Turkish Sojourn
Seventeen days and 4,200 pictures later, we have made it back safely to the US from Turkey. It has been an exciting and educational trip. It is also one of the most exotic places we have visited. On this trip we get to know the Turkish landscape and its people. The only regions we did not see were the eastern Turkey and the Black Sea coast. Now I know Turkey much better and have gained confidence traveling in this country, I can say that Turkey is very safe and its people friendly and down to earth. Turkey has a long history, the Hittites, Persians, Greeks, Romans, and the Byzantines and Ottomans all have left their marks, so the country is full of historic relics. The land produces apples, oranges, olives, figs, pomegranates, tomatoes and a host of other vegetables. Surrounded in three sides by oceans, it has an abundance of sea foods. Its people is 99% Muslims, secular rather than fundamental, for both the Shiites and Sunnis sects.
One of the most memorable portion of the trip was our stay at Turkish farms. The first was at a Cappadocia Shiite farm where we were lunch guests. The other was at an overnight stay as guests at a Sunni family farm. These interactions with local Turkish people enabled us to gain a first-hand experience of the Turkish way of life. These farms were in the center of Turkish agriculture region, and we saw, ate, and breathed the Turkish farmer's life. The house we stayed reminded me of my grandfather's old sod house. We ate the food that they had grown in their orchards and gardens. We watched milking of cows early in the morning and ate the yogurt and cheeses and apples and eggplants produced from the family farm. We also visited one of their schools. The Turkish people live a very organic and environmentally-pure lives.
One interesting chance encounter with Turkish farmers occurred during our hike in the Lycian highlands. As we hiked down the rolling hills we heard a loud gunshot in the valley below. As we approached we saw a farmhouse in the bottom of the arid landscape. It was a shack with a small orchard of olives and fruit trees. The shot was fired by the farmer to kill a flock of doves for food. The farmer and his wife greeted us when we approached. The told us that they had worked on their government-leased land for 18 years. On a good year he could harvest over 6,000 pounds of honey, but this year because of various adversities he had none. However, he said he was able to make a living from his land despite the failure of honey production. He invited us to his shack and treated us with sage tea. It was similar to the hospitality shown by the Argentine gauchos when we hiked in Patagonia. We reciprocated by buying a few handicrafts he made.
We spent four days cruising the Turkish waters of the Mediterranean Sea on a twin-masted gulet. The sea was crystal clear with turquoise blue water. Each night we anchored in secluded coves along the coast. I slept on deck for two of these nights, and I saw more shooting stars than I ever had.
The one who gave us an overall view of Turkey was our guide, who near the end of our trip revealed that he was a Harvard educated Fulbright Scholar during one of our many lively discussions at dinner table. He received his Harvard MBA under Fulbright scholarship and worked for JP Morgan as a trader before he became disillusioned and became a tour guide. He was young, smart, well-educated and had a world view that was not much different from our own. He was full of ideas for the betterment of his country. He was in fact worried about Turkey's future. He worried that Turkey might be slowly shifting toward fundamentalism. I told him that he was wasting his time and talent guiding tours. He needed to get into politics and see if he could change the future of his country.
In short, Turkey is a beautiful country with lovely people. It has more Greek and Roman relics than Italy, and we enjoyed our stay. We would like to return one day to explore the eastern Turkey and its Black Sea coast. Perhaps one day I could ride my motorcycle to go from China to Istanbul following the fabled Silk Road. It would truly be an adventure.
Seventeen days and 4,200 pictures later, we have made it back safely to the US from Turkey. It has been an exciting and educational trip. It is also one of the most exotic places we have visited. On this trip we get to know the Turkish landscape and its people. The only regions we did not see were the eastern Turkey and the Black Sea coast. Now I know Turkey much better and have gained confidence traveling in this country, I can say that Turkey is very safe and its people friendly and down to earth. Turkey has a long history, the Hittites, Persians, Greeks, Romans, and the Byzantines and Ottomans all have left their marks, so the country is full of historic relics. The land produces apples, oranges, olives, figs, pomegranates, tomatoes and a host of other vegetables. Surrounded in three sides by oceans, it has an abundance of sea foods. Its people is 99% Muslims, secular rather than fundamental, for both the Shiites and Sunnis sects.
One of the most memorable portion of the trip was our stay at Turkish farms. The first was at a Cappadocia Shiite farm where we were lunch guests. The other was at an overnight stay as guests at a Sunni family farm. These interactions with local Turkish people enabled us to gain a first-hand experience of the Turkish way of life. These farms were in the center of Turkish agriculture region, and we saw, ate, and breathed the Turkish farmer's life. The house we stayed reminded me of my grandfather's old sod house. We ate the food that they had grown in their orchards and gardens. We watched milking of cows early in the morning and ate the yogurt and cheeses and apples and eggplants produced from the family farm. We also visited one of their schools. The Turkish people live a very organic and environmentally-pure lives.
One interesting chance encounter with Turkish farmers occurred during our hike in the Lycian highlands. As we hiked down the rolling hills we heard a loud gunshot in the valley below. As we approached we saw a farmhouse in the bottom of the arid landscape. It was a shack with a small orchard of olives and fruit trees. The shot was fired by the farmer to kill a flock of doves for food. The farmer and his wife greeted us when we approached. The told us that they had worked on their government-leased land for 18 years. On a good year he could harvest over 6,000 pounds of honey, but this year because of various adversities he had none. However, he said he was able to make a living from his land despite the failure of honey production. He invited us to his shack and treated us with sage tea. It was similar to the hospitality shown by the Argentine gauchos when we hiked in Patagonia. We reciprocated by buying a few handicrafts he made.
We spent four days cruising the Turkish waters of the Mediterranean Sea on a twin-masted gulet. The sea was crystal clear with turquoise blue water. Each night we anchored in secluded coves along the coast. I slept on deck for two of these nights, and I saw more shooting stars than I ever had.
The one who gave us an overall view of Turkey was our guide, who near the end of our trip revealed that he was a Harvard educated Fulbright Scholar during one of our many lively discussions at dinner table. He received his Harvard MBA under Fulbright scholarship and worked for JP Morgan as a trader before he became disillusioned and became a tour guide. He was young, smart, well-educated and had a world view that was not much different from our own. He was full of ideas for the betterment of his country. He was in fact worried about Turkey's future. He worried that Turkey might be slowly shifting toward fundamentalism. I told him that he was wasting his time and talent guiding tours. He needed to get into politics and see if he could change the future of his country.
In short, Turkey is a beautiful country with lovely people. It has more Greek and Roman relics than Italy, and we enjoyed our stay. We would like to return one day to explore the eastern Turkey and its Black Sea coast. Perhaps one day I could ride my motorcycle to go from China to Istanbul following the fabled Silk Road. It would truly be an adventure.
依斯坦堡的地標之一 Blue Mosque
街頭小販兜售土耳其式的早餐
夜黑風高
招待我們的農家老夫婦
穴居
我命名為 "Megalophalli Turkensis"
你看過這麼多蘋果嗎？
JMTMD
posted by JT at 4:28 PM
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