Day 38 – Democracy, is it all it’s cracked up to be?

Not everyone is good at choosing. Making decisions. How many changes in governments occur because the chosen few, are equally poor at making decisions as those who chose them. Every sheep needs a shepherd. If that shepherd keeps it safe, fed and watered, should it be of concern whether the sheep gets a say in the matter?

With a binary onboard population of two, casting a vote has no meaning. Daily decisions are made by Mr, or Mrs, without consultation. The reasons for those decisions rarely challenged. One is good at this, the other at that. So answers to “What’s for dinner?” and “Where are we going today?” are simply accepted, with faith in the other.

Today, we keep faith with the local bus service. A consensus decision to walkabout Antalya Old Town is in order. Although if truth be known, the decision was already made for us, courtesy of the subliminal write up in our Eye Witness travel book.

Turns out to be a thoroughly good decision. Antalya is, to all intents and purposes, a modern European city. It’s Türkiye’s toe, firmly pointing west. Dragging with it the heels of the east. The old town streets, clean, tidy and smartly presented.

Like two cheese starved maze-bound mice, we go sniff out the Suna & İnan Kıraç Kaleiçi Museum, from within the warren of narrow lanes. It occupies a couple of restored Ottoman mansions that illustrate the culture and customs from the 19thC. Next door, in the former Greek Orthodox church of St George, there’s lots of money on display. Worldwide currencies depicting different animals, from turtle to butterfly.

Up on the balcony, another display takes our liking. Clay models and photographs from an era when you didn’t need to go to the shops. They came to you. More often than not, on the back of the seller. From cow’s liver, to ice-cream, they sold it all.

A little pre-lunch relief brings a surprise . . .

Getting back to camp by bus proves impossible. We get locked in. There’s a planned protest march. The route security controlled. Barriers block roads. Some pavements too. No traffic in, or out. Cars, buses, trams, taxis all brought to a standstill. It’s a protest calling for better pensions.

We sniff out a parallel escape route. Catch a taxi at the tail end of the march.