July 15 Tatvan
We arrived in Tatvan late, about 8:30 without precise directions to the hotel. Fortunately a Turkish Oil gas station attendant knew his geography. His directions were perfect, even to the precision of identifying a PTT office across from the hotel. (Now that I do not need them to get my toll road ticket paid, I see them everywhere in Turkey.) We drove into the teeth of the Ramadan evening celebration. Cars double-parked in a solid row, vendors everywhere and pedestrians running amok. It took us forever to get to the hotel. Very nice, new place and as we checked in we were pleased with our room. This is a hotel that stated on its website that it would not rent to unmarried couples and would be seeking a marriage certificate. Our passports with the same last name were sufficient of our marital bliss.
We went out looking for dinner, but what we mainly found were lots of tea shops with scores of men in and outside them, sitting on small stools, smoking and drinking Kurdish tea in small glasses without handles, so they are too hot to pick up. We finally found a non-descript diner that offered what we came to learn is typical Kurdish fare, lamb or chicken kabobs, a grain, a slice of roasted tomato and pepper and lots of bread.
As we returned to the hotel we were greeted by a thin man who spoke soft, but very good English. He introduced himself as the General Manager and told us that he wanted us to feel like guests. The first thing he did was instruct his staff to switch us to the Lake Suite. That is a corner accommodation with sweeping views of Lake Van and the city, two bathrooms and a living room. He also sent up a fruit platter. then he invited us up to the roof-top restaurant for some coffee. There we were also joined by a Taiwanese couple--she a well-spoken teacher and he a largely silent entrepreneur, and the GM's childhood friend, now an English teacher. Coffee turned into lots of nonalcoholic drinks and lots of sweets, chocolates (lots of chocolate spoons) and pastries, but best was the three-hour conversation.
Both men are deeply religious and conservative. The friend even declined to shake Karen's hand at the end of the evening for religious reasons. They explained many of the Kurds' customs and social traditions as serving Allah. The GM was unwilling to criticize the Turkish government or in any way make a critical political statement. He conceded however that business was not good due to the on-going wars in the region and fears of Kurdish terrorism. His friend, however, was unsparing in his criticism of the Turkish government and its refusal to permit a Kurdish cultural life, or even an acknowledgement of a Kurdish identity. We also discussed the soon-to-be-ended Ramadan holiday, it seems to be a month long fasting and party cycle, and the three-day Eid al-Fitr holiday blowout that followed it.
We finished up a little after 1:00 am. I knew that I would be exhausted the following day, but the conversation was worth it.
We arrived in Tatvan late, about 8:30 without precise directions to the hotel. Fortunately a Turkish Oil gas station attendant knew his geography. His directions were perfect, even to the precision of identifying a PTT office across from the hotel. (Now that I do not need them to get my toll road ticket paid, I see them everywhere in Turkey.) We drove into the teeth of the Ramadan evening celebration. Cars double-parked in a solid row, vendors everywhere and pedestrians running amok. It took us forever to get to the hotel. Very nice, new place and as we checked in we were pleased with our room. This is a hotel that stated on its website that it would not rent to unmarried couples and would be seeking a marriage certificate. Our passports with the same last name were sufficient of our marital bliss.
We went out looking for dinner, but what we mainly found were lots of tea shops with scores of men in and outside them, sitting on small stools, smoking and drinking Kurdish tea in small glasses without handles, so they are too hot to pick up. We finally found a non-descript diner that offered what we came to learn is typical Kurdish fare, lamb or chicken kabobs, a grain, a slice of roasted tomato and pepper and lots of bread.
As we returned to the hotel we were greeted by a thin man who spoke soft, but very good English. He introduced himself as the General Manager and told us that he wanted us to feel like guests. The first thing he did was instruct his staff to switch us to the Lake Suite. That is a corner accommodation with sweeping views of Lake Van and the city, two bathrooms and a living room. He also sent up a fruit platter. then he invited us up to the roof-top restaurant for some coffee. There we were also joined by a Taiwanese couple--she a well-spoken teacher and he a largely silent entrepreneur, and the GM's childhood friend, now an English teacher. Coffee turned into lots of nonalcoholic drinks and lots of sweets, chocolates (lots of chocolate spoons) and pastries, but best was the three-hour conversation.
Both men are deeply religious and conservative. The friend even declined to shake Karen's hand at the end of the evening for religious reasons. They explained many of the Kurds' customs and social traditions as serving Allah. The GM was unwilling to criticize the Turkish government or in any way make a critical political statement. He conceded however that business was not good due to the on-going wars in the region and fears of Kurdish terrorism. His friend, however, was unsparing in his criticism of the Turkish government and its refusal to permit a Kurdish cultural life, or even an acknowledgement of a Kurdish identity. We also discussed the soon-to-be-ended Ramadan holiday, it seems to be a month long fasting and party cycle, and the three-day Eid al-Fitr holiday blowout that followed it.
We finished up a little after 1:00 am. I knew that I would be exhausted the following day, but the conversation was worth it.
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