Turkiye'i seviyorum

(I love Turkey). These first pictures are from Beypazari, a town about 2 hours from Middle East Technical University (my school) in Ankara. It was full of traditional housing, dress, foods, and picnic spots. So we bought clothes, enjoyed the view, had a picnic and interacted with some of the awesome people who worked/lived there. Everyone we meet here loves us just because we are American but know some Turkish. First they stare in disbelief and then they offer us free food and ask to have us over for tea. Sooo we take advantage.








The next weekend me went to kappadokkia, An area that encompasess a handul of cities and towns in Turkey in which people carved their homes out of mountains and stone. Granted a lot of these places are no longer inhabited but there are definetly a lot that still are. It was unreal. This is the hotel we stayed inKappadokkia is famous for their hot air balloon tours. We did not get a chance to take one but their made the morning sky interesting and beautiful. This is across the street from our hotelj

My room inside the cave hotel:
Enjoying the scene. The distinct peaks are called fairy chimneys. All the rock in the region is igneous rock from when the area was filled with active volcanoes and the largest one errupted and spread over this area.

The next day we had a tour of one of the underground cities in which early Christians hid from ruling Arab powers coming through the region, before Christianity became an accepted religion. And yes, it was this small of a space. I almost hyperventilated a few times, but dont worry. Im alive

Our awesome tour guide Ali, I dont really remeber what it is that hes pointing to but it might be a potty, haha
Me standing in a doorway on our tour.My friends and I celebrating seeing light and making it out of the tunnels alive
One of the residences carved out of a fairy chimney

Ali led us on an amazing hike between villiagesThe trees, sky, rocks and ground look crazy that I could barely belive it was real.

One of the villiages we stopped in. A lot of the villiages in Kappadokkia are Armenian or Greek villiages but their people have lived here since the Ottoman Empire.
The lady on the right runs the bread oven and gave us free pide (pizza like stuff without sauce) and bread. A great thing after a full day of hiking) and it wasnt over yet
The next village that we stopped in we went to a great traditional reatuarant with a great view of the villiage
Above: Morgan and I showing off our new purchases back in Goreme (the area in which our hotel was located) after a LONG day.


Well, thats all for now. I have plans to go to Greece and Cyprus, so hopefully I can do that before we leave. Next weekend we are going to the Southeast of Turkey; the more tradtional, rural area of the country. One place we are going is Urfa, near the border of Syria. The southeast is inhabited mostly by Kurdish people (a big issue in Turkey) that maybe im not yet prepared to talk about on a blog. However, the Turkish identity is f large importance in Turkey and they believe that they are all first Turkish and then you are allowed to have your "secondary identity" Many Kurdish, Arab, Alevi, Armenian and Greek people living in Turkey take issue with this philosophy. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, who's picture, statue or quotes can be seen in any classroom, building or area of Turkey established Turkey as a Secular, unified and nationalistic state. The Turks praise him for his ability to reform the Turkish language, and separate Turkey from the world powers that were trying to colonize and rip apart the region after the dispersment of the Ottoman Empire. For these reasons I agree that someone of his power was essential to the people of Turkey.
Lastly, it is a jailable offense in Turkey to insult M.F. Ataturk or "Turkishness", though I have heard it done before.

The politics of this region are insanely complex. It is a region between the Middle East a Europe, a region where the majority of the population is Muslim but the idea of Secularism has great importance. A region where nationalism and the Turkish identity can sometimes clash but sometimes coexist with those that identify themselves in another way. An area where the concept of "minority" is defined by religion instead of ethnic background.

Turkey's strong ties to its Ottoman past as well as its constant struggle between the tradtional and modern interests and definelty confuses and interests me;

Ama Turkiye'i seviyorum