Though

Though
everything seems to have changed so fast in my country,

Turkey, there’s a place that remains exactly the same. It’s a
place that has brought me joy and peace since childhood: my
parents’ summer house on the
North Aegean coast of Turkey.

There are so many familiar scenes here. Oak trees dance on the
winding roads to the Mount Ida; pink bougainvillea climbs towards
windows; tavern keepers set out chairs for the evening; children
chase a ball on cobblestone lanes; women sell mountain thyme on the
beach; fishermen repair torn nets. Like memories, these moments are
so comforting.

Formerly inhabited by Greeks, Cunda Island is home to historic
stone houses with pastel-coloured shutters and fish restaurants
serving Aegean mezze with raki. I make my way to the shoreside Taş
Kahve, a traditional coffeehouse, and order Ayvalık tostu, a
toasted sandwich, along with homemade lemonade. This is my happiest
corner on this island. I watch old men playing cards at the next
table as they chat about the rising prices of groceries.

After reading parts of Homer’s Iliad and the Odyssey, I journey
around the Bay of Edremit, to the hillside town of Assos, where
Aristotle once lived. The views here are conducive to deep thought.
I imagine the sun-warmed rocks of the Temple of Athena being
assembled by many pieces of legendary stories I’ve read. From here,
I look down to the ancient port and the sea, as it changes from
dark blue to green. I see snaking roads and the old city of Assos
bathed in honey-hued sunlight, and I’m taken in by the beauty of
this town.

Nothing here happens in a rush. I let myself be seduced by the
slow way of Aegean living, and I flow with the lightness of
summer.

@photostorming | denizyilmazakman.com