Guest Post based on the Melinda’s original article

We were told about a little seaside village just a 20 minute ride away. It sounded like a beautiful spot and would be something different to see.

From the Bodrum bus station we could easily catch a dolmuş to the village of Gümüslük (pronounced “goomooshlook”).  Finding the right dolmus to Gümüşlük from Bodrum was a snap since destination signs were well displayed on their fronts.

We jumped on, only having to wait a few minutes for more riders before taking off. The small bus rumbled out of town and onto the gently winding road that meandered down the coast.

Along the way, we spotted an ancient amphitheatre carved into the hill that overlooks Bodrum. I found out later it was built in 4 B.C.E. and still hosts concerts and various shows. I snapped a photo of it as we jiggled by.

The scenery went from this to rural in a few short minutes.

Fishing boats float in and out. Restaurants line the shore of the sheltered cove. People are clearly on vacation here, wandering around unselfconsciously in shorts and bathing suits.

It was definitely not deserted, but everyone seemed very relaxed.

At the tip of the town you can wade through knee-deep water out to a rocky outcrop called Rabbit Island. Further out, snorkelers are able to peer beneath the water at the remains of the foundations of the ancient city of Myndos.

Imagine these gourds twinkling with little lights, reflecting on the rippling water

The romantic, and best, time of day to be in this little village is evening when all the twinkly lights of each restaurant come on. Gourds hang everywhere, also containing little lights. But since we were here for lunch, we could only imagine the sparkly shoreline and its night-time charm.

We were enchanted with this little place and enjoyed simply poking around. There wasn’t much to it in terms of buildings, but there were plenty of colorful flowers. Wisteria covered the tops of patios and pergolas and bright pink bougainvillea cascaded over whitewashed walls, sharing space with rich orange geraniums. It all looked very Greek.

Spotting an upward path, of course I couldn’t resist. From the top, we gaped at the fantastic view of Rabbit Island and the entire coastline, relishing the solitude and beauty of this tranquil spot.

A view of Rabbit Island from the top of the path.

During our wandering, we came across a small craft market area. This occupied us for a good half hour admiring hand-painted ceramics, jangling jewelry, and evil eyes. Then we got hungry.

© Posts and images are sourced from Melinda Brovelli

Melinda lives in Roseville, California with her husband Gino, and their three dogs: Corky, Rocco, and Vinnie. In between work and dog walks, she spends her time studying Italian and planning their next exciting adventure, usually with Flamenco, Greek, or Middle Eastern music playing in the background.

 

To read all of the Guest Articles provided by Melinda, follow these links:

1. Melinda’s Bodrum Holiday
2. Melinda’s Tour of Bodrum’s Museum of Underwater Archaeology
3. Melinda’s Tour of Bodrum Castle
4. Melinda’s Turkish Bath at the Bodrum Hamam
5. Melinda’s Last Supper at the Teras Bodrum
6. Melinda’s Dolmus Ride to Gumusluk
7. Melinda’s Lunch at Gumus Cafe Gumusluk
8. Melinda’s Lasting Memories of Bodrum