Village Life

Our friends live in a town of about 60,000 on the coast of the Aegean Sea. This coastal area is a popular tourist area, and there are many small towns that dot the coastline. On Friday, Todd took us to a small village on the hill above the town, a very old village that is having a sort of rebirth. Several retired couples have bought property in the village and started small businesses or farms.

We drove through narrow, winding brick roads to several homes, had tea and long visits with friends. That is the culture in Turkey. A friend is always welcome to drop by, unannounced, and uninvited, and will be welcomed in and offered tea. We spent several hours in this, and met some very interesting people; an olive grower who lived in the house his grandfather built, a retired lawyer historian, a retired couple who run a little souvenir shop, a group of women in a women’s center selling handmade goods, the proprietor of a private “Turkman” museum, and the owner of an exclusive boutique hotel. We learned a lot about Turkey; the history and culture, and experienced the Turkish hospitality.

These pictures are looking down at Gure as we drove up the mountain to the village

 

 

 

This is on the mountain heading toward the village.

An old barn on the olive orchard.

We are sitting outside the hotel restaurant.  
The hotel owner we visited served hot tea made with orange, lemon grass, lavender, and mint, with a little honey added to sweeten.

                                                 Looking at the village from the hotel.