Girls Trip to the Black Sea

Early morning Saturday morning on May 18 Alice, Ozge and Cevahir took a quick Anadolu Jet trip from Ankara to Samsun, on the middle of the Black Sea coast.  Thus began a relaxing and super fun girls weekend.  Randy stayed behind in Ankara to relax with his television and keep our cat Mr. Fluff company.

Cevahir's youngest sister Ayse, who is beautiful and gregarious, met us at the Samsun airport.  We stopped several places en route from Samsun to Ordu, their family home.  This journey, unbroken, takes about 90 minutes or so by car.  We took the older and more beautiful coastal route.  The Black Sea region is very green with both the sea and hills and mountains.  It is quite lush and the weather was excellent at this time of year.  In Unye, about 45 minutes from Samsun we met Sadel Guven, from Auburn, and her sister-in-law Berrin for coffee.  Sadel is from Izmir but her late husband's family is from Unye and it was with them that we would stay in the second half of our trip.

Ozge with the beautiful roses in Samsun after arrival at the airport

Alice was happy to be at the Black Sea

Sadel and Berrin at Unye

Cevahir and Ayse at Unye

Cevahir and Ozge with the bay at Unye behind

Ozge and Alice enjoy the sea and perfect weather

We saw several seaside views and visited a famous place devoted to selling pickles (the Black Sea is famous for tursu, or pickle in Turkish).  At this place they pickle pretty much everything but we chose the standard cucumber ones for Randy.  We also saw the very interesting Jason Church, a Greek church from the 19th century.  It sits picturesquely on a promontory that supposedly hosted Jason and the Argonauts in ancient times.

Alice at picturesque bay between Unye and Ordu

Small island with Turkish flag

Typical Ottoman building in town along the coast

Local beach area

One of the sea birds on a rock

The Jason Church (more precisely known as
Agios Nikolaos or Saint Nicholas Church - thanks to Ira Tzourou for this correction!)

Cape Jason was where the Argonauts supposedly visited

Strange concrete (but not new) reliefs telling the story of Jason and the Argonauts

Jason kills a dragon

Rustic building for storing crops (presumably) with grape arbor

Two historic (?) columns near the Jason Church (AKA Agios Nikolaos)

The new (by Turkish standards) Greek Church of Cape Jason, Agios Nikolaos

Plain but well preserved

The dome is especially attractive

Carved detail over doorway

Inside has been preserved and the whole thing is now a museum

We enjoyed the spacious interior

These lined the interior walls - probably for torches

The beautifully situated Jason Church, AKA Agios Nikolaos or Saint Nicholas

Fig growing in a tree

Bride and groom share some tea and enjoy the view

The wonderful central Black Sea coast

Another seabird drying its wings

Alice at the pickle place with views to die for

Arriving in Ordu, we met the other sister, Huriye, and their sister-in-law Meltem and her adorable five year old son, Berke.  Ayse was the supreme host and gave up her bedroom to Alice for the night.  We ate a delicious lunch of sarma, salads and borek and then headed to the downtown area.  Also included were a couple of vegetables, melevcan (kind of a think broccoli) and bezelye (big, flat pea pods), I have not seen before that were all delicious.

Ozge outside of Casa Batuk in Ordu

Beautifully decorated salon of Casa Batuk

Yummy soup

Salad and borek

Sarma, pilav, bezelye and melevcan

Berke plays in the informal living area

Ordu is a pretty small city with a nice coastal walk.  We strolled to the Greek Church, now a museum, but found it closed.  We walked through the older area to see some of the restored Ottoman houses including a few made into boutique hotels.  We then went to the teleferik, a cable car from the seafront to a mountain next to the city.  The ride was wonderful and the views from above were breathtaking.  It rained while we were atop but we drank tea inside and waited it out.

Beautiful Ordu

Huriye and Alice

This photo is not staged - boats in the Ordu harbor

The large Greek church of Ordu, now a museum, but sadly closed during our visit

Ayse, Ozge and Huriye on the coast - the Batuk ladies are exceptionally good looking

Ayse, Alice and Huriye

Climbing roses in old Ordu

An old Greek or Ottoman mansion (konak)

Squeezed in the back of a friend's Mercedes on the way to the teleferik

The teleferik above Ordu

A new experience for everyone

In the cable car

Enjoying the ride to the heights

Above the city with the mountain top in the background as our destination

The restaurant we would eat at a few hours later

The bank where Ayse works

Ayse and Ozge

The roofs of Ordu

Higher up the slope, the tremendous green of the trees and (especially) hazelnut trees below

Coming down, we shopped in the old downtown and then walked for dinner at a restaurant, Midi, on a pier on the sea.  We had the local specialty fish including a small version called mezgit.  All were delicious but the best part was the cornmeal (yes, they eat cornbread in the Black Sea area) dusted large pea pods (bezelye) that were sauteed.  Unbelievably good!  In fact, the fruits and vegetables of the Black Sea region are widely varied and incredibly fresh.

On the mountain top with Ordu below

We were all happy to be out of Ankara for a while

The storm rolls in

Happiness at the Black Sea

The ride down also entertains the sisters

Our fish restaurant experience at Ordu

Three Batuk sisters

Salad at dinner

The amazing vegetable including a Black Sea specialty of pickled green beans (center)

The best ever vegetable - cornmeal dusted pea pods sauteed quickly

Ladies at dinner

Mezgit - yummy small fish also dusted in cornmeal and sauteed

Ozge's favorite desert from a bakery - a kind of borek filled with custard

One version has sugar on it and the other is covered with syrup.  Now, how can Ozge eat this stuff and stay model thin?

Tired and full, we headed to Casa Batuk (Cevahir's maiden name) for a good night of sleep.  The next morning we went for brunch on the seaside and included delicious pide (the Black Sea is famous for pide, among other things).  Accompanying us was Cevahir's lone brother, Ishmail.   We then drove to Giresun, a city about 45 minutes to the east.  Giresun was not as nice as Ordu but we visited a park and ruined castle on top of a hill with fantastic views over the city.

Berke goes Hollywood on the balcony of Casa Batuk

The view from the balcony of Casa Batuk

Berke in Ayse's bedroom which she graciously lent to Alice

Our brunch spot

Huriye, Meltem and Berke waiting for the food

Huriye and Cevahir with their brother Ishmail

Alice and Huriye

Cheese pide

The park at Giresun

The view of Giresun to the east

Mother and daughter at Giresun

Ozge at Giresun

Alice at the park at Giresun

The girls at the park at Giresun

The port at Giresun

Driving back to Ordu we chilled at Casa Batuk and walked along the nearby beach.  We drove to Unye where Ozge caught the bus to the airport in Samsun.  This being Sunday evening, she needed to return to work in Ankara.  We bade farewell to the friendly and fun Batuk sisters and Cevahir and Alice met with Berrin and Sadel for a two night stay at Casa Guven in Unye.

Ayse at the smaller balcony at Casa Batuk

The walk to the beach

Some of the flowers, which were abundant everywhere we went

Alice at the beach area

The beach near Casa Batuk - sadly, as many places in Turkey, there was quite a bit of litter spread along this beautiful stretch of sand

A typical Black Sea rose

Sadel's brother-in-law Cagatay was our host in Unye.  His home is amazing - a blend of traditional and modern design with spectacular views and a gorgeous garden setting.  The central room has a wood burning fireplace which he started up for us both nights.  Cagatay was more than hospitable by vacating the house at night to stay with a friend so each of the four girls got a spacious bedroom.  Sadel and Berrin outdid themselves with the evening meal which had an assortment of home cooked deliciousness.  With Turkish red wine, it was a special occasion.  Enjoying the fire after dinner we all slept well nestled in our Black Sea cocoon of comfort.

Amazing soup starts dinner

Sadel and Berrin at Casa C. Guven (the Cagatay one)

Cevahir and Alice

Our host extraordinaire Cagatay Guven makes a fire

Monday brought more glorious weather and we started with a leisurely breakfast.  We then drove to near Sadel's home.  The Guven family is an old and esteemed family in Unye.  There are many cousins and siblings who have homes on the land that was formerly the family hazelnut farm.  Not all of the family members have built on their lands, and few live year round in Unye (Cagatay is an exception).  Some of the land close to the sea has been sold off as real estate and has been developed into apartments and townhouses.  Some of the land was also donated for a school and park. 

Entrance to Casa C. Guven

View from the bedroom window

A big bed in a plain room but with that view who needs further decoration?

Roses in full bloom outside the door

One of two friendly outdoor cats at Casa C. Guven

Sadel in the garden in the morning

Neighbors' cows graze in Cagtay's land.  These cows look like they are living the good life

Casa S. Guven (the Sadel one)

Sadel and Alice on impressive entrance road to Casa S. Guven

A hazelnut in the making

View from Casa S. Guven

Alice at Casa S. Guven

We then visited the top of the hill near her home where the original farm was situated.  This had the best views and venerable trees.  Down by the main road we visited with a cousin and his wife who live in Unye all year and they graciously gave us tea and showed us their well decorated home.

Hazelnut trees - these are low to the ground.  The Black Sea area is responsible for the vast majority of the world's hazelnut production

An aged tree at the historic farm site of the Guven family

Pine cones in the making

A rose at another Casa Guven, this of the year round living cousin at the bottom of the road

His collection of chickens

Inside a chicken on her eggs waiting for the chicks

The friendly cousin with Cevahir on his terrace

With Berrin driving her brother's car we headed for the town of Unye and parked at the sea front.  We had lunch at a new upscale place right on the sea and ate the Black Sea famous pide.   We next walked to the old part of Unye which had a mixture of Ottoman and Greek houses.  Alice and Sadel visited the garden of an old home that had been renovated and met the friendly house owner.  We also saw the outside of Cagatay's construction business (he is developing apartments and townhomes). 

A historic storage building for grain off of the ground to keep the vermin out.  This one is preserved at the Unye seaside park

One of the restored Greek houses

Column detail - probably reused from a more ancient building

Amazing doorway in this historic part of Unye

The road is cobbled and steep

Rose in garden of one of these houses

The friendly owner of the restored house and garden  we wandered into.  She invited us for tea and borek (which we politely declined)

The copper smith who made some small oil lamps for us

Cagatay's office in the downtown of Unye

On the way back to Casa Cagatay Guven, we stopped at a new hotel on the sea and had coffee and enjoyed the views.  Back home, Sadel and Alice walked to Sadel's house along the path through the brush and hazelnut groves.  We enjoyed the sunny but cool weather and the sun lowering over the hills and sea.  Dinner that night was a full grill affair with one of Cagatay's workers manning a wood fire and grilling all sorts of meats.  Lots of salads and pilav were also served.  We sat at a long table in the garden with music (mostly Rat Pack stuff from the 1960's courtesy of Cagatay) playing.  Red wine flowed and we were joined by cousin Ayse.  She runs a private preschool after retiring from the psychology department of Ankara University (more on that later).   Wow - what a wonderful evening!! Only to be topped off by yet another of Cagatay's amazing wood fires before a deep night of sleep.

Tea in the hotel garden

Berrin enjoys the view over the beach

Alice back at Casa C. Guven

One of the many wild orchids around the area- small but exquisite

More of these pampered cows

Another view of Casa C. Guven

The magnolia tree brought back as a seed from Auburn Alabama (was that legal?) courtesy of Tarik Orgen

Alice literally smells the roses

Cevahir does the same

One of the interesting trees

Sadel on the path to Casa S. Guven

Sundown at Casa S. Guven

The style divides Casa S. Guven's land and Casa C. Guven's land

Cagatay's helper stokes the grill for tonight's feast

Very nice Turkish champagne starts the evening

Ladies on the porch

An assortment of red wines (no, they did not all get drunk!)

Cousin Ayse joined us for dinner from her own house down the road

Getting ready to sit down in the garden

Cagatay and the ladies

Ayse and Berrin eye the grilled lamb

Our host happily begins dinner

The salads and pilav with artichokes

Another pilav with green beans

The fire burns that night in the salon

A view of the attractive and practical fireplace

The next day, Tuesday, was another wonderful weather morning and relaxed and yummy breakfast.  We visited the downtown area of Unye again to take in a mosque from the original (now gone) palace and the museum which has an interesting collection of Ottoman furniture and furnishing in a restored house originally belonging to a sea captain.  Then we walked to cousin Ayse's school.  This fantastic place is in a restored house and garden complex with sea views.  The children are immersed in a caring and learning environment second to none.  We also viewed Ayse's impeccably decorated town apartment in a duplex she shares with her sister (these buildings were all part of the original Guven holdings).  She then took us to lunch at a restaurant in a restored building near the sea.  We dined on soup, salad, beans and rice, and lahmacun. 

The elderly Saray (Palace) Camii (Mosque) in the Selcuk style

Entrance to this small place of worship (designed only for the palace inhabitants)

The simple mithrab

The sea captain's house now a museum in Unye

The men's area

Masterbedroom

The tiny closet wash area in the bedroom

The women and children at work and play

Cevahir and Berrin listen to our guide

One of the homes still in the Guven family

It is downtown and waiting for restoration

Cousin Ayse's school

Ayse explains her educational philosophy and the design of the school

Alice near some of the school's gardens

The children were at lunch in the garden

The library

Talking about the activities for the preschoolers

Detail of elderly pine tree in the garden

Ayse's townhouse next to the school and on the seafront

The lunch restaurant named Sofra in a restored stone house

Cevahir and Berrin wait for lunch

Ayse, Alice and Sadel do the same

Rice and beans, Turkish style

Berrin tucks in

Afterwards we returned to Casa C. Guven to load up our luggage.  We reluctantly left this paradise at Unye with Cagatay as our driver and guide and headed to the town of Carsamba on the way to Samsun. 

The last view of Casa C. Guven

The lounge

More of the lounge

The terrace

Window from the dining area to the kitchen

The architecturally pleasing staircase

This town is the site of the most unusual we have seen, and possibly the most unusual mosque anywhere.  The town of Carsamba (meaning Wednesday in Turkish) is small and this gem lies unmarked off of the main road.  Luckily Cagatay knew where it is was since he had been to funerals there.  Walking through a historic and lovely graveyard (if there can be such a thing) we found this all wooden mosque.  Made in the 1100's with no metal nails, it is unusual and impressive, both inside and outside. 

Entrance to the cemetery in Carsamba

The amazing Gogceli Mosque

It was prayer time when we arrived so we waited in the garden for the men to come out

Detail of exterior wooden construction

All of the wood is original to the 12th century

Inside, the painted decorations on the walls and ceiling have been restored

This looked more like something from Scandinavia than Turkey

The massive columns are also all original

Painted detail

The Imam gave us a tour of the place

Wood detail - nearly 1000 year old timber still in perfect condition

The carved supports of the ceilings supposedly resemble a person's body

There are six columns and seven layers of wooden siding from floor to ceiling.  Both numbers signify meaning from the Koran

The non-original top of the preaching area

The columns were designed to move in case of earthquake, a amazing civil engineering feat from the 12th century

The Imam in what has to be the most interesting mosque in Turkey,  if not the world

Ripened plums in the cemetery garden

Cagtay was a professor for many years in Samsun and there is much to see there.  We only had a few hours before Cevahir's and Alice's flight to Ankara but managed to take in the replica of the ship, the Bandirma, that Ataturk sailed from Istanbul to Samsun on, thus beginning the War for the Turkish Republic.  We also saw park area devoted to the Amazons, supposedly inhabitants of this coast eons ago.  There was a small teleferik and some other parks near the seaside.  An archeology museum completed our tour.  Then, a fresh fish dinner at an upscale restaurant on the sea (of course!) and a rush to the airport for the 9:30 PM flight.

The original Bandirma is long gone but this replica is exacting

Alice and Sadel at the boat

One of the lifeboats is appropriately named

The bridge area

Memorial to the Turkish Republic

Samsun is an active shipping port

Lions guard the entry to the Samsun Museum.  It is unclear if these are historic or modern replicas

One of the main attractions is a Roman mosaic floor of huge proportions

Mosaic detail

More mosaics

Another view

A stash of golden objects are in the museum including this crown

An icon detail shows the Christian era of Samsun

A modern design mug from Roman times

A Roman statue

Ditto

An armless bronze also from the Roman times

One of the interesting exhibits is a quilt with hand worked squares from each major city in Turkey.  This one from Van shows their iconic Van cat with the different colored eyes

A couple of parting self portrait shots of this amazing weekend of relaxation and enjoyment.  As you can see, the people of and from the Black Sea are exceptionally hospitable and welcoming.  They live the good life in this beautiful region and know it.  Let's hope for a return to this very special corner of Turkey soon.

By the sea at Samsun paying tribute to the beginnings of the establishment of the Turkish Republic

In the garden at Casa C. Guven