There and Back Again - Where My Adventures Took Me

The smell of the salty waters, cats impatiently awaiting to be snuggled, colours of the spectrum so gracefully decorating the garden... I had slightly missed the vibes, the atmosphere, the light; and even this little wanting was enough of a reasoning to return.

Datça, TURKEY

Mae govannen! (=Well met) Welcome to my mess of a blog once again, it has been a while since my last entry, has it not? I had been absent mainly due to this huge medieval and fantasy fair called Castlefest; but my general reluctance to write as well as my mental state played grand roles too. Endless struggle forever remains as I am scribbling down these words but I have to endure. I have to or else I will die in vain. *dramatic gaze towards the sky* Anyway, Castlefest was pretty enjoyable despite my depression constantly getting in the way but I will talk about it later. This day, we fight- I mean I will ramble a little bit (or a lot, depending on the circumstances) about how I ended up in Datça once again and how I have been spending my time here.

Prior to leaving for Castlefest, we had a wee barbecue with my cousins, uncle, brother and grandparents. It was quite a party if I may say so hehehe. One of the twins and my brother grilled the food whereas I prepared the salad with my own two hands, can you believe it? *proud flexing* Jokes aside, why I am making such a big fuss out of it is because I rarely do something productive. I know mental health and the physical consequences should not be a grand excuse, but it kind of is my excuse, my biggest source of unrest. After all, I always feel tired with a heavy heart. The salad was pretty basic with pepper, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers and some dressing; here have a glance at it:

It was very basic, but still kind of delicious if I may say so.

Fire blazing, devouring all the remnants of wood, whispering harshly; wild yet beautiful. I adore the element of fire to bits,  the colours, the waltzing flames aaaa! *intense screaming* However, I mostly am a water person I presume? Its healing property and the cold refreshment that has been offered, the serene atmosphere enfolding me and us all; that is all I can ask for. What is your element? Tell me in the comments below. 

Readying the grill, just look at this beauty!

Soon it was time to leave, and back to Ankara I was to go, for my Castlefest luggage was not yet prepared. As I was bidding farewell to the vacation house, Maya appeared out of thin air, meowing as if she did not want to let go of me. Maya, is the cat of the neighbour, yes, this would be the best way to describe this fur baby. However, she prefers wandering around our garden, dwelling here and thus is kind of our cat too. 

Maya and my most charming feet

Maya was very sick last year and we actually had scarce hopes for her survival, though our kind wishes were ever abundant. She miraculously conquered her disease and now is hale and well. I love her so much! So one last look to our house:

The house is yet in the repairing process, but it remains pretty still...

So...Several weeks have passed and once again I find myself in the dry and bleak lands of Datça. It is not that much different than Ankara in terms of the barren vegetation aspect, for most of the forests have sadly been burnt down. At least, there lays the sea across the horizon, the ever-welcoming liquid joy, crystal clear in appearance and delectable in odour. Yes, the swimming opportunity is one of the reasons why I am “there and back again”, as Bilbo Baggins would say. 

What else is there to add? The company of lovely people, of my family members and some unconditional affection, yes, we shall add this to the list as well. If I had remained in Ankara throughout the summer, I would remain all alone, except for the evenings where my mother is tired and mostly sick. Here however, I at least have my grandparents whom I cherish dearly. If you know me a bit more than moderate level, you could understand that I suffer from a great loneliness complication. My past friends, including my best friend, all left me, resulting in an abandonment trauma of sorts and a lack of trust in friendships. I wish there could be a fix; yet, I feel unloved my many, especially by those whom I would wish to be close to. Yes, I still have some friends across the internet, if they would allow me to call them as friends + also my dearest Fëanorian cousin Elverynel but that sadly never is enough, for I can rarely meet them. The ever-present socialisation gap and the lack of communication both add up to my severe depression, resulting in a constant crisis. I rambled a lot, yet said nothing much, am I right? So without further blabbering, I think I shall continue describing my holiday. Follow me please, this way, along the corridor...

A passageway to the central Datça, guided by this sublime creature. Behold!

The watchful gaze of the tree, sending shivers down my spine.

This time the journey had brought my mother with me, accompanying me in my nifty adventures across this seaside village of Datça. After a stay of merely three days or so, we decided to have a wee promenade within the centrum instead. It was at that spark of a moment that we made discovery of that quaint place. Wait a little bit please though, for I have a snapshot of the centrum before my grand entry to the hidden wonder. *mysterious handgestures*

The traditional photo that I take every single year, ooops.

*eyes the clock and nods with a faint smile afterwards* The time has come for the great revelation, the moment we uncover the secret location we discovered. Well, not so secret because it is a pretty enormous facility; I cannot believe we had not visited it before. Without further ado, tadadada *dramatic music intensifies*

Datça Vineyard, as the name suggests~

This lovely place offers wine tasting, devouring some nomsy treats, tours, shopping for wine accessories and walking through the vines. I cannot consume alcohol due to my medication that I take in high dosages -I do not like such beverages anyway- but I was allowed to take a few sips. I also have no knowledge regarding these type of consumable goods, but according to my mother, the wines were all very tasty so that is a plus. 

The ambience was absolutely charming. Of course we *had* to return again, this time with more people to accompany us. Thus it happened, almost the whole squad marching towards the winery, we sat down to fill out stomachs with a cheese plate. 

Dried fruit, waltnut, four types of cheese and smoked meat on olive wood

Cheers! We raised glasses to health and joy (I wish). I of course had my wee box of fruit juice with me, toasting the “hosts” of this fancy dinner.

It was time for some vine wandering afterwards, a lovely sight just as the sun was setting. I am sorry for any inconsistencies with my writing by the way, I have been trying to conjure up this blog post for the last five days or so; and each day, I feel even more drained of soul and my non-existent joy. Anyway, off we go to our sightseeing activity. 

Here is the whole collection I guess? I hope you have enjoyed this wee tour. Do you enjoy wine? I myself do not but it was a visit of great interest for me! What do I plan for the upcoming days you might be wondering. Here is a quick summary:

• Trying sewing a cardigan with my grandmother 
• Finishing the first Witcher book - Yes, I magically have started reading once again, after aaaages of struggle. I hope the miracle never fades away.
• Endeavouring to create some artworks, if my scribbles can be defined as art
• Setting this blog for autumn and therefore changing the theme
• Continuing my survival attempts through all my struggles

What are your plans for the remaining days of summer? Has your university or school started if you are attending any? What are your first impressions? I love chatting with you people!

Make-up vs no make-up, I usually always fill my brows at least before going out though, as mine are pretty pale and shapeless. Which look do you prefer seeing more and why?