All Hallow's Eve 2012, OR You Say 'Halfeti.' I think 'Rumkale.'

October 31st. All Hallow's Eve- more commonly known the world over as Halloween.

My favorite hollyday. It's originally thought to have pagan roots and celebrated as harvest festivals, as well as a festival of the dead (souls). If it is to be viewed as a Celtic Samhain, then it is seen as the time when this plane of existence (our world) opens the door wide enough for all the dead souls and other beings (faeries, maybe even unicorns, etc.) to enter into our existence (temporarily). Samhain marked the end of harvest season. A big feast ensues and the souls of the dead come back to their houses on this day for the feast. It is even thought that there is a place setting at the table for the deceased relative... Now, with all the good souls arriving into our world, some bad or evil souls 'get through' as well as the tale goes. So it is thought today that the modern Halloween of dressing up on costumes comes from this ancient ritual of dressing up so the bad spirits wouldn't recognize you.

All Hallow's Eve is also my favorite Hollyday because it is the day that my father was born on.  I am blessed with 2 great events on this day!

Being that I'm in what I consider to be a rural area in Turkey, there is no overt Halloween tradition present here. I did plan ahead though. A few weeks ago I was out with some girlfriends and we decided that we were going to have traditional Ottoman era outfits made for us. We each picked out a different color fabric and VOILA- 2 weeks later they were ready to be picked up.

It was a joyous occasion- picking up our costumes. We pranced around the bazaar with them on and celebrated with beer at Ekim 29- our favorite watering hole over here. As a side note, 'Ekim 29' is translated as October 29th- Turkey's Republic or Independence Day. It is a huge holiday throughout the country- as is our 4th of July.

We picked up our gorgeous costumes the day before we hit the road en route to Hatay and Cappadocia- which I intend to blog about this weekend... But I digress... back to the story...

So what did we do? We took our costumes with us of course. Da Girls gotta get mileage out of these splendid outfits- know what I mean? 

Don't worry, I'm getting to the main point of all this soon- I think...

Ahhhh yes. I remember now. Halfeti. How does All Hallow's Eve tie into my Halfeti story- which I haven't even got to yet...

Okay it's getting late so is time to just cut to the chase: tonight I'm thinking about my father, which makes me think about Halloween, which makes me think about my wicked cool Ottoman era costume, which makes me think about my Kurban Bayram trip to Hatay and Cappadocia where we all wore our costumes around the natural landscape in the most random of places on and off the road... So now I am blogging about Halfeti because my Halfeti trip happened  BEFORE Bayram- and I want to blog about that trip.

I realize this prolly doesn't make sense to you guys, and that's alright. It's not my problem if you can't follow along with where my mind is not only at, but where it's going... heh heh.

Enough folly. I'm getting serious now. That means no more typing so with no further ado, I will commence with the pictures of... Halfeti. Well, I first need to give you all a BRIEF history of the place:

So there's this castle, Rumkale, at this place- Halfeti. Halfeti is about 1.5 hours east from Gaziantep, near Şanliurfa. It is on the Euphrates River, which along with the Tigris River further east makes up the Fertile Crescent. So Halfeti is famous for being ancient. It is also famous in modern times for an entirely different reason: In the 1990s many dams were constructed throughout central/east/southeast Anatolia. These are part of the GAP project as part of the Turkish government's economic and agricultural incentive program.

As with any government endeavor, with pleasure comes pain- am I right?  The town of Halfeti was, unfortunately, going to be impacted so severely that the entire town would be underwater once the waters were damned by Birecik. Now Halfeti is partially submerged, and the town had to be moved away inland further.  What remains is an eerie ecene: clear waters on calm days where one can see beneath the surface to the remnants of the city. As well, there is a minaret  that remains partially above the surface of the water, yet the attached mosque is well beneath the surface. It is so beautiful in its staggering history. Here is this monument to a people's faith, a mosque- or cami- which is submerged due to something that is supposed to bring a better way of life (a dam to increase economic and agricultural endeavors) to the people, etc. I find the dichotomy interesting. The survival of the minaret is just magnificent in it's singular majesty almost appearing to be hovering just above the surface of the (now) reservoir.

In terms of the geology, the stark contrast between the deepest of blues water and the nakedness of the surrounding hillsides dotted with abandoned dwellings cut into the stone... it just transports you back into time. As you take a boat tour of the area, it is like your personal time machine where you see into the future and you think you have found the secrets to time travel. Yea I know, pretty cool trip right?

I forgot to mention Rumkale- the fortress high above the lake situated atop a rocky outcropping. It is Byzantine and Armenian in origin. Oh Zeugma is also in the vicinity. Zeugma is an ancient Greek & then Roman city that was 're-discovered' during excavation of the Birecik Dam.  Loads of mosaic fragments were discovered during the initial work. Along comes the archaeologists (YAY!) and then come the giant mosaics, some of which were re-constructed. As with any archeological project, the archaeologists are working just in front of the bulldozers.  This project being no different, the salvage work had to occur rapidly because the mosaics were in danger of becoming submerged by the dam. If this happened, and it surely partially did, major monuments to a previous civilization is lost. Disappears. Poof it's gone. Nothing to see over here folks. Move along... Aha modern civilization is indeed a bitch isn't it...

Okay I'm burnt out with my narrative. Pictures now!

L AND L and Brandon, our resident ancient historian/goofball all around good guy

Farahnaz- otherwise known as the Azari Princess

Selin- our hostess with the mostess

All smiles the 1st half hour of the ride- until your body realizes you are indeed on a mini-bus...

So... which way do we go?

our first sighting...

Yeni Halfeti (the new city)

rare bald Ibis birds only found here in Turkey and Egypt and 1 other place that I forgot. Anyone reading this remember???

groupies

zombies headed to the tea trough... heh heh

I want this ride... wicked car for sure

our ringleader and myself

trying to do cool tricks with my camera here...

Brandon telling us like it is- or how it was in terms of ancient Halfeti... history geeks rock

more photographic poe-tree... get it? Poetry...

Food! Most peeps got the local fish, but I still LOVE patrican kebap... Nom Nom Nom

Spency, D-bird & Thurston- posers...

caught my eye

I like pinwheels. I like Farahnaz. They are both in my picture for a reason.

Our captain and co-captain Selda (Selin's cool cousin who set it all up)

boat is approaching some abnormal activity. I can just feel it. Something is out there...

"Thar she blows"

Upon closer inspection it is in fact not a white whale, but a minaret sticking out of the (flood)waters of the Birecik Dam

cave life. I love cafe life. I want to live in a cave. A cave would be better than my current apartment honestly.

view from cave

cave stage

it's an awesome sight

stowaway on board ship. Kitty gave up its Halfeti citizenship to become a Gaziantep feline

another cami near the harbor.

heading into an amazing sunset after a ful-filled day spent exploring ancient ruins with friends here in the Cradle of Civilization.

Well... what did you think? No smart-ass grammatical comments/corrections either...

I always think my blog posts will only take an hour to produce… I'm never on time here.
 You all owe me a beer.

Turkey Trotting: And back to Antakya I go…

Antakya vista from Mosaic Hotel

A few weeks back myself and Solo_ojo headed to Antakya. My first round there last year proved to not be enough time spent in the city and its exterior environs. Antakya is located in the Hatay Province in southern Turkey near the Syrian border.

Antakya's sweet Pedestrian walkway that is lined with some cool buildings. Solo_ojo is on a mission for coffee...

peek-a-boo renovations in disrepair giving us a glimpse into the past

typical alley

rooftop circuitry

pretty wrought iron abounds

the city's abundant foliage tumbles over their doors

You (history buffs) might be more familiar with its name in ancient times: Antioch. Early Christians gathered here and it’s actually said that this is the place where the term ‘Christian’ was first coined as being followers of da man himself- Jesus of Nazareth. Several Christian communities still remain here from their modest beginnings when St. Paul and St. Peter were hanging out in these parts.

I always find street art interesting in  every Turkish city...

inside of the Orthodox church

for Dad and Davido and Dr. Kolohe K Kitty Kat

window decorations...

another architecturally incredible minaret

Of course, Antioch goes back much further than the Christian era… Archaeological excavations have given dates going back as far as the 6^th Millennium BC. More recent, Alexander the Great was here as the Roman Empire extended down into the region, as well as Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. Oh yea, it’s also an important Crusader site…

the dizzy-inducing wallpaper at the Mosaic Hotel, described as an "almost boutique hotel"

Front and center the "almost boutique" Mosaic Hotel...

I visited all types of religious structures on this trip: mosques, churches (both Catholic and Orthodox), a synagogue (looking very ordinary and unassuming I might add), as well as a Korean church- which I originally mistook for being the Catholic church… heh heh.

The archaeology museum is not to be missed. It could possibly rival the Zeugma in Gaziantep in terms of mosaics, but where the Zeugma dominates is in the layout of the museum with many of the mosaics laid out on the floor and you can walk over them on foot bridges. This is remarkable and it was a shame to not be able to do that with the ones on display on the floor in Antakya. Some of them cover so much area that it is hard to see the individual details from side angles. The museum did have a high viewing area though that you could walk up to (precarious, short winding steps). I bought some books- of course. This seems to be a no-brainer for me; museums and books…

Zeus doing his thang...

"The Evil Eye" mosaic from the 2nd century AD

It's interesting to note that a dog, a scorpion and a bird are all attacking The Evil Eye... Gruesome

This mosaic is entitled "Negro Fisherman" from the 2nd century AD.  Notice he is depicted as being, shall we say, well endowed

My foot as seen from atop the viewing deck. It's as if I'm taken back to the 2nd century AD walking on this mosaic...Yea, that's right everybody has a fantasy they want to live out and this just happens to be 1 of my many...

guarding the entrance to something important

more guard creatures

spillage canals of sorts- otherwise known as a sacrificial alter...

The old part of the city is charming. The bazaar is, like every other bazaar in Turkey, a treasure chest. I never really know what I’m looking for when I first arrive, but I usually manage to find something. I found a bolt of silk fabric here and bougtt 2.25 yards to replicate an awesome dress that a friend designed back on Maui last year. The dress is going to be AWESOME!!!  I recall the  last time I wore it (unfortunately way too long ago) was when entertaining a gentleman friend in Istanbul last summer. It is a real winner of a dress for sure and I’m excited to have a twin made… Yes, I definitely need more exposure in this frock!

Solo_ojo and I met Feridae, a lovely Kurdish chick originally from Bingöl, at the pension we were staying at, ‘Belkis Ev Pansyion’ or something like that.  We convinced her that we were cool and to travel with us ‘local American with little money’ style… She got it, and we had a ball. We headed south one day towards the border to a village- Samandağ. From there we headed to a beach community, Cevlik, where the famous “Titus Tunnel” is located. So Vespasianus/Titus were like a dynamic duo father/son team (both became ((Roman)) emperors).  The tunnel was built (by Jewish slaves mostly) to divert the Orontes River. So they cut a channel along and through solid rock. The tunnel is massive and pretty cool. I suggest to anyone in the area to give it a go! Don’t forget to bring a flashlight. Try not to lose your phone as you might see it’s demise. Solo_ojo had an unfortunate accident with his prized camera. Beer was needed at this point in the story…

in Cevlik: beach or Titus Tunnel... decisions decisions

view from the trail to the tunnel

Feridae!

another vista from the trail. Here we are looking towards Syria

360 degree views were amazing

it's hot with the sun high up in the sky beating down upon us

Solo_ojo and Feridae on da trail

the bridge leading down some stairs to... the tunnel!

Titus/Vespasian Tunnel entrance

the other side of the rainbow of sorts...

we're going in deep

pausing to relish in the history

We are nearing the other end here and brilliant sunlight is beaming down upon us

looking up to the heavens: literally a slice of heaven illuminated

in through the out door. There is a decrepit set of stairs on the left-hand side that you can see. The bottom portion has eroded away. So many amazing sights to soak in here.

canal uphill of the tunnel

break time with water and fresh fruit

backside entrance pathway

Roman script with Vespasian's name engraved near the back entrance to the tunnel

some cave tombs a bit further along

inside the burial chamber

Feridae looking inquisitive

letting a little light through

the innards full of empty tombs cutout from the rock

Feridae relaxing

my foot relaxing

Afterwards we rewarded ourselves with cold drinks (ahem... beer mostly) and mezes. We then proceeded to the beach below to get our tans on.  While this part of the Mediterranean is not pristine, it was nice to jump in after a long hike on a very hot day.  Granted, there was some plastic bags floating close to me. Lodging onto me actually. It was strange. But what made it tolerable was trying to teach Feridae how to not be afraid of the waves. This was delightful as noticed by not only both of us with our laughs (Feridae got mouthfuls of water while laughing), but by the rest of the peeps enjoying their day at the beach. My bikini might have been a little over-the-top for the peeps to deal with, but I didn’t really care…

The beach at Cevlik

Solo_ojo getting his sleep on

We hitched a ride all the way back into Antakya with a soldier.  I wanted to ask so many questions, but tried to just keep my mouth shut… Feridae was our translator as he didn’t speak any English.

Some of my favorite places from my first trip here were revisited. For example, the handicraft place next to the mosque and Catholic church that sells the sour cherry liquor… Yea I definitely hit up that shop. Also the cool coffee café. The café is pretty much the only place in SE Turkey that resembles the kind of coffeehouses I’m used to in America and Europe, etc. I think we hit up that place a few times daily. 

I can’t blog and exclude comments on Hatay cuisine. First of all, the region is known for hummus (ground-up chickpeas and tahini), which is difficult to find in the rest of the SE region. I find this strange because of the close proximity to Syria- just a stone’s throw across. The feel of the city is definitely a fusion of Arab-Turco customs/traditions/cuisine, etc. Künefe (a popular hot cheese Turkish sweet) is also considered to hail from Antakya.  I’ve been hip to the Pomegranate syrup/salad dressing for a while now so that was not a new discovery there.  The usual Turkish kebap varieties abound there as well.

Belkis’ Ev Pansyion (ev= house in Turkish) is a very sweet bed and breakfast located in the central historic part of downtown. It is near everything that I like about Antakya. A divine restaurant, Leblon, is right across the cobble pathway from her place, as well as the coffeeshop less than a block away. 

Belkis' Ev some some of her flock of animals

favorite coffeeshop in SE Turkey for sure

Belkis’ courtyard is full of vibrant life. It’s like a sort of animal kingdom with cats, dogs, birds, turtles, etc all roaming around freely. Her trellis was covered with vines choke full of fruit. There was enough shade everywhere to keep out the sun beating down on the pavement during the heat of the day. Everybody (only 5 rooms) gathers in the courtyard and talks story. This I always find delightful. The house is her husband’s childhood  house and it is filled with so much character. I met her daughter, Rana, too as well as other family members and friends of hers. She is a charming woman and I highly suggest for anybody going there to book your accommodations with her.

Leblon Restaurant across from Belkis' bed n breakfast. Food is solid, and rooftop seating to book looking over a large mountain with a cool castle in disrepair. Cold Efes too...

The bus ride back was tolerable. A 4-hour ride put us back into Gaziantep at 11pm, and I was back home by midnight. Just in time to crash for a few hours and wake up at 7am to return to work. All in all a fantastic mini-vacation weekend Turkey Trotting.