Ozdere is one of the many resort villages in Turkey
This note does not pretend to be a full-fledged story about the resort village of Ozdere. Rather, the text is a continuation of the review of the Aria Claros Beach & Spa Resort 5 * hotel, a description of the nearest hotel for those tourists who are suddenly brought into the indicated comfortable reservation, or which other hotel from those few offered for package travelers on the coast of Kusadasi Bay of the Aegean Sea near the town of Ozdere. The village is unremarkable, but it exists. And there is not so much information about it from ordinary tourists, as a rule, only a tangential mention in the framework of any review of the hotel. And I, here, I’ll take it and give him a separate page in the feed of my works : ))
Traditionally, they spent their October vacation traditionally in a beach-reclining format. This time it was almost traditionally Turkey. It might not have been her, but it’s easier to get to those parts now, and cheaper, why show off there. Adults were certified, and for children under 12 years old, entry without additional tests, which is already easier in terms of unnecessary body movements.
"Fly away" from Sheremetyevo
"Fly away" from Sheremetyevo
Children skipped school safely (grades 5 and 4). Bad, of course. But having the experience of distance learning, some of my knowledge of the primary school curriculum that has not yet been lost, and the responsibility that children have already formed, my gang was able to keep up with their classmates without missing all the children's joys on vacation. Well done, did not disappoint!
The cost of tour packages was monitored. But the results were not encouraging at all. If last year in September, prices were actively falling, then in this case, madness happened, they crept up. At first, in slow steps, maybe once a week it was noticeable. And then, as it started, every day new numbers, and higher and higher.
So, in agony, a tour to the hotel was bought 5 days before departure to the hotel Aria Claros Beach & Spa Resort 5*.
Perhaps I even described my feelings for the hotel in a separate review. But I hope my "novel" at least someone will be useful. And it doesn't matter which way my opus moves, in favor of making a decision to stay at a hotel, or vice versa. In general, there is a separate review here about the Aria Claros Beach & Spa Resort 5 * hotel .
And in this text a little about the nearest district from the hotel.
So, the hotel is located, how to put it mildly... in such a priest that there is nothing nearby.
Only a couple of hotels and tangerine groves.
Moreover, even before those hotels, you can’t walk along the beach in order to change the lying lifestyle to a walking one. Since each is located in a separate bay, separated from neighboring intrusions by small rocks.
The "rest house" we chose was lost somewhere between Izmir and Kusadasi in a small bay. The place may be deaf, but very photogenic.
Undoubtedly, it is closer to Kusadasi, about 30 kilometers. You can get there by minibus, I won’t say the cost. By taxi 30 euros one way.
Colorful mountain Kese in Kusadasi from the bus window
We've been in the city before. By the way, I have a separate story about this "Turkey. Wet impressions. Kusadasi colors". Therefore, we decided that this time we do not need to go there. No, of course I would. There is no particular need for this, but to update the children's t-shirt (fund) wardrobe at reasonable prices, why not. But I didn’t really want to shake in the minibus for the sake of a couple of rags, they didn’t fight for that, as they say.
Anticoid measures
A taxi ride will eat up all the savings from packing Waikik shorts.
On the other side of the hotel, five kilometers away, there is a small village Ozdere.
That's where we went to explore the range of the current habitat. The minibus costs 5 Turkish lira from the nose. It is quite possible to walk on foot, as we did.
Back, however, we used transport, stocked up a little bottled beer in Migros, it’s already hard to drag, besides, even in October, but, nevertheless, in the heat.
Briefly about the village: Ozdere is actually located on the border of the provinces of Izmir and Aydin. The history of the village is old, but not very bright compared to many other historical cities. Once upon a time there lived a calmly ordinary fishing village, albeit a very ancient one. And then, in the 60s of the last century, Turkey began to actively promote and develop tourism, including beach and resort tourism. It was then that the economy of Ozdere began to get on the tourist track. Maybe not as fast as on the Antalya coast, but nonetheless. The village began to actively build up and grow. The population reaches 15.000 people, in the season, of course, even more. Hotels, hotels, shops and other entertainment pleasures...
Years have passed, but he has not yet grown to the resort giants. So much the better, probably, there should also be quiet, calm corners on the coast : )
Walking along the highway, of course, is not very comfortable. But you can meet all sorts of stupid interesting things
Something like a collection point for used boats
And already on the border of the village, quite a decent sidewalk begins to operate.
First of all, we wandered into the local marina.
First we saw her from above, where the road led.
Well, do not miss such beauty. I had to go back a little and dive into an inconspicuous nook, filled with cars according to all conceivable and inconceivable rules and not at all rules.
Well, yes, it looks like the restaurant is marked here, but obviously it's empty. . .
We witnessed a strange action, apparently, for the delivery and purchase of freshly caught fish.
Why strange? Firstly, the whole process was somehow quiet, without oriental noise. One fish is dumped out of the box, the other sorts it and puts it right on the counter, the third writes something down. No transfers of money, fixing the mass... Secondly, a very quiet crowd is clustering around, obviously not fishermen. Apparently, potential buyers of this fish. They just stand around and look, don't discuss, don't choose. . .
We don't know how this event went on. Maybe some noise and hustle and bustle began, maybe some kind of auction. When we returned three hours later, everything was already clean, not a piece of ice.
But we were not left without oriental flavor. It was a Saturday. Met the wedding procession. Well, cars - this is understandable, all sorts of different brands, who has what. The most spectacular is the orchestra on the open platform of a small truck. A huge drummer for the entire platform, pipes, tambourines. Wow! But, as always, some kind of brake worked for me, and I did not have time to fix this action.
And it is also on Saturdays that a large bazaar is held in the village, which attracts farmers from all over the area.
And not only farmers, but just merchants of all sorts of things.
What is there. And the prices? ! Just a fairy tale!
Oh, it's a pity that I don't need all this, otherwise I would have scored : ))
By the way, about the money. The hotel guide said that Ozdere is not considered a very advanced resort, so only Turkish liras are in circulation. But there are no exchangers, and you have to change the money at the reception. And we are tourists, maybe advanced, but often stupid. And only halfway to the village we came to our senses that we only had two liras, lost for a long time in my purse, small remnants from past trips remained safely in the room. Here it is, an ambush! Well, my husband put some euros in his shorts pocket on the day of arrival. Yeah, I just shifted the banknotes lying around after the deutik from the trousers when I changed the autumn outfit to the beach one. Oh, how good it is that, like most men, there is only one shorts for the whole vacation : )). At least they ended up in the middle of a Turkish village with some money.
In one of the many shops lined up on the main street, or rather Ataturk Boulevard, the seller did not understand that we wanted to pay in euros, but understood that we were from Russia. I found another guy who knew Russian numerals well. It was he who helped to complete the exchange with the third participant in the operation at the rate of 1 euro 10 lire. Everything is clear, without tricks and stupid jokes.
Then in Migros, with a purchase price of 86 lire, the cashier took 10 euros for payment without any problems and gave 14 lire change. Everything is according to the current exchange rate.
According to a few stories, and the hotel guide described the village as a village by village, it seemed to us that we would get right into the jungle.
Central Square
Central Square
We didn't look very far, so we didn't find any wilds. It may be a village, but quite so big and modern. Sometimes interesting facade designs are found in the streets and lanes.
At first we thought that a single instance, the owner is a craftsman. But no, they have seen similar facades. So, it may well be that this is a local chip. Cute.
Eating and entertainment establishment, but already closed
And even some cities can envy the luxurious embankment.
Villas of varying degrees of luxury overlook the embankment. Some are already mothballed, and maybe not opened at all. Some are still residential.
The beach line is different, somewhere boulders.
Next, let's say "classic" sand,
And closer to the center - a stone embankment with stairs down to the water
People have settled in these parts since prehistoric times. Since that time, a rich ancient Greek and Roman heritage has been preserved, offered for the delight of tourist eyes. Relatively close to Ozdere there is a very interesting ancient but lively town of Selcuk. Next to him is not very lively, but more famous and great ancient Ephesus. Taking this opportunity, as they say, a few shots from two years ago. Ephesus has existed for more than one millennium, I think a couple of years will not be able to age it, and the photos will not lose their relevance : )
Ephesus
Ephesus
Ephesus
This is what I mean, if you wish, you can easily diversify your beaching in the same Aria Claros Beach & Spa Resort 5* with cultural and educational trips, both on your own and using the services of a tour operator. The guides will definitely not be left behind : ). True, in our case, at the end of the season, an additional excursion was not very actively advertised, or we were already tired, or indeed, the hotel is located on the outskirts of life, which is difficult to drive the bus once again for a few sightseers.
I can't say enough about car rental. They saw offices in the village, they were not interested in the price tag. The hotel also has, but at an insane cost of 60 euros. Well, that's our (beggarly) miserly point of view.
By the way, the ruins of the ancient city of Claros have been preserved in the same area. Actually, where did the prefix come from in the names of hotels and other institutions of that region. Yes, there are many different antiquities. So lovers of ancient ruins have a place to roam, if anything : )
Here, such a village Ozdere turned out : ).
P. S. More about the same edges:
