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To market day at Tire.
Stopped at a flooded site for cotton cultivation, mountain reflection,
ducks, fertile Lesser Meander Valley, sheep and shepherd(s), a contrast
to modern highway & vehicles in background. Poppy field today?
Mausoleum quick stop to see a tomb, maybe “mausoleum”
The original Mausoleum was the burial site of Mausole, King of Caria at
Halicarnassus or present day Bodrum, who died young and for whom his
wife built in 340BC an impressive “eum”, house, for his urn of ashes
to await reincarnation. It was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient
World, rising 140 feet high as a beacon above the harbor. The term is
misused today: it is a square or rectangular building with colonnade,
pyramidal roof and pediment; so e.g. Rumi’s tomb is not a mausoleum.
(eum: museum, byzanteum, etc.)
Tire modern town with extensive, colorful old bazaar quarter and
the Tahtkale neighborhood up the hill. Hans are in operation: felt
maker, saddler, ropemaker in an old caravanserai, tinsmith, etc. Another
caravanserai of the 15th century was in the midst of market streets; one
could go up and see the individual hostelry accommodations(hans) and
have a glass of tea. Headdresses were different – white covering
fastened under the chin, skirts of red and black stripe almost as if a
uniform; more men wearing kaffayas. After about four hours shopping,
journey up the mountain past stone walls and olive trees on terraces to
the Kaplan Restaurant for Lunch of mezze: many dishes of various
creations with vegetables. We drank mulberry juice.
Sirince hill village of stone and stucco houses with red-tiled
roofs amid vines, fruit trees, and beauty. It was perhaps settled when
Ephesus was abandoned but what is there now is 19th century. Freed Greek
slaves settled there in the 15th century & named it Cirkince or
Ugliness to keep others away!
Governor of Izmir in 1926 changed the name to Sirince or Pleasantness.
During the exchange of populations in 1924, Thessalonicans moved here
and established fruit farming. The artisan skills of its people
bolstered the economy
today: jewelry, craft necklaces, crochet of various types including
small stuffed animals, crowns of dried yellow mimosa, borek cooked on
grills, etc.
Dinner Our last evening at Kalehan Hotel and a meal to match our
requests: Yayla- mint rice soup; borek – stuffed pastry rolls, an
eggplant dish
entrée, baklava. Fine end to a fine place.
Güle! Güle! Flight to
Istanbul at 10:45 PM and Aya Sofia hotel.
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