Yashibey, Turkey (Turkey Part I)

For those of you who don't know, Yashibey is located on the western, or Agean side of Turkey. It's a small village of about 150 people, I'd estimate. Although the site where the village now stands was inhabited thousands of years before Christ, the current group of people living here were nomadic herders until just after WWI. The Turkish government forced all nomadic people to settle down somewhere at that time.

Not only is it a special place to me because of the picturesque location and people, but also because my close friends David and Kerime have a house there. My memories of this place include my 27th birthday dinner, riding in the back of a truck with live sharks, fresh food including stuffed clams and stuffed zuccini blossoms, good music, late-night dinners, swimming, haggling with villagers over carpets and village wide circumcision parties! Whenever I leave Yashibey, it's too soon, and I hope to share this wonderful experience with these wonderful people once again in the future. (click on photos to see larger)