Neile's Turkish Holiday

July 7th

as transcribed from my journal

Matt arranged air tickets at the Flintstones (really) Travel Agency (too silly given the cave houses) in Goremë, we exchanged the last of Jim's traveller's checks, then had lunch and phoned Marsha, who had to cancel her plans to join us--she's just too busy with the end of her summer classes. Then went to Cavit Bey's--a friend of Christina and Matt's. Bought a heavy heap of tapestries to take home as gifts and a few other cards and bookmarks and two teeny peribaci charms.

Drove to the nearby town of Ürgüp to buy our airline tickets as the Flintstones Travel Agency couldn't actually issue tickets. Ürgüp is a narrow town with houses built into the hills. Really lovely. Elegant travel agency with nice furniture, computers, but tickets handwritten.

Drove back for Goremë where Christina and Jim stayed to have a nap, and Matt and I went off in search of caravanseri--caravan stops along the Silk Road, which had its western end in Konya, near here. Had to pass one caravanseri in the road, since there really was no place to pull off by it. The next one, Tepesidelik Han, was somewhat decrepit, but with an attractive shape, arches and a fallen dome. It had obviously recently been used to house cows. Most impressive from the entry way. Surrounded by lovely white flowers, so I picked and pressed one here [in the journal book].

Tepesidelik Han. [Christina's caption: "Handsome ruin again. These two hans were on the Uzun Yol, the 'long road,' which went from Konya, which was the capital of the seljuk sultanate of Rum, to the great cities of Persia. Silk road branched off to China, but much further east of here."]

 

Drove on to the next one, Agzikarahan, reportedly bigger and in better condition. And it was. It was large--with wonderful carvings around the entry way, a mosque inside the square which Matt went into, and carvings around the large doorway where travellers would have slept with their camels. Very large and still in good condition. Called the Black Han because one of the owners was killed by his guests.

 

	A carved entry doorway in Agzikarahan Han. [Christina's caption: "Portal with typical Islamic decorations, Aghikarahan (no idea what agzi means, but kara is black and han is a covered market. Colorblind were they?) Portal is pishtaq style: Persian in origin, wide portal enclosing a vaulted niche (called an iwan). There will be a test."]
	A view from one of the large rooms in the caravanserai/han looking out toward the mosque in the center of the interior courtyard. [Christina's caption: "Ooh, arty photo. Steps up to mosque."]

 

Had Fanta under a tree across the street from the han, then went back to the pension in Goremë.

Went to dinner where we had eaten Monday night. Went back to pack while Matt went to get the certificates for their carpets from Süleyman. Gorgeous evening looking out over the town.