The Cube

Bodrum, the modern name for the ancient Dorian city of Halicarnassus was the first Turkish town to experience a tourist boom. It is a port city in Mugla Province, southwestern Turkey at the entrance to the Gulf of Gökova. Its major sight being the 15th century Castle of St Peter. now a museum of nautical archaeology. 

Didn't expect that bus tickets were popular on the Bodrum-Pamukkale route. I returned to the travel shop where I was dropped off initially to get a bus ticket to Pamukkale. I wanted a morning bus and got a ticket from Ben Turizm, departing from 10am, TL 150. The person who sold me the ticket initially gave me seat 33, then corrected it to seat 13. I ended up at seat 2, right at the front. 

There was no bus from Pamukkale itself, but they told me that they have private shuttle to the Denizle bus station. No private shuttle for me but they flagged down a minibus (dolmus), spoke and paid the driver. I don't know how much was the actual cost but this website mentioned TL5. I was briefed to go up to the counter and checked the platform number.

On reaching Bodrum, the bus stopped at the bus terminal and I walked to the accommodation that I booked. I spent 2 nights in Bodrum and mostly only around Bodrum City Center.

Castle of St Peter is Bodrum's most distinctive landmark from 1406 by the Knights of St Joh. Its five towers represented the languages of its formidable inhabitants. The castle passed hand to the Ottoman in 1523, damaged during World War I, used to store artifcacts and finally a musuem now. 

As it was the main sight in Bodrum, I paid the entrance fee (TL150) for visitation. I spent at least a good hour exploring the castle, and see the displayed treasures along the way. 

The other attraction that caught my eye were windmills. These stone windmills overlook Bodrum peninsula were used from the 18th century till the 70s. There are a total of 7 windmills but only 2 are in  a better conditio comparatively. They sit on a hill that separates Bodrum and Gumbet so it is also a great location for panaroma views. 

The other thing I did a lot in Bodrum was strolling along the Bodrum Marina. There were a lot of shops to keep one occupy, or it was comfortable enough to sit down and stare at the sea. 

There were a lot of restaurants overlooking the sea which I didn't not try. A staff from one of the restaurants stopped me on my way to get me to eat at the restaurant he worked at. He stopped me at my tracks whenever I walked passed a couple more times after as well. Haha.  I was at a clear disadvantage because I am terrible for recognising face. Plus, I stood out like a sore thumb as I did not meet any oriental tourist when I was there. 

I did a day trip away from Bodrum on one of my days in Bodrum.