In Turkey there are broadly speaking four kind of buses: The big coaches, the numbered city buses of which there are government run and privately run versions on each route, and the so called 'Dolmush'. Dolmuş literally means 'full' in Turkish. These local buses are very small, normally begin their journey only when they are completely full and stop wherever this is desired on the given route. Fare prices are very low and although some coach companies try to immiate the concept, the real Dolmuş buses will probably remain unsurpassed as long as Gasoline-powered vehicles govern our mode of transportation.
With a coach I leave Ankara towards Merzifon and take a Dolmush from Merzifon to Gümüşhacıköy. The seats are bright yellow with bright red head-rest-covers, bead decorations hang everywhere with heart shaped elements and smiley-stickers cover the dashboard: a hippie-dolmuş.
From Gümüşhacıköy Cemalettin, the son of Celal Oktay, brings me to the Oktay farm. The farm is located in a truly rural northern-Anatolian village. The surroundings are arid with beautiful mountain landscapes stretching out to all sides. We arrive at the house ontop of a hill, sit down on the terrace looking out onto the sunset and start conversing, each with a Turkish-English/German dictionary in hand.
With a coach I leave Ankara towards Merzifon and take a Dolmush from Merzifon to Gümüşhacıköy. The seats are bright yellow with bright red head-rest-covers, bead decorations hang everywhere with heart shaped elements and smiley-stickers cover the dashboard: a hippie-dolmuş.
From Gümüşhacıköy Cemalettin, the son of Celal Oktay, brings me to the Oktay farm. The farm is located in a truly rural northern-Anatolian village. The surroundings are arid with beautiful mountain landscapes stretching out to all sides. We arrive at the house ontop of a hill, sit down on the terrace looking out onto the sunset and start conversing, each with a Turkish-English/German dictionary in hand.
In the next days I learn of the true value of language. On the one hand I notice what fantastic understanding and harmony can develop with only the most minimal use of words; this was truly apparent. On the other hand I learn how absolutely essential language is in bonding with others. I start reading the dictionary and get creative with pen and paper to convey more complex ideas. The Oktay family hosts me most warmly and I experience the life of a farmer. At the same time however I feel the necessity, the urge, of being with people with which I can communicate more deeply.
Celal Oktay was a police officer and is now retired. As a pensioner he decided it is time to go back to the countryside and live a farmer's life. The energy of that man and his wife Hatice is most astounding. He shoots with spurts of humour and the people simply laugh. She runs the household, from cleaning to grinding poppy seeds ('hash-hash' in Turkish) and baking bread in a massive stone oven, heated up with firewood.
Celal Oktay was a police officer and is now retired. As a pensioner he decided it is time to go back to the countryside and live a farmer's life. The energy of that man and his wife Hatice is most astounding. He shoots with spurts of humour and the people simply laugh. She runs the household, from cleaning to grinding poppy seeds ('hash-hash' in Turkish) and baking bread in a massive stone oven, heated up with firewood.
In the village I stand out as a foreigner. The elderly take their palm to their heart and welcome me, the children look, laugh and chat excitedly. Only later do I notice that the village ought truly to be seen as small and deeply rural; there is not one shop and not even a minarette.
I help in cementing the gaps in a stone wall of the house, dig up potatoes, pick beans, water the back garden, collect straw for the winter, help in milking the goats, which Celal takes out on the pastures each day, and drive the tractor on occasion. On one night we go out to a Hot-spring bath and I learn of the fantastic bath culture of Turkey. Baths and hot-springs are very common and people meet and socialize there. I notice a bit of interesting symbology: Towels with red-white patterns hang in the changing room. You may enter the bath-hall with these. On exiting the bath a member of the personell takes the red towel from you and stretches a towel of blue-white patterns infront you, so that you can take off any bathing clothes. He then wraps the towel around your waist, hangs a further blue towel across your shoulders and another small blue towel on your head. Your bathing clothes are put into a seperate plastic bag.
Thus clad in an array of towels I returned to the changing room and sat on one of the large cushioned benches. There some people lie down and relax, one is on the phone; a bartender comes up and asks if he can bring something. He is not dissapointed if you decline and is keen on chatting and learning about the people.
One enters the bath 'red' with weariness, worries, dirt, tension, extrovert unharmonious energy.
One exits the bath 'blue' with refreshment, relaxation, cleanliness, a balanced and peacefull state.
I help in cementing the gaps in a stone wall of the house, dig up potatoes, pick beans, water the back garden, collect straw for the winter, help in milking the goats, which Celal takes out on the pastures each day, and drive the tractor on occasion. On one night we go out to a Hot-spring bath and I learn of the fantastic bath culture of Turkey. Baths and hot-springs are very common and people meet and socialize there. I notice a bit of interesting symbology: Towels with red-white patterns hang in the changing room. You may enter the bath-hall with these. On exiting the bath a member of the personell takes the red towel from you and stretches a towel of blue-white patterns infront you, so that you can take off any bathing clothes. He then wraps the towel around your waist, hangs a further blue towel across your shoulders and another small blue towel on your head. Your bathing clothes are put into a seperate plastic bag.
Thus clad in an array of towels I returned to the changing room and sat on one of the large cushioned benches. There some people lie down and relax, one is on the phone; a bartender comes up and asks if he can bring something. He is not dissapointed if you decline and is keen on chatting and learning about the people.
One enters the bath 'red' with weariness, worries, dirt, tension, extrovert unharmonious energy.
One exits the bath 'blue' with refreshment, relaxation, cleanliness, a balanced and peacefull state.
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