Kerpe Trip (a few weeks ago)

Back on July 23rd, we left to a small town on the Black Sea named Kerpe. We got there with public transport, like this; a bus from our stop to another part of town, a ten minute walk to the ferry jetty, a ferry to the Asian bus station, a 3 hour trip on a private bus line to Kandira, and a minibus from there to Kerpe. Although this sounds rough, ferries and private buses are very nice and the trip was fairly easy. Public transport is often well planned here.

We got off in a dusty little town square (when the saloon doors swung open with an easy push from a sinister malefactor...). We got a room, and walked across the square to the Sea. Down the beach on a rock we took some photos. We tested the water. It seemed cold. Many people were swimming though, so we too swam. It was only cold at first. Walking into a sea or ocean or giant lake for the first time is a nice feeling. It is only barely accomplishing more than standing at the edge, but it feels big.


Later, we left the room to hunt for dinner. At the end of the boardwalk we found what we wanted - Baked potatoes. Here they add much more than butter, chives and sour cream. The baked potato (Kumpir) is sold from a cart, with trays of ingredients from which to choose. Sausage, corn, peas, green or black olives, potato salad (strangely) , red pepper paste, and more. Before you choose your options the kumpirci (baked potato seller) prepares it by opening it up and thoroughly mixing in a lot of butter.

While we waited we began talking. He was in his twenties, his name was Taner. We were from America, we were staying the night from Istanbul. Then he found someone to watch his stand, got us a table right by the water, ordered us tea, and sat talking with us. Then he never charged us for the potatoes, and spent the rest of our trip showing us around and treating for everything. Turkish hospitality can be amazing.

Taner owns a cafe in Izmit and is just making some summer money in a seaside town without much effort. Maybe we got the royal treatment because we were the only foreigners in Kerpe, I don’t know, but it was a great treat. We walked the boardwalk and sampled different foods, sat in a game hall learning/playing Okey, sort of a card game with tiles, and were introduced to friends. On the second day we were introduced to the Patron, and drank free tea on free lounge chairs. We swam out to the moored boats, and Lillian and I were invited to climb into one that an older gentleman was starting up. We rode back toward the beach, jumped off and swam once more before it was time to leave.

Taner bought us a goodbye lunch (declining all attempts to decline) and made sure someone on the bus kept an eye on us at the transfer station. He turned out to be a lieutenant Colonel in the Army and we talked for most of the way back to Istanbul.

The tale of Jason and the Argonauts search for the Golden Fleece took place on the Black Sea (by some accounts) and may be based in fact. Using fleece to catch alluvial gold from streams was common, and the fleece were hung on trees to dry before the gold was shaken out. I myself saw no evidence of Jason nor his escapades...