As all good Bodrum devotees know, the town’s renown as an easy-going, bohemian hideaway from the world’s cares rests to a great extent on the free flow of the Turkish national drink, raki. In later years Brit tourists and other Europeans made beer the tipple of choice while wine was seen as ‘elitist’, ‘hoity-toity’, and not suitable for consumption by ‘normal folk’. It must also be admitted that in those days some Turkish wines lacked quality so the imbibing lacked the sophisticated enjoyment that comes with fine wine. So it was a revelation to find in Bodrum a true wine house where some of the finest wines of the world are available! Just a few years ago I would not have believed that a bottle of Chateaunef du Pape or a Louis Latour Chablis could be bought here, not to mention excellent Italian, Spanish, American and Turkish vintages in a variety of price ranges. The place? It’s the Dionysius Wine House, Dr. Mumtaz Ataman St. No 28, tel: 316-2053.

When the illegal ‘reclamation’ by dumping landfill in the sea and thus adding acres of useable land to those already leased from the government was denounced in the press, the project director was reported to have smugly stated that the company knew that this was punishable but they were willing to pay the fine of approx. US$ 16,500.00 (21500YTL). What really raised the hackles on all who care for the environment was that, adding insult to injury, MNG was given an award for contributions to tourism. Now it seems that the Governor of Mugla Province may have fallen victim of this scandal – he is reported to have been removed from office and transferred to Ankara. On the other hand mishandling the MNG misdeeds may have given the excuse to those in power who have been gunning for the governor for some years…