The Muslim world is celebrating the first day of Eid and the majority of families in our village are settling down with their roast or braised lamb or goat with their nearest and dearest. We are relaxing with a G&T and wondering what to cook for dinner. My daughter is not with us as she works in the tourist industry so today is just an ordinary working day for her. We do however have my Mum staying so we can at least say that we have had a "family day". I went to the market on Sunday with the intention of filling up the fridge to last us through the holiday period but after my first couple of purchases, I was so incensed at the prices that I ended up buying only half of my list. Tomatoes were 1.5 TL a kilo last week but 4 TL this week. My usual bunch of flowers had gone up 100%. When I questioned my lack of change from a 10TL note , the trader smilingly told me that it was a religious festival so of course the prices rise. I know religion has been blamed for most things but I haven't heard it used as a reason to fleece the general public.
While on the subject of fleeces, we passed a trailer load of sacrificial fleeces on our evening walk. Animals can no longer be ritually slaughtered in gardens and public places which is good news as I hated the sight and smell of streets running with blood. Now each village or town has designated slaughter areas with a butcher on hand to dispatch the animal quickly and hygienically. Quite a queue had built up around ours and an enterprising neighbour had set up tables and chairs and was serving tea. One tradition hasn't changed though; the fleeces in this area are still all donated to benefit the Turkish Aeronautical Association (Türk Hava Korumu) founded by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk not just because the chief of staff of the Turkish Airforce is a local boy made good, but this is where fleeces have always been sent.
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I went to the market yesterday and also noted the increase in prices. I thought this was due to the fact that this was an Istanbul market as opposed to a village one but am now not so sure :(. Anyway, how lovely to have your mum with you!
ReplyDeleteI hope the prices go down next week.
DeleteMutlu Bayramlar; Bayram always meant for me gathering with friends and family, and especially remembering the elderly. I could only do this over the phone and greatly missed it; lovely that your mum is with you : ) Couldn't believe the price difference though. Cok Selamlar, Ozlem
ReplyDeleteWe don't spend Xmas together so Bayram together is a compensation
DeleteJust the way tomatoes and potatoes go up here before Christmas when people get together to make tamales for the holidays....
ReplyDeleteAnnoying isn't it.
DeleteJust like here at Christmas....up goes the price of tomatoes to a scandalous level as people use them in the traditional tamales...
ReplyDelete. . interesting about market price increases for the holiday - here in Ortaca everything was as normal. The 'air force' thing probably dates from the time when pilots and crews needed woolly coats and thermal underwear - or was it the other way around!!
ReplyDeleteYour are lucky - hope Ortaca always stays this way. This is the first year fleeces can be donated to any charity - but our villages all went to the traditional place.
DeleteB to B, Happy Bayram to you! Our butcher on the island told us on Monday that he was headed to his memleket on the Black Sea to do the butchering honors with his son. Here on the island, the animals on the island were mostly gathered around the cemevi which was the official slaughtering site. So we're quite happy about the new rules, too.
ReplyDeleteBusman's holiday for your butcher!
DeleteThere is a designated cutting area here but our neighbours continue to sacrifice in their gardens. Then the THK truck comes around the streets, piled high with fleeces. We have benefited from a share of a neighbour's sacrifice so definitely not complaining.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how long your neighbours will get away with it.
DeleteThis year, we're thinking of having Christmas lunch after Boxing Day to take advantage of the tumbling prices. And guess what? My own Mum's with me right now sitting on the sofa watching Bargain Hunt on BBC1!
ReplyDeleteSay hello from us to your Ma.
DeleteDear Annie, I'm wondering what the aeronautical organization does with the fleeces. Do they use them to line flight boots or jackets? Or do they sell them and use the proceeds for something? Peace.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that rules prevent slaughter everywhere but designated areas, although this village follows its own (lack of) rules. We had a small amount of lamb from one of my husband's friends. I am happy to eat meat as long as I didn't know it when it was alive.
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoy your time with your mum. I guess price hikes are the same everywhere....but those tomato prices sound crazy.
ReplyDeleteI think the tendency to hike prices when people have to shop for a festival is probably universal, though that doesn't make it any less annoying. It's a post like this, with the mention of sacrifice and fleeces being collected, which reminds yet again what a different culture Turkey has, despite all the changes.
ReplyDeleteWe are still a very traditional society, despite all the changes
DeleteLike Dee, I'm really curious to know what happens to the fleeces nowadays. If you want to pop round to my house, I'm still drowning in cherry tomatoes and will actually pay you to take some away! Axxx
ReplyDeleteIf you click on the link THK below the logo, you can see where all the proceeds go.
DeleteDear Annie, thanks for telling us about the clicking! Peace.
DeleteHi Dee, the fleeces are all sold to make money for this organisation. I know they now have opened educational institutions but like you I am a little vague on where all the money goes. Probably a good thing that from his year on, other charities can collect fleeces to raise funds.
DeleteDear Annie, I clicked on the logo, but I didn't see what is done with the fleece. Peace.
ReplyDelete