The dreaded tap tap tap wakes me from my slumber. Six O'clock already?An extremely dazed pilgrim hops off the bus and tries to find his bearings. Staring intermittently between the map, the roads then the map again I finally come to the conclusion I should have jumped off 5kms ago.
While I was waiting in the bus station last night I was informed there weren't actually any buses from Kirikkale to Bala and I should change my ticket to Ankara instead. This didn't really make much sense to me as it would add another 100kms to my journey and I'm pretty sure I can hitch quicker...
Crossing the road I stick out my thumb, but it takes 45 minutes to make the 5km turnoff. Would have been quicker to walk ;) Let's hope the rest of the day isn't like this!
Being early in the morning almost all the traffic is going to work and as such it takes three lifts to make it the 7km journey to Bahsili. The locals there are super friendly and are happy to stand around to chat while I wait, also informing me there will be a bus at 8am that will take me as far as Karakecli. They do start to shit me though because every time a car drives past and I start to hitch they yell out "Refinery, refinery" referring to the big factory 10kms down the road and wave the car on. I'm sure not every car is going to the refinery and I also try to explain that getting a lift 10kms is fine with me, but this doesn't seem to register. And then to top it off, 8am comes and goes and still no bus...
"You will have to go to Ankara. It's the only way. No Bus here!"
It's not the only way you dickheads! If only you would let me hitch I would probably be there by now! :)
I finally have enough and saying "thank you and goodbye" walk 200m down the road. Sure enough the first car picks me up and what do you know...he's going to the refinery :) Working as a police officer he spends the ten minutes I'm with him giving me as many reasons as he can not to hitch in these parts, continuously dragging his finger across his throat saying "many, many!" Then makes me laugh when dropping me off with...
"Have a nice day"
Classic!!! :)
By the time I reach Bala it's 10:30 and I go in search of an internet cafe. Stopping at a small market to ask directions the owner, Joseph, lets me know there is internet nearby and then invites me for a drink...
"Sure"
Before I can finish my bottle of water he asks...
"Do you want to drink anything else? Coke? Juice? Fanta? More water...?"
There are empty beer bottles around and I get the feeling he is asking if I want one! Being only 11am I am happy to have a beer if they are going to drink as well, but if I ask for one and have to drink it by myself I won't be so impressed...
"No thanks, I'm fine"
One other customer is sitting with us and after five minutes of them both looking slightly uncomfortable Joseph cracks, goes to the fridge and gets out two beers...
"Yeah...if you guys are drinking I'll go one..." :)
Joseph cracks a big grin giving me the thumbs up "Australian! Australian!"
One beer soon turns to three and I'm having a great time. The other customer, who's name I can't for the life of me remember so I'll call Henry (Very Turkish I know;) ), is awesome. A really funny guy! I thought his English vocabulary consisted solely of ten words, the number from 1-10, which he tries on numerous occasions to impress me with during the morning, but his eleventh word is a beauty...
Joseph is pointing to himself then at Henry and trying to explain that they drink too much. Henry gets a huge grin and blurts out..."Alcoholism!" :)
Beautiful!!! Has me in stitches...
One of the great things that I'm starting to realize about the small towns in Turkey is that because they don't have bars, the small rooms out the back of the markets function as a substitute. Everyone sits in there having a little party, then as soon a customer walks in the lights go out and everyone keeps silent. Seems to work quite well but I'm sure none of the non-drinking customers are fooled :)
It also means that because everyone drinks in secret, it doesn't really matter what time of the day you drink. While I'm sitting in Joseph's store half of Bala makes an appearance to have a beer! Whenever a Kurd comes to join us he is immediately identified by Henry yelling "PKK" and making machine gun motions at him. Most of them don't seem to mind and some make machine gun motions back but I still find it all extremely amusing :)
The other really entertaining guy here is little Joseph. We have been having a great chat when the mosque starts bellowing...
"Alllllaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh Hakba"
The conversation pauses for a second and I use the break to take a sip of my beer...
"No no no!"
Little Joseph indicates I shouldn't drink and should take the opportunity to close my eyes and listen...
Now this is a version of Islam I like ;) Use prayer times to stop drinking for five minutes five time a day and do a bit of inner reflection. Sounds great to me! :)
But I do have a serious question for any religious scholars out there...
From what I understand of Muhammed's words, Christians (and Jews) will both go to heaven from following their own religion, there is no need for them to convert to Islam, and therefore no need for them to stop drinking (or stop eating pork or stop doing any of the other things considered to be "haram" which are Ok in Christianity) to be allowed into heaven. What does the Koran say happens to Muslims who lead a perfectly good life yet chose to drink?
If someone has an answer or comment on this question please post it on the blog or send me an email. I ask this because obviously a large percentage of Turkish people choose to drink and still appear to be good Muslims in every other way.
Finally managing to get to on the internet I do everything I need to do then head back to Joseph's. For some silly reason during all the fun this morning I promised Little Joseph I would have another beer with him this afternoon...
Sounded like a good idea at the time ;)
Little joseph has gone to Ankara and will be back later so I use the opportunity to grab a couple of hours sleep. He still hasn't returned when I wake and after having dinner I once again find myself sitting in Joseph's back room having a beer while I wait.
Now Joseph impresses me no end with his alcohol consumption! He was obviously drinking before I arrived and has had a beer in his hand continuously all day. I have watched numerous customers come in, get drunk and leave and he drinks with them all but still hasn't changed a bit since I met him eight hours ago! Awesome!!!
By 9pm Little Joseph is still nowhere to be seen so I go to leave. It's been a great day and to top it off Joseph doesn't even let me pay for any of my beers!
I have a wonderful walk, feeling very happy with myself and end up making 12kms before calling it a night. The sky is awesome and I haven't seen any rain for days so I decide to sleep under the stars...
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