Bright moments of our life remain in our heart and live in our memory thanks to the shots we took while traveling!
The first meeting with a new place is always unforgettable! Today I want to talk about the unique face of the city of Bodrum in the north of the Gulf of Gekova (Aegean Sea). Breathtaking views of the mountains between Fethiye and Bodrum... The medieval castle of St. Peter... The ancient mills...
At the entrance to the city there is a big board with the words of the famous Turkish writer Cevat Shakir Kabaagachla: "When you reach the hill, you will see Bodrum. Don't think that you will leave here the same as you were. Those who came to you also thought, like you, however, when they left, they left their heart here ... "
So, I invite you to enjoy with me this ancient city where I spent one day on my bonus cruise along the west coast of Turkey
We started from the city of Fethiye and the GPS guided us along a mountain road towards the city of Bodrum, where we decided to spend one night before moving on to Cesme. Sunset was approaching. We suddenly found ourselves at the top of a mountain serpentine and decided to stop on the roadside to enjoy this rare beautiful view of the Turkish mountains, which can only be found when traveling with your own car. Spring freshness was in the air. A tree blossomed with snow-white flowers among the pines. The edge of the sky was yellow-hot and purple. Against the backdrop of the blue mountains in the distance, it looked fabulous!
These Turkish mountains are a wonderful combination of nature, which is similar to the Carpathian mountains and the Crimean mountains. After all, nature has no borders.
Thus, we arrived at our hotel Bodrum Vera Hotel when it was already dark outside. And here an emergency situation awaited us. Our hotel was located on a very steep, narrow street and there was no parking for a car. But the hotel manager helped to do it. Let me tell you - Turkish men drive cars masterfully. They have an amazing sense of dimensions. For me, driving on old, narrow streets is stressful! But I guess you can get used to everything.
The old town of Bodrum is a maze of narrow streets with whitewashed stone houses. Flowers in ceramic vases and blooming vines on these white houses look extremely beautiful.
The Greek style is felt here, as in the entire Aegean region of Turkey. From the shore you can see the Greek island of Kos.
Unfortunately, due to the rain, we could not take a photo of the old town.
Finally we were able to relax in this wonderful hotel. My daughter 
My youngest daughter 
We got out of the car when it was cloudy outside and it looked like it was going to rain soon. What to do? We will reach the castle in time, - I said. Because there will be no second chance to get to the famous St. Peter's Castle. We walked under an umbrella along the embankment where the yachts were parked. There were three interesting sculptures here. Diver. Giant snail. And also a couple of lovers who kiss each other without hands.
Finally, we saw the wall and the famous French tower of St. Peter's Castle - the most famous sight of Bodrum. We managed to enter the fortress and a strong thunderstorm began. My daughters were not thrilled. Strong streams of water flowed over the ancient cobblestones. And our feet got wet. But there was a unique magic for me at that moment. I especially like wandering around the medieval defense buildings, reading about the historical events that took place there. The castle is extremely large. It was preserved in excellent condition. Approaching the sea, I took fascinating shots of the wall of the stone defensive wall, into which the sea waves magically hit. This strict and impregnable fortress was built in the first half of the 15th century by the Crusaders. The ruins of an ancient mausoleum were used to build the castle. The storm ended and we walked there for an hour, looking at the ruins and ancient sculptures. Of course, this place deserves a separate post.
We went in the direction of the exit from the city, but suddenly I noticed an interesting round structure. I stopped and got out to read what it was. Perhaps researchers of the ancient culture of Turkey would be interested to see this amazing dwelling.
I read on Google:
Kumbet is an important part of Seljuk architecture, popular in the 13th century. These structures are either polygonal or cylindrical in shape, covered with a dome.
Cows grazed on the hill. These cute noble animals reminded me of my Ukraine :) Suddenly I noticed strange round stone structures on the hill. There were several of them and it interested me. We decided to go there to find out what it was. Beautiful views of the city of Bodrum and the sea opened from here.
The unique stone windmills is located on the hill between the two bays, which is the distinctive business card of Bodrum. Some windmills have been severely damaged by time and seismic processes, but some structures have been repaired while others are being rebuilt. From here, from the hill with the windmills, there is a beautiful panorama of Bodrum.
In the Middle Ages, windmills on high mountains served a double function. In addition to processing food (as per assigned jobs), they also took part in protecting civilians from uninvited guests as observation and warning towers. Factory work stopped, a warning sign of danger.
This is a rare phenomenon for Turkey - to meet here wind stone mills, which are a common phenomenon, for example, in the Netherlands.
Filled with beautiful impressions, we set off in the direction of the city of Kusadasi. Every moment of our trip was unique and filled us with happiness. Yellow flowers on the background of Turkish mountains, and these are such cute sheep :)
Thanks to everyone who visited my blog.
ššš