Colours, scents, flavours

Humans do not invent anything. In most cases they simply imitate nature. Like in the film 'Alien' ... I always thought how formidable was the imagination of the authors in creating the alien, then I watched a few episodes of 'plant earth' and realised that the nature around us already offers all the necessary cues. Just look.

There are many Turks migrating to Germany, which is why so many cities, such as Bremen, are dotted with so-called 'Turks', i.e. small shops selling foodstuffs but also Turkish artefacts. It is in these shops that I find the best fruit, but above all that I find the Italian fruit that in Germany they don't even know what it is (like medlars!!). You also find objects, all very colourful. I never liked them much, I found all those colours a bit exaggerated and out of place, they would never look good in my flat which remains rather minimalist in colour reflecting a Bremen trend. I doubted the Turks' good taste. Then we arrived in western Turkey, with the breathtaking Pamukkale, the colourful Alaçati, the small Şerinçe, and many other treasures. And there I understood. The intense creamy blue, the sparkling violet, the blinding white and orange the green the yellow. A myriad of intense colours that brighten up the alleys and small houses of Alaçati. Walking through the alleys of the small centre of this seaside town is like stepping into the grooves left by the brush on the oil-painted canvas. The breeze moving the foliage and the colourful decorations adds cheer and vitality to an already sparkling atmosphere. Everywhere hang the blue 'eyes of Cappadocia' that whirl like turbines with every gust of wind. The bright pink of the shutters competes with that of the flowers climbing like frames around the doors. The white of the houses stands out against the blue of the clear sky. But the contrast between these two colours peaks with the almost surreal white of Pamukkale against a deep blue sky. In Istanbul, one cannot help but marvel at what man is capable of creating among towers, mosques and other architectural works, but in Pamukkale, nature shows all its magnificence! Years, centuries of limestone and travertine deposits from thermal springs have created rounded, sugar-white hills. The Turks call it 'sugar castle', Pamukkale. Over time, the water has also carved out pools in which the residual water adds a bluish touch to the white lime. These sugar hills are cool to the touch with bare feet, despite the blazing sun and the temperature of over 30 degrees, and the flowing water is pleasant and refreshing as you walk. Every step along the path to the top of the mountain is accompanied by awe and wonder. When we reach the top, we can enjoy some fresh watermelon and finally put on our bikinis to get into the water. We would never move from there!

The list of wonders in western Turkey is too long, but I cannot fail to mention the delightful little Şerinçe. Perched in the mountains around Selchuk, Şerinçe adds the scent of herbs to its sparkling colours. Oregano, lavender, chamomile. And then the fruit: crunchy peaches with an intense flavour, plums as small as cherries but delicious. Berries never seen before, they look like blackberries but grow on trees, which they use to make a sweet and delicious juice. Drunk chilled, it brings you back to life on hot July afternoons. The list is endless: strawberries, cherries, and even melons and watermelons and apricots. In short, I would not know how to describe these days except as a symphony of colours, scents, and flavours. I leave sad but inebriated.

Music: here

Friendliest person: The lady of the hostel in Selchuk: she fought the wasps that nested outside our window, and she made us breakfast outside the planned times so that we could go early to visit Epheseus

Food: All the fruits and juices

Highlights of the trip: during the drive from Alaçati back to Selchuk we stopped along the coast to have a bath at sunset, the panorama was amazing! And right after the sunset we could see a blood-moon rise