“Madam, a beautiful scarf for you”?
- “No thank you.”
“Madam, this is all handmade, it’s beautiful”
- “Yes, lovely, but no thank you”
“Madam, just let me try it on you”
- “Oh… I don’t really”…
“There Madam, Beautiful”
- “How much”?
“Only one million lira madam, very cheap and all hand made.” “Thank you madam, you make me very happy and you look beautiful.”
- "Gule Gule”
Such is the persuasion and charm and of the Turkish people. They are hospitable, polite, generous, eager to please and quite irresistible. The men are always neatly attired, good-looking and unabashedly flirtatious. If you’re young attractive and blond it could be a worry – if not just lap it up and enjoy it. There’s a Shirley Valentine in all of us.
The people are intensely proud of their country and its ancient history – and rightly so, Turkey is rapidly entering the western world, yet for the tourist it’s the magic of the Mosques and the five times daily calls to prayer: the bazaars, the many many cafes and restaurants; the kaleidoscope of carpets; the stifling steam of Turkish Baths; the melt-in-your-mouth Turkish delight; the traditional music compelling you to dance and the colour and vibrancy everywhere that remains in your memory. On even the dullest of days back home, a quick flick through the photos and again you’re in the sun, unfolding to the warmth of this enchanting country.
The number of ruins in Turkey is always astounding. One can only marvel at the sophistication and beauty of these ancient sites of civilisation. Their technical excellence, their aura of power and magnificence is impressive. All built at a human cost of course. When you walk over the chariot rutted cobble stones, touch the marble columns, try to decipher the Roman inscriptions, walk across the agora where perhaps St Paul preached, or sit high up in a theatre with perfect views of the stage far below, yet with perfect acoustics - it is hard to comprehend the age of such things and their usage throughout the centuries. It completely and utterly dwarfs our own history. Incredible! It envelops you – you become part of that history. Its so easy to imagine the Toga’d and sandal’d people attending their daily businessin these cities or fishing and trading on the coast.
The coastline, snaking its way for miles and miles provides plenty of stunning adrenaline charged views for the traveler. Far below, the sea swirls into myriad’s of caves and bays. Some are remote and inaccessible, while others host small fishing or tourist villages and towns. Only the deep malachite colours of the water supercede the blue of the sky. To swim in the Mediterranean, is to swim effortlessly in the crystal clear seemingly pure water. No matter that you’re out of your depth - the buoyancy offers great support to amateur dog paddlers. And after a swim, a relaxing snooze under a hired umbrella – the sand is far too hot. Hungry? Informal casual hospitality is the order of the day. Under the fronded sun shelters, simple traditional Turkish meals can be inexpensively enjoyed. No local body permits, resource consent, applications and committee approval here – if you can earn a few lire and please the tourist - go for it !
Turkish food is more than merely having a meal to satisfy your hunger. It is a way of life. It is every where – towers of sesame bagels, piled on stands or carried on the vendors heads; huge cauldrons of boiling corn cobs for the passing pedestrians; mountains of melons again on the footpath ready to be weighed on the traditional bucket and weight scales; endless trays of cherries, dark red and glistening, spurting with juice. The old Egyptian Bazaar in Istanbul tempts every sense - sacks of spices, pyramids of nougat and Turkish delight or great slabs of it to be cut to the ogling buyers requirements. Nuts of every description and dried fruit to defy the largest Christmas cake. We grieve at our strict food and agriculture laws. Wouldn’t the little sniffer dogs at Auckland Airport have a coup from our luggage !
The variety of cafes and restaurants is endless, but friendly jovial service is common to all, plus the quintessential complimentary apple tea. And yes, one does become accustomed to and even enjoy the traditional Turkish breakfast of hard boiled eggs, feta cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, black and green olives, fresh white bread, liquid honey and natural yoghurt each morning. How the English tourists cope is unfathomable, but not only do they cope, they love it and come each year in great numbers as do the Germans.
Turkey has something for everyone. It could be kayaking in fathoms of deep blue sea; hiking in the wooded mountains, the air fragrant with spruce , juniper, cedar and wild herbs; walking through a vast living carpet of brilliant wild flowers swathed across the plains; drinking copious glasses of apple tea – or raki – while deciding which carpet is best for you and your Visa; being emotionally unprepared for a visit to the Gallipoli National Park and standing in the gentle waves at Anzac Cove; climbing the wide steps leading to the Attaturks memorial and viewing the whole of Ankara while again being moved by the power of his quotations. Or perhaps just sitting outside a café with a Turkish coffee and a slice of baklava pretending that your far off land of work bills and taxes doesn’t exist. Bliss.
TURKEY 2006 - Our May Turkey trip has a few spaces available. Departing 15 May, it's timed for late spring - a wonderful time of year to visit. The bookings must be finalised by 31 March. We have a second departure planned for 18 September. For more info on either of these departures please click here. |
