A TRIP TO TURKEY BY FEDERICO SORRENTINO
TURKEY ROAD-TRIP
The gateway between Europe and Asia
Most of the times, thinking of Turkey, what comes to mind are the imposing natural formations of Cappadocia, the sky dotted with the colours of hot air balloons, the sparkling white travertine terraces of Pamukkale. The landscape takes over the common imagery. But what really struck me, crossing the heart of the country by car, was the people. And even more, human warmth. The small villages on the road seem to be stuck in another era: among the traditions, the genuine habit of welcoming guests and treating them as ikram, “one of us”, has not been forgotten. There’s a Turkish saying: "Bir fincan acı kahvenin kırk yıl hatırı vardır." This means something like, "A bitter cup of coffee forms a bond lasting 40 years". More than just a simple drink, coffee holds an important symbolic presence in the making of Turkish social relations. But, like many sayings, the subtle nuances of the language are lost in any attempt at direct translation. A more complete meaning can only be conveyed through experience or history. Turkey stretches between the East and the West. Between the past and the future. And while you’re crossing time and territories, people and flocks, religions and cultures, stories and acts of kindness, you feel you found its deep soul and the most extraordinary gift you could have.
