1stAngel & Friends

Imagekind Gallery People
Copyright (C) 2008
The people of Turkey's Anatolian heartland are tough and hardworking, loyal to their families and communities and used to struggling against the elements for bread. Today as televisions and cell phones multiply in their villages, the advance of the western world opens new horizons but presents new challenges as well.

In The Light



These men were enjoying tea on a slow afternoon in Ulus, the old downtown part of Turkey's capital city Ankara. Just up the street is a row of shops selling wool carpets and down the street is a row of copper workers, but right here there's nothing to think about but the tea.

Turkish Woman With A Cookpot



Last summer I visited a small village in Turkey's Taurus Mountains, about an hour from Konya, because I had a friend there who was getting married. On the first of the three days set aside for the wedding, this woman (the groom's aunt, I believe) was preparing boiled chicken and rice in three huge iron pots. A professional chef from the city had been hired to prepare the meal for the following day, when a few hundred guests would attend from Konya and surrounding villages. On this day, with only friends and family present, the relatives handled refreshments.

Turkish Children At The Church Door



The central Anatolian town of Derinkuyu is the site of one of the most well-developed underground cities yet discovered in Turkey. A disused but impressive Armenian church stands in a field across from the entrance to the underground city, and as I stood taking pictures of its intricate old doors, these children stopped by from the school next door.

Women in the Crowd



On the most important day of a Turkish Anatolian village wedding, the women gather in one crowd, the men in another, to ceremonially welcome the young couple into their new home. In this setting, the colorful style of Turkish village women is on full display. Young or old, each one knows how to choose their best outfit for the day: coordination is not important, chic modern looks are not important; what is important is loud and exciting color. Here, friends, relatives and neighbors look anxiously down the dirt streets, waiting for the bridal car to arrive.

Woman By A Turkish Door



Turning a corner in the old downtown of Avanos, Turkey, we found this old woman sitting alone on her doorstep in the empty street. As we looked through samples of hand knitted socks and ornaments she brought out for sale, she described the hardships of her life: husband passed away, son living in another city, medical needs cropping up and no way to pay for bread. Now she knits to try to bring in a little extra money. Sadly, the story is not an unusual one for the elderly in Turkey's villages, especially as more and more of the work force moves to city centers.

Two Turkish Girls

Children On Their Street



These two Turkish children wanted their picture taken when we walked down their street in the old Ulus neighborhood of Ankara. First, actually, they asked if we wanted any food cooked, because they are apparently taking classes to learn how to cook. There are various programs run in this part of town to help the street children by teaching them different trades.

A Good Laugh



This old fisherman in Castellorizo was sitting sorting hooks when I walked by. We had a bit of a conversation. He seemed like a happy guy ... I think he had just told a joke about Barack Obama before I took this picture, but I can't be sure, because I don't speak Greek. Anyway, he thought it was funny.

Smiles From The Castle Kids

Men With Motorcycle



These men were drinking tea in front of their gun shop on the cobbled streets of Beypazari during last year's summer festival. The town's yearly festival is an opportunity for tens of thousands of tourists, mostly Turkish, to sample the famous carrots, mineral water, and traditional handcrafts of this middle Anatolian town.

Turkish Woman Sewing Dolls