Turkey by Birds, Part 2. Amasya
Day 5-7, Amasya
When the time came we were both eager to get out of Istanbul, not just to see the sites beyond, but because the air quality was soooo bad. I had come down with some nasty bug just before our trip and, even several days into the trip, was still struggling with some residual bronchial ick. I was pretty sure the smog, grill smoke (imagine 1000s of kebabs being grilled up every day on every corner), and second-hand cigarette smoke were probably not helping. Once we had rented our car and flung ourselves onto the mercies of the Turkish transportation system, it seemed forever to get out of Istanbul. The concrete just kept going and going and going...and going.
But once we got out, like really out, everything changed. The haze opened up and so did the road. Flat and straight. The landscape turned to a mosaic of small farms, rolling hills, deciduous pockets AND...utility lines! Yes, utility lines are the friend of the bird (usually) and the birder. They provide a suitable perch for foraging or hunting and they hug the road...where the birders are. A most perfect juxtaposition. We saw a couple of cool birds on the wire on this trip…the Red-backed Shrike and, best of all (for me), the European Roller (I'm a sucker for blue birds). We also caught our first (Turkish) glimpse of the beautiful White Storks...a flock of them snacking and loafing (my favorite bird behavioral term – refers to a resting bird) in an ag field (see those little black dots in the picture? Yea, that's them.). These are the storks that are famous for nesting on mosque minarets, etc. Cool birds. We’ll be seeing more of them later in the trip (aren’t you excited?!).
We pulled into the little town of Amasya, in northern Anatolia, where the air was (relatively) clean and the frogs croaked for love on the nasty, polluted river (As a side note, littering is rampant in Turkey. I realize this sounds very elitest of me, but, in addition to the very poor, I watched apparently very privileged people – even by US standards – callously dispose of their trash into the river, roadside, ruins, wherever. Most disturbing was the little boy that, upon finishing his soda, flung the plastic bottle into the river. His parents strolled beside him, the mother almost saying something [maybe just my hope], but choosing to remain silent. The father barely took notice. Apparently this is not a concern of even those that appear to have the resources and time to be concerned).
We stayed in a charming, kilim laden, restored Ottoman house with a pair of Coal Tit’s nesting in a gourd in the courtyard and House Sparrows that knocked on our windows in the morning. Mountains and cliffs surround Amasya, therefore, it was no surprise that there were loads of swifts and swallows swirling about. We saw House Martins, the swifts I’ve already mentioned, and Crag Martins. I liked thinking about how the ancestors of these birds were swirling around here thousands of years ago, diving at the slaves that were carving the rock tombs of the Pontic kings out of the cliff-face (see them in the picture above?). It was while we were exploring these tombs that we saw one of my favorite birds of the trip, the Western Rock Nuthatch. These little guys poke about and nest in old rock walls and ruins, which meant I could bird-watch and ruin-watch at the same time. How convenient.
We met a wonderful gentleman in the market in Amasya and he spent half of his day showing us around. He took us to the castle, brought us into the 15th century Medresesi founded by the Chief White Eunuch of Beyazit II that is now a boys Koran school (where I was astounded to be allowed in – the Turks obviously have a very different attitude about this kind of thing than the Moroccans) and the 15th century hamam (during the men’s bathing hour...I tried to stay outside but he wouldn’t let me, dragging me in, much to the amusement of the men steaming and bathing inside. Thankfully I saw no birds here.).
The real treat for me was the early 14th century Medresesi, built by the Mongols as a lunatic asylum, where music therapy was used as a means of pacification. Since that time, and still today, it is used as a music conservatory. Our host asked two students to perform a folk piece for us, which they did obligingly. I could’ve stayed there all day, listening, gazing at the intricate engravings, but our host found the voice of the young student to be painful, so he pulled us away. Funny...I would’ve never known.
And here's a shot of the traditional Turkish breakfast. There are a few variations but you will always get a hard-boiled egg, olives, a lovely Turkish cheese, tomatoes and cucumber. Happiness.
The next installment will have a little something for everyone (geologists AND birders)...we explore Cappadocia - home of fairy chimneys and Egyptian vultures!
When the time came we were both eager to get out of Istanbul, not just to see the sites beyond, but because the air quality was soooo bad. I had come down with some nasty bug just before our trip and, even several days into the trip, was still struggling with some residual bronchial ick. I was pretty sure the smog, grill smoke (imagine 1000s of kebabs being grilled up every day on every corner), and second-hand cigarette smoke were probably not helping. Once we had rented our car and flung ourselves onto the mercies of the Turkish transportation system, it seemed forever to get out of Istanbul. The concrete just kept going and going and going...and going. 
But once we got out, like really out, everything changed. The haze opened up and so did the road. Flat and straight. The landscape turned to a mosaic of small farms, rolling hills, deciduous pockets AND...utility lines! Yes, utility lines are the friend of the bird (usually) and the birder. They provide a suitable perch for foraging or hunting and they hug the road...where the birders are. A most perfect juxtaposition. We saw a couple of cool birds on the wire on this trip…the Red-backed Shrike and, best of all (for me), the European Roller (I'm a sucker for blue birds). We also caught our first (Turkish) glimpse of the beautiful White Storks...a flock of them snacking and loafing (my favorite bird behavioral term – refers to a resting bird) in an ag field (see those little black dots in the picture? Yea, that's them.). These are the storks that are famous for nesting on mosque minarets, etc. Cool birds. We’ll be seeing more of them later in the trip (aren’t you excited?!).
We pulled into the little town of Amasya, in northern Anatolia, where the air was (relatively) clean and the frogs croaked for love on the nasty, polluted river (As a side note, littering is rampant in Turkey. I realize this sounds very elitest of me, but, in addition to the very poor, I watched apparently very privileged people – even by US standards – callously dispose of their trash into the river, roadside, ruins, wherever. Most disturbing was the little boy that, upon finishing his soda, flung the plastic bottle into the river. His parents strolled beside him, the mother almost saying something [maybe just my hope], but choosing to remain silent. The father barely took notice. Apparently this is not a concern of even those that appear to have the resources and time to be concerned).
We stayed in a charming, kilim laden, restored Ottoman house with a pair of Coal Tit’s nesting in a gourd in the courtyard and House Sparrows that knocked on our windows in the morning. Mountains and cliffs surround Amasya, therefore, it was no surprise that there were loads of swifts and swallows swirling about. We saw House Martins, the swifts I’ve already mentioned, and Crag Martins. I liked thinking about how the ancestors of these birds were swirling around here thousands of years ago, diving at the slaves that were carving the rock tombs of the Pontic kings out of the cliff-face (see them in the picture above?). It was while we were exploring these tombs that we saw one of my favorite birds of the trip, the Western Rock Nuthatch. These little guys poke about and nest in old rock walls and ruins, which meant I could bird-watch and ruin-watch at the same time. How convenient.
We met a wonderful gentleman in the market in Amasya and he spent half of his day showing us around. He took us to the castle, brought us into the 15th century Medresesi founded by the Chief White Eunuch of Beyazit II that is now a boys Koran school (where I was astounded to be allowed in – the Turks obviously have a very different attitude about this kind of thing than the Moroccans) and the 15th century hamam (during the men’s bathing hour...I tried to stay outside but he wouldn’t let me, dragging me in, much to the amusement of the men steaming and bathing inside. Thankfully I saw no birds here.). 
The real treat for me was the early 14th century Medresesi, built by the Mongols as a lunatic asylum, where music therapy was used as a means of pacification. Since that time, and still today, it is used as a music conservatory. Our host asked two students to perform a folk piece for us, which they did obligingly. I could’ve stayed there all day, listening, gazing at the intricate engravings, but our host found the voice of the young student to be painful, so he pulled us away. Funny...I would’ve never known.
And here's a shot of the traditional Turkish breakfast. There are a few variations but you will always get a hard-boiled egg, olives, a lovely Turkish cheese, tomatoes and cucumber. Happiness. The next installment will have a little something for everyone (geologists AND birders)...we explore Cappadocia - home of fairy chimneys and Egyptian vultures!
Labels: Travel
posted by Millicent at 11:28 AM
4 Comments:
As a fellow birder, I am so glad you're doing this travelogue by the birds...I so wanted to take a bird book to China, but it didn't seem the right trip for it!
Lovely photos, too...
Oh god. I feel like I've OVERDOSED. Two posts so close together... better than any fix. You do recall yours is one of my most favorite blogs to read? And now all of the sudden, I want to learn about BIRDS. Let the education continue :O)
Had no idea Turkey was apt to polluting... my dad never made mention of it. Wonder what he loved so much about it. Guess I should ask him. Must have had good bars or something. Ugh.
Personally, it's the architecture of Turkey that melts my butter; historically layered, like an onion. But I'm loving this bird adventure - seeing Turkey through new eyes. Glad you mentioned Turkish breakfasts - the best on the planet. Is that a little yogurt on your plate, too?
Beautiful! Especially the blue Roller! I'm thinking that I need to start paying more attention the birds around me. It is fun hearing how much you love them, Millicent! Really.
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