OR, MY BRAVE NEW WORLD, NOT WHAT THE ELITES HAVE IN MIND.
View from my friend and neighbours house at sunset
Every day here in Turkiye has been a blessing except for the house hassle. This I will set aside for today. Every day I see a new side of the magnificent countryside in it’s raw brutal strength, mountains of rugged and often dangerous secrets, olive fields with animals roaming beneath their ancient boughs and wild flowers that pop up overnight despite the apparent arid land. Snakes and scorpions are what the locals most fear but I’ve been blessed in not having a sudden venomous surprise under the many rocks I have moved and the dark tunnels that have been exposed by my work. The chickens seem to tidy up the nasty bugs for me and Mother Nature has thus far been benevolent to me.
The pure mountain water beside the mosque where I go each day to wash some of the dirt from my face and arms and have a long, cool drink
Surprise in the ivy I was clearing. A hawk moth larva.
My morning dog piss
The capturing of my beautiful garden one last time.
OR, REST DAY TODAY AFTER OVERDOING IT IN MY GARDEN
Hammock number two
I woke up last night with a truly terrible cramp in my calf. The muscle was so rigid and the pain so intense I couldn’t even swing it to the floor to push against it. I knew that it would result in muscle burn and that today plans had to be changed. Then when I awoke in the morning I ate almonds for the magnesium and some dried apricots and then had a spell of nausea. I should have known I was imploding after having a terrible deep siesta sleep the previous day that you feel you will never be able to resurface from. Clearly I had a bit of sunstroke A day of rest was in order. A Zen day today my friends, some yoga and meditation after my last few hectic days.
OR, HOW MUCH MORE IS UNDER THE GROUND TO BE DISCOVERED IN TURKIYE?
Huge panorama of yet uncovered wonders
START OF THE ROAD TRIP.
A road trip was in order. I’d had crushing news about another setback on the house front and then the internet went down for two days, not just at my lovely fish restaurant but all over the area. I’d tried going to my pals at the top of the mountain but although my phone worked my laptop didn’t! My frustration and malaise meant that I was openly crying by the evening with all my “family” uneasily clucking around making me feel a bit better but worse at the same time. This wouldn’t do at all. It was time for a change. It was time for a road trip.
After another ponder in my garden knowing a road trip was called for.
That night I hastily packed my small rucksack and told them I was shooting off in the morning for three days. By eight o’clock the next morning I was walking away down the hill the two km to the main road to hail a minibus. I was on the move heading to Selcuk and the information I needed to take the connections to hit Miletus and maybe even on to the lake and the ancient Herakleia. I would see, I already had my travel head on.
My old mate from the village who was at the bus stop in the morning
The walk was very pleasant and soothed my injured soul and the minibus wait was painless at that time in the morning. My old neighbour was already at the stop on the opposite side of the road going off to Tire and I pondered if she’d walked down from the village making it a fair old trot for an old, if not ancient old bird. Her minibus shouted over to me that mine would arrive in five minutes. That’s how caring the system is here, I love their system in Turkiye.
OR A BIT OF ZEN KUNDALINI MUSIC AND A DOG, GO A LONG WAY TO HAPPINESS AND TRANQUILITY.
My neighbour who oversees my work
Since writing this, sadly it appears the sale will not go through after a long weary time of yes, no situation as laws and catastrophes have occurred and misunderstandings and recriminations. I will however never forget my magical time in my garden. I am heartbroken and desolate so am going on a road trip to try to calm myself. I’m still trying to fix this as eternally an optimist! I’ll keep you posted x I’ll also be adding photos and final hammock film
OR, HOW I FOUND MY MATE ELIF FROM KENT MUSEUM BUSILY STARTING THE ZEYBEK MUSEUM UP THE ROAD!
New museum in Tire.
NEVER TIRED OF TIRE!
Me and Elif outside the museum.
This beautiful old house has a collection of historical artefacts running through from approximately the 16th century up to the era of Attaturk. Its proud history has been well-curated and was an eye-opener to me! Strong and wily people the Zeybeks are worth a good look at and you can clearly see the resistance of the ancestors in those who live here now. I must add that I also said to Elif, that a lot of the showcases and items had the aura and feel of the Mexican bandits of old. She agreed. The anecdote about the purple bolero in the womans showcase was also hers.
Apparently, if a woman was beaten by her husband she would don that purple bolero as a sign for the rest of the village to shame him and also give him a beating. Sounds a very good plan!
The purple bolero that signed a man was a wife beater.
When finally I got back to the mountains and went up to my garden a bit of a shock was in store for me.
Brambles and vines hide a wall down to a secret garden
The beautifully ploughed field was shoulder-high in weeds and very thorny thistle-like weeds, and the trees had all got a lot bigger! Not just a bit, but about doubled in size. I turned my attention to the top terraces by the broken beautiful carcass of a house and there I saw nothing but weeds, ivy, vines, rocks and bloody plastic. I would have to have a proper plan and I needed a less shocked and overwhelmed brain to process it. I would have to put my gardener’s brain in gear and see what could be achieved that wasn’t reckless and well, a waste of time till the rebuild.
In the exposed secret garden, Henry the Tortoise has reappeared and Doggo who ‘helps’ with the garden. I say that loosely as he feels kipping on newly cleared bits and chewing pine cones his main job.
Alert: My artwork can now be found on this link, click on photo:
My limestone Eve and her snake.
I was in a weird mood. My back was better due to sleeping in a proper bed, but I was having trouble sleeping through the night. I’d bought a Melissa tea but hadn’t noticed it had St. Johns Wort in it, which doesn’t agree with me at all, instead of calming me it makes me edgy. I was eating very little and drinking and smoking a lot and the very idea of getting on another minibus to a beach I had discovered on the map just filled me with dread.
OR, LUSH GARDENS IN THE MOUNTAINS AND FABULOUS ARTEFACTS
I made it the other day to my paradise and was exulted to breathe that clean mountain air again and drink water from the mountain spring. After being here in winter the garden had developed into a jungle of flowers (especially orchids), herbs, vegetables and fat fish swam lazily in their pool unaware that for some it would be their last day before being cooked!
The family gave me such a welcome that it brought tears to my eyes. I had been gone so long! A great fuss was made of me which made me very happy indeed. My pals were very impressed too! It looks like I’ll be squeezed into a cabin there as I’m family!
OR A GUIDED AMBLE, RAMBLE, STROLL, STAGGER OR CRAWL.
Due to my laptop being very naughty and freezing every two seconds I will add to this tomorrow but for now, publish and be damned!
Well, I for one am suspicious of the word hike. If I hear someone say it I shrink away. It is a bossy unpleasant word and sounds far too much like hard work to my liking. It sounds suspiciously a word that involves a group of people marching along rather grim-faced and determined and just covering miles rather than breathing in the atmosphere, air and nature. It is the antithesis of a grounding, loving experience rather than a childlike marvel at country surroundings and discoveries to be found all over.
Old Bird Travels Solo! 