Travel Stories - Turkey

"safranbolu"

introduction

It is still pitch black outside when I am tapped on my shoulder in the night bus and it becomes clear that I have reached my final destination; "Safranbolu". I’m very happy and even relieved to see there is light in the "otogar" (bus station) and the door is open (from the building). Inside I can also order a cup of tea and wake up a bit while the TV shows sexy Turkish video clips. An hour later it becomes light and I can see where I am. I had expected that I had ended up in an old UNESCO town surrounded by Ottoman houses, but I do not see that. First I order a bus ticket for tomorrow night and then I thank the guys and get out of the door. The bus station is located on a very wide through route full of trucks, cars and buses where the gas fumes almost kill me. Further on where the road has a bend where cars can stop I think I recognize a bus stop. I walk up and I try to stop a "dolmus" that can take me to the center of town – or at least the old center.

OTTOMAN EMPIRE:

When the Mongol hordes at the end of the 13th century drove the "Ottomans" to the west, they arrived on the basis of the Byzantine empire, which at that time was very weak. First the city "Bursa" was baptized as their capital and later Constantinople (Istanbul) was conquered. Europe was not yet over the shock by these adventures or the Muslims stood in 1529 at the gates of Vienna after the took over the entire Balkan. At the height of the 16th century, the empire would become a world empire with conquered areas in Europe, Asia and North Africa. In the 19th century the turning point came; in 1832 the Greeks fought for independence and not much later followed the Balkan countries but also the Armenian and Arabs in the East. Russia became stronger and more powerful and the Ottoman Empire saw its global empire dwindle. Together with the English, French and Italians, the Crimean War (1853-1856) was fought, while the Empire increasingly implemented Western changes to modernize it and protect it against even more destruction. When WWI broke out and the Ottomans chose the German side, the once-rich empire was doomed to undergo what also happened immediately after the war when in 1920 (until 1922) the Turkish independence war broke out.

I walk out of town and two hills further I arrive in another village, it seems, but now I see a big sign with the "Unesco" emblem. When I see the white cobblestone houses with wooden frames and shutters, I know that I arrvied in the right place although I’m still looking for my intended hostel. A uniformed schoolboy stops in front of me and grabps something in his big bag. I ask for my hostel and then he snatches a notebook between his comic books and only when he has found the right page does he look at me. In perfect English he tells me the way. I have to walk pass a small square where the taxis are and then follows a bridge where I suppose to see the hostel below. And he’s right.

The owner sees me coming from behind the window and opens the front door when I stand on the sidewalk. In the reception room decorated as an Ottoman livingroom, he treats me with a cup of tea. It is cozy with lots of rugs on the floor. The toilet is completely tucked away and I have to bend over to get to a sort of threshold and then still I have go keep a good focus. At the second cup of tea the room price is settled and it is a small room in an attached part behind the house. First, a crackling floor in a narrow corridor where the toilet and shower are also located. I think I am the only guest, because I do not hear anything at all, and I try to sleep an hour before I go out the door again. When I wake up the sun shines into the room and I get refreshed in the shower in the hallway and get out on the street again.

ottoman legacy

I walk through the nice cozy small village which is indeed full of traditional Ottoman houses. And because I have read that you have a beautiful view over the valley including the village I start to climb the big hill behind the village. Safranbolu was on a continuing trade route in the 17th to 19th century when it was founded. At the top you have to buy a ticket (unfortunately) but you get a free "saffron" tea. It is a bit hazy but worth it; I see that the houses have small roofs with orange roof tiles. They lie against the mountain and in the valley but all separate from each other. The white houses with orange tiles make a nice contrast with the dusty light brown barren mountain sides.

On the way back I walk over the pebbles down hill to visit "Kileciler Evi"; an authentic Ottoman house which is now decorated as a museum. You get two plastic bags when you buy an admission ticket and you are supposed to tie it around your shoes so that the wooden floor is spared. It is wonderful to see this wooden house with many wooden plateaus inside and Ottoman clothing that hangs in showcases or just against the walls. My stomach starts to rumble and I decide to walk to one of the busy streets to have a bite to eat. At a local restaurant I order "Guvec", a mix of meat and vegetables steamed in an earthenware pot with baguette. I walk back with a full stomach, the sun has dropped behind the houses and it is getting chilly. The number of tourists is also much less than before and I am also going back to my hostel for a hot shower. I have been told that it is a madhouse here in the village during the season but also during the weekend. The next morning breakfast is served in the large room where I checked in yesterday and consists of a fried egg, bread and coffee.

“Havuzlu Asmazlar Konagi"

The plan today is to go to "Havuzlu Asmazlar Konagi" and that is a little bit of walking back where I came from yesterday. It is a large house located between the trees and when I walk up the gravel path I see that it is decorated as an expensive restaurant. A glance at the menu outside which is way too high for my budget but I want to look inside. It’s suppose to be a highlight of this old Ottoman building. Inside it is very stylish and I am looking for a moment where I have to go without having the intention to sit down for a meal. The servant shows me the way and then I see what I have come for; in a large open space with a bath or swimming pool in the middle including golden ornate faucet. In addition to the bath which is pretty big but very small tables and chairs and people all nod to me. The flowing water to the bath was used as cooling and the water was not initially meant as a swimming pool. as It is no problem for the staff that I take a few pictures and look around and then leave without even ordering anything. When I’m back it's time to get my bag and go to the bus station; tomorrow morning I hope to arrive in Trabzon.

tips & advice (2008)

The "big" bus station of Safranbolu is situated in the new part of the city which is called "Karabuk". Many buses stop at "Kirankoy" which is about 10 km away. When you cross the hill (2 km walk) you come out in the old part of Safranbolu. In the old center there is a minibus stop in the heart at the roundabout.

Safranbolu - Trabzon: from the large bus station, a bus goes to Trabzon every day in the afternoon / early evening. Duration 13 hours and costs 60 IR.

Name: Hostel "Carsi Pansiyon"

Address: Bozkurt Sokak 1

Price: 20 Lira excl. Shower and toilet

Phone nr. : 725 1079

Content:

It is a bit further than the center of old Safranbolu; if you walk over a bridge you will see it on the right side downstairs and with a bit of luck (or bad luck) the owner will already see you and look at his place from the hostel. Location is perfect, hostel is okay but not more than that (what do you expect from this price). In the single room it’s quite small and it is pretty noisy because of the thin walls between the rooms. The toilet and shower are at the beginning of the hall so ask a room a bit further up in the hallway if you want it a bit quite. The owner is friendly and breakfast is consumed in the "front" part of the house (the rooms are in a sort of shack in the backyard). Do not go to the toilet there because that is downright nasty. The price includes breakfast.