TheStorytellersBazaar:Travel Log:Turkey: Tuesday 1 August 1995
The journey from Erzincan to Erzurum was extremely picturesque. It was Providence that I should make this stretch of my journey during the day as I would have missed my first sight of the River Euphrates otherwise. The plains on both sides of the river, before we ventured into more mountainous areas, were full of large herds of cattle grazing off the, what seemed like, fertile land. Along the way, not far out of Erzincan, a group of soldiers had surrounded a group of locals who were squatting on the grass by the roadside in 3 tightly crowded circles. Some of the soldiers were rushing around excitedly waving their firearms. All the passengers on the bus looked on in horror as the bus quickly passed them by.
My second day in Erzurum passed rather quietly. I haven't shaken off my tiredness. I think it may be something to do with the altitude. Erzurum is 1800 meters above sea level (approx. 6000ft). That's 1000 meters higher than Ankara. I've had quite a few nose bleeds since I've been here. A sure sign of altitude adjustment problems.
By 11am I had finished all my jobs. I had some washing to do and I also had my melon (which I had bought the night before) for breakfast. I saw the Cifle Minare and the Uc Kumbet. I then had lunch at the Can Baba Donerci and discovered a new way of eating doner kebabs. You are served with a pile of doner meat in one plate and a salad in another. There is a basket of very thin flat bread which has been cut into squares. The aim is to hold a piece of bread in the palm of one hand, fork a piece of meat and place it in the centre of the bread and sprinkle some salad on top. Then you fold the bread until the whole thing resembles a sigara borek (a rolled up cigar shape). You then eat it with your fingers. Delicious!
The Hamam
I then made my way to the hamam. I asked for a bath and a massage. I was led to a small room where I changed into a loin cloth. I was then handed a bar of soap and a razor. The man at the hamam first gave me step by step instructions of where I was to go and in which order.
First I was to go to the toilet. Then I needed to shave my armpits. A mirror was thoughtfully provided for this purpose but I still managed to cut myself. I then passed into an ajoining room with a small pool filled with what I soon realised was cold water. It was agony walking down the steps into the icy water but the attendant urged me on and then discretely disappeared as I stood with water up to my thighs. Going in slowly was no good, so I counted to 3 and plunged in. I was totally submerged for a few seconds and then I emerged I gasped as my body reacted to the sudden impact with the cold water, After a while it began to feel quite pleasant.
Next was the trip to the hot room or sauna, where I sat in a chamber with 2 other people sweating profusely and pouring water over me from time to time. After a while the hamami (as I shall now call him) came round to see if my skin had absorbed enough water. He checked this by rubbing his hand across my back. Dead skin comes off more easily when the skin is wet. He gave me a few more minutes and then he began rubbing soap thoroughly all over my body. The then rinsed me and repeated the process, this time using his nails to get a deep down clean. Next came a soapy cloth and lastly a hand glove that was quite course and the same job as a loofah.
After this amazing bath, during which my body was being squeezed to an inch of my life, I felt as though all my skin had been rubbed off me but I certainly felt more than 500% clean. Covered in towels I made my way back to my little room and lay down on the little bed provided. I did feel quite drowsy but I wasn't sure if I could sleep here or not or for how long, although I did see someone earlier in another room wrapped in towels and fast asleep. After a while I got up, changed, paid the man and left feeling as light as a feather. This could become a regular feature. I may use the hamam rather than the bath in the hotel. The hamam is certainly more enjoyable and relaxing.
The Coffee Shop
When I left the hamam I walked down the hill in the opposite direction of the Yakutiye Medresesi. I walked into the first Pastensi (coffee and cake shop) I saw for a drink and a sit down. I was far too relaxed to do too much walking and at this altitude just a short walk tired me out. I ordered a coke and looked around me. An old man man was sitting by the fridge to my left and directly behind me was a soldier and his lady friend, although I didn't see them until they got up to leave. When they did move to leave the old man seemed to be quite friendly with them. The shopkeeper had just gone into the back and the soldier waited for him to return in order to say goodbye. He shook the old man's hand too. Both men had broad smiles on their faces and bowed (almost humbly) but the soldier didn't even look at them directly and had such a look or arrogance and superiority about him that I took an immediate disliking to him.
The shopkeeper continued smiling and waving until the soldier and his companion had left the shop and disappeared around the corner. As soon as they had gone, he turned round to face the old man and his expression changed to intense hatred. He started giving the old man a good ticking off and called him stupid amongst other things. The old man look bewildered and then his face fell. He put his elbows on the table and cupped his chin in his hands looking extremely unhappy. It obviously didn't pay to get too friendly with the occupying forces.
These are a people under siege. They put on an air of friendliness towards their captors. They have jobs and businesses and families to provide for so they don't want the army to think they are PKK symathisers. (The PKK are a organisation fighting against the Turkish government to make the Kurdish part of Turkey independent) Deep down, however, as I saw today, there is an intense hatred of the people who treat them as second class citizens in their own land. Who deny them their identity, their language and their right to lead their lives according to their own choice. These people are warm, friendly, hospitable and many are very religious but some amongst them are turning to terrorism, as the Turkish government describes it, but as far as I can see the fighting is only directed towards government troops. These are hard times for the people of Eastern Turkey.
