Tastes of Smyrni.

 In my last post I showed some of the buildings in Smyrni that interested us during our recent visit there. With our hotel being on the sea-front, we were in the tourist area, so we decided to take a wee stroll in the market area, the suq, if you like, to catch some local flavours.

This tea/coffee house was splendidly set out – the low seating and the vividly coloured drapes were redolent of the mufraj in the Arab world – the room for socializing, drinking tea/coffee together, perhaps smoking a nargileh or chewing qat, depending on which country you are in.

                                      

Smyrni is famous for its pastries. Our hotel offered a huge breakfast buffet and, on our first morning there, I enthusiastically selected a cheese pie and a spinach pie, only to be disappointed by how dry they were. Similarly, Z was not impressed by the cakes and tea-breads which did not seem particularly fresh. (To give credit where due, they made the creamiest scrambled eggs e.v.e.r!)                                          

I was delighted to see this display of sweet and savoury pastries in the market. Couldn’t let that shop window spread go to waste so I asked the owner’s permission. It was only as I was about to shoot that I released the vendor was posing nicely – bless! -  so he is included. :)

                                                  

Almost every street has at least one dress shop sporting extravagant bridal gowns and wedding outfits. Clearly, they take such ceremonies seriously here.                                   

This intriguingly romantic shot of dervishes was hanging on the corridor wall just outside our room. Such dancers are members of the Sufi order, an order which dates back to the 13^th century as a mystic part of the Islamic world; in fact. Some regard the prophet, Mohammed, as the founder of Sufism.    The dance, known as Sufi whirling or turning, is a form of physically active meditation and through it they aspire to reach dharma – the source of all perfection. It involves lots of symbolism: their movement as that of the planets round the sun, the camel hair hat represents the tombstone of the ego, their wide skirts symbolize the ego shroud, but apparently produce a centrifugal force which reduces dizziness. I loved them – it was as if they were our private dancers, performing just for us each time we made a sortie outside our room.

                               

A little jaded at eating ‘tourist food’, while I was working, Z went on a reccie to suss out where the locals ate. Now not many people in the city spoke ‘foreign’ so Z came up with a gem. A young waiter did his utmost to explain that the meatballs – when in Smyrini …. – had no lamb in them (not our favourite meat) and explained what all their dishes were. We really enjoyed our meal, Z left our lad a nice wee tip and, with that, suddenly from the kitchen emerged mum, grandmum and grandpop. They appreciated our appreciation of the food and the mum was proud to say this was her son.  Quite right too!

The food was excellent and half the price of the tourist joints. Don’t we display satisfaction?

                                  

Scenes from Smyrni

 A hundred years ago, when Eleftherios Venizelos, the Greek Prime Minister, and Kamal Ataturk, the Turkish statesman, pushed for their conflicting, expansionist dreams for their respective countries in what is now Western and Northern Turkey, the Greek residents of Smyrni/ Izmir paid a grim price. Many lost their lives, families, homes and businesses. Some managed to escape and came to Greece as refugees – they were the lucky ones.  Having heard so much about its sad history, I was delighted to undertake a consultancy visit to Smyrni. I was even more delighted when Z agreed that he drive us there and extend the trip for a little tourism on the side.

We arrived there at night and on the sea-front we spied our hotel – a welcome sight after our 12-hour drive. That’s a statue of Ataturk in the background as this square is dedicated to him.

Our hotel is very central in the 5-star category, a posh affair- the entrance is be-decked with beautiful orchids, the furniture upholstered in a rich burgundy velvet. Feel quite regal, really! 😊

The next day, since it is not far off, we decided to go for a sea-front stroll to see the Greek Consulate. It is housed in a beautiful old building which has been renovated, as has the building next door to it, the French Consulate.

 On our last full day, we explore further and come across the university here. In Greece many of the state university buildings are in a deplorable state and are covered in grimy graffiti. It was a pleasure to see this clean, well-maintained institution – an alma mater to be proud of.

This is the pier building: very dear to the Smyrnaians and particularly noteworthy for being designed in 1890 by the architect/construction engineer, Gustave Eiffel who is well-known for having designed the famous Parisian tower – imagine!

Without even feeling obliged to identify this construct, I snapped it and include it here because it was a pretty building and because it was pink!

All that tourist traipsing has been fascinating but just a wee bit fatiguing. Definitely time to rest up and sink into the luxury of the burgundy velvet throne. :) That’s the living.