Foothills, lake shore Iznik

x0x Foothills, lake shore Iznik

By Erdal Yazici

At a distance of a few kilometres away from the south bank
of Lake Iznik, there are several villages, arrayed in rows.

The villages have been watching the lake for centuries, their backs
against the foothills of the mountains. The breathe in the scent of
the lake between linden trees, poplars, chestnut trees and olive
groves. They live in perfect harmony with nature on the foothills of
Katirli Mountain. In contrast to the shore dwellers of nowadays, they
put a certain distance between themselves and Lake Iznik. They have
left the most fertile earth and the virgin shores of the lake to
settlers of the present day. It seems as if they are concealing
themselves under a green cover. They are very nearby, but it is as
though they have been very distant for many years. In the villages of
Karsak, Gemic and Gurle streams murmur, springs gush out the earth,
falcons and hawks fly in the sky and the traces of past centuries can
be discerned in the streets.

These villages embrace the mountain and the lake, half way
between Gemlik and Orhangazi. We pass by them at high speed when
travelling between the metropolises, without noticing their beauty.

EACH SEASON HAS A DIFFERENT SCENT IN KARSAK
Passing through Gemlik or Orhangazi, if we turn onto the highway near
the south shore of the lake, one or two kilometres after the signpost
to Karsak, we reach the first village on the foothills of Mount
Katirli. When you cross the main street, lined with buildings that
have stood for centuries, you arrive at a fountain with coffee houses
around it. With each visit, it gets more enjoyable to chat here. There
are lots of things to sha past recollections, legends, politics,
the economy, the pleasure of a newborn grandchild. We learn that Asiye
Nine, whom we remember for her hospitality on our previous visits, has
passed away. She was 80 years old, but she lived on her own despite
her age. She used to recycle what she obtained from nature. Now,
images of Asiye Nine are frozen like filmstrips.

She used to prepare her soap from the olive oil she pressed.
Her cauldron remains in the same place; her windows have become dusty,
the broken areas covered with spider webs. After taking a break by the
fountain, we have several choices: we can follow the dirt road with
our vehicle and pass through the village of Guven to reach the Colu
Lake, or visit the picnic area of Masatlik. Are you seeking more
adventure? If your vehicle is appropriate, choose the mountain road to
Gurle Kaya and look down on Lake Iznik from above. Would you prefer
nature walks? You may take a guide from the village and go to
Hamamkaya and the waterfalls. Gemic was the second village to be
founded in the foothills, after Karsak. According to tradition, the
name of the village was inspired by the sailors who used to come to
collect wood for the construction of shipyards. When following the
traces of the past, the village surprises you with its unique
buildings that have stood for centuries. An Ottoman mosque is right
beside a Byzantine column head. This now does service as a place to
sit and catch ones breath.

In the next street, his neighbour has just returned home
with his wife and his donkey. Does the itinerant barber still visit
Gemic? He used to shave the local people in the building next to the
coffee house. Maybe one day you will meet him. The common feature of
the buildings of this village is that they are in harmony with nature,
the climate and local agricultural practices. In the entrance of most
of the buildings you may come across little tanks and barrels in which
olives are being aged in salted water. In the rooms on the upper
floors, silkworms have been patiently weaving silk cocoons for
centuries.But today there is no more sericulture and no mulberry trees
that formerly provided food for the silkworms.

GURLE LIVES IN HARMONY WITH NATURE
Gurle is our third stop. It is 17 km from Orhangazi. Before the
foundation of the Turkish Republic it was a village governed by
Pazarkoy. In the summer, Gurle's population increases to 600 people,
when the summer visitors depart this decreases by half.

Yeni Gurle is much busier, with labourers, travellers,
tourists and the local residents. In all three of the villages
travellers are welcomed with great hospitality. Living naturally, in
harmony with and respect for nature, becomes even more attractive. How
much pleasure there is to be found in sharing ones life with the
hawks, the bugs, beside the fountain and under the spreading chestnut
trees. But, most beautiful of all are the things we learn and recall
in nature, things we had long since forgotten in passing.

Erdal Yazici is a photographer and freelance writer