The winds of life have blown me to my home country, Turkey, and what to do but make the most of it and explore while I am here. I haven’t been back here for a few years now so I really feel like a proper tourist in my own country.
Best part about it: my friends!!
Other best part: it’s full of cats!!!
They seem to love me just as much as I love them. Just like those 60 year old men who have 22 year old model girlfriends, I am pretending it is because they love me for me… has nothing to do with what I have in my pockets (fish biscuits) 😉
It’s also full of bugs and spiders and insects… I guess that wouldn’t necessarily go under the ‘best part’ category tho. Here’s one that I liked so much I made a meme out of it and stuck it on my Facebook page (and if you aren’t a member please do join me and click here):
Where were we??
Oh, yah.
So I am very blessed… okay, shamelessly spoilt when it comes to best friends.
I really, really must have done something right growing up (or in a previous life) to deserve them.
Always grateful.
This is Sibel.
We have known each other for over 20 years, were best friends and also flatmates during our college years. We really did grow up together, and not only age-wise, so her place in my heart is really very special.
As with most of my best girl buddies, she is Aries.
And she is here in Izmir this weekend for a bit of catching up and lots of exploring. YAY!!
Alacati
Our first stop is Alacati – surfers’ paradise.
It’s ‘winter’ so surfers are where I probably would have been had I not been here 😉
I love clouds and rain and storms, especially when it is warm enough to swim.
Still not complaining – clouds just put me in a wonderful mood so just loving the visual delights.
Due to the season the place is only half-awake but it is still a very quaint, coastal town and I prefer the toned-down, no make-up versions that low season usually offers at any given point anyway.
Alacati flea market
In most places in Turkey, we have markets set up on different days of the week in different neighborhoods.
I have been hearing about the Alacati flea market which is supposed to be one of the best.
I am about to see it too!!
It’s literally making my mouth water and giving me goosebumps.
Interesting how a flea market can get your senses going like that…
A lot depends on the weather when it comes to vendors setting up their stalls in Turkey.
The reports claim it will be quite rainy but warm. So the attendance today is similarly lukewarm.
They have a pretty good variety of goodies.
Rugs & kilims: I actually am looking for one at the moment so I did ask for prices and they weren’t as cheap as a few places but cheaper than many. Sibel claimed they were exorbitant compared to many places in Istanbul.
Are you a dummy if you buy this? Not really.
Foot-cosy, God-send…
Wouldn’t be a flea market without these fakers.
Are you a dummy for buying these? Yes – yuk!
Dare I tell her she is a dummy for not buying this cutesy hat that makes her look really adorable? I dare not! I abuse the massive love she has for me on only very special occasions <3
This market covers a pretty large area and has the fruit and veggie section too, just like most other weekly markets here.
Turkey really is blessed with great seasons and climate and very fertile grounds which sprout many different fruits and vegetables in every color of the rainbow.
The prices are so ridiculously cheap that I often find my haggle-addiction leaves me only a few cents richer or poorer. Oh well, exercise is exercise…
Farm eggs from the chicken that roams – formal translation.
Sibel claims they deliberately sprinkle the eggs with poop to give them a more organic look.
Who’d have thought that being covered in shit could be considered good marketing??
Stinging nettles!!
1. Never knew they were so nutritious.
2. Never knew you could eat them.
3. Never knew they were so tasty!!!
Discovered all that tomorrow 😉
Recelci Niko
Recelci Niko means ‘Niko the jam maker.’
He is from Crete and has the most unusual home-made jams, cheeses and concoctions as well as home-made olive oil. Pretty cool I must say!
Ok, I’ll read a few of the labels for you: lemon jam, grapefruit jam, kiwi jam.
Sounds good, no?
I’ll read on: grape jam, mint jam…
Hmmm…
Further reading: chestnut jam, onion jam, garlic jam!!!
I am sitting here kicking myself for reading the labels now and being too busy with the knick-knack stand next to this one then. Dummy!! Will definitely buy the garlic and chestnut jam next time, the first because it sounds too weird and I love weird and the other because it sounds too tasty! Will update post when I try them.
Ooooohhh, here’s another one!
Rose tea! Have you ever heard of that? Well, I hadn’t so I shall remain excited!
He even had rose vinegar – how cool!
And how?
As in how the hell can you make vinegar out of roses??
He also had many herbs, mostly hand-picked and natural, home made hot sauces, home made tomato paste, various pickles and fruit preserves. Do check him out if you are down there or click here to go to his website and order online.
Just as we are leaving, I take a peek at the graveyard (love ’em) and see myself and my lovely friend Monika lying side by side (almost). We used to have a laugh at the repeat numbers in our birth dates (hers being 2.2 and mine 3.3) and was just a bit creepy to see them here in this context…
Incidentally, should I die (painlessly, after living a long, happy, healthy life full of adventure of course), I want my tombstone to read:
‘Never born, never died. Only visited this planet earth between 3.3 and …….’
Saw that somewhere…
Well boys ‘n girls, this is definitely one for your bucket list of you happen to be in the Izmir / Cesme / Alacati area. You can pretty much find everything: pillows, bed covers, accessories, knick-knacks, souvenirs, shoes, bags, clothes, local foods and special produce… lovely!
It is on every Saturday starting early morning and has also taught me to insert a map onto my blog (yay!). Dario, my dear friend, my internet guru and website (and everything computer related) consultant, will be proud of me.
Map of the Alacati market: