Early on Sunday we headed out with a friend guide (nik Dhiaurahman nik Rosli) and his Turkish wife. Just a short walk from the hotel we reached the metro station. We ran into the locals lining up to buy the famous turkish bread. The bakery was said to open since the Ottoman era. Okay everything seems to be from that ancient empire; I guess they have not move on from that glorious past. The time when Turkish lead the world, conquering the land all the way into China. Somehow as a Muslim, we share the same pride when The Ottomans took over the Islamic empire from the Arabs. And at the same time frustrated when the last sultan gave up the empire to allow the creation of modern Turkey.
The long history of different civilisation still exists in the architecture, food ,and the people. All around this place modern Turkey appeared to be more visible. A confusing scene that I just can’t totally comprehend. Most women wear hijab but at the same time smoke openly in public; young and old puff away freely like my aunties at the marketplace in the 70s. We don’t do that anymore.
The trip to the Ottoman Village took about half an hour by metro and another half an hour by a minibus. It took us through rural and not so rich villages towards that place on the edge of the mountains. This Unesco heritage site was preserved for its unique cobbled roads and muddy walls. The ancient ambience can be felt throughout the walk around the village – now filled with souvenirs shops and restaurants.
I entered the mosque located in the center and tested a sample of chestnut honey. I felled for the honey and bought a big jar of it. Not sure how to drag that around but the taste just killed me and had to have it one way or another. Chestnut honey tastes different from flowers honey with that extra nutty flavours.
By noon we left the place and back to civilization. The day was getting hotter and had to rush for a bus ride to another city— Izmir.
