Captivating Cappadocia

Cappadocia Photo of the Week June 18: Hasan Dağ and the Village

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 01:14:38 +0000

I’m sure the people in the village are glad that Hasan Dağ is not an active volcano anymore regardless of the illusion that the cloud gives! At the same time I know that my neighbors are glad that it used to be since most of them are employed in the tourism industry that would not be happening if the volcanic lava and ash had not covered this land eons ago.

This photo was taken in Guzelyurt which is a great place to visit if you are making a return trip to Cappadocia.

To see all the Cappadocia Photos of the Week, click here.

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Çamlıca Family Tea Garden: The Midas Touch in Ürgüp Cappadocia

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 02:42:27 +0000

Do you know someone who has the legendary “Midas Touch”? A person who has the ability to turn what they put their energy towards into success?

I do. I see him every time I ride my scooter into Ürgüp.

ÜRGÜP TEA GARDEN

Multiple times a day I pass a very small plot of wooded land, wedged into the corner of where the downtown of Ürgüp ends and the northern residential section begins. Over the past 8 years I have witnessed various attempts at bringing this locale to life. All have failed…until now.

Mehmet Öcal and his family have once again taken an ordinary place and turned it into something special. One might not notice anything extra-ordinary about the Çamlıca Family Tea Garden on first glance, but once you sit amongst the pine trees, feel the gentle breeze, and absorb the “green” amongst the moon-like landscape of Cappadocia, you begin to experience the relaxing qualities of the atmosphere that has been touched by King Midas.

However, Mehmet’s influential touch goes much deeper than the realm of economics. It is true that Mr Öcal has been able to fill the tables in his tea garden; it is true that what once was a bare piece of land now catches the pedestrian eye, and causes one to ask, “What’s going on over there?” It is equally as true that the calm and rest Mehmet has found in his life brings an influence over his tea garden.

“Just ask my wife how my hair has turned white over the past two years working in the produce business,” exclaimed Mehmet reflecting on the stress of his previous venture. Two years prior he and his family returned from Germany, where they had been living for the past 15 years, and opened a fruit and vegetable store in Ürgüp. “The stress that was created by having to throw so much food out if it wasn’t sold was very difficult. I needed to do something different.”

Going against many naysayers who said that no one could do anything with this little plot of land, Mehmet took a chance, sold his grocery store and has proved everyone wrong: including myself! The “rest” he has found in putting effort into making a pleasant tea garden affects his customers as they interact with him.

When asked what the secret to his success was, he gave me a smirk and began to tell me of his entrepreneurial gift.

THE MIDAS TOUCH

In 1993, in a nearby province, Mehmet opened a döner (like a Greek gyro sandwich) stand underneath some steps, an area of about 9 square meters, and he put a very nice restaurant out of business around the corner. A few months later a man approached him in a brand new car. The guy had been watching Mehmet and his business, and asked if he could buy the sandwich stand.

“Sure.” Mehmet said.
“What do you want for it?” the potential buyer replied.
“Your car.” said Mehmet.
“Ok. It’s a deal.” agreed the businessman.

Shortly after this, Mehmet was driving his new car around the city and on the outskirts he noticed a new fuel station being built with a second floor that wasn’t finished. He inquired about the space and within a few minutes had agreed to a 5 year rental, with the first three years being rent free, to run a restaurant for truckers. He frugally outfitted the restaurant for about 5,000 TL and within 4 months he sold it to another restauranteur for 25,000 TL.

He eventually moved to Germany and had a similar experience. He was painting the outside of a building and overheard a conversation down below him while he was on the scaffolding. The businessman was trying to get rid of his business, a lokal (a tea house where men congregate to play cards and backgammon) that was renting the space. Mehmet called down, “I’ll buy your business.”

He bought it for 15,000 German marks. He agreed to pay 5,000 upfront and then promised to pay the remaining 10,000 marks one month later. Within one week he had made enough profits to pay the debt off. After one year he sold it for 45,000 marks. Once he sold it the business dried up. The buyer eventually sold it back to him for 15,000 marks, and immediately it was full again. He finally sold the lokal again for 25,000 marks.

This is the Midas Touch.

DON’T MISS IT

So, when you are wondering around Ürgüp, please stop in at the Çamlıca Tea Garden for çay (tea) and a pastry. They also have a set menu for lunch every day (Turkish homestyle) that is available. During the summer months they hope to add a grill where varieties of meat will be available as well. There are bathroom facilities and a children’s outdoor playground set on the premises. It truly is a family-friendly place to relax, allowing your head to clear so that you can reflect on the amazing Cappadocian sites you have already seen, and to plan for the next ones on your list!

Çamlıca Family Tea Garden is located near the Ürgüp hospital, diagonally across from the Altı Kapılı Türbesi, the 13th century Selcuk tomb, on the corner of Şehit Cembul Caddesi and Kütük Bayırı Sokağı.

Did you enjoy this post? If so, here’s what you can do. Please share this post with your friends by clicking on one of the buttons to the left side. Also, you may want to subscribe to these posts. Click here and follow the instructions. One of my goals is to help people who will visit Cappadocia. This is your way to help me meet this goal. Thank you, I am grateful.

Aaron Moss has owned an exporting business, shipping pottery and rugs to America, and has been an outspoken advocate for bringing tour groups from North America over to Cappadocia for the past several years. Through his contribution to CaptivatingCappadocia.com he hopes that more people will come and visit the incredible land he has called “home” since 2004. He and his wife have 6 children, and he has yet to meet anyone who hasn’t thoroughly enjoyed their stay in Cappadocia. Click here to read more about Aaron.

Çamlıca Family Tea Garden: The Midas Touch in Ürgüp Cappadocia is a post from: Captivating Cappadocia

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Effects of the Turkey Protests in Cappadocia [ABSTRACT]

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 01:48:46 +0000

Gezi Park Protests in Cappadocia?

This week I wrote a guest post over at GoTourTurkey about the effects of the Gezi Park protests in Cappadocia.

Here is an excerpt of what I said:
Cappadocia is far from Turkey’s population centers and the population tends to be more conservative than in Turkey’s western cities. However, there are secular strongholds and during the height of the action last week peaceful protests were held in Avanos and Ürgüp with a few hundred people showing up in each. They were short and were more designed to make the statement that those in Istanbul and Ankara were not alone. Since that weekend (June 1-2) this area has not shown any signs that things are amiss.

Click to view the complete post which gives a fuller picture.

Did you enjoy this post? If so, here’s what you can do. Please share this post with your friends by clicking on one of the buttons to the left side. Also, you may want to subscribe to these posts. Click here and follow the instructions. One of my goals is to help people who will visit Cappadocia. This is your way to help me meet this goal. Thank you, I am grateful.

Duke Dillard moved to Turkey with his wife and 6 children in 2007. He got an MBA at Bilkent University in Ankara, where they had their 7th child. After 4 years in Ankara the whole family moved to Cappadocia, and this blog was born. We love Cappadocia and Cappadocians and want to help visitors make the most of their time here. You can connect with Duke on Facebook, follow him on Twitter, and/or link circles on Google+. Click here to read more about Duke and his family.

Effects of the Turkey Protests in Cappadocia [ABSTRACT] is a post from: Captivating Cappadocia

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Cappadocia Photo of the Week June 11: Çavuşin Fairy Chimneys

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 00:58:31 +0000

How did they get to the upper cave?

To see all the Cappadocia Photos of the Week, click here.

Did you enjoy this photograph? If so, here’s what you can do. Please share it with your friends by clicking on one of the buttons below or to the side. Also, you may want to subscribe so you will receive every week’s photo and other Cappadocia posts directly in your inbox. Click here and follow the instructions. One of my goals is to help people who will visit Cappadocia. This is your way to help me meet this goal. Thank you, I am grateful.

Cappadocia Photo of the Week June 11: Çavuşin Fairy Chimneys is a post from: Captivating Cappadocia
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Cafe Gökdeniz: Pizza and Lahmacun – Avanos, Cappadocia

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 02:19:24 +0000

Waterfall, shaded garden patio, kids playground.

Relaxing atmosphere, good food, great prices.

PIZZA IN AVANOS

Cafe Gökdeniz has opened its doors and Avanos is glad it did.
Located on the busy route from the Pazar to the center of Avanos, adjacent to the greenbelt along the Kızıl Irmak, this new pizza and lahmacun restaurant is worth a visit during your stay in Avanos.

Whether you are a family on vacation, a student studying at university, or a local mom, Cafe Gökdeniz has something to offer. The bean bag laden outdoor terrace is perfect for tourists to enjoy the sights and sounds of the nearby park and river, while the 8 tl pizza and 3 tl lahmacun fits the starving student’s budget. In what is called a gün locally, groups of neighborhood women bring their children to the café and enjoy the latest gossip with one another while their children exert their energy on the playground.

BACKSTORY

As I talked with Tanser Temiz, the general manager of the café, I found out there was quite a story behind the restaurant.

The site for the restaurant is a home.

The same home we walked by when we moved here in 2011 and wondered what it looked like in its heyday. It was at one time a tea garden and a little market. But the place that we saw when we moved here was rusting out behind barred gates, and overrun with vegetation so that you couldn’t picture anybody ever relaxing and drinking tea there.

The house belongs to İsmail Akbaş, somewhat of a local celebrity here, due to his delicious köfte ekmek arası (meatball sandwhich) served out of a stand at the Pazar. (Post on İsmail to follow soon!) He lives in the house on the second story of the property and gave the bottom floor and the tea garden to a renter. The business was unsuccessful and the garden went to pot.

But İsmail always had an idea that his garden could be a successful business. All it would take was a successful businessman to make it work.

That’s when he met Esat.

Esat is a restauranteur. He opened Express Firin Pide in Nevşehir, Desti Kebap in Göreme, and now Café Gökdeniz in Avanos. He and İsmail along with another partner, after a long battle with the government over paperwork and taxes, were finally able to open this oasis compared to its previous state, two months ago.

Esat also happens to be old high school friends with Tanser. They both graduated from the Tourism Technical School in Nevşehir. Esat went right to work in the food business. Tanser however, went to work in hotels. But after a year and a half, Tanser bought his own bus, and rented out his services to a major tour bus company in Nevşehir. For eleven years Tanser toured Turkey, including a three year stop in Van.

A NEW VENTURE

There is a Turkish proverb here: Çok okuyan değil, çok gezen bilir (It’s not the well read that know, it’s the well traveled.) I don’t know how much Tanser knows, but I know that he has seen a lot.

His father was a police officer so he moved every three to four years growing up. He went to elementary school in Avanos, middle school in Ankara, and had stops in Edirne, Erzincan and Istanbul, before returning for high school in Avanos. He drove from Nevşehir to Pammukale for four years. When I asked him how many kilometers he had logged he just smiled and laughed. Then he told me when he sold his bus it had 798,000 kilometers. That is well traveled!

Surprised when I found out he had never worked in the restaurant business, I asked him why he thought he would be good at managing Café Gökdeniz. “I was the manager of the bus, why couldn’t I manage a restaurant” was his reply.

That’s good enough for me!

CONTACT INFORMATION
Café Gökdeniz
Bahçelievler Mahallesi
Mithat Dülge Caddesi No. 33
0384-511-4410
Tanser Temiz – General Manager

Did you enjoy this post? If so, here’s what you can do. Please share this post with your friends by clicking on one of the buttons to the left side. Also, you may want to subscribe to these posts. Click here and follow the instructions. One of my goals is to help people who will visit Cappadocia. This is your way to help me meet this goal. Thank you, I am grateful.

Christian Dedrick, an English teacher living in Avanos. He has lived in Turkey since 2008 with his wife and three sons and is excited to be sharing stories from his life in Cappadocia. He began writing for CaptivatingCappadocia spring 2012. Click here to read more about Christian.

Cafe Gökdeniz: Pizza and Lahmacun – Avanos, Cappadocia is a post from: Captivating Cappadocia

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