We hit the roads before we could even open our eyes…
After leaving behind the first and “historical” part of our trip, the first pains in our feet and signs of hunger in the stomach appear.
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After the toilet break given before the Seven Sleepers, we walk towards the cars to set off.. I ask Gülçin where she left the car. He says under the tree. After a short surprise, I say I left it under the trees, pointing to the trees.. When I look in front of me, as many trees as I can see and that expression on Gülçin’s face. Then I get a smile, I say which tree did you leave it on, can’t answer Gülçin. Once again, we hit the road laughing together and listening to each other, far from the two cars getting into contractions…
While everyone presents sections from their own lives, we redefine each other in the social world within the limits of tolerance. Before climbing the caves where the Seven Sleepers are believed to have fallen asleep, we are in a photo rush with groups of boys and girls in front of the historical sign.
After the successful shooting of the girls, it’s the boys’ turn.. Even though Serdar performs the most successful sleep trick in his profession, perhaps out of exhaustion, I lean against the tree with the uncompromising gaze of Mümin and Eren’s “cool” attitudes.
We leave video-photo shoots behind and start climbing.. While everyone is telling what they know, we cannot reach the right information.. When the efforts to reach the questions of how many years they slept and where they slept with the mutual contributions of Mümin and Serdar fail, we crouch on the stones like villagers gathered in the village square and benefit from the blessings of technology. French Maroua waits for his turn to translate. The eternal translator Eren struggles with the magic of the story until it’s his turn to translate.
Seven Sleepers
Six believers who believe in the existence and oneness of God youth; Yemliha, Mekselina, Mislina, Mernuş, Tebernuş and Şazenuş were fleeing from the evil of the Roman ruler Dakyanus, who persecuted them to worship idols.. They came across the shepherd Kefeştetayyus and his dog Kıtmir.. Seven teenagers and dogs took shelter in a cave to spend the night. They certainly did not know that a long sleep awaited them when it was time to go to bed and lined up on the stone floor of the cave.. So much so that when they woke up, they would become the symbol of the “Basu Badel Mevt” (Resurrection after death) belief of Christians, Jews, and especially Muslims.. Because they slept for 309 years!
According to what is told, this miracle happened about 1800 years ago.. Currently, there are caves believed to be the residence of the Seven Sleepers in 33 different parts of the world.. People of all religions visit these caves as sacred.. The most well-known are found in Spain, Syria, Afghanistan, Tunisia, Algeria, Turkestan and Turkey.. There are three different places in our country, the Cave of the Seven Sleepers. Foreigners usually visit the one in Ephesus.. Those in Tarsus and Afşin are known as Eshab-ı Kehf (Cave friends)..
After colliding our predictions and ideas about the Seven Sleepers, which have their place in different religions and different languages, we go to the tree that a crazy person turns into a wish tree by tying a napkin and send our wish to the universe.. While all this is going on, Eren turns the legend into French for Maroua.
After taking a glance at the wish tree adorned with wet wipes from many different kebab shops, pide and soup makers, we return to the vehicles in the light of thoughts on the environmentally friendly nature of Turkish people and the attraction of touristic places.
While we are walking by the garden where roosters and chickens are digging, we try to convince the girls that what they are surprised by saying “is it an egg” one after the other is the chicken body.
Next stop is Virgin Mary
While we have questions such as whether the Easter mass is over or whether the Virgin Mary’s house is crowded, we go to the Virgin Mary on a very winding road.. By raising the hunger limit as much as we can, leaving the Virgin Mary behind, we get carried away with the thought of eating in Şirince.
We are advancing as a large group in the House of Virgin Mary, where there is no trace of the Easter crowd.. While the French school reads the signs from behind, the retired group led by Gülçin and Miray leads the way.. As I accompany Gökçe and Serdar on their honeymoon-inspired walk right behind them, Mümin intervenes and examines the historical and strategic dimensions of the event. remembers his days. When we are just wondering if the memories of military service will begin, the “French” group comes to our rescue and when they enter the square, the memories of military service become a thing of the past.
Eren Meryemana, who wants to be informed at every step and is cultured by expanding every new word she receives in search engines. A new note falls on the question of whether marriage ceremonies are held in. While everyone is making their tongues clear, I’m still the most political. While calming the situation with my answer, which means neither yes nor no, I direct the group that I am trying to control to the sad and suffering entrance of the house. , I hand it to Selya and Eren. I find it difficult to convey the message of “the world is ours” while the candles remain in my hands under the gaze of astonishment.. Fortunately, Maroua and Selya later agree to light the candle.. Eren, on the other hand, does not compromise her conservative structure and continues to act in line with her “principles”.
Candles are being lit
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After seeing the Easter buns and the gifts presented to the Virgin Mary, Eren quickly explains that elements similar to fasting worship in Islam are also present in Christianity.. At this time, we come to the area where the candle is lit.. With both Easter and my birthday coming, I send my wishes to the creator of the world through candles.. Everyone lights candles one after the other. At that moment, we take advantage of Gökçe’s momentary distraction, who threatens to blow out the lit candles, and get away from his surroundings. After washing our hands and faces, we end our trip to the Virgin Mary.. After finding ourselves at a point on the İzmir-Söke road with the efforts of Serdar, who wanted to show us the Cave of Zeus, we contacted Serdar by phone to seek help. And when we realize that it is not on the road, we head to Şirince without deviating from our route.
Nemrut travelers Miray and Gülçin are accompanied by their smiles from the front seats of Opel at the stops.
Hunger is at its peak
After climbing the 8-kilometer mountain road and mingling with the traffic, a new quest begins after finding a parking spot for the vehicles.. Finding the suitable one among the limited number of eating and drinking places in the village…. When everyone’s effort to make everyone happy and satisfied is added to the work, there is a crisis of not being able to sit down.. With the intervention and fast backstage at the right time, it turns out that everyone can sit in any place, but they care very much about each other’s requests.
We are sitting in the restaurant section of Le Jardin Giritli Pension on the slope.. We give our orders to the extremely amateur waiters over a wide range of dishes, and watch the tourists going up and down the slope.
With the effect of hunger, everyone on the table communicates with the part where their voice reaches, while attacking the olives and bread accompanied by olive oil.
While the predictions about the future are transferred to the table with coffees that come after the meal and regional horoscopes, those who make “idiot” to the fortune-teller and follow the fortune-telling carefully are not overlooked. While Eren, Gökçe and Gülçin, who do the same thing, try to measure their reactions to the fortune telling, Serdar’s indifferent ear reliefs change in parallel with Gökçe’s changing facial expression.
Gökçe and Gülçin are convinced of the fortune-telling. While making me happy, Gökçe’s fortune-telling bombardment is accompanied by a translator.
Towards the church
Church or mosque? on the way that the debates are voiced Later, I feel the need to involuntarily ask for the address as we move towards the building that we believe to be the church.. At the crossing note, I ask a young shopkeeper sitting on his plastic stool from where he can go to the church.
“First of all, let me ask you 10 TL, brother,” he says to me, “as the fee for asking for the address”.
“Okay, Thank you” and without even waiting for an answer, he sees the “go to church” sign and asks me “Are you angry” behind my back?. While those around me are trying to understand what happened, I say “no, I’m not angry”. That’s when the man is having the explosion inside him.. He says “slap me”. I and those around me are shocked, we continue on our way.. Eren, on the other hand, cuts us off with the sentence “I wish you’d slapped us”…. Those who get caught up in the coin throwing ambiance of the small pool in the churchyard make a wish and entrust their coins.. We, on the other hand, enter the tattered church where the swallows nest.
In Şirince, which has become a brand in tourism, even the “pancake” has become a value that is claimed while the church, which can be a tourist attraction, has been neglected.
With the cool air of the church, we go back to the past and take a few photos together.
We are going to try and buy wine from the not-so-known route of the village.
Taking into account the blueberry wine suggestions, we will drink a few different kinds and try again. I also buy blackberries. After everyone has bought a few pieces of something, Selya decides to buy wine, even if it’s late.
The two of us enter the shop where we just bought wine, accompanying her.. After a few tries, Selya tries to express the type of wine she wants.. “I want an animal,” the cute saleswoman says emphatically.. While the woman tries to understand what she wants, I burst into laughter, screaming.
The woman wonders where Selya came from and gets her answer, and she passes it off by saying such things.
After learning that there is no “fancy” wine Selya, who decided on raspberry wine, takes her wine, and I continue walking with a laugh.. I am not explaining anything to those who wonder why we are laughing, under Selya’s pressure.
In the last part of the day, we are going to Kuşadası, to cut a cake and say goodbye to the day…
We enjoy being able to come together and do something, to meet on common plans and moments.. Even though everyone falls asleep outside the driver’s seats on the way back, the sweet tiredness of the day will unite us many times in common conversations…
Click for the first part of the tour…
