Dear Turkey
As I sit on the border waiting to clear through your customs so that we can travel onwards to Greece, I just wanted to say a warm thank you for the generosity and kindness the wonderful people of your country have shown Juliet, Jenifer (the van) and I over the last couple of months.
We’ve travelled far and wide in your beautiful country and the welcome has been consistent
From our first day when we arrived, excited and expectant, our van hot and bothered and refusing to behave in Erdine, the mechanics around came to help. Help offered freely despite it being Eid al-Fitr.
In those early days camping out on the Gallipoli peninsular, we started to glimpse what was to come as our fellow Turkish campers enveloped us with friendship and kindness.
Further down the road after crossing to Anatolia and Asia the offers of “çay” (tea) started and they haven’t stopped since. They have been with us all the way around. From Denizli to Adana to Gaziantep to Van to Kars. From Rize, Trabzon, Ordu all the way to Istanbul the offers just kept coming. Not normally a tea drinker, I’ve loved the tea and the conversations with so many that have ensued. The ritual and reverence for something so simple reminds those of us that lead complicated lives that it doesn’t have to be that way. Happiness is a cup of “çay”, a conversation and human connection.
Whenever we found ourselves stopped on the side of the road with a “van problem” Turkish people have come to the rescue. Near Denizli on the side of the road, a kind man on a moped stopped. A teacher but not speaking much English, he phoned a colleague, who was an english teacher. She drove out to find us and help us. She brought her husband and the principal of the school. Between them, they sorted us out with a garage offered us food and somewhere to stay for the night. This is not a one off. When ever we have been in trouble the offer of help has always been there. It’s incredible.
Much of the time we’ve been driving through some of the most beautiful scenery. It’s varied from big sky flat, to mountainous vistas, to beautiful sea views. From lush green woods along the Black Sea, to parched brown rocky landscapes. All along the road it has been interesting and varied.
We’ve loved the diversity and energy of people we’ve encountered. Included in that are all the foreign travellers such as our selves that we’ve met. From lone cyclists grinding out the miles peddle, by peddle, to groups of travellers in vans and the hordes of tourists in Istanbul. Your country makes it safe and easy to be a traveller.
The food is incredible. While we’ve mostly cooked for ourselves, we’ve enjoyed the markets and bazaars where we have tried to shop whenever possible. The variety and quality unsurpassed. Olives like never before. As a cook it’s a real pleasure shopping for ingredients, imagining what one will do or make. Going with the seasons, the latest revelation – fresh apricots. When we first bought apricots, Juliet before tasting said she wasn’t a fan. The apricots from Turkey have changed that. Juicy almost peach like. Simply divine and we’ve been buying them by the kilo.
We leave your country having covered thousands of kilometers on smooth wide roads, mostly easy to drive. Fellow road users considerate and kind. Patient even in the heat. It’s been a joy driving, nearly all of which has been toll free.
How could I leave this letter, with out a mention of the history. There are few other places on this earth that have evidence of humanity so far back in the eons. Not only do you have depth, but also breadth in abundance. We have learnt so much from our short time in your country.
As we leave and say good-bye and thank you, we will take some of your kindness with us in our hearts. We promise to keep that kindness safe and share it where ever we go, as you did with us. We also take with us new friendships.
It is not farewell, for we know that Turkey is a place we must come back to before too long, to remind ourselves of the importance of love and kindness.
We are truly thankful to your kind people.
Lots of love from Juliet and James xxx
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