Oyyy Rize! Let's Go, Let's Go!

The author's recent family visit to Rize, Turkey, offered a poignant look at ancestral roots and the region's rapid transformation. The trip, initially spurred by a desire to visit ancestral villages with her daughter Mercan, expanded to include other family members, culminating in a journey that contrasted past memories with present realities.

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Let's go, let's go!

The author's itinerary began with a flight into the new Rize-Artvin Airport, a departure from previous travel to Trabzon. Accommodation was secured in Derepazarı at the Zümrüdü Anka hotel, a place with familial connections and a history as a renovated primary school. The visit to the ancestral village of Varangoz, also known as Fıçıcılar Mahallesi, involved typical village gatherings in the local coffeehouse. Here, conversations revolved around the village's current state, its residents, and the return of some to their roots. The author, who spent her early schooling years in the village, noted the renovation of her old school and revisited a still-operational water mill, a familiar landmark.

Further exploration led to the author's father's village, Maltepe (Hos), where similar coffeehouse conversations took place among families whose surnames, like Bursa, indicated deep roots. Many residents, however, have ties to Istanbul, expressing a common sentiment of nostalgia for the village's past. The author also noted the practical challenges of travel, such as the inability to rent a car, which led to reliance on local taxis for excursions.

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Are you not Orhan, the journalist who appears on screen?

The journey included scenic drives along the Fırtına River towards Zilkale, though the author observed that the river's natural course was constrained by development. Stops were made in Çamlıhemşin, a place the author finds captivating. A visit to a historic tiled bridge revealed signs of wear and decay, prompting a call for its preservation. The author contrasted this with the extensive development along the Rize coast, where old, dilapidated housing was replaced by a large social area, a transformation facilitated by a presidential decree. This modernization has reshaped Rize's urban landscape and, according to the author, its social fabric.

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Where is the old village?

Cultural experiences included a visit to a Çaykur tea garden, where tea-making techniques were observed, and an encounter with a large, color-changing electronic tea glass sculpture on the waterfront. The local delicacy pepeçura, made from Rize's aromatic grapes and favli beans, was sought out, with the author expressing a personal connection to the dish and plans to make it herself. The pervasive presence of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's name and influence was noted, particularly with the announcement of a new mosque on the coast to be named in his honor. A visit to a tea factory provided insights into the production process and an opportunity for political discussions with a former local politician, Hasan Uzun. The conversation touched upon party politics and the decline in the number of private tea factories. The trip concluded with the purchase of Rize cloth garments and bringing pepeçura back to Istanbul, marking a fulfilling journey of reconnecting with heritage.

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They don't let anyone from Saadet out on Halk TV anymore.