Antalya Diaries: When the Mediterranean Feels Like a Hot Bath
you know those days when you wake up and the air just hugs you back? that's antalya right now. i just checked and it's 18.76°c there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. i rolled out of bed, stepped onto my balcony, and immediately regretted wearing jeans. the humidity's at 72%, which basically means your hair has a mind of its own and your shirt sticks to you like a second skin. but honestly? i'm not mad about it.
antalya's got this weird mix of ancient ruins and beach clubs blasting euro-pop, and somehow it works. i spent the morning wandering kaleiçi, the old town, where the streets are so narrow you could high-five someone through a window. someone told me that the best börek in town is sold out by 10am, so naturally i missed it. again. but i did find a tiny tea garden tucked behind a carpet shop where the owner called me "sister" and poured me tea that tasted like it had been brewing since the ottoman empire.
later, i rented a bike and pedaled along the coast. the sea was so blue it looked fake, like someone had cranked the saturation in photoshop. i stopped at a rocky outcrop to take a photo, but my phone died because i forgot to charge it. classic. instead, i just sat there listening to the waves and watching paragliders float like confetti above the cliffs. if you get bored, side and alanya are just a short drive away, though honestly, antalya's got enough going on to keep you busy for days.
that evening, i wandered into a restaurant i'd never heard of, mostly because the guy outside promised me "the best meatballs in turkey." they weren't lying. i overheard a couple at the next table arguing about whether the dolmuş or a taxi was faster to the airport. the dolmuş won, apparently. i paid, left a tip, and walked back to my hotel under a sky so full of stars it looked like someone had spilled glitter.
i keep thinking about how antalya doesn't try too hard. it's not polished like istanbul, not sleepy like the villages up the coast. it's just... there. loud, messy, beautiful, and completely itself. and maybe that's why i already know i'll be back.
if you're planning a trip, check out tripadvisor's antalya guide or yelp for local eats. and maybe bring an extra phone charger. you'll thank me later.
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