Kars is one Turkish Town that I would definitely like to know better. This once upon a time Armenian and Russian held town, seemed a little wild at first (we later found it calmed down drastically at night) and the people looked full of character and purpose.
Some Turkish towns crept up on us – Kars was not one of those.
We arrived around lunch time to find the streets too chaotic to both drive and look for street names at the same time (our GPS threw it’s hands in the air in Kars). As we stood on a corner with our Lonely Planet Turkey open, I noted a mosque not far to our right. Mosques are handy landmarks in Turkey and are quite often marked on maps.
I was just saying so when a huge bearlike man crossed the street, grabbed our hands and began pumping them vigorously. Even though he stood in the gutter I looked up to him from my spot on the footpath.
Establishing that we were from Australia, Boris announced in a booming voice that he himself was from Kars and would like to help us.
This is not a photo of Boris!
We were used to Turkish people being FRIENDLY and helpful, but while they were often quirky and humorous they were also quiet and calm. Those however were not words I would use to describe this particular Good Samaritan. Overflowing with welcome, Boris was also commanding, impressive, maybe even a little bossy? Telling him that we were looking for the Güngören Otel, he motioned us to follow him.
Thinking the hotel must be nearby we went along – it seemed pointless and silly to refuse. B.H. kept pace while I ran along behind feeling like a child. I guess he had exhausted his English by then, because a non-stop wave of Turkish washed over us thereafter. The language barrier didn’t exist for Boris.
The hotel was not close. We galloped through (I guess he was in a hurry or did he always walk like that) innumerable streets and alleyways until I started feeling a tad uneasy. I tried vainly to remember our route. We passed salt bricks stacked on footpaths, and enormous cabbage piles, we passed men welding in workshops that spilled onto the path and shops selling large wheels of cheese, and whenever we turned right the menacing Kars Castle looked down on us. I itched to take photos but dared not stop.
What if Boris was a con-man or worse? Every so often he would notice that I had fallen behind and would look imploringly at B.H. as if to say “make her keep up will you!” and then he would point to me and point at the ground behind him. I obeyed, albeit with strangled hysterical giggles. Just as my mind started formulating escape plans, we turned a corner and there was the hotel.
I could not believe that he had gone so far out of his way to help us. Not happy to abandon us outside, Boris flung open the doors of the Güngören and marched up to the male Receptionist. As usual he spoke with voluble authority and only Allah and the receptionist knew what he had to say. I listened for the word Australian but didn’t hear it. There were quick goodbyes, handshakes and thank-yous before he turned and strode out of our lives.
We only hoped we would find our rental car again!
Unfortunately I have no photos of Boris but I do have photos of his town.
The people and the streets of Kars.
Interesting facts:
The local people are descended from the Karsaks and the town itself is named after them.
Many people visit Kars (pronounced Karzz) because of the famous Orhan Pamuk novel Snow, but the locals were not too keen on his portrayal of their town.
We visited Kars because of the ruins of ANI some 45 km east (yes there will be a future post), but we really enjoyed the vibrant feel of the town and would have stayed longer if we were not on a strict timetable. There were many places of interest in town and in the general area that we did not get to see. I would suggest staying at least two nights in Kars or more if you have time.
Kars is in North Eastern Turkey near the Armenian border and is 438 km south-east of Trabzon.
Visit Nancie at BUDGET TRAVELERS SANDBOX FOR TRAVEL PHOTO THURSDAY.
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Wow, never having been to Turkey, Kars looks like a really interesting place to visit. I loved some of the architecture and people do indeed look really friendly from the photos. The food at the Antik cafe looks just like the sort of lovely calorific break I could do with right now!
We saved some of the biscuits for later but they were a nice snack. Kars was different to other places in Turkey.
That is quite a story- I admit I was beginning to get a little nervous for you. Though I guessed that it turned out okay- after all you were writing the post.:)
Do all of the dogs look that way there?
He was the only dog I took a photo of in Kars Tonya. I saw dogs that protect cattle and sheep and they had more fur. Boris was a funny introduction to Kars, but definitely a good one.
Interesting place…
Thanks Lily.
Kars is definitely on the radar for our next trip to Turkey. Thank you for the introduction and your great photos. I’d love more of those delicious figs!!
Thanks Jenny, Kars is well worth the trip.
lol about the “this is not for us!” Photo caption! I was just thinking about that when I read it haha.
I usually love towns close to the border, as they tend to be so multicultural and unique. Sounds like Kars is one of them!
Merry Christmas 🙂
-Maria Alexandra
I think I will be visiting more border towns in the future Maria!
one of the great things about travel is putting yourself in the hands of strangers and having it work out. restores your faith in people and all that.
Turkish people will always help if they can. Boris actually went way out of his way to do so.
The Turkish People are so genuine and welcoming and Boris was a fine example 🙂
That is such a great story. I’ll bet you’ll be telling it for years. Boris really is nice, isn’t he. I like the photos, too, especially the one with the woman in the cream coat being pulled away.
He was very nice. It was only the language barrier that meant we didn’t know how far we had to go that got my mind racing 🙂
What an excellent tour, which I had time to also visit this when I was in turkey, I enjoyed the tour!
So are you saying you went there too Noel?
That’s exactly why I know of Kars – because of ‘Snow’. I would love to go to Ani. Looking forward to your upcoming post.
I have not read Snow, but the Author is very well known – has won a Nobel Prize! I hope my photos do Ani justice 🙂
Hi Jan, what a wonderful encounter local you had. This is why I like traveling in small towns. The people are so genuinely welcoming. I like how you captured Kars in your photos. I particularly like the shot of that woman who wanted to pose for a photo and the friend didn’t. It’s funny that you can read your reader’s mind ahead of time. Just as I was scrolling the second photo I thinking to myself that it was Boris, but then you responded to my thought in your caption saying “This is not Boris!” 🙂
Yes I agree Marisol, small towns give a different perspective of a country. I was thinking that I would be expecting a photo of Boris, that is why I had to say that it wasn’t him, lol.
By the way, I look forward to your post on Ani. That’s one place I’d love to visit when I return to Turkey.
Great, I will do it soon. 🙂
This does look like such a charming town full of character. Love that story with Boris. It’s always the characters you meet that make a trip unforgettable. Great capture of the figs and honey. Merry Christmas to you and your family, Jan.
I love doing posts that remind of the different characters we met. Boris was one of a kind 🙂 So many bees! Merry Christmas Mary 🙂
Interesting article, thanks 🙂