my wife sasha in 1985 after graduating college spent 6 months travelling the ME. they are composed their journals into a short story. here is part of that story.
We arrived late in the afternoon wanting a shower, something to eat, and cold to *******. Ahmet and Hamza met us at the train station in their truck. Meeting Hamza, we both thought he was super polite, looked a few years younger than Ahmet, had hair below his shoulders, tall and extremely cute, though not as dark-skinned as Ahmet. All four of us piled into their little Toyota 4-door truck. They took us to a cool little cafe where we had grilled fish, vegetables, salad, figs, olives, fruit, and some great coffee. It was almost 7 pm when we arrived at their farm and the sun was beginning to set with an amazing orange sunset. It was beautiful. I looked over at Alisha and she responded this is cool as *******! After we put our stuff away, we did a quick tour of their farm. It was rustic, somewhat remote, very well kept and neat. They were about 3 miles from the nearest village. Their farm was very cool and had been in their family for several generations. It had a nice barn, a beautiful spring-fed pond with a rope swing. The pond was stocked with trout, and scattered around were olive, fig, date, and almond trees, and beyond that beautifully planted fields of cotton and vegetables. This place was like an artist’s dream come true. The main house was very well-kept, modern, clean, and comfortable. In the smaller house, we had one room, with a single bed, a two-burner gas cook stove, a toilet, and running cold water. It was very basic, small yet clean, and comfortable. Hamza told us there was an outdoor hot water shower we could use on the side of the main house, a place for our towels, and robes.
After a quick dip in the spring-fed swimming pond, we got out some clean clothes and headed to the outdoor shower, only to find there weren’t any walls or doors. Just a pad of small gravel stones and a shower nozzle attached to the side of the house, it did have lots of hot water. We took turns showering and got dressed to help Ahmet and his cousin Hamza fix dinner. We wondered if the cousins could see us showering!! If they did, they never mentioned it to us.
The next day, we had a super delicious breakfast of fruit, figs, eggs, and bread with strong coffee prepared by Hamza. We worked most of the day picking vegetables to sell at the farm stand they had near the road. Around noon, we took a quick skinny dip in the pond to wash off the dust and dirt. We ate a light vegetarian lunch, Hamza made. He’s a great cook we discovered. We all worked until around 5:30, Alisha and I took another dip in the pool, and then a quick hot shower.
As we helped prepare dinner, the sunset and the sky turned a beautiful mix of orange, purple, and pink. We gathered around the outdoor patio and enjoyed a delicious meal, with freshly caught trout from the spring, some grilled vegetables, and a salad of local greens. Everything came from the farm. We also drank some Turkish wine, which was fantastic, and we talked about our plans for the next few days. Ahmet and Hamza were very knowledgeable about the area and suggested some hikes and visits to local villages.
When we finished dinner and cleaning up, Ahmet suggested we go outside and sit around the fire-pit. We talked about our lives in America and they told us about them, the farm, and their family. It was so peaceful there; we felt far away from the hustle and bustle of our busy lives. The sound of the crickets and the sight of the stars made us feel close to nature. It was a beautiful place and we were glad to be there. What an experience.
As we retired to our small cabin for the night, we felt grateful for this unique experience. Falling asleep instantly, feeling content and happy. We couldn’t wait to see what adventures the next day would bring. We worked almost the same work routine for several days; picking vegetables, re-stocking the food stand, preparing vegetables for the village market, some light cleaning inside their house, such as dishes, dusting, laundry, etc. We always tried to take a lunchtime swim and ended the day around 5. We loved swimming in the cool spring-fed pond; it was out of eyesight from the house and barn, very private and relaxing. On the days when it was hot, they’d take a swim break with us. We were really enjoying this Turkish farm lifestyle. The cousins were super nice and polite. It was a very simplistic way of life.
One evening after dinner, Hamza asked us if we’d like to try some kenevir, or hashish. YES, we answered. Hamza filled a hookah that sat on the floor with some hashish, tobacco, and a touch of opium. It’s a good relaxer he said, as he lit it, took a few draws, and passed it to Alisha who took a few draws and who passed it to Sasha. They passed the two hookah hoses around maybe 4 times. Ahmet asked us how we felt! We were all laying back on the floor pillows in the living room listening to some soft Turkish music. Alisha answered I can’t feel anything, I’m so high Sasha.
I had never smoked opium before and wow! I was so laid back, relaxed, and feeling nothing, thinking how great I feel. I closed my eyes for what seemed like a minute but had to have been a lot longer. When I opened them I was still laying on the floor pillows, in just my panties, my skirt, and my t-shirt. It took me a few minutes to realize where I was and what was happening! As I watched, I felt a mix of shock, arousal, and confusion. I didn’t know how to react or what to do. Alisha clearly was enjoying herself, and I didn’t want to ruin the moment. So, I laid back and closed my eyes again, trying to just let it happen.