Howdy from Nevada!
My last post here was about two months ago. Since then, I returned home to Laughlin but I don’t feel quite ready to move on to the next adventure. Maybe posting my Turkey pictures will help me get unstuck.
Tarsus, home of St. Paul, was one of my favorite day trips in Turkey. Here are the rest of my photos.
Tarsus street vendor
This gentleman was selling some kind of bean at his street stand. We couldn’t figure out what it was and, of course, he couldn’t tell us because he spoke no English. He ate a few and encouraged us to do the same. Fresh chickpeas! They were delicious. He also had fresh beet juice for sale.
Street vendor II
Beet juice is available all over Turkey but it’s especially popular in Tarsus as beets are grown here. The woman at this stand gave us an ice cold sample. I loved it. My travel buddy hated it.
Turkish delight
Turkish delight, nut and nougat rolls, candy made from pumpkin and the regional specialty, cezerye (made from carrots) are just a few of the treats available. This was my my favorite candy store in Tarsus.
Daniel’s tomb
This was a combination Roman-era archeological dig and the tomb of Old Testament prophet, Daniel. One of the signs stated that Daniel’s body had been hidden so the Jews couldn’t steal it. Sigh. Religious rivalry is as old as time. Look carefully in the center of the photo to see the green tapestry over Daniel’s tomb.
Separate but not equal
Upstairs and to the right of Daniel’s tomb (center) was the men’s prayer room. It was large, glassed in, with a plush, light blue carpeting on the floor and air conditioning. Downstairs, to the left of where the women and children are standing, was the women’s prayer room. Small, crowded, no carpet, no air conditioning.
Roman ruins
While chatting with the ticket takers at the tomb/archeological site, we discovered that one was the father of my travel buddy’s student. What a coincidence! This is the father standing in front of the ruins of an ancient Roman bath.
The Cave of the Seven Sleepers
Like many sites in Turkey, the Cave of the Seven Sleepers is considered sacred by both Christians and Muslims and has parallel legends. According to the Christian version, seven young men fled to the cave to escape persecution by the Romans. In the Muslim version, they were escaping from evil men in the town. Both versions agree that when the young men awakened and sent two of their fellows into town to buy food, they discovered that they had slept for two hundred years. The woman dressed in black in the center of the photo is collecting water dripping from the ceiling, which is believed to have healing properties.
Sunlight and shadows
Another picture inside the cave. I think the woman on the upper level who is all in black may be a religious pilgrim from another country. Conservative Turkish women generally wear brightly colored scarves to cover their hair.
Berdan River water park
After the cave, we stopped by a water-front park on the Berdan River. These local boys were enjoying a swim.
Proud papa
I ran into this Baba (Turkish for father) on the bridge over the Berdan River. He invited me to take a photo of him and his beautiful baby girl.
Fish dinner with a view
We had a wonderful fish dinner with Efes (Turkish beer) and mezes (Mediterranean-style appetizers) at the end of our long, action-packed, and very warm day in Tarsus.
Perfect ending
The restaurant overlooked the Berdan River Falls. Beautiful!
Bus station scene
While waiting for my bus to Ankara, I noticed this couple who had just put their college-aged daughter on the bus. The woman is wearing traditional clothes, which are common outside of Ankara and Istanbul. Both men and women wear the baggy pants. I think they must be comfortable and practical for working outdoors.
So that’s the scoop on my day in Tarsus. Like so many places I visited, there didn’t seem to be enough time to do everything. I loved Tarsus because it held so much history but seemed relatively unspoiled. It definitely wasn’t overrun with tourists the day we visited.
I’m excited about your October visit!
ILY Mom
Dear Lili 