Fred's Konya Museums

We phoned Hakan and once he arrived we made our way to a small restaurant for lunch. We visited over our very leisurely lunch. We got a more current update on Hakan and his classes and progress. Things for him are going very well, we're pleased and apologize for taking him from classes. He tells us it is not a problem and he is free to accompany us wherever we choose to venture.

Hakan has introduced us to a site we had not know of, a place called Sille, where there's a surviving church 'Aya Elana' commissioned by Emperor Constantine's mother, Helena in 327. He has brought us a number of brochures from the tourist information center in Konya. We make plans to visit Sille in the morning. We decide this afternoon we'll simply see more of the museums of Konya that we did not see on our last visit.

Our first visit is to the museum of tiles or 'The Karatay Museum'. This building is a former medrese or religious school. The tiles are from the Seljuk State (11th - 15th centuries), the time when Konya was its capital. The entry fee is two lira each or about a dollar and a half. The exhibits are well presented and lighting is pretty good. Turkey continues to struggle with far more artifacts than resources to maintain them. Heritage is a great asset but preservation is time consuming and extremely costly.

Next we visit 'Ince Minare Museum' another medrese that now houses wood and stone works of the Seljuk State. The building architecture is very similar and the displays are well done also. Our fee to enter is the same.

Our next stop is the archaeological museum, which offers exhibits from the Neolithic through the Byzantines. Again we pay the same fee to enter. The courtyard is adorned with artifacts from across the centuries. As we enter the main exhibit hall we are captivated by a number of sarcophagus. One of the most stunning we've ever seen in this country is labeled as that of Hercules, the carving is beyond my meager capability to describe, suffice it to say, it's unbelievably fine marble, carved with his life in three dimensional characters all round it. In this same room are several others of special note but attributed to no one. Also within the confines of the facility is a room completely dedicated to Catalhoyuk, our quest for this trip. This museum is a must see for another time; one can only consume just so much at one time. We're on sensory overload here.

We next visit is a small Catholic Church 'St. Paul's' by name. There's seating for maybe fifty souls here and the atmosphere is very reverent. There are a number of these little churches throughout Turkey. We thank the Italian Sister for allowing us this quick visit and make our retreat back into the heat and city bustle. Very much as they are across our planet, whether Christian, Moslem, Jewish or whatever, religious facilities are havens of peace and silence; this small church was no exception.

Just around the back of the church we cross the tracks of the streetcar and begin a trek up 'Alaaddin Tepi' a large man-made hill in central Konya constructed for the Alaaddin Mosque and palace. The mosque is intact but only a column of the palace remains, preserved under a concrete dome. Hakan wants to show us the only hill in the city and take us to his tea garden for refreshment. Today is 'Youth and Sports Day' in Turkey, a major holiday, and many people are gathered on the hillside grassy areas for picnic lunch or simply friendly chatter. Being social in this country is a large part of the culture and one part we very much enjoy; people being with people is life! We get three seats around a table on the hillside just above one of the streetcar stops. We have a very leisurely conversation and enjoy our drinks and our much-needed rest. HaHaHa

While we're enjoying the time together we begin to hear this ruckus in the tree above; seems two sparrows have gotten cross with one another and they are chasing each other through the branches just a few feet above our heads. We cover our glasses from the falling flower petals and pray nothing more sinister comes from above. What did I say about life, these are moments like no other, stop to consume some for yourself.

It's 4:30 and we've made a pretty full afternoon of it so we head back to our hotel and thank Hakan once more for his guiding help. We apologize once more for taking him away from his holiday and ask him about not being in classes the next day; he assures us he is fine and we're not keeping him from his studies. We make plans to meet him at 9 a.m. to tour Sille. He gets his bike from in front of the hotel and is gone; we go to our room to rest.

With all the walking we'd done we actually took a nap and awakened at a little past 6; we freshened up and headed out for dinner. There's a family restaurant across the street from the hotel and we got a little something there. Afterwards we simply stopped to visit with a few carpet shop folks we'd seen before and went through several stacks of carpets. We never tire of learning about these beautiful masterpieces of central Turkey. We both know that this master craft is fast becoming a fading art form in Turkey. The next generation of Turk is simply not going to sit for days, weeks, months or even years making carpets when today's technology creates employment opportunities with far better salaries and working conditions. Time marches on; carpet making is going to become a museum craft done simply as a demonstration for tourists. It's after nine, so we thank our hosts at the last carpet shop and head for our room.

It's a new day; breakfast isn't until seven but I'm up anyway and the day is already well under way outside as I can fully hear the traffic both vehicle and human. It's interesting, I was hoping to escape some heat in Adana by visiting Konya, however the heat has tagged along with me. It's already pretty warm at this hour.

Carol is getting round now so we'll make our way down to breakfast. As you will remember this is not the breakfast of America, this is traditional Turkish, tomatoes, cucumbers, white cheese, olives and bread. This comes as a part of the room cost. The do have coffee though and I have some with my other entrees.

With breakfast behind us, we make our way to the street and walk some as we wait for Hakan who will meet us at the hotel at nine. Time slips by and before we realize it Hakan has come to join us. We got to the car and the hotel staff assisted in my getting it away from the curb; cars park very close together and a little assistance in seeing what I can not is appreciated.

We're heading out of Konya northwest to visit Sille and the church. Hakan is pointing the way; well just as we're about to leave the city the Mazda heat gage goes full HOT! I immediately pull to the side of the street and get to the trunk for my water bottle, the engine is at full boil and it isn't pretty. We get back in and begin again, well it isn't to be; I've gone no more than a few miles and it back HOT again. Hakan is NOW my lifeline to help and repair.

We nurse the Mazda back into the city and to a Mazda repair facility. Yedek Parca and Hasan Mevlot immediately decided that this was NOT good, the understatement of the day, and the day was new! He put two small capsules of some sealant into the water system. He said take it easy and nurse it home. I wanted to believe that would be Band-Aid enough for us to get on with our day, again that was simply wishful thinking; it was not to be.

We actually drove away headed for the hotel and to cut short our weekend trip. I couldn't drive four blocks without the temperature going full hot and the water all boiling out. I had plenty but it was just not a go. We nursed it back to the garage and began the foray into, 'how do I get it back to Adana?" Not more than an hour of tea and conversation brought Iskender Kalin to the rescue. The Mazda would be transported via truck back to Adana, Incirlik Village for just 700 lira, about 540 dollars.

This is where one truly begins to appreciate the Turkish culture and the Turk; Hakan has taken time off from university to be with us and without a moment's hesitation he's in the middle of this situation. He's arranging the whole transaction, negotiating to reduce the cost of the transportation and gently hammering these guys for better rates. This is also when I get frustrated with my lack of conversational Turkish. I'm fully aware of Hakan's incessant attempt at besting the price. I have only 300 dollars; Hakan says no problem, they will transport the car for that price. He says his father will pay the balance when the car arrives in the village; you're family he continues we'll take care of it.

Again without giving it further thought, Hakan takes out his cell phone and calls his father to tell him what has been agreed to and how much the cost will be. I'm humbled beyond words here, I know full well Selahadtin owns a carpet shop in the village but this is a lot of money to be asking someone else to take care of. There is no more discussion however the deed is done, the Mazda is loaded already and prepared for the trip home: case closed!

With our disaster under control and our time finished here, one of the garage personnel takes us in the service car to the local streetcar station several blocks away. Hakan gets our tickets and we ride it back to the area of the city where our hotel is located. With our day completely rescheduled by events we make new plans.

First we return to the carpet shop of last evening and tell them of our morning events and tell them that the carpets we were interested in are now out of the question. They completely understand but would like for us to see them in the sunshine as we had planned. They are entertaining a Canadian couple and we tell them that we do not wish to interrupt their viewing; they are very gracious and say they would be glad to see what we've chosen for our collection. It seems the owner has been telling them about Carol and my visit and how we are such expert carpet folks. With that we head for the door and the roof, you see; the roof is where the sun is most useful. All of the pieces we had pointed out the night before are brought up and laid out across the space available. You've been on this roof with us before.

As I'm admiring the pieces from one side then the other, the Canadians walk over to me and inquire as to what I'm looking for in a carpet. Number one, I explain we never buy carpets without the sun; the sun will show you things you simply can not see in artificial light. I further explain the carpet appearance from one side to the other, one side is dark the other light. This phenomenon is due to the carpet knotting technique, from one side your looking into the nap the other way you are looking over the nap. If you gently move your fingers over the nap from the edge of the carpet toward the center and it's rubbing the nap backward you have a view of the dark side, if it's very smooth you have the light side. I also tell them Carol and I must agree on a piece or it stays--no exception.

The gentleman asks me to point out three I would take right now so I indicate one, two and three. He turns to Carol and asks the same question, she does likewise, one, two and three. We all laugh together, Carol has chosen three I did not, needless to say we bought nothing. We have our eye on them however and when we get back to Konya we will be returning to this rooftop once again.

After admiring each piece once again we turn to the stairs and bid all goodbye until next we return. At the street level we make a right and head to lunch. Just around the corner is a café that we decide to try. We're glad we did, the food is great. Following lunch we take a look into several carpet shops behind those facing the main street. We find a place mat-size sample carpet and Carol suggests we must have it. The price is very fair and we take it out with us.

Hakan has one more suggestion for us; he wants us to see a very old medrese that has become an antique shop. Our walk is over five blocks but 'what a treat this place is'. There is a great open courtyard with many doors off each side. The gentlemen whom we encounter are gracious and not at all salesman-like. They offer up refreshment in the form of tea but a very special blend of their own. It's made from seven herbs and spices; Carol says it was good. We sit around an old wooden barrel that has a slab of wood over it to act as a table. One of the men joins us at the table. The sky looks as if rain were to come our way. I mention this to the guy in Turkish and he simply says, 'In-shah-la', the Arabic/Turkish for 'if God wills'.

Once tea and social courtesies are paid, we look around. In the courtyard is a very large vat in which wool is being dyed. It's all vegetable, which of course is the best kind; it does not run once set and the color remains more vibrant for much longer. Around the periphery of the courtyard stacked haphazardly is all matter of 'stuff'. There are antique radios, mirrors, balance weights, bells, a carpet or two, porcelain, pottery and glassware, just to name some things visible. We venture into the larger of the rooms and again the 'stuff' is floor to ceiling and much of it is covered in centuries of dust! One room has an overwhelming aroma of spices; the air moving toward us as we get near the entry is intoxicating. But, there's another carpet shop 'Anatolia' beckoning us, not to mention the partner who we visited with the last time in Konya, so we must depart.

We thank the gentlemen for their kind hospitality and climb the stars to the street. We make our way through the streets back toward our hotel and the carpet shop where we will spend some time getting more 'feast for our eyes'. During our walk Hakan has taken a call, seems some other folks from Incirlik (Rob and Barbara) are passing through Konya and would like to stop for something to eat. Hakan tells them to meet him at the Mevlana Square; we're just off the square, and he can get to their van very quickly once they arrive.

On reaching the shop, we are taken in and ushered up the stairs to the large salon with carpets stacked 4 to 6 feet up one wall and down the other. Toward the windows at the far end of the room we find several Ottoman style chairs and settle in for some real carpet viewing. In seconds the invitation for drinks is offered up and someone is dispatched to bring them. We briefly discuss our interest in carpets and then Mehmet Demirci, (it's interesting, Mehmet's last name translates, Ironman') begins to open them right there before us. Some thirty pieces are exposed when Hakan's cell phone captures his attention and the family announces they are on the scene. Hakan excuses himself and in less than 5 minutes he reappears with Rob, Barbara, Rob's Dad who is visiting from the states and their three girls.

Minutes after everyone has come to the shop, Rob inquires about having lunch brought to the shop. Mehmet says this is no problem at all; and it's done often in many carpet shops across this part of the world. However, instead of calling out, Hakan and Rob decide to go after it. They return in a little while with chicken doner for the entire family. The rest of us have already had our lunch, so they eat and we continue to view one carpet after another. While enjoying the lunch Barbara makes a number of comments about the shine and color of our carpet selections. I explain that these pieces are one of a kind and NOT available in our neighborhood. I briefly explain the detail of several pieces as we continue to be awed by the selection being unfurled before us.

With lunch finished and a short rest under their belt, the group is off with Hakan, who will help lead them out of the city. Hakan is gone only about thirty minutes and upon his return we too make our exit. Two carpets were of particular interest to us, one Kecimuhsine at $1600, the other an Inlice Konya Ladik for $1250; with our car challenges we were unwilling to commit to anything right now, but on our return, carpets will be a player.

Once on the street we make our way to a little kilim shop we've visited in the past; the gentleman there was keen to see us return. We're not disappointed, he has many of the same pieces we were interested in back last fall. After turning his stack completely over one piece at a time Carol has chosen a small kilim we 'can't live without'. The gentleman folds and wraps it in brown paper and we're off.

It's late in the afternoon now and we say goodnight to Hakan. He takes our kilim back to the hotel for us as he must get his bicycle from there and we continue our walk. There is a chicken café not far from the hotel and we stop there for a quick bite to eat. Afterward we walk through the gold shops. It's late enough though so that most are closing up shop so our trip is fast and free. We head back to the hotel and retire for the evening.

Morning comes later than usual but we were very tired after all we went through yesterday. We pack our bags and manage to get all of our things into the three bags we brought to Konya by car. We have a very nice breakfast in the hotel and await Hakan. He makes his appearance at ten and has our train tickets for our return to Adana. This will be our first time in the passenger car of the train; we've done sleepers many times over the years but never this.

The train is set for 12:30 but Hakan says not to worry it rarely comes before one o'clock or after. With that we all take off for one more museum visit, this time to one Hakan is not familiar with. We're going to the 'Koyunoglu Museum', which boasts of natural history. There is no fee to enter, and a gentleman just inside directs our attention to the gallery on our left inside the front entry. Here we are confronted with artifacts from the Konya area, one case with terra cotta figurines and the next with shards of obsidian, then glass cases filled with large amphora. As we circle the hall we come upon glass cases filled with water foul and a few birds of prey.

We cross through the lobby area and begin to see case after case of rocks and minerals of the area. There are far too many for me to begin to call them out here, suffice it to say they were well exhibited. The next hall was a great one for me; it was money, both paper and coins of Turkey dating back to the Romans! Next we entered a hall of photographs depicting Konya over many years. Then the premier exhibit hall came before us; documents of the Ottoman Era signed and sealed by a number of Sultans. We saw draft notices, accounting documents, report cards, diplomas, marriage certificates, military orders and more. Glass case after glass case offered displays of marbled paper and works of the Koran.

Immediately outside this exhibit hall was a display of a typical Turkish sitting area complete with carpets, kilims and cushions. Down the hallway, as we walled away from the document hall, there were far more photos and paintings. It was becoming crystal clear that we had not allowed enough time for this fine museum and it's so far off the tourist route we wonder if many people get to see it.

The first floor behind us now, we climb the stairs to view the carpets and kilims exhibited there. We're in complete awe, such beautiful pieces on display but not taken care of at all. Every piece was dirty--covered in dust and dripping with neglect; I was sad for each piece as I passed in review. At times like this I cry out for the finances necessary to assist in the preservation of this country! Even with my pain recorded here, this is a museum NOT to be missed in this city.

Our time is quickly fading and even with Hakan's assurance that the train would be late Carol wants to be 'on-time' at 12:30. So, we hasten back to the hotel and collect our bags and checkout. They hail us a cab and we get to the train station, only to learn the train is later than usual; it won't be in before two! Since we have plenty of time, I suggest we do lunch; the station concessionaire recommends a restaurant just across the corner from the station. I tell Hakan to simply leave the bags in a locker but I quickly learn there is no such convenience in this place. Hakan gives it no mind and simply picks up the bags and carries them across the street to the restaurant. It's a quaint little place called 'Adana Kabob'; the food is quick and excellent. We continue to visit and enjoy our last hours together with Hakan. I can't thank him enough for all he's done for us this weekend; without him we would have made it but our challenges would have multiplied greatly.

Once lunch is done we return to the station and I'm looking for benches but none exist; most folks are simply sitting on the platform. I suggest that's not for me and we go to the 'Gar Kafeterya' where there are tables and chairs on the platform. We decide too that we should end our time together with a celebration, so we order ice cream. You've not lived until you've had Turkish ice cream! A little bit later we begin to hear the ping, ping, ping of raindrops on the tin roof above our seating area. It a very rhythmic sound and doesn't last but a few minutes.

It's nearing two now and over the PA system comes an announcement that the train is further delayed and will be in around 2:15. Hakan simply smiles and reminds us that this is normal in Turkey. We all laugh.

Carol is looking down the track from her seat and says, there's our train, and it's now 2:20. Hakan plucks our bags from the platform and directs us to car three and mounts the train showing us to our seats. With hugs all around Hakan departs and we're on our way. The train has stopped for less than 5 minutes.

It isn't long before we are up to speed and leaving the Konya City surrounds. The countryside is very flat and there are a great many grain fields across our horizon. Our car is supposed to be air-conditioned and I suppose it is but my definition of air and the train company's bare little resemblance. It appears our train will be stopping at each village along the way. There have been several stops already, each about 2-3 minutes.

Now, here's a treat or should I say sight to behold, a gentleman has just come into our car and begun a speech with a lemon in one hand and a plastic tube-like thing in the other. Minutes into his pitch I've dubbed him the 'RONCO' man. He aptly demonstrates the finer points of his product as an efficient juicer. He simply cut a hole and removed the rind and then proceeded to insert the tube, he kneads the lemon very skillfully and pours the juice into a cup. He goes through this routine three times and then simply turns the rind inside out to show the juiced pulp.

That demonstration completed, he now brings out multi-color pens, trigger lighters and a number of sewing kits. All the time he is talking a blue streak, folks are buying as well.

We're now south of Konya entering Suduragi; the plain is vast and one can see for miles. There is a slight gray film of dust in the air making the view hazy but never the less long distant. Signs of irrigation are every where, as this land requires a great deal of water for crops. Many herds of sheep and goats can be seen in the distance because they stir up quite a swirl of dust. We also see a version of prairie dog about the size of our squirrel running away from the train tracks.

The human traffic through our car is constant, as there is no smoking in the car and people are going into the corridor between cars to smoke; I'm very pleaded about that. Our trip is supposed to take six hours and we're now two hours into it. All of the fields of grain are new and the grain is only 4 to 6 inches in height, it's also all pretty gray from the constant blowing dust. I beginning to think what I'm looking at outside the window is 'rice'; it just has that feeling for me. The fields appear to be prepared in a very similar fashion to those I've driven through in Stuttgart, Arkansas.

We're pulling into Ayranci now; a small village, but several people depart the train here. As we pull out of the station we notice a number of storks in the field just out of the village. There too is a voice to my rear going ma-ma-ma-ma-ma, a very tiny voice.

Here we are at Eregli; this was our turning point on the highway as we drove to Konya. In the train we are able to see it's a much larger village than we had thought. As we pull away from the station the train is in a major waddle, I can hardly write my notes. We see far more concrete aqua ducts now, essential for crops in this area.

We're slowing once more, this time to enter Cakmak, another simple village along the way. After we pull away from this station we decide to make our way to the dinning car for dinner. We have to make our way through three passenger cars before we make our goal. I lead Carol to the back away from the smokers. Fortunately the car is not crowded, the cost of dinner more than likely has a bearing on that. The view from this car is awesome. We've moved into the foothills of the Taurus Mountains, we can see even now in May, there is a bit of snow at the higher elevations. The dining car restaurant is 'Sahanlik Sofrasi', Carol orders a chicken dish and I have lamb. We're both sharing a salad and a cheese borek.

We're now running parallel to the highway we drove to Konya on. There are a number of trucks straining the climb, from our seats it doesn't appear some are even moving, although we know they must be.

There now, that was a little rough; we've just changed tracks. We're sitting in a yard now with maybe 6 or 8 tracks parallel to one another. There's a station here too but we're not in view of it, there is a tanker car just outside our window. As we leave I see the station was that of Ulukisla. There appears to be a military monument on the hillside just out of the village.

Looking back to the roadway again, I'm amazed at the number of combines headed south into our region of the country. On our drive toward Konya we encountered one truck after another hauling a combine; we even had several combines pass by us under their own power, all headed south. I can only suggest they are coming our way to harvest in our area because very few of them are new machines.

We've begun the down hill run now and have passed through four tunnels, I'm told there are thirty-three in all on this route. Now we're in Cifteman and now out we go.

I've just noticed the china we're eating from is labeled 'Rail-Gourmet'. Our waiter was also our cook and now he's inventorying cookie packages on the table just behind us. Since we're through dinner I ask him for one of his packages of 'Ulker' cookies, my very favorite, a vanilla sandwich-like cookie.

We've moved into the heart of the mountains now, you have to look virtually straight into the heavens to see the mountain-peaks. Halfway down now we're in Pozanti and again several people get off. Carol and I decide to make our way back toward the front of the train and to our seats. We get almost no where before the train begins to move and we wind up wobbling our way back through three cars. We reclaim our seats and once again recline for the rest of the trip. These seats are very comfortable.

We're slowing but this time we're in a tunnel, I don't find that all that appealing. As it turns out we're changing tracks once again as we pull out of the tunnel. We come to Hacikiri station. Seems there's a very long freight train that needed our track, it has an engine both pulling it and one pushing it but then these mountains are pretty steep. Our view now is a complete reversal as now we are looking into the valley so far below. To one side it is shear cliff, on the other it appears to be nothing at all. It's as if the track is somehow glued to the mountainside and we're at a very slow crawl, maybe ten mph. We've been on the train now for 5 and half-hours, we're surely not going to make Adana in 30 minutes.

Once more we are trading tracks with a freight train, but it seems so much smoother a transition this time. We've come to Durak and it's 8:10, the sun has made its peace with the day and has gone. We're still one hour out of Adana. The next station is Yenice and it's the last station before home, I take out my cell phone and call ahead to the carpet shop to let them know our progress, since they will be picking us up. I'm told by Ramazan that Selahadtin and Seljuk are already at the station in Adana awaiting our arrival. The train is now slowing as it glides into Adana Station and we are no more than stopped when someone begins banging on our window and there are our very good friends to greet us and get us home.

Seljuk comes rushing into the car and snatches away our bags before we can object. We all detrain and move down the platform to the stairs into the tunnel under the tracks and out into the city to get into the van. Selahadtin moves out into the traffic pattern and we're off to the village. Once in the village the car sits next to the carpet shop awaiting our return. I fill it with water and drive the short distance to our home. The fate of the car will be a saga for another time, suffice it to say, it's not in good health.

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