byzantine era survived remarkably well. The artifact dates roughly from the 9th to 12th century AD.

turkey2026 — Display of glassware recovered from the Serçe Limani shipwreck, a Byzantine ship that sank in the 11th century AD.

turkey2026 — A tiny hedgehog-shaped oil flask from the 6th century BC, drew everyone’s attention. It still looked surprisingly charming after 2,500 years.

turkey2026 — The view from the Bodrum Castle - way up on the hills are old historic windmills.

turkey2026 — One cannon port framed the harbor perfectly. The castle’s position controlled the entrance to the bay.

turkey2026 — The city of Bodrum from one of the Bodrum Castle towers.

turkey2026 — We walked along the castle ramparts overlooking the sea. The thick defensive walls remain largely intact.

turkey2026 — We had a late lunch of Sea Bass on a patio overlooking the Bodrum Castle and Bodrum. This is our view along the bay.

turkey2026 — Bodrum at night. Cal took this picture after we returned to the room from a delightful dinner at the harbor. Of course, we had fish. We were asked to view the fresh offerings and choose our dinner.

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