Turkey and Greece - Part 5

I know, I know. Slacking.

We came home from this epic and eventful, yet relaxing trip abroad and then SLAM, the busy starts. Work began....DRAMA.
Mom and Dad had a humongous car accident...DRAMA...They're ok (Thank Heaven) but poor Granny; broken nose, ribs and contusions all over. The moral of this story...do not avoid the raccoon.
And for some reason, I have withdrawn from the world at large for no particular reason...DRAMA!

I am to the fifth installment of the Turkey and Greece trip which means this begins my plunge into Bodrum! We had fifteen days in a sensational villa with spectacular views and an even better seashore on which to get the best sun! And oh, the seafood...

Upper left: the said villa, upper right: the villa's view, lower left: my view (on the shore) lower right: medye dolma

While the shore is where we frequented for most of our 15 days, rest assured there was a host of other fruit fillings in this sweet treat we call Bodrum. There are a few places on Earth, that I have commented as "Heaven on Earth." Ireland is one, Hawaii (the Big Island) is another and Bodrum, Turkey on the Aegean Coast makes a trifecta that can't be beat.

The farmers market was rife with a morning mixture of any kind of dry goods you can think of including painted pottery, hookah and pestamal. But the real jems of this morning marketplace is the produce. I have always emphatically exclaimed that we Californians are spoiled to have the greatest produce in the world. That was before I had gone to Turkey and this market in Bodrum is unlike any I have seen before. It is a covered green grocery that spans acres and acres and if you want it, you'll find it. I had never seen hazelnuts as they occur in nature, eggplants, spices, miles of tomatoes, cucumber and green onions the size of which I had never seen. There were what seemed like miles of Turkish sweets, cultivated seaweed and pickled grape leaves, ready for stuffing. Then the crowning glory...gozleme, too (that my husband had once and again the following week because it was melt in your mouth deliciousness).

Upper left: Hazelnuts, Upper right: two varieties of eggplant, Lower left: dried fruits and nuts, Lower right: three kinds of peppers

Upper left: olive oil, honey and olives, Upper right: lots of Turkish Delight, Lower left: garden flowers, Lower right: grape leaves ready for Dolma.

This guy was great. He was so proud and sweet.

Gozleme

Let's not forget an evening in Bodrum City. We stayed in a region of the peninsula called Gundogan. On the other side of lots of little houses and a trek on a curvy road is the Bodrum city center with the famous Club Halikarnas. Although that was not our speed for this trip. Instead of dancing we were far more interested in shopping and eating. Let me show you the fish markets open late night for all your seafood needs!

One of my favorite meals on this trip (and I say "one of" because there were several -- Obam, Teyze's house and Galimera -- not to mention my sister in law's daily breakfasts) was at a place called Aras 63 Urfa. Aras serves Pide and Lahmacun and a host of other delights but those two delicacies have a special place in my heart so I focused there. When my husband and I were only dating, we went to dinner at the Guvenc house. Muberra is an amazing cook in all disciplines but since she is Turkish she is most skilled in Turkish Cuisine. She cooked Pide and Lahmacun that night. When we sat down to the table, Bulent was silent and satisfied with her meal and when he was finished he said, "if you can cook this, I will marry you!" I went straight to grocery store the following day and made Pide and Lahmacun with the skill of any Turkish woman! I was also married to him less than 2 years after :) !

Upper Left: Lahmacun, Upper Right: Gavurdagi Salatasi, Lower Left: So many meals are served with simple vegetables. It's such a shame I can never find fully grown rocket here in the states. Lower Right: Pide (It is believed that the Italians called Pizza after this.)

And then there's the shopping!

My favorite store was in a teeny beach town called Gumusluk - pronounced: goo-moosh-luke - or Myndos which is the ancient Greek name. This little town is friendly and sweet and smells of sea air. It is also the home of a lovely beach in a very small bay and a shallow waterway that allows you to "walk" on water to an island.

The store was called Cadi. Cadi means witch and can't understand why the store was called witch when it was a place of fairy treasures. So by my estimation, it should've been called Fairy! Becasue the only things witchy about itare the prices. A bit dear if you ask me!

Gumusluk was wonderful. A place to stroll for hours or for my husband and sister in law a place to eat Lokma and drink chai for hours while I mesmerized myself with the goodies in Cadi. The giveaway after post six of Greece and Turkey will be a treasure from Cadi, by the way. But only if I get 20 new faces in the box to the left!

This brings us to the end of this post. The following and final post of our epic trip to Turkey and Greece will be our trip to Greece, our drive back to Istanbul and our last day in Turkey, a day at the Grand Bazaar. See you soon!

Turkey and Greece 2012 - Part 4

Note: As I travel to different coffee shops around town it reminds me that later I will do a post about the best and the worst of these little hipster hubs.

But today, it's back to Turkey. Epic! I know. I've beaten a dead horse saying over and over how spectacular this trip was but I cannot overemphasize the nature of these grand places! And, what made them even more special was being there with family!

After a really fun trip to Ephesus (the most fun was our niece - but that's a different story) we made our way to the The National Park Beach. Absolutely stunning clear Aegean waters where you can just picture Jason and the Argonauts and Ulysees running their quests on the rocked shores of this amazing Nationally preserved park.

My sister in law asked what our favorite part of the trip was...though it was difficult to pinpoint any singular thing, the National Park Beach was an exceptional reprieve from the heat, from people, from reality itself.

We had a picnic with cheese and watermelon and pastirma. We tossed rocks. We drank Turkish Coffee and laughed. A lot.

And with scenery like this you can understand why...

It was a perfect afternoon.

As if things could get any better.... Roadside figs!!!!

And then.....

We drove into Bodrum at Sunset.

Turkey and Greece 2012 - Part 3

We woke early the following day to get a jump on Ephesus.  Being a history teacher makes this place extremely appealing. The ancient structures, the clever engineering, the unfathomable arches and a string quartet?! Yes, there were lovely fellows playing for the droves of tourists. I love imagining being present with the Ephesians. When you walk these ancient marble paths you wonder, What did they eat? How did they engineer aquiducts? How did they carve marble columns?  And how did Paul come to be here? Obviously they didn't have the technology we had but the structures facilitate something so sophisticated! They had toilets with plumbing. Houses with chambers that were attached to kitchen as dining rooms and bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms and the mosaics...oh my, the mosaics. Ephesus is even mentioned in the Christian bible several times. It was quite a romantic place and it was sensational to be there with my family and husband. It was hot but the reward was a trip to the seashore before wending our way to Bodrum.

The Temple of Artemis

This is a 3000 year old structure!

Yeah. It's me. I think I'm more focused on the hat than the ancient avenue behind me. Still, it is a pretty nice hat.

After visiting Ephesus we travelled to the Virgin Mary's house. It is said that after the death of Christ, Mary fled to Turkey to avoid persecution. Such a pilgrimage...

The entrance to her modest home.

Prayers written on primarily T.P. and tied to the fence.

Ok. so I'm extended my original 5 day post schedule of Turkey and Greece to now, six. Five posts just aren't enough to really give you the feeling of grandeur that I experience. EPIC...I know I already said that but I can't help but emphasize the awesomeness...

So, next post, The National Park and BODRUM!!!!

Turkey and Greece 2012 - Part 2

I figured I'd start you out with the same map of Turkey I used previously. Other maps simply did not show what I want you to see. Pamukkale is in a region called Denizli. It includes Heiropolis and a host of other ruins. It is extraordinary and beautiful.

The drive from Afyon took a few hours but was painless with the inclusion of the iPad, Sekker Pare and the fam.

The day was hot and we were all exhausted but such is the life of a traveler....

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Pamukkale is a place that tourists save their whole lives to visit. It was great but even better and rarely visited by Americans was a little place called Sirince (Pronounced Shir-in-jay). Sirin means cute - and oh, it's cute. But it was first called "Ugly" by it's Greek inhabitants because they did not want to be disturbed by outsiders.

The locals live a simple life. 

Vendors are out selling wares all over this village. Can you believe cars drive on these roads?

A sweet little church tucked in the Turkish hills.

We found a covered courtyard. So simple. A dirt floor, low tables and mismatched chairs. We ordered our tea and enjoyed the view. The gentleman that owned the tea house sat down and told us the entire history of Sirince. My husband translated for me...In not these exact words the man told us that the Greeks were here as slaves and set free to start their own lives. They found this little hillside and called it ugly to ward of unwanted guests. Then the Greeks left and this quaint hillside was re-found by the Turks. The name changed and folks settled, they struggled to make a living. So they opened up the "cute" place and began selling home cooked meals and local wines. Visiting "cuteville" was a pleasant way to spend the afternoon. After, we ventured to Kusadasi (pronounced "Koo-shaw-de-si") to find a place to stay for the night.

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This is a sweet memory for me. We stayed at a clean, small hotel which happened to be hosting a HUGE engagement party. The sun went down and we went into town to see the sights. I loved being in a place that my husband remembers so fondly. He talks often of summers in Kusadesi. It has been since overrun with tourists but it is still a charming place to visit, regardless.

Turkey and Greece 2012 - Part 1

This is the first of a five part post, y'all! And I'll end the five parts with a giveaway! Directions for the giveaway will be on the final post and I have to get 20 or more new followers (your picture in the box) in order for the giveaway to follow through...so tell your friends!

I have been to Turkey twice before since I met my husband. Before I met my husband, Turkey is what I ate at Thanksgiving. It sounds silly I know but I just never really thought about the land region that is so rich in amazing history and a bridge from Europe to the Middle East. Now, I think about all the richness and wonder why I never knew about the wealth of this nation before.

Everyone wants to go to Spain, France or Italy. I am guilty of the same having moved to Italy in my youth and staying as an expat for a while! I wish I had known about Turkey.

The language is rooted in Balkan/Eastern Europe and Arabic with a touch of Latin thrown in, making it tricky to pick up but very cool.

Turkish customs are amazing and the cuisine sensational. As I go on I'll expand on these things.

This trip was EPIC!

When you see this view - Hagia Sofia and the Blue Mosque - you know you've arrived!

We started in Istanbul. My sister in law lives in a gated community on the Asian side of the Bosphorus. Her view from her terrace is amazing and gives a great view of the water way. At dinner on our first night we saw a huge freighter passing through and a fireworks show!

Don't let "gated community" stray you. A gated community in Turkey is a community in which there are stacked apartment buildings with tiny balconies and terraces not tract homes with gardens and lawns.

After our initial day in Istanbul we had one day to piddle around the city. I requested Istinye Park...I'm American what can I say, I love a mall. But let me tell you, Turks love their malls too! And this shopping mecca is nothing to scoff at! At the mall I was thinking and thinking of a store I loved when I first came to Istanbul. I kept calling it Mada Style. It was actually Mudo Collection and after half a days searching my niece figured it out. When our time at the mall was done, we got in a taxi to venture home. I always thought that Italian cab drivers were the dcariest and most dangerous. I was wrong. We got in a cab with a very polite, young driver who sped around nearly killing us several times. So the verdict: Turkish drivers are WAY more sketchy than Italian drivers.

We went back to the house and sat down to a sensational supper of Patlican Yemegi (the husband loves this and I finally learned to make it thanks to Berrin, my sister in law) and other meze. By the way, the recipe I have here is not our family recipe. I will add a proper recipe at a later time. This is just for your reference. It includes nutritional content as well; I love that...nevertheless...a traditional recipe is going to follow!

After dinner, we prepared for the the long trip ahead of us the following day. On the map above, you can see Istanbul. If you look South and East you can see near Ankara, a town called Afyon.

Afyon was, perhaps, my favorite part of our trip. It was my first experience with a Turkish bath which was amazing. Actually, there is no word with enough emphasis to say exactly how it was. In Afyon, I experieced true unfettered Turkish culture (men sitting around while the ladies ran around setting the table and cooking) and in Afyon, we were invited to a circumcision/after party. I am quite sure not many other Western ladies get to say that!

 More from Afyon:

Afyon is famous for their Sucuk.

Dried peppers and eggplant and spice. 

Dried Okra

Tulumba Cheese

Sausage casings

There is a castle up there!

The view from Teyze's terrace.

After touring Afyon and having a delicious sweet treat and speaking in sign language wishing to the heavens that I could speak Turkish, we headed back to Tayze's house where she had prepared a sumptuous meal. Thus ended our trip to Afyon. There aren't any real words to explain the feeling of the place; of the people. It is somewhere that Westerners infrequently visit but a town of great history and charm. Turkish independence was won here. The international delight of Soucuk was invented here and perhaps the most notable of all, my husbands mother was born and raised here. And thank goodness. My husband is extremely special...no bias here, though.

Photo 1 (upper left): Pideli Kebap. Photo 2 (upper right): The ladies prepare for dinner. Photo 3 (lower left): Berrin {my sister in law} Tayze {my husband's aunt} and Bulo {my husband}. Photo 4: The grapes in this picture are not extraordinary but the apricots, my word, they are like sugar in your mouth.  These apricots are why "Turkish Apricots"  are so famous - the delectable Sekker Pare.

We spent the night. Tayze gave up her bed for us. Imagine my alarm and guilt when I woke up to seeing Tayze on the sofa still in her little dress. After a very early breakfast, we got on the road again and headed to Pamukkale.