Real estate sales are known to be in a slump worldwide so it’s remarkable to find that some are not only still buying, but buying in our neighborhood. Gumusluk (ancient Myndus) is the venue where a small Swedish settlement was established when Swedes bought a group of villas built and marketed by Berggruen (www.berggruen.com.tr) and Engel & Völkers (www.engelvoelkers.com/bodrum), firms rooted in Sweden. This successful venture is being followed by the second phase with four contemporary houses designed by Scandinavian architects Thomas Sandell, Gert Wingårdh and Einar Jarmund/Håkon Vigsnæs. “I wanted to create the Scandinavian dream of what architecture should look like in a Mediterranean country” (Thomas Sandell, architect). Will local restaurants come to feature smörgåsbord and herring? Yumm.

There are at least three major “sea battles” in progress in our region. One concerns an illegal landfill, another is about illegal jetties and the third is over fish farms. *The king-size landfill in an environmentally sensitive area (Pina, Gulluk) has raised hackles nationwide due to the callous attitude of the responsible party who reportedly knew of and was ready to pay the miniscule fine (21500YTL) while carrying on with the fill. *The jetties are in Golturkbuku where the mayor started to dismantle some/many/most of these structures where socialites nestled in the summer. There is fierce resistance from businesses but the mayor is intent to replace the jetties with a “Hawaiian type beach”. ***The third battle, to remove fish farms from tourist frequented areas, may be resolved if the Minister of Environment & Forests keeps his word to do so…(holding your breath?)

As Earth Hour rolled around the world with communities visible in their participation by the progressive extinguishing of lights as E-hour (20:00hrs) came to each one, we watched to see how much participation will occur on the Bodrum peninsula where inhabitants wave the environment banner often and with gusto. We regret to note that compliance could be detected only by the most sensitive light measuring instruments but not by eye.