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Ayvalik

Colorful walls on a narrow street in Ayvalik. No, I did not put that E there

Finalizing the Ayvalik Visit

November 15, 2019

Although this time we stayed in Ayvalik for only four days, we managed to do and see quite a bit. Ayvalik is colorful and charming that invites exploration. We also met new people and saw new places. In this final post of the ongoing travelog, I will try to give you a feel for the …

Read moreFinalizing the Ayvalik Visit
Ma'Adra Vineyards

Ma’Adra Vineyard Visit

November 13, 2019

Ma’Adra Unites a Mythological Couple When we visited the olive grove for the second time in the morning, we went to Ma’Adra Vineyards on the hills of Madra mountains for lunch. The road was winding and rough, the weather a bit foggy, but traveling as a two-car convoy we made it to the vineyards high …

Read moreMa’Adra Vineyard Visit
Olive Harvest at Melin Olive Grove

Melin Olive Grove

November 10, 2019

A couple of years ago, Binnaz and Ergun purchased an olive grove as a future revenue source for the ASKEV foundation. The grove has about 1,000 olive trees, mostly old with a few newer ones. Since the purchase, they have done additional work to make the grove conform to high-quality agriculture standards with automated irrigation …

Read moreMelin Olive Grove
Inside the mirror (Ayna) at Ayna Restaurant

Another Birthday in Ayvalik for Mina

November 6, 2019

After the first two weeks in Turkey and seeing the family and friends, Elif and Mina arrived at the beginning of our third week. We spent the first night in Istanbul and the next day Mustafa drove us to Ayvalik as the girls wanted. The new roads and the bridge crossing the Izmit Bay cut …

Read moreAnother Birthday in Ayvalik for Mina
Ceiling of Taxiarches - 2016

A Disappointing Restoration Project

November 3, 2016

Disappointing! One word. Although I strongly favor keeping the old architecture alive, restoration, repurposing, and keeping the texture of cities and towns to the extent possible, the old church disappoints. I see preservation in Rhode Island where I live, and in nearby states. In fact, I saw 100-year-old photographs of New York compared to photographs …

Read moreA Disappointing Restoration Project
In candle light, Mina's birthday dinner at Ayna (mirror)

Mina’s Excellent 10th Birthday

October 30, 2016

Mina is now 1o years old, time flew by, and she has become a graceful girl. This year, many things came together and we were able to celebrate first Ergun’s, then Jan’s, and finally Mina’s birthdays in Turkey with family and friends. A couple of days after Elif and Mina arrived in Istanbul, we were …

Read moreMina’s Excellent 10th Birthday
Soapmakers

Sabun Ustalarฤฑ

December 29, 2013

(Read an English version of this post) 2012 yฤฑlฤฑnda Ayvalฤฑk’ta ziyaret ettiฤŸim kรผรงรผk sabun atรถlyesi hakkฤฑndaki bu gรถnderi, uzun sรผredir ilgilenmemi bekliyordu. Araya tรผrlรผ engeller girdiฤŸinden, gerรงekten ilginรง olan bu deneyimimi sizlerle paylaลŸma fฤฑrsatฤฑnฤฑ bulamamฤฑลŸtฤฑm. O gรผnleri aklฤฑmdan geรงirdiฤŸimde, iki farklฤฑ ziyaretimi dรผn gibi capcanlฤฑ hatฤฑrlฤฑyor ve keyifleniyorum. (Bu atรถlyenin Web sitesi olmadฤฑฤŸฤฑ iรงin benzeri …

Read moreSabun Ustalarฤฑ
Soapmakers

Soapmakers

December 9, 2013

(Bu yazฤฑyฤฑ Tรผrkรงe oku) Soapmaking and soapmakers are part of a dying craft. This long-overdue post will introduce a small soapmaking workshop in Ayvalฤฑk that I visited back in 2012 and a family of soapmakers. Many things interfered, and I have not had a chance to share this interesting experience. Looking back, I remembered the …

Read moreSoapmakers
Olive Trees of Ayvalik

Olive Trees of Ayvalik

November 20, 2012

Ayvalik Meant Olive Oil I have always associated olive oil with the Aegean town of Ayvalik. When I was a child, my mother would buy some brand of Ayvalik olive oil, but Kirlangic has been the dominant olive oil brand name etched in my mind. Although I had a rough idea about what olive trees …

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The Orphan of Ayvalik

Orphanage Abandoned

August 18, 2012

The old building on the island of Cunda, overlooking the Aegean Sea, at the end of the restaurant strip has intrigued me for years. I thought it could have been an old hotel manifesting local architectural styles and construction techniques. It has been in disrepair for as long as I remember, slowly decaying as if …

Read moreOrphanage Abandoned
Hasanaki

Hasanaki

May 20, 2012

Hasanaki The Shepherd I had heard about a man who lived alone in one of the remote villages on the island of Cunda. Hasanaki was his name, and I had even seen a couple of photographs of him taken in Ayvalik. One day Suleyman, the trusty driver in Ayvalik, drove us to his village, more …

Read moreHasanaki
Kirlangic Olive Oil Factory

Kirlangic – Old Factory Building

May 18, 2012

In Ayvalik, there are many, maybe too many, old buildings mostly left to decay and fall. I tried to visit several of these as individual photography assignments, without fully understanding the real reason for their appeal to me. Their condition of neglect, or what they once were drew me to them. It may even be …

Read moreKirlangic – Old Factory Building
Morning coffee under the palms

Morning Coffee

May 10, 2012

Invited For Morning Coffee Yesterday morning we were invited for morning coffee at Aysel’s house. They live in an old house near ร‡amlฤฑk. The house is set back quite a bit from the road, and the front entry has two rows of tall palm trees. In the old days, there used to be a walkway …

Read moreMorning Coffee
Road to Ayvalik

Road to Ayvalik

May 7, 2012

Visiting Ayvalik Ayvalฤฑk is a must-go destination when we visit Turkey. This time we started the Ayvalฤฑk trip on April 26, 2012. We went to Pendik to take the ferry to Yalova, where Suleyman the driver would meet us and drive the car to Ayvalฤฑk. The ferry was a newer generation than the ones I …

Read moreRoad to Ayvalik
Hagia Triada, Ayvalik

Hagia Triada

October 12, 2011

This is a special post to wish Ergun and Jan happy birthday, their birthdays are one day apart. When I took these photographs of Hagia Triada, Ergun or Jan, or both were with me. Happy birthday Ergun, happy birthday Jan. We have been visiting Ayvalฤฑk, a nice small town on the Aegean coast of Turkey, …

Read moreHagia Triada
Ayvalik Flowers

Ayvalik, Flowers, and Windows

August 1, 2009

A stroll through the narrow streets in Ayvalik will make one aware of the relation the people have with two things: flowers and cats. Now, I don’t mean to give the impression that you will find lush gardens, meticulously manicured in every respect. I know of one such garden in Ayvalik, it is the garden …

Read moreAyvalik, Flowers, and Windows
Ayvalik - Lesvos Days, Ayvalik Dancers

Ayvalik-Lesvos Days

June 27, 2009

On June 21, only one day before leaving Ayvalik, we learned about a wonderful cultural exchange between Ayvalik and Lesvos (ฮ›ฮญฯƒฮฒฮฟฯ‚.) We found out that it first started last year at Lesvos, alternating the festivities between there and Ayvalik. Ayvalik and Lesvos Have Similarities The part we saw was a folk dance performance, and both …

Read moreAyvalik-Lesvos Days
Jan, Reha, Binnaz, Ergun

Deniz Kestanesi, again

June 17, 2009

Deniz Kestanesi on Water Yes, we went there again; Deniz Kestanesi is a very enjoyable place. Tonight was the broadcast of the visit of Vedat Milor whom we saw about a month ago recording his review there. All in all, it was a good review but I could not understand why he praised everything served …

Read moreDeniz Kestanesi, again
Sunset at Deniz Kestanesi

Dinner at Deniz Kestanesi

June 16, 2009

Yesterday afternoon we stayed home, tended to some computer installation issues, rested. Later in the afternoon, we strolled to “Deniz Kestanesi” (Sea Urchin) in town for dinner. The hollyhocks on the street where we live are probably 12′ tall; I kid you not! I took a few photographs along the way, including a young boy …

Read moreDinner at Deniz Kestanesi
Jasmine Trailing

The Melin House

June 3, 2009

The Melin House has become a landmark my sister and brother-in-law created in Ayvalik; at least in my humble opinion. From The Old House to The Melin House The old building was in total shamble and the garden was in disarray. With a great deal of attention to detail and care, they not only restored …

Read moreThe Melin House
Love Kills Slowly!

Ayvalik Market

June 3, 2009

Markets are a colorful part of life in Turkey. They operate in every city, every town, and one can find everything at one of these markets; from clothing to cutlery, from food to fashion are displayed and sold. Speaking of fashion, check out the message on the belt: Love Kills Slowly! Thursday Market Is Big …

Read moreAyvalik Market
Mina in Ayvalik

Imaginary Games and Dinner at “Ayna” (Mirror)

May 28, 2009

Games at Home Imagination is more important than knowledge,” said Einstein. I saw this in action as I watched Mina play imaginary games. The first one started at home as “Mina’s Hair Salon” where she had her hair dyed (pink,) cut, washed, and blow-dried all in the living room. She also did the same to …

Read moreImaginary Games and Dinner at “Ayna” (Mirror)
Dusk at Melin House garden

First day in Ayvalik

May 27, 2009

I arrived in Istanbul on May 19, a national holiday for “Youth and Sports.” Very fitting for my arrival, I thought! Elif and Mina were here already. The next day they came for a visit, Tolga and Serap with them. On The Way to Ayvalik On May 22, we got into two cars and drove …

Read moreFirst day in Ayvalik

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