Bodrum, a big whatev for me. Not a place I'd try to get to again. As far as beaches and scenery goes, Croatia is far more beautiful. But also, being there, it occured to me, I'm just not a fan of the beach town - or the people that hang there. It's true I haven't combed the world to see hordes of beach destinations, but aside from the Hamptons (which has its own issues), it's the only one - particularly Amagansett - that I've ever really liked. Generally, I just find beach towns fairly tacky. There are times that hits the spot. But not often. There is the higher end, more sophisticated side of Bodrum - the west side of the marina - but the "euro" quality there had its own brand of tacky that also turns me off.
I get it - the winding walkways of shops, the restaurants/bars on the beach, the strip of water where lounge chairs and umbrellas are there for anyone's taking - steps from those bars and restaurants. I also get that ultimately this town, and these streets and these beach bars and restaurants are built for and come alive at night. Admittedly, I didn't actually experience their night life, but can imagine it quite well...and pretty sure, it wasn't for me.
I spent a long 8 hour day walking, sitting, reading at various spots - tea, lunch, beach chair, a chair
at a nail salon to get a much needed manicure/pedicure, more tea, dinner. By early evening, figured an alcoholic beverage was more than deserved, while watching the sun set before heading back to Torbo, the little town a few kilometers over. I went to the Bodrum Yacht Club - which, of course, too caters to late night, but I figured at 7:30, on a gorgeous evening, there must be some early diners and early drinkers wanting the same - a buzz while catching the sun set over the water. Being on the upscale side of town, it's obviously catering to the older, wealtheir crowd, who I assumed - wrongly, apparently - might just prefer the earlier drink and meal. But no such luck. Empty almost. As were all the other places in the area. I don't mind drinking alone - but I prefer it in a place where there are actually other people around - yeah, so theoretically not really drinking alone. I didn't just want the alcohol, I wanted the atmosphere of the drink. So passed on the whole idea and just grabbed a kebab and headed back to the hotel.
Aside from my realization that I don't love beach towns, I've decided that when traveling solo, cities and small towns - not beach destinations where couples and families tend to aggregate - is the way to go. (I'm doubting Thailand more and more...) The beach towns do tend to have late night bar scenes, which attract the younger, single crowd, and as I've always been a fan of a fun bar evening, theoretically a draw. (I'm certainly not young anymore, but I can play one when drinking at a sweaty bar.) But, that's a scene I tend to like when I happen upon it, not when I plan for it as part of the day's activity. That I couldn't grab a drink with a lively, even moderately active crowd at 7:30pm in the evening, on a truly spectacular weather day, I found incredibly beat. Bodrum, not my fave.
