Chelonia Mydas: Mersin's Green Sea Turtle

Chelonia Mydas via EVS Mersin

It's sea turtle nesting season!

My sister-in-law was enjoying the beach near  Mersin last week and she uploaded some nice photos (below). She even posted a link to the Mersin sea turtle protection organization, EVS Mersin, a volunteer-run part of the youth Third Eye Association of the Mediterranean (TEAM). (Thanks, Pascale!)

Kids come from all over Europe to help. Maybe another good excuse to send my boys over there AND get something for the ole college application? (Double Bonus!) Maybe next summer.

Meanwhile, I've posted about the Caretta Caretta of Dalyan, so it would be logical to think those are the ones I wrote into the BURNT AMBER scene at Kizkalesi.

Ha! They were, but the EVS Mersin site drew my attention to another species that makes it's home in the eastern Mediterranean - Chelonia Mydas, the green sea turtle. And now I'm not sure which kind I saw when I was there. Next time I'll have to stop a turtle and ask. (Or find an EVS Mersin volunteer!)

Sea Turtle Nest - Please, Let's Protect Them

Flipper tracks...

leading back to the sea. :)

Narlıkuyu Cove

There's no r in July, but that's when I want to sit out by the water and eat seafood, ocean breeze in my hair, drink in hand... Back in CT, Lenny's in Branford's Indian Head was my go-to place. Lobster and steamers: mmm. In Istanbul, Büyükada was probably my first choice, aside from the stuffed mussels from the vendors near Eminonu. In Mersin, my favorite place was Narlıkuyu.

Way back when the area was still very backwater, I headed that way all the time. It's right near my two favorite places in the world, KızKalesi beach and the cliff of Akyar.

The restaurants at the end of Narlıkuyu cove are built right at the edge of the water on a low sea wall made of weathered limestone. Spring water bubbles out between the stones and swirls into the crystal clear sea at your feet. Most establishments have an arbor of some sort, covered in purple bougainvillea, grapes, or just woven reeds. Don't expect high end, white table cloths. The chairs are plastic, but I guarantee you won't care.

In place of a menu,  the waiter brings over a selection of the day's fresh-caught fish, whole, on a huge platter. (I hope they still do.) Lagos, aka white grouper, is the best catch and they usually serve it up fried, but you can get it grilled, etc. It's getting a bit scarce and divers go spearfishing for it, so it's priced higher. There's always sea bass, red snapper, and other tasty fish if you'd rather have that. Some places serve octopus, which is really good. (I'd never try to cook it myself.) Try it with a tall glass of Rakı. 

via wikipedia.com

Don't forget to visit Turkey's smallest museum in the village center while you're there. It's a one-room roman bath with a mosaic representation of the Three Graces.
Sigh. No ocean in Charlotte. Maybe I should head to Charleston for a few days, otherwise I'll have to wait until September for an oyster roast.

Solar Sizzled

via habercisiniz.com

Here's a little household adventure thought I'd share:

Last weekend, all four of us were out in the backyard, moving wheelbarrows of dirt (read heavy, red clay), weeding, moving stones, and just working hard. By the end of the 92 degree day, we we covered in grime and all needed showers badly. Especially the boys.

OLDEST: Streaks out of the shower in under two minutes.
ME: Hmm...What's with that?
YOUNGEST: Goes in for his turn. Point two seconds later: "THE WATER IS FREEZING, MOM!!!!!"
ME: "DH, Did you have any hot water?"
DH:"No. I thought you used it all up with the dishwasher and washing machine."
ME: What century do you live in? "Did you check the water heater?"

Apparently, one of the boys had knocked the hot water heater knob down to ridiculous, so I had to wait for another hour while it heated up something for me. And the conversation about freezing water (and what century DH lives in) turned to solar hot water heaters. Specifically the gravity fed hot water heater, aka güneş enerjisi, of our summer condo in Turkey.

ME: "Let me tell you a little story kids."

Almost every rooftop in Baba's hometown sports an ugly (usually orange) water tank connected to a solar panel. The system heats water very well and thankfully, the villagers don't have to chop down the forest to get warm water anymore. At the summer condo, we had an old-fashioned, gravity fed version. Mersin is steamy in the summer, so hot showers aren't appealing. Why spend the extra money on a pressure regulator?

GAH!

In comes Mommy (the American bride) and HELLO! I practically lose the top layer of my skin the first time I shower.

You see, we lived up on the tenth floor and the gravity thing works a little too well when you're closer to the tank. Cold water from the municipality has more pressure, so I turned it down to let the hot water mix in, and then the hot water took over! I turned the hot way down and then the cold was too strong again. Ever try to adjust a knob after it's been in the same position for nine months? I inched it up and down, up and down, and...you get the idea. The water was nice for a minute and as soon as I got under it, it would change. I think there was a malicious djinn living in that tap!

So for the rest of the summer, I stood outside the shower trying to adjust between scalding and freezing. And since there's no winning that game, I just got used to taking cold showers.

OLDEST: Looks at his dad. "You fixed that, right?"

Yerköprü Şelalesi (Landbridge Falls)

tr.yenisehir.wikia.com

Want a refreshing reward for your trek to Alahan Monastery - besides the panoramic view and Byzantine ruins there? Head up the road a bit to the Yerköprü Şelalesi. (Land bridge falls)

I'm a huge fan of waterfalls and I am so inspired by this place. The sheets of moss dripping with white veils of water, verdant ferns and figs surrounding the swirls of crystal water below, the ancient cavern air laced with minerals.... Hmm... Imagine what's lurking in that dark cave.

Me: Wonder to worst case scenario in under two seconds. Probably a good thing - I was heading toward thesaurus rape.

But really, it's magical. Just watch the clip below and you'll see what I mean.

Now...how can I sneak a scene with this place into my manuscript?


YERKÖPRÜ ŞELALESİ-YERKÖPRÜ WATERFALL (Mut-Mersin-TURKEY) from umut cor on Vimeo.

My Mersin Backyard






Narlikuku via Mersinliyibiz on Facebook

 The End of Grade exams are over and my kids are counting down the number of days left this school year. I can just feel summer creeping in between the cloudbursts.

It means less productivity on the writing front, but more days to float around in the pool, mulling over ideas. More chances to lounge in the chaise while I swallow a book whole...

In that spirit, here's a leisurely cruise up the Mediterranean coast to some villages near my old "backyard" in Mersin. (Beta readers: There's a flash of Narlikuyu and Aykar - and Kizkalesi, of course.) Enjoy!


Mavi'nin Gözünden Mersin Koyları from umut cor on Vimeo.

Alahan Monastery

via recepmemik @ Flickr.com

While Alahan Monastery is too old for me to use in my circa 11th century inspired MS, it is worth taking note of the beautiful architecture. The 5th century building was made by Isaurian stonemasons and is a key structure of early Byzantine architecture.

Technically, I should use the monastery of Trazarg, except I haven't found a trace of it anywhere. Anyone know anything about Trazarg? When I Google it, a bunch of images from my own site pop up. Hmm...

Alahan Monastery is in Mersin's backyard and worth the day trip. Sigh. This is where I shoot the tour guide (Sorry honey, I'm still mad at you.) for skipping it. Did you notice the list of things I did not see in my own neighborhood is getting longer the more I research? Probably not good for my marriage. Again: Hmm..

Anyway, lovely arches don't you agree? Wait till you see the view from the outside. Who cares if you have to walk (an hour?) from Alahan to get there. It's amazing and how many views are there like this? OK - DH objects. There are lots of places in Turkey with an amazing view -that you can drive to- but I wanted to see this one. :(

via kaliteliresimler.com

It's even a UNESCO World Heritage,Tentative Site. See? I'm not the only one who wants to head off the beaten path to find cool stuff. Who's coming with me?

And....last week in my rush to go on vacation, I totally forgot to post the contest results for Tracy Marchini's new e-book: PUB SPEAK: A WRITER’S DICTIONARY OF PUBLISHING TERMS. So without further ado, the winner is......


Jules!

I loved the all answers about what to do with the exquisite corpse, morticians and ebay auctions alike, but here's the official answer from Tracy's book:

exquisite corpse – A technique for creating art where several collaborators create a piece, but can only see so much of the previous contributor‟s work. For example, one author writes a chapter and gives it to the next. The second author writes a chapter and gives only the second chapter to the third author, who gives only the third chapter to the fourth author, etc.

Now, iff you've got a few minutes, check out this clip of Alahan.


Alahan Monastry Mut-Mersin-Türkiye from umut cor on Vimeo.

Mamure Castle

via travelpod.com

Can you believe I missed going inside this castle? Yes - stupid me - I was too tired that day. I had the most amazing chicken kebab at a restaurant down the beach from it, though...with a breathtaking view. Luckily, Anamur it isn't far from Mersin, so I can get back there the next time I go to Turkey.

Here's the 101 on Mamure Castle according to wikipedia:

The castle was built on the foundation of an ancient castle built by the Roman Empire in the forth century, undoubtedly against pirates. 

-blah de blah de blah - lots of guys fought over it, it changed hands several times - fast forward :

In 1475, the castle was annexed by the Ottoman Empire. During Ottoman reign, the castle was repaired in the 15th, 16th and 18th centuries and a part of the castle was used as a cervansarai.

Love the part about the pirates... (I keep looking for a way to use that! I promise I'll get you some more posts on them soon.) ...and Mamure must have been the most awesome caravanserai stop. Can you imagine stopping there for the night to rest your tired, laden *erm*camel? (Monty Python fan here.) OK, so maybe it was a little smelly, but there's a killer view. (mamure = prosperous, btw.)

So why is Mamure castle special?

Let's break it down. I always write about the stories behind a castle, but in this case I need to point out the parts. Mamure is known for it's spectacular crenellation.

Take it away wiktionary:

Crenellation

1. A pattern along the top of a parapet (fortified wall), most often in the form of multiple, regular, rectangular spaces in the top of the wall, through which arrows or other weaponry may be shot, especially as used in medieval European architecture.
2. The act of crenellating; adding a top row that looks like the top of a medieval castle.

It's nice to find a ruin that isn't so...well...ruined...isn't it?

For info on more castle parts, stick around, or get yourself a copy of CASTLE by David Macaulay.

Related articles

• Mamure Castle (Travelling Backflip) Great pics!!!
• Elements of a Castle During the Middle Ages (brighthub.com)

The Mystery of Kekik

Image via Wikipedia
When you live abroad, you need to relearn some things. The names of the herbs and spices in your kitchen is one of those things. The names can vary from regions to region, which is what I found in Turkey.

Technically, kekik translates to thyme. Practically, it can mean: thyme, winter savory, and sometimes even rosemary. It's a little bit frustrating, but worth learning the latin names of plants for this very reason. Finding someone else who knows the latin names is an entirely different story. You just have to wing it.

When I lived in Mersin, we'd regularly picnic in the foothills. Searching for the wild herb was part of the excursion. We grilled our kebabs with it there and took plenty home to dry. That was lucky for me, because if it had been in a jar labelled Kekik, I would have never found out what it really was.

I searched for the "Mersin kekik" here in the states. To the untrained eye, it does look a lot like thyme, but it isn't. Kekik tastes like mint and thyme got together, so I tried that. Combining those two herbs doesn't do the same thing. When I finally found it at the nursery, the label said winter savory, satureja montana... I grow it in my yard now for a steady supply because you can't buy it at the supermarket.  It's an essential herb for grilling lamb (super yum!) and for my white bean stew.

Where I Come From

Image via Wikipedia
Well, it's not exactly where I come from, but I thought I'd share a few pictures of my husband's home town, Mersin. I lived there for a while and there's always a piece of it with me.

The town has known many names. Içel is the formal government name for the city and the surrounding region. In ancient times, it was known as Zephyrium. (Lucky for me, since zephyr has always been one of my favorite words. Ask my high school English teacher.) Mersin is the name we answer to now.

Fun little fact....the word Mersin means blueberry. Apparently, wild blueberries grow in the nearby foothills of the Toros mountains. (And yet...I couldn't find a single one to eat while I was there? Just think of all the yummy jams I could have made.)


via travellinkturkey.com



Mersin is located on the Mediterranean coast just above Cyprus and is an important port city. In fact, the city is now home to the largest Free Port in Turkey. The expanded port injected the local economy with capital and many new neighborhoods. Unfortunately, it also caused urban sprawl all the way to our small village outside the city.



The market center of the old city is only open for foot traffic now (thankfully) and the Flamigo Yol avenue along the water is lined with lovely gardens for strolling and restaurants where the city's inhabitants love to play.

There are lots of ancient sites around Mersin, like Olba , Kizkalesi  and The Cave of Cennet, which appear in my writing or inspire it in some way. You'll see more of them in future posts, I'm sure.