TURKEYTHE BLACK SEA REGION PART 2Story and Photos by Sandy Katz Travelin' Sandy Katz is a freelance writer based in Charleston, South Carolina. She has visited over 250 destinations and writes for many USA publications. Sandy who has a degree in psychology resides on the Ashley River with her husband.
ANCIENT TRADITIONS DELIGHTFUL IS THE FOOD IN TURKEY FESTIVALS IN THE PLATEAUS There's something about Turkey that every visitor will enjoy, and environmentalists are no exception. Nature-based tourism enhances the quality of life of the tourist in Turkey. Not only does the Black Sea Region offer natural wonders, but also there is a great deal to learn culturally about the inhabitants of that area. Silhouettes of villages, accentuated by slim minarets, dot the hillsides alongside the highways. Villages reflect the climate and character of the region. Mediterranean villages on the coast are made from stone that takes the color from the sky when the sun is low on the horizon, and the timber starts to blend as you reach higher altitudes. Houses in the mountain villages close to the Black Sea are scattered, surrounded by their own tea plantations. This tea growth gives the mountainous areas a lush, green look. Typical villages are built around a central square that houses the mosque, the school, the general store, and of course, the center of male life, the coffeehouse. The coffeehouse is the men's domain where important issues such as politics and crop prices are discussed and local gossip exchanged. The village fountain, inner courtyards and doorways are the women's domain. This is where they talk about goods and health-related items, child rearing and daily sustenance. You will also see villagers on their way to and from the fields or orchards on donkeys and tractors. Villages preserve the traditional
dances, customs, weaving, puppet shows and plays in their original forms.
Dramatizing the exaltation of nature, animals, everyday life, courtship and combat, folk dancers continue to occupy an important role in village life. Their exquisite choreography and universal meaning contain a vast resource of artistic energy. Most of the Black Sea dances are performed by men only, dressed in black with silver trimmings. The dancers link arms and quiver to the vibrations of the "kemence" (a primitive form of the violin). This form of dance is called "Horon." The unisex teams in the higher plateau regions near the Black Sea display a more energetic version of folk dancing. The women dress in bright orange and yellow costumes, while the men wear black. DELIGHTFUL IS THE FOOD IN TURKEY No one who visits Turkey goes hungry. How can he or she on the world-famous fare the Turks offer? The painstaking preparation of the simple, but fresh ingredients brings out the richness of their flavors in a way that never fails to delight even the most delicate of palates. The country produces a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, and since the sea surrounds it on three sides, there is a wide variety of fish available for consumption. Alcoholic drinks include the light Turkish beer, excellent wines and the national drink "raki" (an anisette), which clouds when water is added, giving it the popular name of "lion's milk." The drinking of "raki" is a rite in itself, and it is traditionally accompanied by a variety of "meze" (hors d'oeuvres). And Turkish coffee is also very popular, wherever you go, coffee or tea will be offered to you. Bottled water and mineral water are also easily found in Turkey. The Plateau Festivals are a common tradition to have some rest and fun. People from villages and cities go to plateaus in groups, mostly in July. Because of past habits and traditions, people take a break near the springs. There they eat, drink and sing songs. There are many therapeutic benefits of visiting these plateaus. In the plateaus of the Black Sea region, you can let go of every kind of distress and fatigue of the cities by getting close to nature. Camping and walking on the grass barefooted is highly recommended. In the plateaus, you hear only the sounds of wind, streams and lambs.
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Every
region in Turkey, in fact every village, has its own folk dances, with
such variety that the numbers exceed 1,500.