"Almost Turkey"

While Mom was here in Thessaloniki, she spent a lot of time visiting cousins whom she hadn’t seen in a while, plus, of course, we celebrated Rooster Day. But the following week we did manage to sneak in a little sightseeing with our trip to “Almost Turkey.”

“Almost Turkey” is what Amanda and I have been calling Thraki, the easternmost region of Greece that borders on Turkey to the east and Bulgaria to the north. It is very different from the rest of Greece in that the influences remaining from centuries of Turkish rule are far more prevalent: nearly half of its residents are of Turkish descent and practice Islam. I had never been there, and Mom had not been that far east since she went there on a field trip in high school.

Monday, November 27: Kavala and Xanthi

We started out by driving east to Kavala, a seaside town about 150 kilometers from Thessaloniki. Kavala isn’t a large town, but it has prospered over the years due to its large shipping port. The east side of the harbor, known as the Panagia, still looks much like it did during its centuries under Turkish rule: old shops, homes and restaurants in a maze of winding cobblestone streets, all surrounded by huge citadel walls. We parked along the water and admired the fishing boats (if you look closely at the pictures above, you can see where Santa spends his off-season), then walked along a huge 16th century aqueduct and into the Panagia, where we viewed a monument commemorating the birthplace of Mehmet Ali (who later became Pasha of Egypt). We next found the Imaret, built by Ali to house theological students and still the largest Muslim building in all of Europe. It has since been converted into a beautiful hotel. Mom, Amanda and I sat down in one of its charming tea rooms, ordered some great Turkish coffee and hot chocolate, and enjoyed the view overlooking the harbor.

We next drove to Xanthi, the highway heading east surrounded on either side by miles and miles of tobacco fields. Xanthi became rich on the proceeds of these large tobacco plantations, and is still a bustling, thriving town, thanks mainly to the thousands of students that attend the university there. We stayed in a hotel on the mail platea, which is surrounded by modern restaurants, bars, and galleries. But we bypassed all that and walked into the pallio polis (the “old city”) and sat down at a charming little taverna nestled in a back alleyway. I guess we were all hungry from our road trip, because what ensued may have the worst case of over-ordering that I have ever done here, and believe me, that's saying something. We enjoyed a fantastic, overindulgent meal and called it a night.

Tuesday, November 28: Komotini and Philippi

The next day we headed further east to Komotini, a very modest town in the northeast corner of Greece. Komotini does not really have much to offer in the way of sightseeing; we went there with one goal in mind: to find the bazaar, rumored to be the largest in Greece. As soon as we parked and walked into the bazaar, it was like stepping into a different country, perhaps a Third World one (even the weather got worse).

From here, Turkey is only 60 miles further east, and Bulgaria is even closer—only 14 miles north—and the Muslim and Slavic influences are accordingly strong. Greeks, Turks, Pomaks (Muslims with Slav rather than Greek or Turkish origins), and gypsies were selling their produce, clothing and crafts in the largest outdoor market I have ever seen. It must have been a mile long, not kidding. We bundled up and shopped around for a couple of hours, then walked back to the car and headed back west toward the archeological site at Philippi.

King Philip II of Macedonia named Philippi after himself when he conquererd the area in 356 B.C., but most of its ruins date from the slightly more recent Roman period. In addition to the remains of three gigantic Roman basilicas, there is a sizable amphitheater and the prison where St. Paul was reputedly held when he arrived in 49 A.D. to first spread Christianity to the west. After the Acropolis in Athens and perhaps Delphi, it is considered one of the best archeological sights in Greece. We spent some time walking and taking pictures among the ruins, and then had a late lunch before heading home to Thessaloniki.

Unfortunately, Mom had to head home to the States just a few days later. It was absolutely terrific to have her here in Greece with us for as long as she was, although, of course, it felt too short. We look forward to seeing her for Christmas when we can relive some of these great memories together.

Amanda’s family arrived for a visit last week…I’ll let her tell you all about it our next post. Until then, yiasas!

Bill