Digging Deeper

Awakening the inner artist. I remember it now, it was right before the ferry ride back to Eminonu, when we spoke of mermaids in the sunken city and of what animal we would be. It was crowded and I closed my eyes, feeling safe with Nancy and Klaus. The sounds of the waiting room at the dock filled my ears and played in my mind like pieces and parts of a collage. Sometimes overlapping, emphasizing or masking one another, like the sounds of a river over small rapids. Patterns were created and lost again. There was a moment when I sank into the surrounding sounds, like sinking into an old quilt with geometric patterns of many designs and colors. I am learning to breath with the universe.


Turkey straddles the two continents of Europe and Asia, and can't decide where it belongs. Arabic and French go hand in hand within the Turkish language. A push for modernization runs up against what some see as stagnant tradition. I am told that the EU wants Turkish people to stop eating cocoroch (barbequed sheep intestines) if the country is to join. Turkey is under-recognized for its importance in world history and culure among many Europeans. The Germans know Turkey for the immigrants from there, and forits sunny inexpensive resorts along the Mediterranean coast; the cultural sites exist as bonus side trips for pinics.
And yet, Turkey is a land littered with the remnants and ruins of a plethora of ancient civilizations and invaders. The sites so central to the myths of our own civilization lie here, partly shrouded by the everyday lives of contemporary Turkish people, and also shoved into the spotlight because of rampant tourism. Troy, Mt. Olympos, Constantinople. Shrouds of pottery can be found on the ground in the countryside; it is a recognized problem that chunks of history are being carried away. Whose history is it? Lycian tombs on the cliff faces, dating probably to the 3rd century, gapingly watch over this beach resort town; they are empty and forgotten. Why should it seem strange that they crumble as Turkish tourists below ride their scooters, learn to scuba dive, and drink Pilsner as they dance to American pop music? Meanwhile, the Koranic prayers echo to all over the loudspeaker, rhythmically and regularly five times daily.

There is charm here and though identifying what makes Turkey Turkey is confusing, it also makes the country that much more fascinating. It is like halva: the taste of Turkey is made up of sweet and bitter layers mostly hold together as a firm but delicate delicious whole. Guzel.


Night two in Kas, way way south on the Mediterranean Sea. The 12 hour bus ride from Istanbul turned into 15 and a half. I think there is a point reached when additional hours don't really make a difference. When we finally arrived my spirits were split between Istanbul memories and relief to be moving from the big city to a warm and relaxed fresh locale. I am still trying to find a balance between goodbyes and hellos. On the radio a man's deep voice spoke mysteriously over electronic music: "Do you believe in miracles? Do you believe in consequences? Do you believe in coinceidences?" Whether I do or not, will that change the effects of my actions?

We met some Turkish friends here on holiday in the cushioned terrace of our guesthouse. They are very hospitable and fun, enthusiastically teaching backgammon, sharing their special licorice liquor (it changes color when mixed with water), and exchanging bits of language. We teach them Spanish and they teach us Turkish and even a bit of Chinese. Tonight we ate a delicious Turkish meal cooked by the owners of the guesthouse, replete with a large grilled fish for each person (of which there were about 20). After dinner we heard a variety of traditional Turkish music from the computer and danced. Tuva, a beautiful Turkish woman on holiday from Istanbul performed some belly dancing for us and then with us. Then, laughing and cheering, I accepted an offered pinky and learned a traditional group dance, consisting of stepping and kicking in unison around the room. It was great fun! I learn over and over that to successfully navigate a foreign country one has to laugh a lot, be friendly, and let inhibitions go.