*For Bodrum it’s a rare treat: a world famous Turkish pianist, Idil Biret (pictured), will play works by Albinoni, Bach, Mozart and Kodalli with the accompaniment of the newly established Bodrum Chamber Orchestra on 5 July ’08 in the Bodrum Castle. It is seldom that artists of Idil Biret’s stature come to Bodrum during the summer season so if you care at all for Classical music don’t miss this performance. Tickets at a very reasonable price of 20 YTL are on sale in Oasis at Botim, in Marina Yacht Club, Alin’s Café, and in front of the entrance to the Bodrum Castle open air theater between 17:00 and 01:00 hrs. If you want to get to know more about Idil Biret, just ‘google’ her name.

**There’s a tug-of-war going on between taxi and dolmus operators serving the Torba region and visitors are being inconvenienced. According to information we were able to gather an influential taxi owner was able to decrease the frequency of services by minibuses operating between Bodrum and the Kaynar terminal in Torba, the reasoning being that taxi drivers operating in that area don’t have enough business and are not able to support their families. If you, like everyone we have talked to about this matter, want to have frequent public transport, i.e. dolmus, restored, do take the time to e-mail the Bodrum Municipality at info@bodrum.bel.tr or phone the Public Relations office at local tel: 316-7718 to register your displeasure.

***A very posh establishment opened its doors in Bodrum last week: Cashmere Lounge, across the street from the marina. If you know the famous brand Cashmere & Silk, you’ll want to visit this new fashionable venue. Nearby, at the Ottoman Tower that used to guard the Ottoman shipyard in the 1700s and was recently restored by the Ericsson company, there is an exhibition of paintings by Feriha Dagli that is worth your visit. Also, on July 1 there will be celebrations of ‘Cabotage’  Day on the shore to the east of the castle. For the meaning of ‘cabotage’ see the previous posting.