Beginning of the trip

One month ago, I was struggling with whether or not to come to Turkey, cautiously weighing the benefits against other possibilities. Ultimately a strong desire for exploration finally brought me here.

Time: 29 June, 2008

Location: Dikili (somewhere in Turkey)

My journey has just started...

Istanbul-Izmir-Dikili-Decemko

The 10-hour bus trip proved to be challenging both physically and mentally.

As I fought to fall asleep, I was interrupted by the frequent appearance of the national flag outside my window, by the parade of women wearing stylish scarves. Does their popularity show the Turkish citizen’s love for their country like most people claim. Or is it a mere myth? Aren't the stylish scarves conveying some silent yet strong message when the whole world is obsessed with the theory of "clash of civilizations"? as modern women adapt their traditions to contemporary fashion.

Decemko, a holiday resort lying quietly between the mountains and the sea

I was happy to fall asleep soon after our arrival. However, my happiness proved to be temporary. I was woken up by some monotonous singing and, to make matters worse, the same annoying thing happened the next morning. Later that day, I was told that what I heard was the Koran prayers which take place 5 times every day.

Unlike the old days when people in Dikili suffered from the isolation of their remote location, villagers nowadays find it much more convenient to reach out to the outside world. In addition to the physical highways leading to the village, access to the internet “superhighways” is also having a significant impact.