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[TurkC-L] x0x Turkish Tales
From: TRH <trh_at_....>
Date: Tue 31 May 2005 - 06:09:33 EEST
Travel By Annabella Proudlock Jamaica Observer We woke to the sound of prayers wafting from the minarets of the Blue Mosque, the haunting sound that was to follow us throughout our journey. The verses of the Koran are chanted five times a day from mosques in every village and town in this country of surprises.
In homage to a dear friend who died recently and
had asked me to write up our trip together five
years before, I returned to Turkey, now
Olives at the market in Kas Turkey is a huge peninsula that juts out into the Eastern Mediterranean with 5000 miles of coastline, and mountains twice the height of Blue Mountain Peak. We visited only a fraction of Anatolia, the region across the Bosphorus in Asia, but moved from dense forests, to salt lakes, gorges, and the extraordinary landscape of Cappadochia. Despite a population of 68 million, Turkey can feed itself, one of the few countries in the world able to do so. Throughout our journey we saw both men and women working in fields of cotton, potatoes, olive trees, pumpkins and grains. Families with young children and well-trained dogs tended large herds of sheep and goats. There are also large industrial areas, a thriving textile industry, and a steadily growing tourism business. I had researched our trip on the Internet, (travel is the second most widely used resource on the web) and chosen Journey Anatolia, a small tour company. Owner Serkan, Turkish-born and raised in England, had similar interests as myself, having previously worked in film and design. His passionate love for his homeland and eagerness to share would bring a time of laughter and lasting memories. Through him we discovered its ancient history, culture, cuisine and beauty, travelling over 2,000 miles in his trusty Landrover, which gradually filled with our purchases of carpets, lamps, fruit and spices. Turkey has numerous Greek and Roman archaeological sites - huge amphitheatres, aqueducts, temples, tombs, mosaics and inscriptions. Some were on remote coastal headlands or hidden as in the forests of Olimpos. n more modern times, from the 12th Century, traders along the Silk Route brought exotic goods from the East. Turkey, the crossroad between two continents, has always been a meeting place of both worlds. There are museums everywhere. The famed Topkapi Palace in Istanbul evoked the fairy tale images of my visit as a student, after sitting in a train from England for five days and nights. Once the home of Sultans, it offers a breathtaking insight into their opulent lives with diamonds the size of hens' eggs, exquisite inlaid thrones, and the bejewelled robes that adorned the concubines of the harem. Below the palace is the Bosphorus, the narrow strait that divides Europe and Asia. One of the world's busiest shipping lanes, our ferry zigzagged past boats of all sizes, and elegant Ottoman homes, the summer residences of Turkey's wealthy. The silhouette of the city from the water is a sight never to be forgotten. To cleanse ourselves for the journey, we visited a Turkish bath, or 'hamam', where I got steamed and scrubbed on an enormous marble slab. Men and women are in separate areas, but the sight of so many naked women was bizarre. Our route took us past the killing fields of Gallipoli, memorialised in the Mel Gibson film of the same title. As in most places, Serkan knew where to find the best food, and that night we dined on lamb that had grazed on wild oregano, and was cooked with yoghurt over coals. Turkish cuisine is a heady mixture of spices and local produce.
In markets we marvelled at shiny eggplants,
cabbages twice the size of my head, beautifully
presented fish and radishes as large as
I learned to love lentil soup, and 'pide' - the Turkish version of pizza. I drank endless cups of cay, apple tea and Turkish coffee, along with local beer, wine and a yoghurt drink called 'ayran'. Each region has its own specialities, including bread all shapes and sizes of bread. We especially enjoyed Turkish delight, a sweet concoction of nuts and fruits whose popularity rivals our Easter buns. Luckily our journey was quite active, so that our waistlines did not expand too-too much. Our next overnight stop, Pamukkale, has spectacular calcium cliffs and pools, gleaming like snow in the sunshine. The Romans recognised their mineral properties and built a large spa nearby. The weather became warmer as we travelled south, past the spectacular Saklikent gorge, narrower and higher than Bog Walk. Kas, our home for two days is a former fishing village where tourism has made its mark with many shops and restaurants. Around the harbour, the captains of gulets (boats of traditional design) wait for customers to explore the many islands, sunken cities and coves. It was here that Graham succumbed to the charms of a carpet. Turkish carpets are world famous and the finest sell for many thousands of dollars, but after nuff cups of tea (and most of the morning) a bargain was struck with the Turkish higgler. Travelling along a truly dizzying coastal road, we reached Olimpos. It was here that I saw my most surreal sight of the journey - the Chimaera. Steeped in mythology, these eternal flames appear spontaneously out of crevices on a remote hillside. Used in navigation by ancient mariners, no one can explain the gas coming from deep within the earth, hot enough to cook on, and photographs cannot capture the otherworldly feel of the experience. Our next stop, Konya, is a conservative Moslem city, birthplace of the founder of the Whirling Dervishes. Despite the name, the religious ceremony is graceful and majestic. Like pocomania, it involves chants, music and dance, and for the uninitiated it is a deeply moving experience. From there we drove to Cappadochia, a World Heritage Site of volcanic valleys and pillars formed from wind and rain over the centuries. With its incredibly improbable rock formations, cave houses and frescoes, it is probably the most photographed area of Turkey. Indeed our hotel was carved into the rocks. At dawn we viewed it from a hot air balloon, passing vineyards and villages - a journey that ended unceremoniously as we tipped gently over on landing. Our last nights in the countryside were spent in Safranbolu, another World Heritage site, which became prosperous from the sale of saffron and leather. We stayed with a local family in their 18th century Ottoman home. Early in the morning our host, Cengis, took us into the mountains to his father's sheep farm. Here, as everywhere, the people were friendly, dignified and eager to share their knowledge. We returned to Istanbul along mountain roads and super highways. It was now the month of Ramadan when during daylight hours people are forbidden to eat or drink, so nightfall is a time of festivity. All around the Blue Mosque, stalls and restaurants are set up, and children gazed wide-eyed at the colourful homemade sweets and special foods. As we say goodbye, I too feel wide-eyed and awed by the magnificence and magic of Turkey. To remove your address from this list, please send an e-mail to TurkC-L-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com To send a message to us please put the following code at the beginning of your subject "txuxrxk" AND remove the TurkC-L tag. Then use our trh@cyberspace.org address. This is to prevent spam. Other e-mails may not be read. Yahoo! Groups Links
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