Next with lira and credit cards flying

We went magic carpet buying!

Henry’s checkbook was busy

And we were dizzy

Figuring knots per square inch

And hearing sums which made us wince!

The salesmen words didn’t mince

Telling us of carpets fit for a prince.

Yes, most they did convince.

Arlene even bought seven!

Sandra bought two,

One for herself,

Another –

For her brother

(Lucky brother!)

Yes, many rugs will fly west

------------------------- on SAS!

Now night and dancing came next.

We all did our best

To keep up with Meli and the Turkish rest.

Bill and Jean waltzed with finesse.

We wiggled our shoulders

And got bolder and bolder!

The Raki wasn’t bland

And Harriet ate lamb.

Jim now became the star

Although he did not go far.

His partner a bell dancing classic,

Their encounter was fantastic!

To keep up with her he gallantly strove

Then for his seat he just dove!

Cheryl her hips and her scarf did twiggle

And Rita did roar, chortle and giggle.

Many then needed their rest.

Oh yes!

Most rushed to their beds and put down their heads.

One, more of a local Turk wanted to see.

Now, who can that be??!!

Next day back on the bus

The buddy system worked well.

For me it was swell.

Patty’s natty hat made her easy to spot.

But she worked a lot,

Looking for me.

Out on a spree

On the bus always last.

Try as I might to obey

I cannot tear myself away

From these brushes with the past,

From these buildings and these people, alas.
 

All did their best to care for the rest:

Jim warmed Harriet’s cold toes,

Kleenex was passed for each nose,

Dave paid for every bathroom,

Yuksel passed Turkish Delight,

Meli bought pistachios,

Glady listened to snores

--without complaint,

“Evil eyes” were given to all.

Each found his/her own way

Through Turkey to play.

Frances looked divine

As at Antalya’s “Club Twenty-Nine”

She did dine.

Cheryl carried Brian’s cup

On the road again

Metin steady at the wheel.

Out the window we gazed

In an astonished daze

As splendid Turkey rolled by:
Mountains, mosques, minarets,

Goats, storks and cows,

Carpets, poppies and ruins,

Women in various guises

(Colorful trousers, that fundamentalist scarf,

Some jeans and tops and business garb),

Hundreds of good looking men,

Lots of sheep without pens,

Kids in school smocks,

Snowy peak tops,

Everywhere mysterious caves

And turquoise lakes and seas full of waves.

Breathtaking views

And a cultural heritage so deep

It makes Meli weep.

For her morning gulp.

Thus her little son “came with her”

And “shared” all the sights

(A leather jacket will be one of his delights.)

And wasn’t it thrilling

As Suzanne’s and Eric’s bottles kept spilling?

Water splashing and soaking seemed their trip theme.

Though in rain by shower cap Eric’s head stayed dry

Suzanne’s hair was so wet

The Guzelyurt hotel manager had to pet

Those curls to dry them.

He grabbed her

And pulled her

Tighter and tighter!

She tottered and teetered

Toward his desk heater.

He ruffled and rubbed

As she frantically tugged

And then just succumbed.

When he was done,

Did we run!

In gales of laughter

We retreated

And the story have oft repeated!

(He was just doing what he could

To make - despite the heat breakdown-

His guest

Look her best.)

The wetness continued, oh my!

Jean’s laundry wouldn’t dry.

Lots of wet socks, though draining,

Were remaining.

But now on all it was raining.

Soon all were as wet as the snow

Which now suddenly came out of the blue

To add color to Cappadocia’s muted hue.

The wetness continued, oh my!

Jean’s laundry wouldn’t dry.

Lots of wet socks, though draining,

As we went along Mary Lou was never blue,

Soaking up every clue

About what was new.

Glady napped well,

And true to tell,

Tried yogurt.

Albeit

Just a bit.

Harriet ate lamb and never quit.

Those donkeys kept braying

And Dave kept paying.

He carried the bread

Both literally and figuratively.

Dave, Dave, duck, duck!

His tall chin to his knees

He had often to tuck

‘Cause we spent lots of time underground

Moseying around

Cisterns, caverns and cities

Pottery shops, churches, nightclubs

And wine cellars

Many fine things down below!
Turkey in two layers

So much more to savor

In the Taurus Range at Huglu we picnicked

When over a hill

All of a sudden

The blue horizon was pierced

By the red Turkish Flag

Held up straight in the hands of a proud little boy.

What followed isn’t easy to define.

It’s hard to find words to describe

What went through my mind.

Held up straight in the hands of a proud little boy.

What followed isn’t easy to define.

It’s hard to find words to describe

What went through my mind.

My emotions I usually guard

Not liking to confide.

So it blew my mind

To suddenly cry

As the line of 100 school children marched by

To meet us

To greet us

To dance for us

To hug us

To say any international “Hi!”

This moving gesture – why?

Meli just called to say that we would be lunching nearby!

Well, we all tried the language

But my tongue needed a bandage

After trying the formal “good-bye”

So I used that short exotic “gula-gula.”

Then there was “sowel”.

Rhymes with “owl”

Or is it “towel?”

My pronunciation , a howl!

“Naselsin” was a hit

Proving it’s wonderful to know just a bit.

And everywhere we went

Turks opened home, heart and tent.

All have a great hospitality bent

And served us tea without relent.

Copies of our photos of their kids will be sent

Since cameras aren’t common in every tent.

Indeed so many pictures did we take

Development money will eat up the rent!

Sounds surrounded!
The muezzins’ morning call

(So Henry and Harriet in bed couldn’t stall),

The shepherd’s flute,

The “sheriff A” salute,

The bus’ toot.

The Antalya owl’s hoot,

The views of the Kurds,

The salesmen’s soft words,

Laura’s sweet voice singing

“Small World” the tears bringing,

The sound of the saz,

The goats’ bells of brass,

Bill’s thoughtful speech,

The brakes on the mountain as they screech,

The grandmother’s laugh through blue eyes,

The demure bride’s sighs,

Henry’s Parisian accent,

Talk about Christians, Muslims and Jews,

Words about various world political views,

Taut Turkish tones,

Our Texans’ drawls

Patty’s endless airline calls,

The goatherd’s high hiss

As his flocks he tried to assist

The commuter bus to miss,

Sunglasses and camera (!) going splash,

Harriet eating lamb

And all of those snores.

(Poor Sandra, tormented,

Finally softly vented

And thus her roommate prevented

From entering their door.

Now her ears are not sore.)

So many new friends – U.S. friends – found.

So many moments profound.

So many things to astound.

So much humor and good food around.

So many hotels, cities and stops.

So much chatter.

So much good talk.

It’s hard to remember

Much less, to report!

So to a list I must resort:

Marvelous malleable marble

Making my favorite, Afrodisias, memorable;

Konya’s loving Melviana

Such a contrast to the fundamentalists scowls;

The palest of pale blue pools reflecting the light

And the Bourgainvillas’ fuchsia so bright

Against Pamukkale’s stark snowy white;

A camel between my thighs,

What a surprise!

That black tent’s precise construction

With goat hair and bamboo defying destruction;

The rope maker’s refusal

To be photographed

 At her craft –

Turkey’s image her concern;

All the ancient columns in the pool overlapping

With the mineral water warmly lapping

As I floated nearly napping,

(Then, as I emerged

Gravity – with a vengeance – began snapping!);

The awards that Meli and Dave

To each for his/her antics gave;

The perfectly pulled-off birthday surprise

We – for Meli – devised;

The shoelaces we kept retying;

The packing, re-packing and re-packing!

That walk down that long, long hill

Along which the village did spill

(Everyone’s hand we did shake)

To the restaurant oasis at the lushly watered base;

Jean running after the donkey-born Bill,

Camera in hand, his image to still;

Those mushrooms covered in coconut;

The Mediterranean sailing adventure

Replete with the Mickey Mouse joke;

The Bosphorus boat breakdown

And the hop to its replacement;

The Antalya hotel owner’s pride

In her finely restored building;

The dignity in the fine handsome face

Of the boy who helped us over

Guzelyurt’s twilight cliffs;

The gentle pace of Konya’s almost only nun.

I almost can’t go on -

Don’t want to bore -

But one event’s details I can’t ignore:

After the Ephesus tour

A Turkish bathe awaited.

It was with mixed feelings anticipated.

Remove every stitch!!

Expose every inch!!

That wasn’t all.

The attendants are always male!!

When we heard that, we women went pale.

Was this – by far -

Going too far?

Would some drop out

Their participation abruptly stop?

But no, lo

All went through the door

Prepared to sort of try

But at a moment’s notice, ready to fly.

In tiny cubicles with beds

All our clothes we shed

(Guys to the left,

Women to the right.)

Then in under the pierced dome we went.

Carefully wrapped in fabric tight

We looked a frightened sight

Although Meli said that we would be alright.

First we sat in the steam

Sweating in streams

Still too edgy

To relax and easily chat.

All too soon we had to move on

To an immense marble room with basins just beyond.

A huge marble slab also sat in the space.

We started to pace.

Then the big chested attendants walked in

Under their bellies, towels around their middles.

They were there to work

Not to fiddle.

One got Rita first

(Was she brave or just standing too close?)

He spun her out of her wrap

With an adroit snap!

He gave her a soft whack

So that she suddenly sat

On that old cold slab

With a gasp!

We were all soon agog

As bare bodies were plopping

Arms, legs, etc. were flooping!

We watched amazed

As one after another was splayed

And all was arrayed

For scouring and soaping!

Mary Lou, though, stayed cool

And Arlene wasn’t phased.

Her composure she maintained.

Through all a serene smile she retained

And, yes, every hair stayed in place!

Harriet, a little worried,

Had quite a look on her face

But (though there was no lamb in the place)

Soon hit her normal up beat pace.

Eye make –up was now a mess

Then disappeared with the rest

-          Of our inhibitions!

In just two weeks we came

From playing the shy “name game”

To being a roomful of laughing naked dames!

Glady was actually singing!

Suzanne was in her element.

Since all was awash

She had no dry barriers to cross

And could splash, splash and splash

And laugh, laugh and laugh

And she did!

Now although my cheeks did burn,

It was my turn!

I squeezed my eyes tight,

Put up no fight

And to my delight,

Found it swell!

For, what the hell,

We all look alike.

The workers can’t be surprised.

All before had passed by their eyes!

They worked very hard.

And we subjects behaved.

Now, done fretting, sweating,

And being scoured, soaped and rinsed

In great lush towels we were wrapped

And in the cubicle beds, gently laid.

We had all done precisely as told,

No independence displayed.

So, now on our own, we were dismayed.

What was next?

Then, when hot apple tea arrived,

Because they’d been told

To lie down supine

Some tried to drink inclined!

Hot sweet tea seeping through the towel!
When I heard that I started to howl

At the image of such complete obedience!

I lost my composure totally.

I laughed, rolled and roared

Tears of glee just poured!

From each then the laughter then soared!

It bounced off the walls.

It filled up the halls.

It rose like the steam through the pierced dome.

A little louder and you could have heard us at home!

Then, clean as we had ever been

And reunited with our men,

We left for the tour’s last night’s dinner.

As we stepped from the bath’s door

Through the dark came the mosque’s evening call

Thrilling us all

For the bath’s sensations and the eerie sound

Made for an environment wonderfully exotic and quite profound.

Why Turkey?
The history is compelling.

The people are charming.

The kids, so disarming.

Nothing was alarming

- Except the calories I kept downing

And the dread trip journal I kept ducking.

All along the light was just right.

Each sight a delight!

Meli, our guide, hardworking, passionate and bright

Had her facts right.

Her transitions and conclusions fantastic.

Her tour was dramatic

And, oh, so thematic:
The Anatolian culture refined

Through centuries of time.

Groups together or one after another

(Lydians, Phrygians, Lycians, Persians,

Arabs, Greeks and Romans)
Added layers

Of ways

To live, grow and prosper,

To make governments proper,

To gain power,

To allow art and literature to flower.

Ataturk finally leading the way

To the present Turkish day.

With Meli as our guide

Provincialism we fought

By traveling with thought,

Insight and reflection.

We kept an open eye toward detection

Of similar cultural inventions

Our common humanity requires

-And therefore inspires.

Far, far from home

In a place not my own

It seemed so pure

I felt absolutely secure.

I yearn

To return.

It is now very clear

This thing has gone on much too long

Like some epic song!

My fellow travelers will tire,

Their own memories are afire.

So now from these words I will retire.

The checking account, I’ll venture,

Will eventually fill up for more adventure.

Will that come near this trip in meaning?

Or have I just been dreaming?

    Musing on travel in Western Turkey

 During a tour led by Mehlika Seval and David Hoering,

       May / June, 1991, by

        Mary O. Reinhart