There Will Be Blood

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When I arrived in Antakya last night, I said a little prayer of thanks for the simple pleasures in life: a hot shower, my own bed in my own room, and Internet access. I was happy to be somewhere without the worry of trying to be somewhere else in the morning. Traveling can be very tiring, and I felt burnt out. It made me weary just thinking about entering another church. I was, however, looking forward to visiting a little museum of mosaics, but when I woke up, I found the streets empty and the metal grilles of storefronts tightly shut. Then I remembered that today is the beginning of Bayram, the sacrifice feast that’s held 70 days after the Islamic month of Ramadan. Everyone had left the city for the countryside to participate in a massive sacrifice of livestock.

There were, however, a few families who stayed to observe the holiday within the city limits. Trucks carried loads of sheep and goats their final resting places. The animals were dragged through the city’s narrow streets, their eyes wide with fear. Then the sacrifices began. Blood flowed through the gutters, emptying into the river and staining it the color of rusted iron. Open doorways revealed families huddled over slaughtered sheep, gently caressing their dirt-matted fleece. I’m normally an interested spectator – and often a willing participant – of cultural ceremonies, but something about having to sidestep pools of blood and piles of body parts made my stomach churn. I went back to the hotel, packed my bags and caught the next ride out of town, ending up in the Eastern Mediterranean city of İskenderun.

Here, I’m perfectly at ease, gulping down sunshine and feasting on a warm sea air. My only concern now is deciding whether I’ll go north to the freezing fairytale land of Cappadocia, or west, following a much warmer path along the Mediterranean.

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Comments

[itumeleng]

I am so happy
Mi Amore, Every time i read these i shed a tear and only wish I were there with you... this is the most beautiful place on earth i have seen through your lens. Can't wait for India... till then i will be watching:)