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Published: November 17th 2008
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There are some places for everyone which you feel a belonging without knowing really why and Black Sea region of Turkey is somewhere like that for me. Ok my father is from this region and when I seek my ancestory,which ever branch I look for at my fathers side, I always end up somewhere in eastern Black Sea but still I spent a very little time of my life in this region and I was in my end twenties when I first have been to eastern Black Sea. However I always felt a feeling of belonging and longing both to this region and colourful people of it. Maybe there is really something like a genetic memory.
I had one week holiday left for 2008 and I really felt tired. Last few weeks the humid air of Istanbul was making me fell asleep after a short while I came from work. I need some place with lots of oxygen, fresh, clean air and with less people and also with better people. The atmosphere in Turkey we witnessed for the last few months is depressing. Kurdish separatists and terrorists have gotten a courage from somewhere, rioting in many places, damaging here and
there, in some incidents attacking cars having Turkish flags, and us watching all of it from our tv's. Trabzon was the anti thesis of whatever I felt. A wonderful nature with emrald green forests, a fresh, crisp air in November and probably the last place in Turkey where anyone can dare to burn cars having Turkish flags.
After the plane landed off an elderly lady asked help from me for her luggage. Later on her husband which came to greet her to the airport gave me a lift to the place where Uzun Gol busses depart. Uzun Gol which means "Long lake" in Turkish is one of the most known mountain resorts of Black Sea and Turkey. A landslide long, long time ago created a natural dam in front of a tiny but fast flowing creek and formed this lake. The village around the lake turned into a resort with many wooden hotels which are popular especially during the summer times. But this did not completely change the traditional rural life of the people. The village life and village itself still exists and the hotels are concantrated in one side of the lake and even there they are mingled
with traditional village houses. So alltogather these hotel don't look awkard in this beautiful nature as they are built as 2-3 floored wooden buildings.
As I said the traditional village life continues, people are conservative and it is not possible to find alcohol anywhere. An ideal teraphy place for an alcoholic. Thanks to god being conservative does not mean being introverted in Turkey. People are friendly and excited like typical Black Sea people. They speak Turkish with a unique and charming accent, have strong sense of humour and a sharp intelligence. In the friday prayer I joined I had hard time not to laugh while listening to the imams preach with many slang words and emotions he added to his preach.
During one of the days I spent in Uzun Gol I tried to climb one of the mountains around the lake. It is amazing to see how locals could build those houses in high lands which they built to move during summer times. The hills were so steep walking even without carrying anything is almost impossible. After an attitude the trees can not grow and flora turns into Alpine meadows. I ran into springs flowing between stones
and ices where I drank maybe the cleanest and most delicious water in my life. After an attitude walking becomes hectic as oxygen gets less and walking that long takes its toll from your legs. So unfortunately I could not make it till the snowy peaks.
The fresh weather and walks I made around the lake made me more hungry than usual. Trout is especially cooked very well in the restaurants of the hotels. And you can easily see these fish swimming in the creek flowing to and from the lake. I should say generally fish is very well cooked around Trabzon whatever you order and very reasonable after Istanbul prices, a city that seems to me recently who have the worlds most determined restaurant owners to rip people off. The place is also excellent place for reading and writing. I managed to start writing a book I dreamed to write for a long time. Hope I will not leave it in the middle and pull it through soon.
After the four days rest in the lake it was time to go back to Trabzon, a very old city which got ist name from Trapezea meaning table in
Another village house
Corns are dried to make flour from them old Greek. This name comes as the hill city was founded looked like table to her founders. The city gained a name for being the strong hold of Turkish nationalism after two mediatic assasinations; one a missioner priest and other an Armenian journalist Hrant Dink. Unfortunately when unemployement, economic difficulties meet with the genetically energetic, excited and adventurist youth of the region which has traditional liking for guns, a perfect background for these nationalist armed organizations formed. Like all of the Black Sea, Trabzon has been disregarded for a long time by the governments of the country it fanatically liked.
Though besides these difficulties there is a strong trade and economy going on in the city as the city's geographic closenes to the former Soviet republics. Many things are imported and exported to and from the city. Especially in 90's Trabzon became a scene for prostitution served by East European women who have been called Natasha's since those times. Although the momentum of this sort of trade slowed down in the recent years, the hotel I stayed in my last night in Trabzon were echoing with the sounds of high heels from the corridors and moanings from the rooms.
One thing that should not be skipped while mentioning about Trabzon is football. The city has a great interest to this sport and has a team which is the only one who could have been a champion in Turkish league except the 3 big Istanbul teams. The flags and banners of the team Trabzon Spor can be seen all around the town as they are palying for being the champion this year as well.
There are many more things that can be written for this city and its people who are subject to thousands of anechtodes. My next trip to Black Sea is already planned. With a group of friends we will ride through the region next Spring. Lets see what days will bring. Hope I will finish my book by that time.
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