I’ve just read back over my previous ramblings and realise now that this should really have been my first chapter!!! I thought you might like to see the village which I now feel privileged to call home so, with the aid of modern technology (and an awful lot of bad language when I got it wrong!) I present to you……..Kayarca Village.
Kaynarca has been occupied for many centuries, in fact before the days of the Roman conquest, indeed it was visited on one occasion by Alexander the Great who commented on the purity of our spring water. Those springs still flow to this day and villagers can often be seen going down to the springs to collect water for their homes.
Christianity in the village also goes back a long, long way. We have some caves here which were used in antiquity for Christian rites as well as a church (well part of a church!) ((Well the ruin of a church!)) which dates back over 1000 years. It’s a great place to go if you’re a lapsed catholic because, if you want to go to confession, it’s been nearly 100 years since we had a priest!!! If you climb round the back you can still see traces of the old painted walls.
Our mayor has just secured funding from Europe to have restoration work done on the building and to make a park area around it.
Our spring water also fulfills a second function. The falls from the mill let serve to drive the 200 year old stone mill which is the only one still working in the province.
During your time in Turkey, have you ever noticed the nation’s love of sculpture? Well, our village is not to be outdone on that score either…. At the last count we had around 8 individual pieces of sculpted art! We have 3 Ataturks as well as his mother’s bust. I’ve just re-read that and wonder if I should have written the head and shoulders of his mother, ZübeydeHanım!
We also have fairies in the stream (no, I don’tknow why) and, my favourite by far and incredible piece showing a woman receiving water from above and being used as a channel to provide water to a child.
So, if you find yourself one day on the road from Istanbul to Kirklareli, why not drop in and see us. For a village of only 2000 souls, it’s got a lot to offer but……..there’s only one yabancı ın the vıllage!!!
