Turkey Tour: Part 2 - Ankara

Part 2 - Ankara

Ankara was a completely different world. First - a huge breath of relief at the cooler temperature (mid 20s instead of 42 degrees!). Next, we arrived our Airbnb to find a gigantic spacious apartment with full kitchen, dining room, living room, surround balconies, and two irresistibly comfy queen-size bedrooms - all right in the middle of the bustling capital city.

We didn’t have as many wild adventures with local hosts and musicians in Ankara, but nonetheless, ran into some curious encounters with friendly, enthusiastic, well-meaning strangers. The persistent diplomat-artist who taught us how to create traditional felt art, the passionate Âşık Veysel fan who gave us a private extended lecture-interview after the FLOW Digital Theatre exhibition. And of course - the shy, sweet, caring girls at the Kocatepe Mosque who first helped explain to us that I can borrow a headscarf inside the mosque, and then continued to come up with tender generous concern type a question into Google Translate that turned out to be something like: “How are you so weak. Do you have anything to use?”

I just stared at their semi-embarrassed, semi-giggling faces for a moment, completely confused, while Darvn laughed his head off, later never letting go of the fact that the kindest young Muslim girls called me weak. (Me being weak and short is a reoccurring joke that is apparently the funniest thing to a teenage brother).

I guess I just smiled/laughed/nodded and said something like “…yes, yes, I have. Don’t worry.”

I think they were just worried if we had enough food or water?

Somehow in the confusion, the energy was very warm and endearing. And that’s what stuck with me. These tiny moments of humans being human and extending a helping hand wherever we find ourselves, no matter our different religions or attires.

I was really moved by how welcoming the caretakers of the mosque were when we politely and carefully tread into the awing, majestic, mesmerizing space. Not knowing the customs and rules of respect is always daunting as an outsider. But they showed us that we were allowed to take the stairs to the upper levels, and the silence of the dome shaped place of prayer, honour, and rest, with its soft velvet carpet beneath our bare feet - all the formidability and grandeur of the colossal columns, the dazzling colours and infinitely repeating, unfolding, kaleidoscopic patterns of the mosaics, the spaciousness and intense awareness and calm - everything morphed together to create a sacred, spiritual space unlike any other I’ve experienced before.

And what’s funny is that we visited quite a variety of mosques. From the epic, grandiose Kocatepe Mosque to the smaller cozy Aslanhane mosque where young boys were gathered for lessons and some were just sprinting around the pillars and rolling on the red carpet screaming laughing and wrestling. That was deeply endearing too. To witness these variety of slices of life. The differences and commonalities between us - children, adults, playing, honouring, seeking spirituality and refuge and belief.

So…here’s a recap of 3 days exploring the capital and hitting some of the major historical sites and museums! We also did a great job making use of the kitchen cooking pasta, pan-fried pizza, and every possible version of how to consume a gigantic watermelon…<3