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Romanian to English: Oludeniz, o destinatie si un punct de plecare General field: Other Detailed field: Tourism & Travel
Source text - Romanian Totul a inceput cu o carte imprumutata. Se numea The Lycian Way. Nu avea poze si nu prea ma tragea ata s-o rasfoiesc. Dar imi fusese atat de calduros recomandata de prietena mea care facuse acest traseu, cel mai lung traseu montan din Turcia incat, am decis sa dau un ochi.
3 luni mai tarziu
Aflata acum pe plaja din Oludeniz, dupa o ora de zbor cu avionul si alte 16 de mers cu autocarul, un autocar care facea serviciile Tarom sa paleasca, imi vine sa zambesc amintindu-mi ce greu ma apucasem de citit. Ce-i drept, puteam opta sa iau avionul de la Istanbul la Dalaman si-mi mai ramaneau pana la destinatie doar 35 de minute cu masina. Dar, in ciuda picioarelor umflate, mi-am dorit sa trec Marea Marmara cu feribotul si sa ma familiarizez cu localitatile de provincie privite pe geam.
Deci iata-ma aici, in Oludeniz, o mica statiune din provincia Mugla, situata pe coasta de sud-vest a Turciei. Locul din care urma sa inceapa aventura lyciana. Pana atunci, insa, ma desfat cu o Mare Mediterana turcoaz in fata si cu muntele tata Babadag in spate, lecturand legenda romantica a locului.
Se spune ca, nereusind sa se retraga din fata furtunii in calmul lagunei Oludeniz, tanarul marinar grec care strabatea marile spre iubita sa Belcekiz, a murit cuprins de apele Mediteranei. Indurerata, frumoasa Belcekiz s-a sinucis la randu-i, aruncandu-se pe stancile de la marginea marii. De atunci, micul orasel a purtat numele Oludeniz, insemnand Marea Moarta.
Termin de citit si-mi simt pielea sfaraind. Soarele arzator ma pune pe jar, facand in ciuda umbrelei care nu reuseste sa ma acopere intru totul. La fiecare pas pe nisip sunt ca un yoghin care nu s-a concentrat suficient si simte inca focul de sub talpi.
British lifestyle made in Turkey
Oludeniz, odata o laguna linistita ce se lega de mare printr-un canal ingust, a devenit intre timp un mic rai al turistilor englezi care vin aici vara de vara sa se lase rasfatati de ospitalitatea turceasca si de preturile acceptabile. Peisajul este frumos, dar e ciudat sa auzi numai engleza in jur si din cand in cand cate un tesekkurler stalcit cu intonatie de Birmingham. Din niciun local care se respecta nu lipseste, pe langa traditionalul mic dejun turcesc cu branza, ou fiert si masline, micul dejun englezesc bogat in proteine. Astfel, britanicii au toate motivele sa se simta ca acasa, daca poftesc.
Oludeniz, de sus
Facand abstractie de marea masa de turisti care se opresc la fiecare taraba cu margele si esarfe brodate, peisajul este impresionant. Babadagul se inalta direct din mare pana la aproximativ 2000 de metri, fiind o oaza de verde si stanca intre doua spatii clare, albastre. Nu degeaba este considerat cel mai fotografiat munte din Turcia!
De-acolo, de sus, zeci de parapante colorate plutesc ca niste fluturi linistiti. Cu 50 de lire turcesti, echivalentul a 25 de euro, poti beneficia de un zbor in tandem deasupra lagunei si deasupra tuturor golfurilor tacute din jur spalate de apele Mediteranei. Zborul cu parapanta a devenit deja un business serios, caci peste tot pe strada esti imbiat sa incerci si tu, sa te bucuri de o asemenea experienta.
De te prinde noaptea prin oras
Nu departe de toata aceasta forfota – magazine, restaurante, vanzatori galagiosi, turisti forfotind, pensiuni aparute ca ciupercile dupa ploaie – se intinde laguna tacuta, strajuita de un camping linistit. Aici, la Sugar Beach Club, amatorii de dormit la cort gasesc o cazare buna si convenabila. Cu doar 10 lire turcesti pe noapte (aprox 5 euro) beneficiezi de conditii decente de dus, internet wireless si de o adevarata colectie de pisici cu care te poti imprieteni.
In plus, drumul pana acolo te poarta si prin fata celui mai prietenos sediu local de politie, tapetat de sus pana jos in petunii roz si violet, semn ca pana si fortele de ordine sunt blande si se bucura de soare.
De cand unele ghiduri turistice acorda plajei din Oludeniz locul al cincilea in topul plajelor lumii, cazarea la pensiunile din localitate a devenit destul de piperata. De aceea, multi turisti prefera sa ramana peste noapte in Ovacik, la vreo 4 kilometri mai la deal. Taxiurile si numeroasele dolmos-uri – microbuze care asigura transportul pe distante mici – fac ca legatura Oludeniz - Ovacik sa se realizeze confortabil la orice ora.
Oludeniz, culoarul catre o Turcie a non-all-inclusive-urilor
Dincolo de baia de soare, de laguna linistita si de specialitatile turcesti care te imbie din usile restaurantelor, Oludeniz inseamna inceputul unei noi experiente. Locul de start al celui mai lung traseu montan din Turcia – The Lycian Way - locul unde pornesti in cautarea civilizatiilor lyciene, bizantine si romane.
Pe parcursul celor aproximativ 500 de kilometri, descoperi la fiecare pas o altfel de Turcie. Mai putin stralucitoare, dar fascinanta - cu satucuri cocotate in varf de munte, cu case saracacioase din piatra si localnici credinciosi care tin Ramadanul, cu amfiteatre de mii de ani pe care te poti odihni si unde seara cantareti ambulanti fac repetitii la saxofon.
O Turcie pe care nu am banuit-o atat de generoasa in peisaje si in experiente.
Translation - English Oludeniz, a destination and a starting point
It all started with a borrowed book, The Lycian Way. There were no pictures, so I thought it would be heavy going. But, on the other hand, it was warmly recommended by a friend who has already been there, on the longest mountain trekking route in Turkey.
Eventually I decided to take a look.
3 months later
It took one hour by plane and other 16 hours by bus, to reach Oludeniz. It makes me smile to remember that I thought reading a book would be hard going! It’s true, I could have taken an internal flight from Istanbul to Dalaman, leaving only only 35 minutes by road to my destination. But, despite my swollen feet, I really enjoyed crossing the Marmara Sea by ferry and getting familiar with the small provincial towns of Turkey.
So now, here I am in Oludeniz, a small resort situated in the Mugla area, on the South-Western coast of Turkey. From here I will launch the next stage of my Lycian adventure. For now though, I can delight my senses with the turquoise Mediterranean Sea in front of me and the green father-mountain Babadag behind, while reading up on the romantic legend of this mesmerising place.
They say that, once upon a time, a young Greek sailor was crossing the seas to his lover Belcekiz. When a dark storm gathered, he was unable to reach the shelter of the calm Oludeniz lagoon, and so drowned in the Mediterranean. Grief-stricken, Belcekiz threw herself from the rocks facing the sea. That is when this small village was named Oludeniz, meaning The Dead Sea.
As I finish reading, I feel my skin burning. The scorching sun is almost melting my feet despite the shade, which doesn’t seem to entirely protect me. With every step I take on the sand I feel more and more like a fire-walker.
British lifestyle made in Turkey
Oludeniz, once a calm and quiet village, has become a haven for British tourists. They flock here every summer to enjoy Turkish hospitality and affordable prices. The setting is unmistakably Turkish, so it feels strange to hear so much English all around and, the occasional attempt at ‘Tesekkurler’ (Turkish for ‘thank you’) in a Birmingham accent. In almost every bar, an English breakfast competes with traditional Turkish fare. Who needs cheese and fresh olives when you can get the fat sausages you’re used to? It’s one of the many ways the British tourists can feel at home, if they like.
Oludeniz, from above
If you can tear your eyes away from the stalls laden with cheap jewellery and handmade scarves, the landscape is quite impressive. The Babadag climbs straight from sea level to nearly 2000 metres high and is an oasis of green and brown between the clear blue of the sky and the sea. They don’t call it the most photographed Turkish mountain for nothing!
From its summit, scores of coloured paraglide wings float like lazy butterflies. For just 50 Turkish lira (about 25 euro) you can enjoy a tandem flight above the lagoon and the smaller silent bays along the Mediterranean coast. Paragliding has become a serious business and every street corner hosts someone inviting you to try this exciting experience.
If it’s getting dark and you’re still out
Not far away from the bustle of stores, restaurants, noisy vendors, curious tourists and guest houses (which look just like mushroom hats after a heavy rain), lies the silent lagoon, connected to the sea by a narrow channel. Surrounding the lagoon is a tranquil campground called Sugar Beach Club, where backpackers and families can find cheap accommodation. For just 10 Turkish lira per night, they get decent shower facilities, wireless internet and a collection of cats to make friends with.
The road to Sugar Beach Club takes you close to what is probably the most attractive police station in the world. Entirely covered in pink and violet petunia, it makes me think that even in uniform, everyone here feels sunny and carefree.
Some travel guides rate Oludeniz as the fifth best beach in the world, so it’s not surprising that housing has become quite expensive. That’s why many tourists choose to stay overnight in Ovacik, about 4 kilometres up the hill. Taxis and dolmos (small buses travelling short small distances) connect Oludeniz to Ovacik every hour by day or night.
A gateway to a non-packaged Turkey
If sunbathing, swimming and sampling the local specialties isn’t exotic enough for you, Oludeniz can be the beginning of a whole new experience. As the starting point of the longest trekking route in Turkey – the Lycian Way – it’s the ideal base to start exploring the Lycian, Byzantine and Roman civilizations.
For 500 kilometres, every step reveals a different Turkey - less glamorous, but fascinating. Small villages cling to mountain tops, simple stone structures house faithful locals observing the fast of Ramadan, and amphitheatres born two thousand years ago invite you to relax while listening to strolling performers playing the saxophone.
This is a Turkey more generous in landscapes and experiences than I would have ever imagined, even after reading that borrowed book.
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Years of experience: 19. Registered at ProZ.com: May 2011.
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