Türkiye was not on my bucket list; I joined this tour because of the strong urging of my best friends (who had booked way ahead of me) and encouragement from my husband. In his words, “This might be the last chance you have to go to Türkiye while you can still walk!” Ouch! My sisters and niece then jumped at the chance to take the tour with my group.
I’ve been on many trips in my lifetime, but this was such a multifaceted one that the writer in me felt the need to share the experience. This article is just a small sampling of all I experienced in Türkiye.
Ancient history
Because of this country’s location straddling Europe and Asia, it has a long and varied history of conquest and habitation by different people (Indigenous people, Hittites, Greeks, Phrygians, Romans, Selҫuk Turks). It is impossible to see all the evidence of this history, but we visited a few.
Exploring the excavated ruins of Troy was a highlight of our trip. It was a real jolt to understand that it was Troy’s enviable location at the entrance to the Dardanelles strait that probably caused the Greek invasion. Not as romantic a reason as the face that launched a thousand ships, but more believable.
From the ruins of Troy, we looked out over this plain — the result of the silting of the strait. No longer could a ship sail for Troy, much less a thousand. Troy lost its strategic position at the entrance to the Dardanelles.
Biblical sites
Lovers of the Bible will be enthralled by the visits to ancient Pergamon, Ephesus and Hierapolis (near Laodicea). As I trod the ancient paths in Ephesus, I was grateful to be where the apostle Paul preached. I recalled the story of how the Ephesians rioted when they realized that the cult of their goddess Artemis was threatened by the Christian teaching that idols made by human hands are not gods at all (Acts 19:23-41). Now, all that’s left of the grand temple of Artemis is one forlorn broken pillar re-assembled and erected on a vacant plain away from the city.
I wondered how the ancients were able to obtain so much marble until I realized that Turkey has entire mountain ranges of it. One could slice down into the earth and come up with marble rather than dirt! On one of the frequent rest stops during our bus tours, I noticed that the little shop had a thick one-piece slab of marble as a counter. Even the steps leading up from the parking area were of solid marble.
Mosques
The only mosque I had previously entered was the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. The Blue Mosque in Istanbul is 400 years older and offers a different experience. It was the first mosque in Türkiye to have six minarets. The better-known Hagia Sophia nearby has only four. Gürkan explained the stories behind the number of minarets of mosques. You’ll have to ask him yourself!
People and culture
One of the things I admired about the Turkish people is their love and pride in their country. They unabashedly spoke Turkish to us, and it was up to us to understand. Of course, we usually needed Gürkan to translate. Signs outside buildings were all in Turkish. I think it will be challenging to do a DIY tour there.
They hold the founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk (1881-1938), in great esteem. It was the week of his birthday when we returned to Istanbul, and the city was adorned with huge tarpaulins, banners and billboards with his photograph. And because they had just commemorated the proclamation of the Republic two weeks before, the Turkish flag was proudly displayed on most building facades.
One evening, we went to a club that had a special show of belly dancers and a troupe performing dances from different regions of the country. I used to perform regional Philippine folk dances as a member of the university dance troupe when I was in college, so I truly appreciated the presentations.
Another awesome cultural (and shopping) experience was the visit to the Çinar carpet factory where we saw a demonstration of the unique handmade double-knotted method in creating a Turkish carpet, as opposed to the single-knotted Persian carpet. It takes three months for one weaver to finish a regular-sized carpet. We were shown a room with the biggest silk carpet in the world. Fifteen women spent four years making it. Multimillion-dollar offers have been made to buy it, but it is not for sale.
Of course, even the smallest carpet came with a hefty price tag. A few in our group, after much mental struggle, pulled out their credit cards. The management announced that carpet purchases are tax-free, and they would ship the goods to the buyer’s home for free! They explained that the Turkish government considers the carpet industry a cultural heritage and supports it extensively. Shipping costs are borne by the state. This way, the business remains profitable, employing many carpet-weavers, and encouraging the passing on of the creative art to succeeding generations. This is something for us to consider. Our indigenous fabrics like Inabel, Hablon, Piña, Sagada weave and even banig deserve to be given such support.
Food and shopping
My aversion to eggplant is well known among my family and friends, so they were quite amused when dishes of eggplant were often plunked in front of me wherever we went to eat. Roasted, stewed, stuffed, grilled, pickled — I turned my nose up at them. Nevertheless, despite the Turks’ love affair with this vegetable which has no nutritional value, they did serve a lot of delicious salads. We had kebabs, roasted chicken, grilled beef and lamb, sea bass and many more. Very often, we had Turkish pizzas as appetizers. Of course, no pork. It’s hard to gain weight on a Turkish vacation because of the healthy diet and daily long walks.
Every meal started with appetizers such as red cabbage salad, different kinds of olives, Turkish pizza, babaganoush (eggplant!) and lots of bread. I learned to like yogurt which was served in bowls with most meals.
While not a shopping enthusiast, I acknowledge the importance of learning a few local phrases when hunting for bargains. Armed with phrases like Kaç para (how much?), Çok para (expensive) and Indirim (discount) in Turkish, we successfully made savvy purchases at the leather factory, spice bazaar, grand bazaar and shops near tourist spots.
At the Spice Bazaar, we felt like VIPs as the Hazer Baba shop was closed to other customers during our visit. Gürkan had arranged an appointment ahead of time. The staff attended to us, allowing samples of assorted nuts, pomegranate salad dressing, Turkish delight, various date preparations and fragrant, albeit pricey, saffron. Our purchases were meticulously packed into identical tote bags, each labeled with our names—a clever way to prevent mix-ups.
Sights and wonders
The caravanserais, built in the 13th century along the Silk Road every 50 kilometers, provided safe havens for merchants and their animals. These inns, complete with rooms for travelers and shelters for animals, offered a glimpse into the trading that might have transpired among merchants.
Cappadocia, with its underground villages, cave houses, and monasteries carved from volcanic rock, deserves its own article. Exploring Kaymakli village involved squeezing through narrow tunnels, providing a fascinating look into the lives of ancient Cappadocians. At the Goreme open-air museum, we ascended stairs to visit caves once used by monks, with the Apple Chapel standing out for its Byzantine frescoes illustrating Biblical scenes.
The hot air balloon rides, initially canceled due to strong winds, took an unexpected turn. Gürkan, with a Plan B up his sleeve, arranged for spots on balloons operated by friends in another part of Cappadocia. The excitement rose as we drew lots for the opportunity to fly the next morning in Soğanli.
Our bus driver, Ali, was an unsung hero. Despite not speaking English, he ensured smooth travel, loading and unloading our bags seamlessly. Ali’s silent efficiency contributed to a comfortable journey for even the most motion-sickness-prone.
Our journey included a boat cruise in the Bosphorus, a Turkish bath in Kusadasi, and exploration of the thermal baths of Pamukkale. We savored the acoustics of the 2,000-year-old theater of Aspendos, wandered through the old town of Antalya and Sirince village, and explored the 19th-century Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul, once the administrative center of the Ottoman Empire.
Türkiye offers an abundance of experiences, making one trip seem insufficient. (Nora Abesamis Redulla / Contributor)