Category Archives: Turkey

Turkish Kilim Cushion Covers

A couple of days ago we were wandering around Bodrum, looking for additions to our villa in Gumusluk.

We particularly needed some new cushion covers. We walked along the waterfront to the right of Bodrum Castle. There is a small carpet shop after 200 yards.  We had visited before a couple of years back when looking for some authentic looking floor mats and had bought some oblong cushion covers, which we thought were just perfect ( albeit they were designed for another purpose).

Entering the shop we found a group of four men sitting around drinking tea. One sat on a chair and the others sat on piles of carpets. There was the usual Turkish hospitality and we were offered tea and a place to rest.

There were very few small cushion covers, but the owner explained that his friend had others nearby and he was dispatched to bring back more samples whilst we started on our second cup of tea ( chai). In all his friend made two return journeys ( it’s the end of season and trade is not exactly swift).

You can see the design we eventually bought above. We are very happy with our purchase of 8 cushion covers, all with a splash bright orange to match our colour scheme.  Eight cushions for 100 Turkish Lire ( that’s about £3 each ). Not bad!

The Hayat Café / Restaurant

The Hayat Café

The Hayat Café sits amidst tangerine groves in a slightly elevated position, just a couple of hundred metres back from Gumusluk beach.

Tables and chairs spread out along the hillside, and there’s a comfy ‘chill out’ area to one side of the restaurant and more seating under the tangerine trees just below the bar.

As well as serving a variety of lunch and evening dishes the Hayat has an extensive breakfast menu. We sampled muesli with fresh fruit and yogurt, omelettes and spicy sausage, all of which were good, as was the filter coffee (though the latter cost 8tl each – always much more expensive than tea). Prices are average for Gumusluk: less expensive than the restaurants along the waterfront, but not so cheap as Mars Café.

To reach the Hayat walk along the beach (sea to your right) past Club Gumusluk and the Jazz Café and you’ll see a sign directing you inland. Alternatively use the entrance on the Turgutreis road. The Hayat is open from January to the end of October.