Turkey…Through the Funnel

This is the first in our series – “…Through the Funnel”. It is a way for us to share 12 aspects that stood out to us in our experience of the country and its people. Most aspects will be things we consistently observed along the way and either found amusing, enlightening or cross cutting throughout the region. We all have a different way of noticing our environment and these are a few traits presented through our eyes. Did we miss something that stood out to you in Turkey? 

#1 No matter what, there’s always çay

We have probably never consumed as much çay as in Turkey. Surprisingly, despite its name, Turkish coffee does not seem that popular in its home country. Most people prefer spending their days consuming black tea, dark and steaming hot. One of our first çay faux-pas, was not realising that in many places, they keep a pot of treacle-black tea warm, which is then served blended with hot water as it would be way too bitter straight up. Not knowing this, I go for the pot of pure black tea, thinking, I need to have thicker skin or lots and lots of sugar to down this. Duh. Yes it happened. From bus stations, to train stations, to cafes, to çay evi (tea-houses), çay bahçesi (tea gardens) and anywhere you fancy really, drinking çay is part of daily life. Much like the British offer you a cup of milky tea when you’re down or unwell; no matter what happens in Turkey, your bus breaks down, your train left without you, the ferry is not coming today, someone will always say “oh well, would you like some çay?” Invariably served steaming hot with lots of shekker (sugar). 

#2 And the magic question is…Where are you from?

If I had to bet 100 euros on what the first and most frequent question a stranger would ask us, it would be “Where are you from?”. Scratch that, I would bet 1000€, maybe even more. It could range from “where you are from?” to “Spaaain?” as they tried to guess the country we were coming from. From the little kid on the street to the tractor driver man who stopped right in his tracks and turned off his massive engine to get his answer; this was definitely the “question du jour” from West to East. 

#3 Berber

After çay houses, the second-most common shop in Turkey is the Barber. The love of a clean shaven face perhaps even overtakes the love of çay in this country or at least puts up a tough competition. for 5 turkish lira (1.25€ at the time) you get the whole shebang – including flaming blades which did not reassure Nico on his first visit to one. Powdering, creaming, trimming, neck massage, and a toner pat down that made Nico’s face rival Macaulay Culkin’s in the first Home Alone. His first treat was with the lovely Bürend in Mardin, though he hasn’t stopped talking about going back to one since. It makes me wish I had a beard. 

#4 Eastern Turkey is Underrated

The most well-known tourist attractions in Turkey are usually in the West and Centre –  the chic and delightful Istanbul, the resort town of Bodrum, the ancient ruins of Ephesus, the volcanic formations of Cappadocia…but it was the East that surprised us the most. The absolutely stunning landscape, rich history, culinary delights and the hospitality of the Kurdish people make this region a place we will definitely come back to. We have only scratched the surface and there is so much more to explore. Being underrated also meant we usually had most places to ourselves, a secret we would probably like to keep, but it is a region that deserves to be experienced by others and we are willing to share. 

#5 Luxury Bus Network 

The bus network in Turkey can only be summed up as impressive. It is one of the easiest countries to move in, getting from point to point is usually a problem-free operation. The bus terminals in major destinations resemble airports, signs and information kiosks clearly pointing you in the right direction. Boarding gates line the exits, buses parked side-by-side in perfect formation.  In the West, the buses arrive and depart like clockwork, in the East the approach to time is slightly more flexible. On the major routes, the stewards have ties and nameplates, indulging you with cakes, biscuits, ice cream and juice. Wherever you want to go, there will be a bus or dolmuş to take you there, on the smooth smooth roads of Turkey. 

#6 The rise of the Selfie

Of all the english words that could have been imported into the Turkish vocabulary, “Selfie” was a surprise. Perhaps it shouldn’t have been as this global phenomenon seems to have swept Anatolians and Kurds alike off their feet. All over the country, turkish tourists or youth were grinning in front of their outstretched smartphone-toting hands, on the steps of a monument, at the beach or on the street with friends. The practice extended to taking photos with us or the occasional “photobombing” as an eager stranger jumped in front of our photo enthusiastically shouting, “Selfie! Selfie!”

#7 Cucumber and tomatoes 

Mmm…I like cucumbers, I like the crunch they make, the watery freshness they bring a dish. I also like tomatoes, mostly in sauces and great for juicing up a salad, but it got to a point where we could “cucumber and tomato” no more. Throughout Turkey (and before in Greece), the most common and accessible raw vegetables are the mighty green cucumber and its little rounded red friend. You are presented with them at breakfast, you are treated to them with your kebab, it comes as a side salad to your lamahçun, sembusek or anything you order really. If you are lucky it comes with a pile of fresh herbs and sliced raw onions with a sprinkle of sumac. There is a moment when you decide to go on a “cucumber and tomato” detox, only to realise actually you quite miss it. 

#8 Tourism boom and bust  

Turkey is definitely a place where you can escape the usual tourist traps or dive straight into them. Resort towns along the south-west coast such as Ovacik are bursting with pubs and pizzerias waiting for the package tours to arrive and spend. The gorgeous landscapes of Cappadocia are unfortunately also dotted with pockets of must-see sights packed with tour buses lining up and overpriced restaurants serving mediocre food at best. Despite its beauty, we quietly nicknamed it “Cacadocia” for awhile, sorry! It is easy to escape all the hoopla though, by going slightly off the beaten track, just don’t take the Zemi Valley hike near Göreme, there is a reason nobody goes there. 

#9 Hitchhiking without even trying

We knew we would be hitchhiking at some parts of this trip, but we never expected it to be so easy. In Turkey we never really had to try or wait. When we were lost in the dark in the greenhouse fields of Letoon, a farmer stopped to ask us what on earth we were doing on the road late at night, before driving us to a town to catch the next bus. When our ferry got cancelled in Tatvan, two other passengers took us hitchhiking with them and made sure we got to our destination. The dolmus (minivan) driver in Doğubeyazit beeped at us to stop us from walking the unnecessary 500m to town. Anywhere you want to go in Turkey, someone will take you there, free and without you even asking too hard. 

#10 Turkish breakfast 

The Turkish breakfast is a feast. The love of food in Turkey does not begin at lunch or flourish at dinner, it starts right after you wake up. There are numerous versions to commence your day with, often it includes cooked dishes such as menemen – a tomato onion sauce with eggs dropped in and scrambled, similar to the middle-eastern shakshuka. Fried green biber (peppers) and some local specialities like beyran in Gaziantep. When staying with families, we got fresh spring onions to munch on, turkish tzatziki, pasta soup and fresh home-made lavash bread. If you are staying in a hotel, you will get the classic of – one boiled egg, cucumber slices, tomatoes, olives, cheese (usually crumbly and Feta-like or creamy sheep’s cheese) and a pot of honey. Almost always this comes with çay, but if you ask for coffee you will most likely get Nescafé, small or large? We may have had our fill of turkish breakfast, but we find ourselves making it again and again.

#11 Les Renault 12

All over Turkey we spotted rickety versions of the Renault 12. It was strange to see this retro car of choice popping up all over the place. Longish in the front and slightly boxy, we were waiting for someone with a seriously stylish hat to drive it. Turns out the Renault 12 was the most sold car in Turkey when the Renault OYAK factory in Bursa produced 700 000 of them from 1971 to 1999. These 15 year old vehicles are still buzzing around all over the country. 

#12 No knives at the table, ever

It is rare to see a knife at the Turkish table, whether you are eating on the floor in a family home or in a locantasi in the city, most Turkish dishes do not require the use of a knife, preferring the aid of a  fork, spoon or ekmek (bread) to scoop things up. Asking for a knife is like asking for cutlery at a Chinese restaurant, another poor tourist who needs a knife.