We’re leaving Australia with sad eyes and watch the lights of Melbourne fading in the distance. Despite the fact that we still don’t like Vegemite and don’t know the rules of Australian Rules Football we learned to love this country and its people! Thanks everyone again who contributet so much to our journey and took us into the house! Thanks for messing up our English (we like it this way now) and for spoiling us so much! We had a great time because of your hospitality!

We stay with Osman who is an accountant in one of the suburbs of the big, vibrating city. He takes hospitality to a new level and seems to read every wish in our eyes. We are strictly not allowed to do the dishes or cleaning the table. He is a modern thinking, very welcoming person who learnes us our first words Turkish and gives us a great insight in Turkish culure and thinking. As the muezzin in the minarett in front of our window starts to sing we start to explore the old cities treasures. There’s an old mosque, decorated with hand-painted blue tiles, an ancient church wich was later transformed into a mosque and a big sultan palace. The markets are full of stalls selling carpets, gold and spices and along the roads the finest kebabs are made.

One evening we sit in a big hall, watching the trance-dances of Derwishes. This people belong to a muslim-asketic religious order and get in contact with Allah by dancing. They whirl around extremely fast and they can even stand straight after minutes of doing so! An amazing event!

After strolling the backroads and glamourus plazas of Istanbul we finally catch a bus to Cappadocia. Nevsehir is our first aim - here we visit Lutfi. He will be soon the President of developement for the shire of Nevsehir and talks us through the problems and improvements the region is facing at the moment. Cappadocia has still no drinking water! The fairy-chimneys of this extraordinary landscapes were formed after a volcanoe erruption during which a lot of Arsen was set free. This is now contaminating the water. Nevsehir is still quite a conservative place where 80% of the women have to ask their husband or mother-in-law for permission to leave the house. Lutfi is now trying to found a centre for woman - to support their social life.

People in Turkey are extremely friendly to us. Many lived in Germany speak a very good German. If language barriers are a problem we often talk Spanish and they Turkish. A smile and everything is said. Their hospitality is amazing and we are very lucky to visit this country independently!

Monique

Last Updated ( Tuesday, 15 May 2012 15:29 )