A worker at the hotel points out the Yedigöller Milli Parki as a 'must-see' attractiom in the area: the 7 Lakes National Park. I have pinpointed it on the map previously. He directs me to the largest hotel in Bolu for more information since the tourist office is closed Sundays.
There a receptionist confirms the beauty of it.
'It is too far to walk there' she says.
'You should rent a car or take a taxi.'
I return to my hotel, pack my things and start walking towards the park: 42km
- I have time after all.
On the outskirsts of Bolu I see two backpackers ahead of me, trotting slowly, somewhat bored or tired. I quickly reach them. We have barely managed to introduce ourselves when a man at the side of the street, standing infront of his gate asks us where we are going; Before we continue we are to have a tea at his place. He is proud to show us his garden. We depart again some 1:30 hours later with bags of plumbs, cherries and raspberries.
Tolgahan and Duygu came from Ankara in the morning. They are hitchhiking to the park to escape the city for the weekend. We walk in the sun for a long while. Finally a car stops to give us a ride. There is one seat left in the car and the trunk is packed full with domestic animals; We are three with large backpacks. A hearty smile covers half of the drivers face as he beckons us into the car emphatically. Its a family; one of the kids sits on his mothers lap at the front. We manage well. Westerners have not yet learned of utilizing the whole carrying capacity of cars.
They drop us at the next junction. Only two minutes later each of us finds his own seat in a spacious VW Passat. Florian and Maren from Germany have moved to Istanbul 1.5 years ago. They are thoroughly enjoying life in Turkey. She is pregnant. They have come to see the park as well.
The park is of astonishing beauty. The noise and smoke from the masses of visitors at the camp site seems to be swallowed by this wilderness without the slightest effort. We are at 800m above sea level. Seven deep turquoise lakes lie between forested mountain slopes. This is ancient forest. The water is ice cold. It seems to preserve the half submerged timber for decades. Tadpoles are everywhere and frogs can be seen jumping around in the shallower parts of the lakes. They easily outcompete the campers in terms of noise. Watersnakes may be seen. We set up our tents in a peaeful place.
The dream of Tolgahan and Duygu is to travel freely around the world. He wants to become an engineer on a deepsea research ship, or alternatively an actor. She studies industrial graphic design and goes paraglidiıng almost every weekend. She asks if I would prefer to live in the past or in the future.
'I think the people were happier in the past.' she says. 'Technology isolates the people.'
'Fantasy and Science-Fiction, Lord of the Rings and Star Wars, all of their magic is actual reality in this moment' I answer. 'We have only altered our natural surroundings to such an extent and have become such creatures of habit that we may be blind to it.'
In the evening we sit in a sea of flashing fireflies. The air is like icecold water after excercise in the sun. Before I close my eyes for sleep, the howl of a large group of Jackals is heard closeby. A domestic dog answers and the forest is instantly quiet again.
There a receptionist confirms the beauty of it.
'It is too far to walk there' she says.
'You should rent a car or take a taxi.'
I return to my hotel, pack my things and start walking towards the park: 42km
- I have time after all.
On the outskirsts of Bolu I see two backpackers ahead of me, trotting slowly, somewhat bored or tired. I quickly reach them. We have barely managed to introduce ourselves when a man at the side of the street, standing infront of his gate asks us where we are going; Before we continue we are to have a tea at his place. He is proud to show us his garden. We depart again some 1:30 hours later with bags of plumbs, cherries and raspberries.
Tolgahan and Duygu came from Ankara in the morning. They are hitchhiking to the park to escape the city for the weekend. We walk in the sun for a long while. Finally a car stops to give us a ride. There is one seat left in the car and the trunk is packed full with domestic animals; We are three with large backpacks. A hearty smile covers half of the drivers face as he beckons us into the car emphatically. Its a family; one of the kids sits on his mothers lap at the front. We manage well. Westerners have not yet learned of utilizing the whole carrying capacity of cars.
They drop us at the next junction. Only two minutes later each of us finds his own seat in a spacious VW Passat. Florian and Maren from Germany have moved to Istanbul 1.5 years ago. They are thoroughly enjoying life in Turkey. She is pregnant. They have come to see the park as well.
The park is of astonishing beauty. The noise and smoke from the masses of visitors at the camp site seems to be swallowed by this wilderness without the slightest effort. We are at 800m above sea level. Seven deep turquoise lakes lie between forested mountain slopes. This is ancient forest. The water is ice cold. It seems to preserve the half submerged timber for decades. Tadpoles are everywhere and frogs can be seen jumping around in the shallower parts of the lakes. They easily outcompete the campers in terms of noise. Watersnakes may be seen. We set up our tents in a peaeful place.
The dream of Tolgahan and Duygu is to travel freely around the world. He wants to become an engineer on a deepsea research ship, or alternatively an actor. She studies industrial graphic design and goes paraglidiıng almost every weekend. She asks if I would prefer to live in the past or in the future.
'I think the people were happier in the past.' she says. 'Technology isolates the people.'
'Fantasy and Science-Fiction, Lord of the Rings and Star Wars, all of their magic is actual reality in this moment' I answer. 'We have only altered our natural surroundings to such an extent and have become such creatures of habit that we may be blind to it.'
In the evening we sit in a sea of flashing fireflies. The air is like icecold water after excercise in the sun. Before I close my eyes for sleep, the howl of a large group of Jackals is heard closeby. A domestic dog answers and the forest is instantly quiet again.
No comments:
Post a Comment