I spent some time one day just watching the early morning traffic.

Aydın, city of light

Uplifted by having had a few marvelous days in Antalya, I thanked and said my goodbyes to the Karakoyunlus who had so graciously hosted me and climbed onto a bus to Aydın. Thanks to a special promotion, I got to ride a very luxurious bus at no extra cost. When I got to Aydın, I felt a great joy. I came last year from Ankara by way of the night bus, but this time I came during the day from the south. Regardless, the experience was just as relaxing and wonderful as the first time, and this time I was awake for most of it.

My friend Kahraman's sister, Burcu, came to get me from the bus station and took me back to their house. Unfortunately, Kahraman had left the day before because he needed to get back to the States. However, I had already met his father last year and his mother on more than one other occasion. In the last year, they had moved across town to a new apartment that still retained the comfort and charm of the old one. I looked out over Aydın from my bedroom window shortly before falling into a deep and rejuvenating sleep.

The next morning I shook away the remnants of sleepiness more quickly than usual. I was very excited to visit the elementary in Sultan Hısar again. Last year, I was shocked by the enthusiasm the children were instilled with from seeing me. Even with their uncontrollable excitement, they were very respectful and very hardworking. This year I would visit them again but without warning. I stayed the whole day this time and even taught one the English classes. The students and I shared facts and interests with each other in English and they performed very well.

That evening, I went out with Burcu to a nice little club where we met up with a few of her friends and enjoyed a late night out together. Burcu and her friends talked about many things, which at first I tried to understand. After a short time I realized that it was mostly on topics that do not generally interest me. Unsurprising I suppose, but the conversation sounded so interesting when I did not understand it.

Apart from the Efes and the music, I also enjoyed taking some pictures without the flash, producing shots like the one left of Burcu and her friends.

Some conclusions from my time in Aydın:

- Kahraman's mother cooks the most amazing food
- Aydın isnt the same without Kahraman there but it still rocks
- I will totally miss those kids from Sultan Hısar

Antalya'da

After leaving Misa and Robin in Manavgat, I went to Antalya and from there took a bus to Kumluca in the southwest of the Antalya region. The bus ride there was absolutely amazing. There were mountains that ran right into the sea. However, I did not want to be that guy who just takes tons of pictures of everything so I just enjoyed it. When I got to Kumluca I met up with my friends Deniz and Cengiz. They were visiting relatives. They have a lot of uncles and we were visiting them one or two at a time.

Something about Kumluca... It is a city filled with farmers because it is where a lot of the fruit in Turkey is grown. We stayed for a short while at one uncle's house, which was a small farmhouse. I found it to be very cozy. Sure it was a simple place but it had its charm and was to me very comfortable. I found myself thinking it was the kind of house that I would like to live in one day. Anyway, since I was a guest, my friends' relatives constantly wanted me to sample various fruits, which by the way were all delicious. I was only in Kumluca at nighttime, but I could tell that it was a lively place; it was southerly, but with almost no tourists in the summertime for lack of a good beach. Anyway, it is definitely a place I would like to see again.

When we returned to Antalya, I met more relatives of Deniz and Cengiz, including their eight year old cousin, Alp. He was shy at first but then he went and got his English practice booklet and I helped him with some of the word games and exercises in it. The next day, Alp had soccer practice at the local Antalyaspor training ground. In the picture, Alp is the goal keeper. While he was playing, I was on the sideline where there was a small practice goal. A little boy named Berke asked if I would play with him. We played several mini soccer matches. He was really cute and called me Abi. Also, as a way of passing the time at the soccer place, Deniz and I made up a chant to show our support for Alp. It went like "Alp!.....Kalk!.....Oyna!...Kurtar!, senin için atar.... bu kalp!....Alp!...." Of course we were the only passionate supporters present at these scrimmages between different teams of single-digit-aged kids.

I met many of my friends' relatives and friends. In fact, I even met the father of one of Deniz's friends, Zafer. I had met Zafer maybe a month or two earlier and I never thought I would meet his dad in Antalya, but that happened.

My days in Antalya were days that I heard more Turkish than any other time in my life. For a couple of days I was tagging along to family reunions of sorts and I tried to maintain a low profile by not trying to find a place in the conversation and just listening. I mention this though because the feeling of hearing a different language all day long was sort of eerie at times. Don't misunderstand me, I enjoyed it very much. In many ways it was comfortable as well because I was not expected to follow along or contribute. At no moment would someone ask me a question with the expectation that I knew anything relevent to the conversation leading up to the question. I found relaxation in hearing Turkish around me but just being able to listen. These days while I sit at my apartment back in the states and recall all of this I find myself seeking refuge from the monotony by playing Turkish music and occasionly television shows in the background to help recreate the comfort of that environment.

One other thing that I want to address here is something that people have asked me a lot about since my return, which is how I was received abroad as an American. Really, it was no different this time (with Obama about to take office) than last time (when America's reputation abroad was probably at an all-time low). People treated me the same, but I have to mention that people were interested in my opinion of Obama. One of Deniz's uncles (the one in the photo on the left) asked me if I voted for Obama. I said "of course", to which he was very pleased. Then I thought, any American that you meet at a family reunion dinner at your brother-in-law's house in the south of Turkey in the winter who was born before 1990 will have voted for Obama. Anyway, I found myself wishing I had made the shirt I thought to make before my trip. I wanted to sew a shirt that said "Obama'ya oy verdim." ...which of course means "I voted for Obama." It would have told anybody in Turkey who saw me wearing it just about everything they might want to know about me (that I'm American, and that I voted the way they would have voted if they could have).

After a few days in Antalya, I said goodbye to Deniz, Cengiz, and their family and took a bus northward through the mountains to Aydın, one of my favorite cities from the trip last year.

Another Unexpected Encounter

I had been in the mall for about an hour and a half, an hour of which was spent in the bookstore. After perusing the shelves for a long while I had bought: a Turkish-English dictionary (you'd think I would have picked up one of those by now) and a children's book called Sihirli Kitap (I thought the title of "The Magic Book" was a good sign that it was the right one to buy). Anyway, I was going to meet Pınar's mom, Berrin, in the Starbucks where she was going to pick me up. So I was in the Starbucks, in the mall, and I was reading my new book with some help from the dictionary when I looked up to see a familiar face that was not that of Berrin. In fact it was İpek. 

I think her surprise was greater than mine. İpek graduated WPI and went on to graduate school at Cornell last year. I had seen her once or twice since. If I was going to run into her by chance somewhere it would have been inside a coffee shop of one of about 3 malls in this city of İstanbul. She of course asked what on Earth I was doing here, etc. We conversed for a little bit. I was calmer when this surprise happened compared to the one 2 weeks ago. Am I getting lulled into thinking that these things are no longer as special? Just then, Berrin arrived. I thought this is an introduction I never thought I'd make, as I introduced them.

When we got home, Berrin jokingly asked how long it takes for me to be out and about in İstanbul before I see someone I know. So far this trip, the average time has been about 2 hours, but that doesn't mean I'm going to keep myself cooped up inside the house for the sake of the numbers. Who knows, I might just run into somebody else today. 

New Years Eve warranted some extra sleep New Years day, which I took. I was surprised to find that I was the first one to awaken. Nonetheless, I continued with the routine ofplucking fresh fruit from nearby trees and snacking. The day was bright, but it helped to wake me up. A short while later, Robin emerged from the cottage and fixed some tea. The entire day was a day of relaxation. Later in the afternoon, we had champagne to celebrate the holiday. Although I had originally planned to leave that day, things just didn't happen that way. In the evening, we made a fire because the temperature would drop fast after sunset. We agreed that the following few hours were very hygge-ish. (Hygge being a term I picked up while in Denmark last spring, which is sort of hard to describe, but there is a word for it in Dutch as well so for us definitions were not necessary). But hygge means cosy and relaxing, and that is what it was.

The next day was bright and not cold. We went into Manavgat to a place for making telephone calls. I called some friends of mine in that part of Turkey to make plans for the next few days. I would catch a bus for Antalya later in the afternoon. We had lentil soup at a favorite café of Misa and Robin's. Then we found an internet cafe. I had some things to do from there and it was where I last saw Misa and Robin. So this is where I will write about my overall impressions of seeing them.

I was so excited to see Misa again. The last time I saw her was in August, when I took her to the airport for her flight to Holland. I was also very excited to meet Robin. We had Skyped on a few occasions but it is different to see someone in person. I must say that those three days that I was there were really quite perfect. It is a tough thing to repeat but I'm sure we will get together again sometime in Turkey. I have uploaded all of the pictures from my time with Misa and Robin and I will send the link to you by request.

Yılbaşı

Each New Years Eve for the past 3 years has been unimaginably great. Two years ago, my dear friend, Ro, came from Brazil and we spent New Years together at a classy party. Last year, I found myself in İzmir, Turkey with no plans and no friends in the area but ended up making some friends and going to a concert next to the sea. This New Years Eve was also very excellent.

The day started out with Robin cooking some incredible food. Actually, he did that everyday so it is hard to remember specifically what he made but I know it was good. We let the day pass playing scrabble and drinking some beer on the sunlit porch. Though the weather was colder, it was still nice for winter.

Our plans for the evening were to go into Manavgat to a dinner of Onur's trekkng club. At around 8pm we climbed into the car and rode there. The villages and the city all looked cleaner and in some ways more spectacular. We arrived at the place which had been decorated for the new year. There were instruments set up in one corner for the live music which was for later. Rumor had it that there would alos be male belly dancers (which is how it originally was in the days of old). The place was pretty full at that point, so we sat down at a table with a few other people. Robin and Misa were sitting to my left and a couple of Turkish guys were at my right. The waiter brought us drinks and appetizers.

I introduced myself to the guys at my right. They were Levent and Murat. Levent didn't speak English and Murat only knew a little but the Turkish I know is most useful at the introductory conversations stage, so everything was fine. Dinner arrived and more drinks arrived and eventually the musicians arrived, too. There was much dancing and merriment. I looked over to see that Misa and Robin were enjoying the evening, talking away with Onur and making positive remarks about the quality of the food and music. At around 2am, we decided to go, but Levent and Murat asked me if I would remain behind with them to go to a club somwhere else. I agreed and said goodbye to Misa and Robin for the evening.

Being the most fit to drive, I got behind the wheel of Murat's late-model sedan. Actually I was feeling quite alert and capable. The atmosphere was delightful. Empty streetlamp-lit winding roads toward the edge of the city with Turkish dance music playing through the radio and excited voices beside me and behind me telling jokes giving directions. It was at that moment that I was most thankful for setting my car's navigation system to Turkish.

We came to a place on the east side of the city where all the cars were. It was a nice looking club that was guarded by a police checkpoints and security guards at the door. Pulling up to the officer, I rolled down the window. From the back seat, Levent said something to the officer to which the officer laughed and waved. They knew each other. Levent is from the area of course, but he is also a soldier. I guess they know people. Without asking us anything such as to see my license or whatever, the officer waved us on. We parked the car, and as we walked to the club's entrance Murat thanked me for driving. I smiled and told him it was my pleasure, as I stored the keys in my pocket. When we came to the entrance to the club, Levent said something to the guards who laughed, shook his hand, and ushered us in.

There was something especially comforting about being in a small city in the south of Turkey in an excellent club with some new friends, out of reach of anybody. The music was great, the Efes I drank was like the others, and the atmosphere there was perfect. Some of the folks there were from the trekking club gathering from earlier. I danced some more with them. Later I relaxed in a comfortable chair and watched the others dance.

I was certainly the only foreigner there. I was lucky to have ever been invited or to get in to the place. I cannot really describe how comfortable it felt to be there, in that place, in that moment. After seeing my beloved Misa, Sir Robin, meeting some friends, and experiencing the start of a new year in this remote part of Turkey, it gave me a feeling of wanting to keep it all for myself and not share the memory with others. But here I am writing about it.

I drove back to Seki and said goodbye to Levent and Murat. We exchanged contact info and parted. I woke Robin with a knock on the door. When inside, I again wished Misa and Robin a happy new year and to me they wished the same. We took turns commenting on the evening. I was so glad that Misa and Robin got to experience a Turkish evening like that and that I got to be there was well. And of course I was glad to have continued the streak of amazing New Years Eves.

I found them well

When the plane landed in Antalya I could see both from the air and the ground that this was a kind of paradisaical city in the summertime, though crammed with tourists. I cringed at the thought of lots of British people and others wandering the streets, splurging on goods and services, and maintaining a level of detachment from the real life in Turkey while enjoying some pre-packaged entertainment. My opinion of tourists in Turkey is a bit low, if you hadn't got that already. And I am not talking about the tourists who speak the Turkish or at least try, or the tourists who get to know the Turkish people there, express interest in the culture, and are polite and respectful. A tourist like Misa or Robin. A tourist like me :) So that is how I see myself apart from all the weirdos. Oh yeah, and I love it here no matter what the time of year. The point of all this is just to say that tourism is a big part of the economy and the society in Antalya and the region and ought not be ignored. Needless to say, I was glad to be there when I was there (when the tourist levels were at a minimum).

I took a bus to the small city of Manavgat to the east of Antalya. Following Misa's written instructions, I took a minibus to the road where she was staying. I got out and checked my watch. I had missed the bus I needed to take from there by about 5 minutes. The next one would not come for an hour. I started walking. It was about 12:30 in the afternoon and the day was warming up. I walked and walked. EventuallyI took off my coat. There was a light breeze coming across the farmlands. The roadside was decorated with fruit trees and farm equipment. There was the familiar sight of chickens roaming freely, clucking about. After walking about 2 miles and not yet reaching the cottages where Misa stayed, I began to wonder how much further I had to walk. I saw a man preparing his truck for some deliveries. I told him in Turkish that I was going to Seki Cottages and asked if he knew where they were. He pointed up the road and said go about 4 kilometers. If it had been 2 kilometers I might have considered walking it, but some quick mental math revealed to me that the bus I could have waited an hour for would pass me before I got to the place. So I asked to borrow a phone and called the owner of the cottages, Onur. I had Onur's number all along and I knew that she was expecting my call to give me a lift up to the place. I had originally thought that instead of asking to borrow someone's phone I would just man-up and walk all the way there. I had packed very lightly and anyway the weather was gorgeous.

Onur came and drove me along what I realized would not have been an enjoyable way to walk- up the side of a small mountain. She stopped the car and I asked so Misa and Robin are here? I had been so hung up on just getting there, that I had not quite convinced myself that Misa and Robin were actually there. Yes, she said with a big smile. I had barely climbed out of the car when Misa emerged from the cottage. I can hardly describe the moment. I can just say that it was sunny and warm, and Misa had on her face the biggest smile and we hugged for a short while. Then I saw Robin standing on the porch. I thanked Onur and said goodbye to her and joined Misa and Robin on the porch.

Misa asked about the trip Julian, Bonnie, and I took to visit relatives on the east coast of the United States. I told her all about it. Then I eagerly asked about their experiences thus far in Turkey. Well apparently they had forgotten their Turkish phrase book in Amsterdam and struggled a little bit to get around, but overall had found the country warm and friendly.

I was at their place for 3 days. Throughout that time the morning routine was pretty consistent. I would wake up at about 9:00 each day and walk outside. From the orange tree nearby I would pick one or two oranges. Robin would wake up at about the same time as me and fix some tea. After which he would prepare a breakfast and pick some oranges for making orange juice. Misa would get up about 30 minutes to an hour later. During the day we would either go for a walk or relax on the porch for a long while either playing scrabble or just talking. The nights varied a bit and New Years Eve was especially adventurous and exciting. I will write about that in the next post.

It was certainly exciting for me to see Misa and Robin and to visit a new part of Turkey. Seeing Misa and meeting Robin was one of the main goals of my trip to Turkey and it was very successful. I was so glad to spend time with them and also I was sad when they left. However, I realize that I am lucky to have gotten to see them this holiday season.

I put some of my favorite pictures from those days here. You may click on them to see a bigger version. At a later time, I will make an album of these pictures and others for you to see.

Yes

Yes I found Misa. Yes it was awesome. Yes I will write about it soon.

Happy New Year everyone!

-Jeremy