Tahirs World...

Tahir Özmen
is a many-sided man with a multi-layered, wide interest area. Thus he devotes himself, e.g., to the following activities: Landlord, hunter, traveling leader or guide, walking-guide, finding water veins (rod-walker), planting trees, straightening broken and dislocated bones, sponge-diving. One could say: he has ten talents in all ten fingers. He is also interested in things which are not to be grasped or understood with the mind...

Tahirs Anchorage and Restaurant in Göben - Göcek
Göben - Göcek , the bay of Kapi Koyu, which is also known as Göben or Tahirin is to the south of the Domuz island (pork island) on the western side of the gulf and to the north the Kara Burnu peninsula (black nose). The anchorage is sheltered from winds in all directions. The restaurant at the southern end has a landing stage. The bay is a miraculous place, surrounded by pine woods and olive groves. One says that the ruins in the sea - in the east of the restaurant - are baths. From the top of the hell here is a marvellous view of the Mediterranian to the south and the gulf of Fethiye in the north. There is richly opportunity for taking photos - so do not forget your camera.

The first restaurant in the bays of Göcek was opened by the sponge diver Tahir Özmen in the Kapi bay. There are crowds of yachts and other boats visiting this bay in summer. Nowadays the restaurant in Göbün - Göcek is led by Tahirs eldest son Deniz. Unfortunately, he is not illustrated on the photo. If your route leads you there, then try once Tahir's "Tava-Ekmegi" ("frying pan bread") - a local puff pastry speciality.

Kayaköyü...
This small village with its historical ruins-town - the name means "ghost town" - is close to Fethiye (5 miles). He leads a few restaurants in the southwest of Turkey. One is located in Kayaköyü. It is a very good restaurant near the Gemiler bay. This is on the street of Kayaköyü to the Gemiler island

Today it can be reached easily on a dusty road, but some times earlier it could only be reached by the sea or a steep mountain path. Tahirs restaurant is visited by many tourists from all over the world. There are also many prominent guests, as for example former "Prime Minister" and "President of the State" Turgut Özal" (until 1989), which can be seen on the photo-page, the sea biologist and sea researcher "Jaques Yves Cousteau" and his crew...

At the edge of Kayaköyü's one can find the ruins of an old monastery named "Af Kule", which was built on and into the stiff rocks.. Only now and then some tourists walk here. Most of them avoid the long walk - approximately 20 Minutes - from Tahir's restaurant. One says that it is spooky in Af Kule. Nobody dares to stay there after the darkness. The same as in Kayaköyü Ghost-Town. I have tried it once - and I stayed there overnight only with my sleeping bag. I would not like to say that I met some ghosts, or that it haunted there - but my dreams were all very unusual...

Tahirs "Deniz-Kus" Restaurant (Sea Gull)
in the midst of the wide history of Turkey this place is worth to stay there at least for one night. Many yachtsmen and other visitors discover there an unusual atmosphere. In Tahirs snuggy place it is a marvelous pleasure, to eat or drink something before developing the surrounding area. A visit of the Gemiler island (5 miles), or the ruins of the ancient monastery Afkule (1,2 miles), or a walk on the goat paths is recommended. After physical strain in the nature it is also possible to take a shower at Tahirs place later, while Tahirs team will do everything, to leave no wish of the guests open.

While one makes himself comfortable in the snuggy upholstery corners - held in the oriental style - or sits down to one of the comfortable tables, one has a marvelous look at the surrounding mountains. The restaurant is outside and roofed during the whole summer. In winter one can make himself comfortable inside the winter restaurant. Above all this - the Turkish sun shines nearly 11 months a year.

For the one who is interested: Tahir knows many exiting stories and valuable experiences from his own life. He will be pleased to tell you. In his restaurant one can get all gormandizing meals, which belong to the Turkish tradition and the Turkish taste. Last not least, one should taste Tahirs superior wine - or also the honey which he receives from the bees of his surroundings. The area richly presents delightfully ethereal herbs, which can be tasted by trying the honey - or also the traditional adacayi (sageleaf-tea). You can taste the excellent difference.

But this is not everything Tahir Aga deals with. The restaurant is one of Tahirs many activities during a long summer. He is no one which can sit still. Tahir leads the tourists who want to walk on the royal paths from morning time around 7.30 until the evening around 19.30 o'clock - from Dalyan to Marmaris - and from Marmaris to Dalyan. But they can also be led by other "traveling leaders" - Tahir's tourists come from all areas of the world.

Rod Walking - Finding Water Veins...
Holding two wires - one in his left and on in his right hand - he looks for water on the fields of the water needing villagers. After he has found water, he forecasts the precise drilling place and depth. He precisely forecasts in which depth (how many meters deep) the water begins - and where it stops again - and in which depth the drilling must be finished, so that the vein will not be pierced. One can be sure that he only advises drilling, when the water vein is strong enough. I have really experienced, that people did not listen to his advice. For instance, to the owner of a VIP-Hotel he had advised to drill up to 50 ms deep. They drilled up to 60 meters deep and the vein was pierced. The water level thereby fell down to more than 350 meters deep...

At the beginning of Tahir's time in Kayaköyü, when he himself was searching for water, but still had no notion about his abilities - he had let a man come who had "learned" his field especially. This man presented pages of facts that there would be no water found on his fields. When Tahir explained to him that there, however, must be water, the man became very annoyed and explained to Tahir, that he must leave this statement already to the "expert". Today he feels to this "paper" just like a caricature or a cartoon about the realities with which he himself deals with nowadays. The one who is interested can have a look on this paper here. Shortly after this event, Tahir himself found water on his own property. He found so much water, enough to provide some of his neighbors, too...

Tahir gives his word for the case that, if at the forecasted place no water was found, he wil pay the whole costs of the unsuccesful efforts. When he had already attained fame as a sponce diver, he now became known nationally wide, also to the VIP-People - because of his precise and appropriate inquiries with the water search. They could convince themselves about his ability as a real rod walker.
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Pure Natural Taste...
In Tahir's restaurant everything you can get is pure nature. I a short time will make his own wine. At the moment his woman makes their own yoghurt, cheese and real wooden stove bread. Of course Tahir also makes his own olive oil from the olives of his own garden. He keeps his own animals: sheep, goats, chickens and cows. The cats provide for the fact that the area remains free from mice - and the dogs warn him at night from penetrating wild boars.

His woman fertilizes the soil of their selfgrown tomatoes, paprika, onions, garlic, salad in all possible kinds, parsley and other herbs, potatoes, radish, courgettes, eggplants and melons with the natural fertilizer of his animals.

Straightening Broken and Dislocated Bones…
One day Tahir developed his ability to help people with pains because of broken or dislocated osseous jonts, bones, or to help at other ailments.

Thus in the meantime one can observe a violent rush of people, who arrive together with their families from afar, in order that Tahir should straighten their bones again. Mostly these are people with dislocations of their spine. People also come with various problems with the knee joint, in the arms, shoulder, wrist and ankle... For every ailment he finds a remedy (his remedial oils and herbs) or by means of his healing hands.

In a part of his restaurant he has a made a small herbal corner, where he offers herbal creams, herbal oils and herbal medicine made from pure nature, which he also uses not quite stingy during his treatments. I have had the chance to see with my own eyes, that bent down and crooked people went to Tahir's "treatment", while they came out upright again after the treatment.

Also a sportsman who - after an accident - could no more move his knee for months, gained healing. I could see with my own eyes, that he could move his knee afterwards again. The man was beside himself with joy.

Tahir has never accepted any kind of payment for his healing or also for the water finding (rod walking) during the time, while I stayed with Tahir and his familiy together with my friend. Tahir sees his ability as a present of God for which he doesn't want to accept any payment.

A Friend of the Sea
Tahir Aga is a sponge diver. He dived up to 120 meters deep. One day the worldwide known sea researcher Jaques Custeau, (he died in June 25th 1997) came to visit Tahir together with his crew. They organized a diving contest for the two of them. Afterwards Jaques awarded the victory to Tahir and appointed him the "Best Diver". He himself had come only 100 meters away, while Tahir had dived 120 meters deep. Right at the time, when I visited Tahir the last time, the whole crew came to visit Tahir. They wanted to prove their honour to Tahir once again. They where shown rod walking by Tahir - and how he straightens the bones of affected persons.

From Antalya to Kusadasi he has dived on all coasts. For years he had worked hard as a sponge diver. And from the money which he thereby had acquired, he had bought himself a property in Göbün - Göcek. There he sold sponges to the tourists and with the gained money he built a small restaurant. With casual labours he extended his restaurant.

Tahir's Olive Groves
Later, Tahir acquired fields in and around Kayaköyü, the small, historically unusual interesting town of ruins. The one who loves quietness and the nature, is well-advised to visit this place. Tahir built a restaurant on his field briefly behind Kinali - the backparted area of Kayaköyü. He moved there with his family - and from there he follows his multi-layered activities.
One of Tahir's biggest passions are his olive trees.

He plants them all around on his properties - there are also quite jaggy areas among them. He veredelt them, looks after and maintains lthem ike his own children. I could convince myself of what sudorific work this is.

Tahir's Walks on Ancient Goat Paths
Every now and then, when Tahir goes to maintain his trees, it also happens that he takes a few close friends, who also love the nature and walking, in order to free some paths from spreading thorn bushes or stones, and to mark them for interested tourists. These wanderings are enrichingly uncommon, because Tahir can serve with all kinds of nature-tips.

Possible Enterprises in the Close Surrounding
Within one single day you can do all these things: early-morning yoga, Aerobik, meditating, walking, riding a bike, sailing, horse riding (on horse, donkey or camel) swimming, water-skiing and other. Parachutings, visiting historical places on the mountains, scrambling in the jaggy mountains, taking photos or painting great motives and views, enjoying Tahir's wooden stove - and on open fire prepared courts …
… and sleeping there a night under the stars, in the open restaurant on the upholsterers … if you like...
and a lot more. There is actually nothing, what you could not do there in the close surroundings...

The Dusty Road to Gemiler-Adasi (Gemiler Island)
As said before, you can reach Tahir's place from the sea by foot over a dusty road (which, by the way, is quite used by many quadbike tourist groups) or via a fantastic and adventurous trekking path. Maybe you arrive right when Tahir waters the ground in front of his restaurant, in order that the passing cars and bikes do not whirl the dust all over. The town tries hard for years to cover this road with asphalt. Shortly before the rainy season the workers begin busily, to use the cooler climate, which is advantageous for making the underground for the asphalt. But because of the surprisingly early occurring violent autumn rainfalls and storms the grounding was destroyed shortly before making the asphalt cover. Now I keep my fingers crossed for Tahir and all other involved people, that this time it will work out.

I do highly recommend Tahirs "Deniz-Kus" oasis with his excellent restaurant.
Your days at the sea may be rich and fulfilled - and always joined by the sun.

E-Mail: Tahir himself still has no E-mail box. Those who would like to contact with him (only important cases), can do that meanwhile through my E-mail box:

regina@stargate773.de