Wednesday 4 May 2016

Longing for a rural idyll





“The train whistled, and chuffed out of the station. The children pressed their noses to the window and watched the dirty houses and the tall chimneys race by. How they hated the town! How lovely it would be to be in the clean country, with flowers growing everywhere, and birds singing in the hedges! ” 
― Enid Blyton


I'm aware that in past posts I have been rude about Istanbul drivers rushing down to Bodrum in summer, turning our roads into a traffic jam of inconsiderate manoeuvres and bad parking, but after spending 9 days in Şişli last month, I understand better the longing city dwellers must feel for a simpler life and their expectations of finding it further South.  I've lived in Turkey on and off for 35 years but 9 days in Istanbul made me feel like a complete foreigner and I was very glad to come back home to Bodrum.  I did manage to take time out from matters medical to take a walk along the Bosphorus at Bebek, where Istanbul life is lived at a slower pace (a lifestyle choice available to only those with very deep pockets)  and spied a sign that it is not only those on 4 wheels who long for a bit of the countryside.

9 comments:

  1. You know, B to B, I keep saying the same thing to myself when the ferryboats that come to the islands disgorge hordes of passengers every weekend. All one has to do is spend some time in the craziness of Istanbul and it's hard to begrudge the chance for some freedom from it all to people yearning for a breath of fresh air.

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  2. You're a country girl at heart, Annie.

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  3. . . I think the majority of city-dwellers avoid going anywhere that has a population of less than 5000 for fear of the 'primitive natives'! What are 'Istanbul drivers'?

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  4. Seems like we both have a dose of rural longings this week!

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  5. What a fabulous photo...sums it all up really. Enjoy being home x

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  6. Gorgeous photo and sums it up beautifully, enjoy Bodrum for us too - hope all health matters Ok, my best wishes, cok sevgilerimle, Ozlem xx

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  7. What a darling donkey. I spent a lot of enjoyable time in Bebek when I attended college there at the top of the hill.

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  8. I know what you mean about town dwellers heading for the country and bringing their urban driving habits with them. We suffer it every summer and bank holiday here in Wales. But I can't blame them for wanting to leave the town behind. If only they could be guaranteed as much sunshine as that donkey!

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