Always waiting for the train ... the hallmark of those few days
Latest in my Turkish drama series:
I have not renewed my FitLife Datça membership as a protest to raising their fees 50% (760 tl). This morning as I check my bank account I found that MCFIT has charged me a 699tl. Funny thing is my membership ended in June, with me freezing the last two months anyway. An unauthorized transaction. I sent them a message, to no avail, and I just wrote them an email. But honestly, I have kissed that 699tl goodbye, a refund or a simple comprehension of my issue is not something I expect in Turkey, all I could think of was “Oh The Irony”!
Rewind back 2 weeks
Arriving at the train station early, just in case. What I envisioned in mind was high-speed, air-conditioned, comfy train, that will carry me to my destination with the utmost comfort. I had images of the orient express; ya know Agatha Christie and stuff. However, I will not blame the TCCD for how all my dreams fell disgracefully from grace because at 35tl I shan’t be delusional and ask for more than I got. So let’s put a lid on that, shall we?
Oxymoronically, as I write this, and remember that ride and that trip I am flooded with nostalgia, I just wanna book a ticket, any ticket be it a bus or train or camel, and just hit the road, there is so much pleasure in the road itself, something I never thought would be possible in other than your own car or RV. A good outcome however is that long gruelling bus/ train trips not only no longer scare me, but flood me with a sense of longing.
I find my seat in compartment 3 (I chose that, why? Donno), empty still I spread my legs, and sink into oblivion with Harry Hole (The hero of Jo Nesbo’s novels). I am at the very door (I chose that too, why? Donno) so I get a hello/ small talk from everyone entering the train.
10 minutes in and the whole compartment stands up and starts evacuating, alarmed, I inquire, lady does not speak English, a commotion follows where everyone starts asking everyone if anyone speaks English. Story is we are ALL in the wrong compartment because the number on the door was wrong; it is 2 instead of 3. Not convinced, I mean it is 3 as in the third, I counted! I however I move with the crowd, to another compartment and again get comfy.
Train takes off, I’m still spreading my legs as the seat next to me is empty, and I am thanking my lucky stars.
Ticket inspector: *$%&$%^&”%&%$^&^$£^%£&£
Me: sorry, türkçe yok!
Another commotion, the word yabancı now heard everywhere.
A random dude: you are sitting in the wrong seat
Me: relaying the story to him
Random dude to the ticket inspector: ^&%^&£^&%^$”£$!£”%&*
Ticket inspector facing the WHOLE crowd now in loud: £$%”%^£^$%&%^&*%^*^*%*££”^%$%£%^&^*&*$&£%^
Everyone gets up and everyone starts to speak all at once
Ticket inspector looking at me with extreme sympathy as if I’m a kid who has dropped her ice-cream cone, ushers me to follow him, then leads me to my new/ old seat.
Almost two hours later we reach Selçuk train station and I seem the only one who gets off, the rest are Denizli bound.
Selçuk (pronounced saltchuk) was originally named Agios Theologos (Άγιος Θεολόγος) in Byzantine times. During Ottoman times, it was known as Ayasuluk. The name was changed to Selçuk in 1914. This little town for a long period of time was one of the most important settlements in the Ancient World and by the time the Crusaders came through in 1100 AD the locals did not even know that at one point the Temple of Artemis , one of the 7 Wonders of The Ancient World, stood there. Today only one column of ill fitting stones stands to mark where the once magnificent temple stood.
A base to explore the nearing ancient sites, Selçuk town itself seems to hold very little for tourists. I cannot lie, my eyes too were on Éphesos/ Ephesus (Efes in Turkish) – Oh Efes, Efes, magical Efes - Yet Selçuk still held some interest for me.
Ephesus ... oh WOW
Theoretically, Selçuk, a town of 27,000 people exists solely to service the visitors to Ephesus. This is what you hear, read, and everyone says. Yet I find people there to be “Living” with a capital L, only living their lives as they alone see it. Benefiting from tourists, yet seem not to care much about them, serving their interests, yet not serving or catering to them. Everywhere you look you see café’s chock full of Turkish men young and old playing backgammon and Okey (a game played with tiles that is like rummy), sipping tea, and smoking. None of those café’s have an iota of Western influence, I could not find one single place that served me American coffee – I am sure there is, but I am just relaying what I saw and experienced – there are also plenty of restaurants, all Turkish cafeteria style.
To my eyes Selçuk seems like a small traditional Turkish town serving as a men’s club where tourists are plenty yet non-important.
I also found Selçukians to be extremely nice and helpful, and un-corrupted by the tourism virus that spread the disease of greed everywhere it infests, but that may just be me.
I did not stay in Selçuk long enough to dig deeper and see whether my observations were true, but also I did not need to, a little town perfect for walking, I wandered its streets, drank its tea, bought yummies from its A1001, spent more time in its Otogar than anyone would ever wish, and left it as happy as I landed in it.
Farewell Selçuk, for I may see you again on cooler days, as I am not yet finished with your Efes (the city, not the beer, jeez)
Location: Selçuk train station
Destination: Çamlık train station (Çamlık village)
I wanted to visit Ephesus (on my wish list for a loooooooooong time) but I also wanted a place where I can retreat to in quietude to read, write, and contemplate. After the bustle of Izmir and the Hustle of Selçuk and sure to be commotion of one of the world’s most famous ancient sites, I could not imagine being in a hotel/ motel on a busy street …etc.
My dart landed on a small village near Selçuk called Çamlık, I found a dude who rents out a guesthouse in his cottage … that would fit just perfectly. I can take the train or bus to Ephesus, then go back to my tiny village cottage and enjoy my hermit existence for a day!
To be continued ….