Shake Shake Down Alsancak

Izmir, the city of the sun, the friend of the sea, the city that pours the whispers of spring into you drop by drop, and makes you run through its streets, holding your hand even if you just stand still.

We managed to escape from the tired air, smoky noise and very loud traffic of Istanbul. It feels good to breathe the air of Izmir even in three days.
We killed two birds with one stone by going to Izmir. My dear friend from university years, Özlem, gave birth and for the first time, we rushed to her side, right after we landed at the airport. Konak, a charming district of Izmir, is the place where Jesus Baby said hello to the world. Even though he was only 2 days old when we went, his eyes were wide open and he looked around to see where I am. Even though he tries to explain what he wants to say by saying “ıngaa, ıngaaa” in code, we understand him very well. In the excitement of the new baby and the surprise of the welcome, Özlem greets us with her sweet tiredness. His eyes, which tell that the sleepless nights have already begun, look full of hope and Jesus, and his eyes are smiling.

As the sun slowly retreats to greet us the next day, the rush for dinner engulfs everyone. Wait as long as we cook, he doesn't listen. Özlem and my husband prepare Chicken Legs with Baked Vegetables, which he loves very much. It's evening in İzmir, while the saz friends of the main course prepare rice, salad and mushroom sauté.

The longing of the passing time and the accumulated words waiting to be told are the appetizers for our beautiful dinner, accompanied by the red Majestic Wine that has been waiting on the shelves for 20 years, which Ati has kept waiting for its special guests, the days we did not meet. While baby Jesus is sleeping soundly in sweet dreams, we are celebrating his arrival in a way. When everyone goes to their rooms at night, baby Jesus makes a fuss as if saying "don't go to bed, the night is just beginning", we can't stand it and sleep, we learn in the morning that another sleepless night has passed until 6 o'clock.

Those who come the next day and those who leave are not missing from the doll's house. Everything is gathered in the center of the baby Jesus. Meanwhile, we meet other members of the family. I immediately get good recipes from Zekiye Teyze, Özlem's sweet mother. The Artichoke with Olive Oil, which I was with while making it, was delicious.

Towards noon, the sightseeing streets of Izmir call us and we hit the roads. Veteran bus number 71 takes us from where we are to Konak. Our first job is to walk on Kordon (as we promised to meet there years ago). After walking the length of the cordon from one end to the other, we go to the Kizlar Agasi Inn, which is a must-stop, through the city by a phaeton.

With its image reminiscent of Istanbul's Spice Bazaar, Kizlar Agasi welcomes us. When you enter it, you lose yourself. You want to enter every shop, look at everything one by one. All of a sudden, calmness surrounds you in your lively life. You are resting and finding peace. When you sit under the gazebo in the middle of Helen and drink Turkish Coffee, don't enjoy it.

While visiting the shops, we see the backgammon, which we have felt so much lacking in our house until now, and which we could not find a single one of. Egyptian Eagle symbol on the back, backgammon on the front. Take it and hang it on the wall, take it out and play whenever you want.

While visiting the shops, the Maiden's Aghas attaches to our camera frame by frame.

On the way back towards the evening, we realize that we are hungry, and on the way from the Han to the Ephesus hotel, we see a sign written in large fonts just opposite the stop 55. “Famous Lamb Kokarec”. When we go to Taksim in Istanbul, when we see the cockatoo that we adore, we can't stand it, and we approach immediately towards the slope of the buffet. We sit at one of the low chair tables lined up by the curb and sing 2 half breads to Ustar Elmas. He was famous there with his 30 years of professional experience. “When you ask me as Sümer Kokorec, everybody knows me,” she says confidently. When our skunks arrive, we understand what the master is trying to say. We can't get enough of it with its incredible flavor and the spices that stay on your palate. A lot of tourists used to visit him, so his reputation went to foreign countries. Well, it's not like you won't be going, if you happen to be in the vicinity of the Ephesus hotel, take the road that turns right across from where Havaş buses depart. I say stop by this beautiful kokoreç shop, which will immediately catch your eye with its big yellow signs. After having our meal, we are on our way to our next stop. The path of Love waiting for us is the only place where loves meet. Since we do not know its exact location, we come to the path of Love by wandering around after asking questions. This time we begin to explore the illuminations opened in the shade of the palm trees lined up along the road. It's like there's nothing you can't find on the stalls where colorful and various jewelry are laid. A person wants to take them all, to take them all with him, but what is possible, it is not possible without buying a few pieces of something. After visiting all the stalls, I buy the silver-framed Amethyst Necklace, which catches my eye, takes away the negative energy in the body and around the person, as a souvenir. Of course, not to mention the bargains I made :)

After leaving the road of love, we start to move towards Kıbrıs Şehitleri street, where we will meet with my friend Özgül from university. When I first came to Izmir, I went with them to Kaos, one of the most famous bars of the Cyprus Martyrs, so it's easy, we will meet again in 8 years. Of course, I forgot its location since years have passed, but after walking a few streets, we find ourselves in front of it. It is a different street that is as calm as it is active, and full of people as much as it is quiet. A lot of people come and go in front of you, but there is no noise in the street. It is a relaxing place for everyone in their own way, in their own conversation. While I am caught in the mood of this environment, I almost forget to buy my friend Elif Şafak's book, Black Milk, which describes the complex mood of women who are now mothers but cannot adapt to motherhood. I get up and look around for a bookstore, and I get a nice gift package made and take it with me. If you are a new mother, this is a book that I highly recommend you read.

Meanwhile, Özgül comes and starts a deep conversation, everything is talked about from university years to the present. Now that we are married, some of us even have children. We just experience the beauty of the place without realizing how time passes. It was midnight when we noticed the time. Since we will return to Konak again, we leave these beauties in order not to miss the last bus, and we rush towards the stop. During this run, my foot trips and I fall to the ground. This one was missing. In this way, I kiss the soil and streets of İzmir, which I could not fit into the sky. Here we go, whimpering, we stand up and continue on our way.

We disturb our friend at night at this time, and we get on the bus, which we learned too late, that the cruel bus driver said that he was going where we wanted to go, but that you did not go there. The roads are calm, peaceful, even taxis do not pass. Anyway, we barely make it home. It is a pity we are waking up our new father Ati from his tired sleep.

We are hungry, we ran that much. When you think you can't have dinner at that hour. We notice the salty cookies made by Aunt Zekiye, and when we realize it, our slaughter becomes one, and the day ends with its compelling sadness. Don't let the day end in Izmir.

When the next day comes, when our eyes, which we leave to their own pleasure, are opened, the clock shows noon. The sun is bright, despite the black of sleep. Despite the silent dreams, the chirping outside. After waking up and saying good morning to baby Jesus, we sit down to a nice long breakfast. We finish our breakfast with homemade jam prepared by Aunt Zekiye's hands and welcome our new guests. Özlem's grandmother is coming from Greece to see her granddaughter. Seeing the third generation of her belly, her lapiska hair still defies life, her forehead lines sharper than a writer's pen, as if telling how hard years have passed. I'm just watching this cabbar grandmother.

After Isa took care of the baby a little more, I realized that my aunt Zekiye was making yogurt. I've never made yogurt at home. I watched and learned how it was done. I'm thinking of making yogurt at home as soon as possible and of course sharing it with you.

Now it's time to leave home and beautiful Izmir. We said goodbye to everyone at 4 o'clock. While our grandmother was inviting us to Greece, the thoughts that we would definitely stop by Komotini one day began to take shape in our minds. After receiving our gift of Greek coffee, we said goodbye to baby Jesus and hope to see you again at home. After we arrived in Alsancak and learned about the Havaş bus times, our famous kokoreççi came to our minds with our hunger, and we wanted to leave for the last time, leaving its taste in our mouths. When we picked it up next to the smelt charcoal grill, what he remembered from yesterday greeted us with respect. While I had ordered a half of bread and had not finished it yet, my wife was chowing down on the second half of bread.
It was time for the bus and we made our way to the airport, albeit sadly, with a sweet tiredness. We landed in Istanbul with a half hour delay.

It would be difficult to get used to Istanbul again with the memories of Izmir that remain like a dream in our memories. And it happened…

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