Notes from the Road

At several points during our trip we took long car rides through the countryside and many small villages. This gave us the opportunity to see these areas close up and while I rode I collected little tidbits of observations, collected here at random.

_________

An old farmer in a donkey cart loaded with box after box of ripe tomatoes.

_________

Turkish road signs seem to be polite suggestions – speed limits, no-passing zones and even stop signs are routinely ignored. In fact I came to think of the red octagonal signs with the word “Dur” on them as a suggestion to be careful when crossing the intersection rather than an order to "Stop".

Many roads are three lanes wide with white markings – again suggestions – for where to drive. When no one else is on the road they drive straight down the middle. Everyone understands that the center lane can be used by anyone at any time for passing. It was not unusual to be in a car passing a slow mini-bike with a bus in the third lane and another on-coming car.

But everyone knows the rules of this game and so it seems to work out pretty well. It kind of reminds me of drivers in Boston. There the rule is you are only responsible for what you can see in front of you. If you want to change lanes you need only make sure its clear in front – you don’t need to check your side or rear – that’s the job of the people in those positions. Again, since everyone knows this is the way it’s done, it seems to work.

_________

It never ceased to amaze me how we could be out in the middle of nowhere and all of the sudden there would be a little roadside stand selling fresh fruit, veggies or tea. They even have these special little wood-fired stoves to make tea or stew that they sell to truckers and others.

_________

Turkish Countryside Car Wash – a pipe that continuously shoots a spray of water up in the air (like an upside down shower head). You pull over and drive under it to get the dust off your car.

_________

Small, dry, dusty farming villages. Old stone buildings with wood beams poking out between the stones. In the village center clots of young and old men at tables drinking tea and playing backgammon or other games. No women in sight anywhere.

_________

Tractors everywhere. Often pulling a cart loaded with hay or produce. The driver might be a grizzled old man or a boy who appears to be 10 or 12 years old. Sometimes there is more than one person on the tractor with the others riding “outboard” on the wheel covers. The classic is a middle-aged man with several “Turkish Aunties” riding outboard heading out or back from the fields.

_________

The Turks love technology. I read somewhere that they rank very high in cell phone ownership. At a remote farm I saw a broken down, very old wooden farm trailer. On top was a satellite dish.

_________

Figs, olives, sunflowers, potatoes, tomatoes, grapes. Everywhere.

_________

Eight people packed like sardines in a compact car looking like they are heading for the circus where they will amaze everyone as they pile out.

_________

Looks like a modern 3 story home from a distance but when you get up close you realize the ground floor is for the animals and the second floor is a hayloft. The people live on the third floor.

_________

Dung from the fields rolled up into large “footballs”, dried and stacked near the house. I assume they will be used for fuel.

Modern Medicine

“The patient must be interviewed. By means of these questions it is possible to learn a great deal concerning the illness that enables better treatment. The time the illness began is also important. In addition I should inquire as to the patients attitude toward life and general mental state. In this way the patients mental health can be assessed.”

- Rufus of Ephesus (Ephesus Museum, Selcuk, Turkey)

Going to the Mosque...and beyond

Goreme, Cappadocia, Turkey

One experience I had hoped to have while in Turkey was to visit a simple mosque during a prayer service. You can visit the large well known mosques in Istanbul and you may see a few people praying but visitors are not usually admitted during group services.

I have become very friendly with Faruk the owner of the pension we are saying in and today screwed up my courage and asked if he would take me to his mosque when he went for evening prayers. Much to my delight he was not only willing but enthusiastic about sharing this experience with me and assured me that the other men would also welcome me as a visitor.

Faruk, Dave, & Beth

After dinner we hopped on his motor-bike and rode across town to the local mosque. After performing his ritual cleansing we removed our shoes and entered the mosque where the service was in progress. About 40 men of various ages and styles of dress were in the room which was simple and spare. The Imam sat at the head of the room and an a second leader sat towards the rear chanting prayers out loud. The other men in the room moved through the prayer ritual at various paces. It was simple and peaceful and in some ways reminded me of prayers in a Jewish synagogue.

After the service was over, Faruk took me to meet the Imam and several other members of the mosque. They were very friendly and welcomed me to ask any questions. We talked for a while and then everyone dispersed outside and back into the square.

Faruk then invited me to "come have tea or coffee like Turkish men do". We proceeded across the square to some tables outside a simple restaurant. Other men sat in groups. Some of them looked like they had been sitting there for 100 years - the faces were fascinating. Shortly an old man appeared with tea. We sat and talked for awhile about religion, free will, tolerance, what Islam meant to Faruk, his struggles to raise his children in his faith, and religious extremism. He quoted the Koran and I quoted Thomas Jefferson. It was a wonderful, free, and warm exchange of ideas.

After several cups of tea we hopped back on the motor-bike. I thought we were heading home but Faruk had other plans. First we stopped at the shop of one of his friends where he insisted on giving me a copy of the Koran in English.

Next, he said, "I want to take you on a small tour of my town". We had talked before at length about his family and life here in Goreme so it was great to ride around and have him point out different landmarks. He showed me the house his grandfather had built and that he was born in almost 40 years ago.

Finally he took me on a wild ride up side streets and then onto a rocky path. I held on to him as the path led steeply upwards into the dark. I remember thinking I could die or be injured but at least my obituary would be interesting: "Local man dies in motorbike accident in the hills of central Turkey". Then I remembered that Faruk had been riding these hills since he was a boy and knew every turn and bump.

Eventually we topped a ridge and we were at the highest point for many miles around. The entire region was laid out before us. You could see 4 or 5 villages scattered through the hills and mountains - truly spectacular. After soaking this in for a while and talking some more we hopped back on his bike for the wild and scary ride down the mountain. But not before Faruk said, "Hold tight. Don't afraid. I do all the time."

Soon we were back in the main square and then back to the pension.

What a night! What an experience!

Location:Goreme, Cappadocia, Turkey

Cappadocia

This part of Turkey has the most amazing landscapes we have ever seen anywhere. There was a giant volcano here over 1 million years ago. It threw up lots of rocks and ash. Then the rivers formed and carved the ash into the landscape we see now.

Dave at the caldera of the volcano that started it all.

There are places where the rock stands straight up into the sky like a tower. The Turkish people call these Fairy Chimneys.

Fairy Chimneys (in foreground)

Thousands of years ago, the people living here figured out that they could easily cut into this kind of rock because it is soft. They started carving their homes and other buildings right into the rock making these fancy caves. In some places they even carved down into the earth many levels deep and made entire underground cities.

People still live in these caves today (but not in the underground cities). In fact, the hotel we are staying in is build partially into one of these caves.

Note the carved homes circled in red.



Our Hotel - Luxurious compared with the homes above!

We have been hiking on top, climbing down into the underground cities, and early this morning took a hot air balloon ride.

Getting Ready for Lift Off

Many Balloons will make the flight together.

Lift Off!

Typical Cappadocian Landscape

Two of the "crew" having fun.


The pictures don't really do it justice.

They had prepared us for the fact that landing might be a bit bumpy - and it was. Our "basket" was knocked over on its side and dragged a bit but it was great fun and everyone was safe.

Beth exiting the balloon immediately after landing.

The veiw from behind the basket - note the scraped earth.

Location:Turkey