Pre-Pandemic: The Escape

The Escape near Göcek, Turkey was a luxury villa rental. The ground floor room had a patio over looking the pool and hot tub. The escape is situated in the mountain village of Belenpinar just a 5 minute drive down to the Göcek marina.

The owners first explored the area in 1995 when they escaped and hired a motorcycle, touring the Turquoise Coast as well as the inner villages of the region. They found the village, bought a field, and added their dream villa. They now share their vision with sophisticated world travelers.

The villa was custom built as a designer summer house in the Roman style, where East meets West and the Mediterranean meets the Aegean. It is now available exclusively for group rental. Because it was previously run as a hotel and is also the winter home of the owners, there are a few rooms which are locked off, the office, bar, personal bedrooms. Groups of up to 14 people must stay for a minimum of 5 days.

Göcek is believed to be right around where Icarus fell when he flew too close to the sun in the famous Greek myth.

Sunday is market day in Göcek, Turkey. Stopping at a local outdoor market is a good way to see how the locals buy good for the week.At the end of the market where I was sketching people also gathered for outdoor dining. Gozlemeci are Turkish pancakes and they were being flipped off the grill in quick succession. Wandering the market it was tempting to get some exotic fruits and vegetables but the stay in Göcek was short lived. While doing this sketch a little girl took an interest in my sketch. We didn’t speak the same language but I gave her a pencil and paper so she could sketch as well. She sketched beside me for the duration.

The wearing of masks is obligatory throughout Turkey in crowded places and specifically in markets and supermarkets, hairdressers and barber shops. The wearing of masks is also compulsory on all public transport, including Metro, buses, taxis and ferries, and in some areas, masks must be worn when traveling in private vehicles with more than one person. Those who do not abide by this rule may be issued with a fine of 900 TL (about $129).

As part of its efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19, the Turkish government has imposed curfews. These have been time-limited, or aimed at particular age groups. These can be imposed at short notice and you should stay in touch with local developments.

Turkish authorities have confirmed that any foreign nationals who overstay their visa, due to COVID-19, will not face any fines or penalties, provided they depart Turkey within 1 month of flights resuming to their country of citizenship.