Let’s go to an outstanding geography altogether; an area where birds keep chirping, and a thousand shades of green appeal to your eyes, a place even the idea of which eases your mind: Eastern Black Sea! Here are waterfalls pouring down from many meters, plateaus that are cool even in the summer, and rivers flowing with all their majesty… Let’s take the journey together…
First, we are in the middle of an endless meadow – a smooth first green wherever we look… There is not even a bush or house on the hills across that will ruin the smoothness. Right next to us are the bleating and grazing lambs that herald the arrival of spring, and then right before us are the madrasas making infinite curves… Yes, we are in beautiful Perşembe Plateau of Ordu, the entrance gate to Eastern Black Sea. Just lie down on the lawns and enjoy the eternity accompanied by the songs of the frogs croaking beside the madrasas…
Surrounded by lush green and high mountains, we now travel along rivers that flow with all their majesty. An excellent pine scent in our noses… There is a monastery in the midst of the lofty mountain before us, shining like a pearl on the stones: We are at the Sumela Monastery, in Trabzon. The monastery amazes you begging the question how it could be built there. Both it and the surrounding nature display unparalleled beauty. Sit on the side of a stream, sip at a “rabbit’s blood” tea, and eat your Trabzon bread by dipping in Trabzon buttered kuymak – of course at the sound of a loudly flowing river…
As you move towards the next destination, the sunny weather may form clouds, and rain may come unexpectedly. Obviously, this is the Black Sea, and the rain is a part of it. We have already reached our next stop in an occasionally sunny and cloudy weather: Uzungöl lies across like a postcard. This is a very long lake with a mosque at the end. The mosque’s long and thin minaret goes high while the forests which cover the surrounding mountains display a thousand shades of green.
We smell the Black Sea on one side and fresh leaves on the other as we proceed along the high and lush green mountains. There are people on the mountain slopes harvesting tea in rows of tea gardens… Yes, we are in Rize, the hometown of tea. We encounter historical arch bridges frequently along the Fırtına River which flows all its majesty – they are the vigilant keepers of nature around…
Are you one of those individuals seeking waterfalls up hill and down dale for a magical view of waterfalls? In Rize, you do not have to try it at all, waterfalls flowing through stones can be found along the roads, between streets, and everywhere. Look, the Gelin Tülü waterfall flows before us, in Ayder Plateau, which offers all the beauties of the Eastern Black Sea region… Flowing from the top of the high mountain, which is still covered in snow at the peak, the waterfall floats gently towards the mountain skirts.
Go up a high hill in Ayder Plateau and enjoy exquisite nature where pine forests unite with meadows. You have kemancha sound and chirp of birds in your ear while letting your lungs fill with fresh air – everything makes you feel you are in paradise. After all, everything I tried to describe is futile to portray Eastern Black Sea. You must go and see, feel, and experience to fully understand.
by EMBIYE ULGEN
