Greenery in Alanya

Long Weekend: October 30-31, 2015

On Saturday, we took an excursion to Alanya, also located within Antalya. It was two hours away, so we rented a car. Yasir and Omer took turns driving. We ate fresh fish when driving up the beautiful Alanya mountains, which were both lusciously green and breathtaking. It was so picturesque. Imagine walking into a painter’s masterpiece, and becoming incredulous of the beauty you encounter. Perhaps the photos I am attaching to this blog post can provide you with some idea of what I experienced. I also happened to be wearing green that day—pure coincidence—so I felt especially camouflaged.

In Alanya, we also visited the Dim Cave, which was 400km in total distance: one side was 350km while other side was only 50km. It was spooky and cold in the dimly lit cave. Caves are such an interesting natural wonder—created partly by nature and partly by creatures, including humans and animals. I must admit, the serendipitous visit to the cave one day before Halloween was quite fitting.

Dim Cave in Alanya.

Just when I think we’ve reached the epitome of our adventure, I’m proven wrong. After the cave, Yasir and Omer took us to a castle (whose name escapes me) where we saw a breathtaking view of the Alanya cityscape. When brochures talk about the famous “turquoise coast,” I now know what they mean. Oh it was exquisite. See for yourself.

Cityview of Alanya within Antalya province.

Sunday we spent all day studying for our Turkish exam. We took a break to learn of the Election Results. The Justice and Development Party (AK) won Turkey once again after a five-month break. This means they have regained a parliamentary majority. With these results, AK party now claims 316 seats in the 550-seat parliament, which is enough to win a majority government on its own. Some people were very happy, others were not. Such is politics.

Republic Day & Aşure

Long Weekend: October 28-29, 2015

At Mark Antalya on Republic Day with Lily and Alex.

Another weekend, another adventure. School week was short this week due to Republic Day. October 29^th is Turkey’s Independence Day, and in observance, school ended early on Wednesday, and was closed on Thursday and Friday. Election Day was also conveniently scheduled for Sunday, October 31^st. Alex and I rejoiced for the long weekend because we needed to hunker down and study for our first Turkish exam scheduled for Monday, November 2^nd; however we ended up spending majority of the weekend entertaining our friend Lily from Konya, who came down to visit us for the weekend.

In front of Hadrian's Gate.

On Thursday, we took Lily to Kaleici. Every time we go to Old City, we see another part of it, which is actually quite exciting for me personally because I love being a tour guide. Those who knew me at Bowdoin know how much I love tour guiding. I had been dying to see Hadrian’s Gate, and on this trip, we finally found it! Hadrian’s Gate is a triumphal arch, which was built in the name of the Roman emperor Hadrian, who visited the city in the year 130.
 

Aşure delight (Noah's Pudding).

On Friday, our lovely university representative Meltem invited us to her house for a tea party. She made aşure (pronounced “ashoo-ray”), which is a dessert cooked especially during Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is similar to Noah’s Pudding in that it is a mixture consisting of grains, fruits, dried fruits and nuts, topped with pomegranate seeds and coconut. It was very delicious! Meltem Hanim also baked a yellow cake and scrumptious cookies. Asli brought her mother’s famous mercimek kofte (lentil meatballs), which were also enjoyed by everyone. All our colleagues were at this party and it was nice to relax at a home-style gathering.

Pakistan Meets Italy Meets Turkey

"Pakistan Meets Italy" themed dinner for our friends.

On Monday, October 19^th, we hosted all our graduate students for a meal at our apartment. We quickly prepared dinner for a party of about 10 people. It was a lot of fun to cook under time pressure. Alex made pasta and tomato sauce and I made curried potatoes with all sorts of spices. Through the Italian and Pakistani cuisine, we wanted to showcase America’s diversity to our Turkish friends, because America truly is a melting pot of many cultures. Luckily, our guests were hungry and the food disappeared quickly. Later that evening, we played backgammon at Konak Kafe and drank warm cay.

Our graduate students have become our friends. They are all so kind and caring. They look after us, and are always ready to help us. It’s such a joy getting to know them, each unique in their own way. We are so appreciative of their generosity and hospitality, and it would be an understatement to say we value their friendship. They are our community and family here in Antalya, and we will miss them very much when they leave to the UK or the USA in December to pursue higher degrees.

With our graduate students--friends--at Konak Kafe after dinner.