Ankara

May 26


We're in Ankara, Turkey. This is the capitol of the country as well the financial and administrative hub of the country. It's also the place where I would have my cataract surgery.

What?

Yes. One of the reasons for coming to Ankara was to take advantage of the excellent medical capabilities and technologies that also place this country in high repute by foreign travelers seeking medical care. The cost is significantly lower than in the states. In fact, the cost to have my eyes done with new state of the art lenses would have been $14,000. The same procedure with the same equipment here in Turkey was $6,000.


I got my cataract surgery done in Turkey

Meanwhile Gary got some dermatology surgery done. One visit was all it took, and $1400. In the US it would've been three separate visits: a GP, dermatology consultation, and the surgery, spaced a month apart if you're lucky. With separate bills for each.


All this to get a dermatological cyst removed?

How am I doing? Very well, thank you for asking. I'm a week into recovery and things are looking better and better each day. A checkup this morning with the surgeon confirms that as well. We're going to spend three more weeks circulating back and forth both to and from Ankara so that I am in place for my final appointment about three weeks from now.


In the meantime, as I type this, we are preparing to head out tomorrow morning on a bus to the town of Amasra on the Black Sea coast, about 4 hours ride north of the city. The city was famous for the Pontic Greek and ancient Roman settlements that existed here some two thousand years ago. The area itself is quite famous for the deposits of copper that lie hidden in the mountains that sandwich the town to the south.

As it turned out, we happened to arrive in Ankara just before one of the largest celebrations of the year, Kurban Bayram (pronounced “By-Rum”). The celebration itself involves a great excuse for copious quantities of meat, usually goat, and is based upon the old testament story where Abraham is asked to kill his son in order to show his devotion and loyalty to God. Abraham says yes and prepares to kill his son only to find that God, pleased with his level of devotion, spares the son and offers a gift of a sacrificed goat for all to feast on in celebration.

Think what you may of this celebration but it is a time for family celebration and getting together to share a meal. Gary got on an ex-pat website on Facebook and asked if we could join in on any festivities with anyone who might extend the invitation. Surprisingly, we met a woman, Terry, who offered to share dinner with us. The even better coincidence as that she was just a few short blocks walk down the street from where we staying. I pulled together an offering of my own with a traditional Armenian / Turkish soup made with yogurt and meatballs and Gary carried it, pot and all, down the street to our host's house.



These are flaky pastry filled with cheese and fried lightly

This was melt in your mouth goodness

Meeting Terry was a godsend as it was like stepping back into my own childhood with all the same foods as I enjoyed growing up. As we shared stories of our lives, youth and upbringing, there were such similarities shared so as to be a bit spookily uncanny. I may have grown up in the USA but the differences I felt between my childhood and those of my classmates in grade school was not only tangible but relatable to old world Turkish Traditions. We left that evening as more than friends, almost as sisters. Amazing. I'm loving many aspects of this country.


There are some aspects that would be hard to get used to, more so in Ankara than the other cities in Turkey. Cigarette smoking is quite common. Often not allowed indoors, but on the streets it's prevalent. And the butts are thrown on the ground. Outdoor restaurants sometimes have ash trays on the table. Vaping is not common.


Pedestrians do not have right of way. On official marked crosswalks cars are supposed to stop, and maybe they will. Or maybe not. Sidewalks are not wheelchair friendly. Sloped curbs are sporadic, and trees and signposts and light poles are often placed in the middle of the walk, leaving not enough space for a wheelchair on either side.


On another very positive note, we visited a nearby Souk, or Bazaar. Such a cacophony of sights and sounds of vendors selling fresh fruits and vegetables; dried apricot, dates and figs; nuts, Turkish Delight, and variations on the theme of baklava. Vendors selling local cheese, soujuk (a local beef sausage), and fresh meat. In another building, actually a historic caravanserai, they were selling silk flowers, jewelry, beads and baskets. Especially with the fruits and vegetables the vendors were very vocal about their offerings, adding tremendously to the general din. Being a few days before a major holiday focused on feasting, it was a busy day with lots of shoppers. Prices were rounded to the nearest ten Lira (about a quarter) as making change is too time consuming when you've got so many customers to serve. And the weights were always generous. We enjoyed the sensory overload for a while, then retreated to a nearby park for some quiet.


This is a great place to meat

Olives of every sort. Some of the colors come from picking certain varieties early

Fresh Grape Leaves for dolma

Nuts and more nuts

Fresh fruits and vegetables 

Paklava and more paklava

Display model




Plenty of grape leaves to make dolma

The Old Market in Ankara

Best sausage (Șoujuk) ever



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