Kalkan is a popular place.  If you read the KTLN annual survey, you will see what it is that people love about this gem, on the Turquoise coast.

However, one thing that never fails to amaze us, is just how few visitors take time out, to explore the quiet back streets of the old town, which are packed with charm and character.

This report, in words and images, brings you one of the finest examples of a traditional Kalkan property, from the heart of the old town - the recently renovated Courtyard at White House, Kalkan. LocationYou can find the White House by following Süleyman Yımaz Caddesi - keep walking past Moonlight Bar, Sofra restaurant and Iso s restaurant, and you will see it on your right.  It s a white building, on a corner!

Planning the renovation projectHalil Kelek and Marion Tuohy are the lucky people who live there, and run it as a B&B pansiyon.  A few years ago they decided that they wanted to renovate the properties adjacent to the courtyard, in a way that was in keeping with its surroundings, and using traditional materials.

To help them turn this dream into reality, they got help from neighbours, and qualified architects, Pınar and Kutay Karabağ, (Atölyem Mimarlık).  They also sought the assistance of interior design expert, Bihter Türkfiliz.

Below: Left to right - the team - Kutay, Pınar, Bihter, Halil and Marion.

They got official approval for the project in 2008, and started detailed planning for the work.  The actual renovations started in November 2011 and ended in July 2012.  Below we show you some before and after shots of the property.

The White House Courtyard buildings
In fact, the property that has been renovated comprises three adjacent units, which lead on to a delightful courtyard.  Nobody knows for sure how old the original buildings are, but the best guess is that they date back to the 1920s - to around the time the Republic of Turkey was founded.

It is believed that the buildings were built on top of the site of even earlier structures, which may have been built anything up to 150 years ago.  Beneath one of the buildings is an underground water cistern, with a vaulted stone roof - quite rare in this part of Turkey.

Following the renovations, the Courtyard properties now offer 6 air conditioned rooms, all with en-suite facilities, which are available for the discerning tourist.

The renovation work has tried to re-use existing materials where possible, but where this was not possible, similar, traditional materials have been used.

For example, virtually all doors, windows, floors, ceilings and balconies are made from original, or replacement cedar wood.  The smell of the wood when you enter the rooms is particularly pleasing.

Below: An original wooden ceiling decoration in one of the refurbished rooms.

Instead of using cement for the walls, they have painstakingly created traditional plaster, made from local sand, clay from Isparta, lime (specially imported from France), and organic material, similar to straw/hay.  Not only is this material aesthetically pleasing, once whitewashed, but it also breathes - which is something concrete doesn t do.

The renovation team
Pınar and Kutay have been lead architects on this project, but Halil and Marion have also been very much hands on .  Other key members of the team were Halil s brother in law and sister, Hüseyin and Hulya Söyleli.

They told KTLN that over 50 people have worked on the renovation of the White House courtyard buildings, and for many of them this was more than just a job - it was a labour of love.  Here is an example of the lengths they went to, on this project.

One of the key workers with experience of this type of project was Ali  Yılmaz, originally from Isparta, but now based in Antalya.  He made a special trip back to Isparta, where he oversaw the extraction of the clay that was required to make the plaster.  The clay was 2 to 3 metres underground, and once excavated, was dried out and ground into a flour-like consistency, using traditional methods.

Part of the old courtyard floor was made of small stones, and workmen spent hours laying additional black and white stones, one by one, to create wonderful patterns on the ground.

Amongst the tradesmen employed were general builders, plasterers, carpenters, stonemasons, electricians, plumbers, the people who did the tiling and marble chimney tops, and the men who restored the old fireplaces.

The outcome and overall effect
The project was completed pretty much on time, and just slightly over budget, which given the complexities involved, is an amazing outcome.

As you would imagine, all of this work in the old part of Kalkan town, was subject to scrutiny by the official government department responsible for protecting the country s heritage.  Not only did they have to approve the original plans, but they came to inspect the works from time to time. 

We are pleased to say that the final results met with their approval.  If you take a look for yourself, you will understand why they got that sign off.  The buildings look fantastic, and are in keeping with their surroundings, the climate, the lifestyle, and are true to the history of Kalkan.

Traditional style with mod cons
Having said that, these buildings now present a very clever combination of tradition and modernity.  The look and feel is of old world Kalkan, but inside you have aircon, tasteful en-suite facilities, and very comfortable furnishings.

On the outside, the aircon units have been ingeniously hidden away, so as not to spoil the look of the exterior.

There is one concession to modern materials, in that you will see a glass door on Süleyman Yılmaz Caddesi, leading to the courtyard area.  Why glass, we asked?  The old building had a wooden door, but they decided that the beauty of the White House courtyard, should be visible for everyone to see from the street.  We couldn t argue with that.

Below: The entrance to the courtyard on Süleyman Yılmaz caddesi.  (Before the glass door was fitted).

An inspiration
Everyone involved in the project is quite rightly proud of a job well done.  It is quite literally, a dream come true for Halil and Marion.

We believe that the Courtyard at White House, is not only something that they can be proud of, but it is a credit to Kalkan, and something which we all should celebrate.

Whilst this is an excellent example of a traditional Kalkan building, we should make it clear that there are many other buildings in the old town, which are evocative of the simple, traditional, Mediterranean way of life, from bygone days.

These buildings are largely undiscovered by today s tourists, which is a real shame, because we believe they would provide some special memories, which visitors could take away with them, when they leave Kalkan.

The next time you are in Kalkan, why not make some time to wander through the back streets of the old town, and discover these hidden gems for yourself.

Below, we publish some photos from the Courtyard at White House renovation, which we hope you enjoy viewing.

Before	After

If you enjoyed this story and the photos, we believe that the architects are planning to give a presentation on the renovation later this year.  They will have lots more before, during and after photos to share.  Look out for details on KTLN, nearer the time.

Kalkan Turkish Local News - your window on Kalkan Turkey.

Katie-EllenLove KTLN.  Love Kalkan

Gökçeada, Turkey by Annabelle Thorpe

The Turkish city of Çanakkale is not the place to be on a swelteringly hot day. But perched on the Dardanelle straits, it is the most accessible place to hop on a ferry to Turkey’s Aegean islands.
Three hours after the ferry ground its way out of Çanakkale, I stepped onto the quiet harbour at Kuzu on the island of Gökçeada. The air was thick with the scent of thyme, which grows wild across the island, and a stiff breeze meant the temperature felt reassuringly cooler than on the mainland. But most pleasing was the feeling that I had somehow stepped back 15 years – guesthouse and pension signs swung in the breeze outside slightly ramshackle houses, and there was a wonderful lack of the pastel-coloured apartment blocks that characterise so many of Turkey’s coastal resorts.
In spite of the lack of mass tourism (or perhaps because of it) there is plenty to do. Many of the beaches are completely free of development, although I found plenty of life at Aydincik Plaji, in the far west of the island, where the breeze picked up and the water was scissored by kite- and windsurfers. Nearby, there were rock tombs to discover, and further afield a handful of ruined Greek villages bear testament to the mixed heritage of the island.
It’s a ramble in the morning, laze on the beach in the afternoon kind of a place, and I found myself spending a considerable part of my days lazing in cafés such as Barba Yorgo in Tepekoy, drinking tiny cups of syrupy coffee and eating even more syrupy baklava.
The unspoilt nature of the island means that this is not a place to come in search of luxury. But the Zeytindali Hotel is charming: two stone-built houses in the traditional Greek style, housing 16 rooms that are simple without being spartan. The real joy is its restaurant, which serves breakfast and dinner on the pretty terrace, with most of the ingredients sourced on the island. I found myself addicted to the home-made thyme honey, which went well with the salty home-made cheeses that appeared on the breakfast table each morning.
The fact that it is the largest of Turkey’s islands makes it likely that developers and aparthotels will soon start to appear. But for now, Gökçeada is a blissful escape – unpretentious, undeveloped, unchanged. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/d38261d6-b44e-11e0-9eb8-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1YaCJPs2FGestas (www.gestasdenizulasim.com.tr) run ferries between Gökçeada and Çanakkale four times a week. www.zeytindalihotel.com

Cappadocia Akkoy Evleri Cave Houses Special Offer in Grape Harvest Season

2 days and 2 nights stay at the ecotourism center Akkoy Evleri in carved cave room at an authentic village inn, organic country breakfasts and a full earthen jar of housewine from local produce are included. price for 2 people, 2 days accommodation and special gift of wine, all taxes included: 160 USD. http://www.boutiquesmallhotels.com/akkoyevleri

Marble pedestals in the temple reveal the existence of sports
It has been revealed during excavations carried out in the ancient Apollon Smintheus Temple in the northwestern province of Çanakkale’s Ayvacık district that the Olympic Games had been organized in the Troas region.
The excavations that have been continuing for some 30 years in the region continued last month under the leadership of Professor Coşkun Özgünel and new historical, social and religious documents were discovered.
Speaking to the Anatolia news agency, team member Associate Professor Davut Kaplan from the Ondokuz Mayıs University said the existence of sports for 3,000 years was proved with both archaeological and written documents. “The most important among them is the athletic games practiced at grave yards to please the dead,” he said.
Kaplan said the goal of the sports practiced in a social area was commemoration while others were practiced for the gods.
“It is known that all these sports were not only regional but also universal. The universal development of sports depends on the existence of competition. But the real matter is material. Some types of sports had commercial aims as well as played a role in solving political and social matters.”
Kaplan said documents in the Greek language were seen in marble pedestals unearthed during the excavations.
“Along with 19 pedestals, we have also found nine pedestals, one of which is unwritten and one is broken. All these pedestals were part of a statue but we have not reached the statues yet. Considering the footprints on the pedestals, we can say that all statues had human figures. The names of sportsmen and their degrees are also written on the pedestals. The most important feature of these pedestals is that they show the existence of a comprehensive organization in the Troas region. We can say that they were international organizations in today’s sense. As long as the excavations continue, we will reveal more information about the sports games in the region at the time of the Roman Empire,” Kaplan said. ÇANAKKALE - Anatolia News Agency

Anatolian Christians to celebrate Grape Festival
Greeks, Armenians and Syriac Christians in Anatolia are observing a grape fast by refraining from eating from the new harvest until the fruit is consecrated in church on Sunday and Monday. Churches across Anatolia will be celebrating the festival with special masses on Aug 14 and 15
Baskets of grapes blessed in churches will be distributed among the people on the day of the mass, after which time the fast is broken.
Christians throughout Anatolia are preparing to celebrate the Grape Festival and the Assumption of Mary on Aug. 14 and 15 with a variety of activities that stretch back into the pre-Christian era.
Churches across Anatolia will be holding mass for the occasion, including the Church of the Virgin Mary in Ephesus, Sümela Monastery in Trabzon, the Syriac Deyr ul-Zafaran Monastery in Mardin and the Surp Asdvazsazsin Armenian Church in Vakıflı, Anatolia’s last remaining Armenian village, which is located in the southern province of Hatay. During the celebrations of mass, newly harvested grapes will receive blessings as part of the festivities.
Assumption Day celebrates the ascent into heaven of Mary in accordance with Christian tradition. The roots of the festival, however, date back to the polytheistic era prior to Christianity; when Anatolian peoples were Christianized, new year celebrations and the vine harvest festival of the ancients were replaced by the Assumption Day and the Grape Festival, respectively.
Greeks, Armenians and Syriac Christians in Anatolia observe a grape fast and refrain from eating from the new grape harvest until grapes are consecrated in church. Ostentatious celebrations are also held in churches across Greece, as well as in the Central Armenian Apolostic church of Etchmiadzin in Armenia, the seat of the Catholicos of all Armenians.
Baskets of grapes blessed in churches are distributed among the people on the day of the mass, after which time the fast is broken, according to tradition, by eating blessed grapes mixed with non-consecrated grapes. The grapes also symbolize fertility and abundance.
Different Stories
There are several stories in circulation regarding the origins of the Grape Festival and Assumption Day. According to a story that has been transmitted through the ages within the Armenian community, when some children were poisoned by eating grapes that had not yet become ripe, the founder of the Armenian church, Surp Krikor Lusavorich (Saint Gregory the Illuminator), issued a ban on eating grapes until harvest time.
Such traditions have been preserved intact for centuries by being transmitted from generation to generation among the many Christian Anatolian peoples. This year’s celebrations will begin in the morning hours and last until around noon on Aug. 14 and 15. Baskets full of grapes will decorate sacred tables in churches.
Visitors are welcome to any number of Greek, Armenian and Syriac churches in Istanbul on Sunday and Monday to observe the vine harvest festivities during mass. VERCİHAN ZİFLİOĞLU
ISTANBUL – Hürriyet Daily News