Joe’s Trip to Turkey 1999 (9 of 10)

This postcard comes to you from Goreme (Gore-uh-may) which is my final destination before I return to Istanbul and my flight home.

Goreme is the highlight of my trip, the place that I had been dreaming about all though the work year and I had planned upon staying for an extended period of time here, chilling, relaxing, napping. Last year I had been in Goreme for only a couple of days doing the tours of the highlights of the region: The underground city (’The ancient city of Claustrophobia’), Ilhara valley, the moonscapes and tufas.

I reserved my room months ago and when I arrived I was greeted with “Welcome back Joe”. A sign on room #16 said “Joe’s Room”. Room #16 IS my room, the one that I stayed in last year, the one that I insisted upon for this year as well. It is a cave room with a double bed and stays cool during the day.

The pension (hotel) is named “Flintstones”, as in Fred. Fred’s larger than life image is painted on the outside wall just next to my room. Please don’t tell Hanna-Barberra.

I have already been here for five days and have but one more night before the Fez bus takes me on a grueling, 12 hour overnight bus ride back to Istanbul.

My days at Flintstones consist of getting up at 0600, watching the early morning sun peak up over the mountains, a cup of Nescafe, a nap, a swim, a walk, a nap, some reading, some dinner. I am trying to relax and sort out my life before I go back to work where a intense battle is being fought among ourselves and the combat does not conform to Geneva convention rules of engagement.

Carpets are everywhere in Turkey. They are never out of your sight for even a minute. I have avoided carpets during my trips to Turkey, they are costly and I abhor bargaining. Goreme is a haven for budget backpackers and the carpet salesmen here have a disadvantage; the travelers have seen many carpets already, know the prices and are usually out of money by the time that they get here. One shop here fights this disadvantage by working on a fixed price system and the prices are about one half of the prices in Istanbul and much, much less than the prices at Macy’s. I gave in. I did it.

I picked out two Turkman’s and a Kilim, total cost $900 on my Visa card. Perhaps I will sell one of them when I get back to cover the cost of my other carpets, I don’t know.

Every morning as I drink my cup of Nescafe we watch the news of the earthquake on Turkish TV. At this time, people are still being found alive, but those events are getting rarer. A three-year old was found yesterday alive as was her 95-year old Grandmother. I don’t understand what is being said on the TV, but the BBC World Service keeps me clued in on my pocket shortwave radio. I was able to receive “All India Radio” yesterday, a first for me, for their broadcasts to the west coast of the US are too weak for me to get normally.

All of the shop windows in town have signs up from the New Zealand Embassy ordering all Kiwis to phone home immediately with their whereabouts. I am sure that their phone lines have been flooded with calls from nervous relatives. Travelers here tell of their Mothers calling the Red Cross. There is also a clothes drive to aid the earthquake victims, the tourists are filling the donation bins with donated clothing.

Read all the adventures!
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Part 10

Did you like this article?

    

 

Share it

 

Place a comment