City of the Big Honey Apricot

After successful days off starting occupations at office, I didn't think that this week to be allocated with something. As I was mistaken. Everything began with such that Mahmud (ours with Sara the remarkable mentor), reported to us about somebody a surprise. To fair in Malatya.

That I made the first, it started to look for information on this city. Also wasn't mistaken. Malatya is the capital of apricots, as Kakhramanmarash the ice-cream capital. If New York this big apple, Malatya Big Apricot. Juicy sweet and yellow. And as it is necessary to an apricot this city grows on a tree. More precisely at a foot of mountains, under the warm sun of the southern Turkey. That it warm wasn't necessary to doubt not for a moment, day stood out the very hot. On it miracles didn't end. Malatya - as told me Sar, in Italian so call a certain illness. But actually it is more and more  romantic. Malatya is very ancient city and a cradle of civilizations. However, in Turkey always so, someone's cradle and history, ancient as sand and mountains of these places. And so the name Malatya of this district and to the city gave the Hittites, and to be translated it as honey. While I personally did not find there the bees, but I saw right in the honey combs.

Speaking about the trip, our trip began at 6:30 am. We had breakfast directly in the bus. Sweet rolls and juice what can be better. The road slowly flashed behind a window and in the head different thoughts climbed.

On a place we appeared around 11.00. Our Fair begins work at 14.00, after we were waited by a dinner and free time. A little wandering around the city in search of a place to exchange currency and shade, we went back to the bus. True, There were also troubles - force majeure. Sarah became ill and she decided to relax in the shade of the park.

Meanwhile, I and Mahmud, having found the bus successfully went for lunch. We dined in a remarkable place, something like a closed male community. People sat as befits men separately from women. Well what can I say lunch was delicious, as is prayer.

At 14.00 we were on a place. Sometimes we too happen are punctual. And so it began. In turmoil and crowd Mahmud noticed Sara, and she us, it was just luck. After a human wave we entered on the fair territory. 30 different cities in the southern and eastern Turkey today presented their regional traditions and peculiarities. Handmade and century traditions – here that I saw in each of pavilions. 

And certainly journalists. 

Our pavilion was presented by a mosaic, an embroidery, copper process and …. Baklava. You could find in each pavilion for yourselves something new and interesting. So in pavilion Van you could see a surprising cat. As I understood, it is a city symbol. It has the multi-colored eyes, one blue, and the second green. A cat of white color. It was magnificent. Having bypassed all fair, I gathered a lot of brochures and gifts. Very much it would be desirable to thank these people Teşekkürler! And in our pavilion life was a stream. Jasmine showed how to make a mosaic, near the sculptor created a copy of the ancient monuments of clay. And I'm trying to be helpful.

This fair was organized within the program of the social help of SODES. This program is realized in regional regions of Turkey. It is directed on employment among the population, fight against poverty and so on. Especially among youth and people with limited physical possibilities. More detailed and exact information about project can be found on a site http://www.sodes.gov.tr.

In a circle of friends, and at work, I forgot about the time. Alas, I have not had time to explore the historical sites of the Big Honey Apricot. That left only to admire the mountain scenery with 3 floors supermarket. At 17.30, we again boarded the bus and drove off, only now for dinner. Leaving the city, our bus stopped at a small shop with apricots. And I'm with Sarah as regular tourists have bought apricots. You know, and they, however, sweet as honey ...