Turkiye / Turkey – A Lovely Place and First Copy and All That.
Dinesh K Kapila
Turkey, a transcontinental nation, located
mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia with a small portion on the
Balkan Peninsula in Southeast Europe, is a must see. A reasonably good climate,
a good sense of history, quite prosperous by our standards and yet not
expensive, a very good example of what moderate Islam can be and certainly and
oh yes, oh yes, good looking ladies ! It’s a heady combination and coupled with
the sense of culture and civilisation is very engrossing.
We were lucky to have with us Ounr Gemic,
our Guide and go to person all through the extensive tour. Well qualified from
Greece and Turkey, his sense of history and tracing its roots while remaining
true to his innate Turkish identity was a most educative experience. I personally,
rather we, (wifey, the lawyered up son and I) found it a fascinating ride into
history and then all the way to Rumi and present day Turkey. If in Turkey or
planning a trip, look for Onur.
Antalya, a beautiful city, we were near
the finely preserved old quarters and the bustling markets and could not get
our fill of it. It’s a city seemingly choregraphed for tourism and it beguiles
and engrosses. And the food, wonderful. And the shopkeepers nicely labelling me
as ‘Papa” and managing to sit me quietly so that wifey could watch, haggle and
buy whatever was catching her fancy. Papa I found was quite common, at a Old
Christian historical site, I was tired, sitting on the steps of a monument when
a young jovial waiter called out from
the café, Come on Papa, have a coffee and get going !
When we travelled to Paris, we were told
that the best looking ladies would be walking around the Champs de Elysees.
Well now I can say, the most with a sense of fashion and sheer elegance and
style. Russia, well again, I would say, there but yet not there. For sheer
beauty and the best of Asia and Europe, in an understated yet refined manner,
it is Turkey and only Turkey !! Here’s a toast to the ladies of Turkey, the men
are stylish too, but the ladies are better ! Bless them !
Superb
infrastructure by way of roads and licensed guides and hotels and neat and
clean houses and cities make for a great entry point for tourists to Turkey.
2500 luxury cruise liners will dock at ports in Turkey this year. A Lot of work
required by us to catch up.
We
were fortunate to see Ceramic pottery by the master potter Mustafa and Eda. At
Turkey Cappadoccia. Wonderful workmanship both traditional and modern and
prices to match. The Govt of Turkey covers the cost of shipment and insurance
for high value items. USA Europe are their main buyers. Wonderful near and
clean infrastructure, self confident staff, premises with artists st work,
subtle and focused lighting, the marketing is done rather well. The products
are shown with pride. And no cloying artisans trying to convince you to buy.
And in ancient days of the Hittites the men had to know pottery to be
considered eligible for marriage !! This one needs a description. When a
Hittite entertained guests he poured the wine etc from the spout. For a
slightly higher in status person he would stand and pour it. But for a
dignitary or to convey respect, he would stand and mount the vessel on his
shoulder through the round shaped area. Thereafter he would bend a bit and then
pour out the wine.
But
the best was to meet Guven Demir at
Cappadoccia Turkey, oh, in his elements describing the carpets and the quality
of workmanship at the Carpet Factory. Beautiful carpets and he is the owner Cum
Skilled marketer. Give me ten Guven Demur’s and the posh infrastructure we can
sell our Carpets in India to the world in a much better manner. A master class
in skilled marketing with confidence, a swagger and absolute faith in his
products and throws in discounts too. High class carpets in wool and silk and all
handwoven. They have semi mechanical too. I enjoyed this master class and
complimented him sincerely. None of the cloying requests or the like and the
staff was also well trained and confident. Arzoo his skilled weaver was also
helpful. This they are trying to preserve as a skill as very few women are
willing to work at 100 dollars to 150 dollars a month. The cost of the carpets
including wastage (mandatory) and wages was well explained. They prefer the
same weaver should normally complete the piece once started on. The
Government of Turkey is supporting the trade by covering the cost of shipping
and insurance to the house of the buyer. By the way I told him about the
carpets of Kashmir and Muzzafarnagar He knows both but said this is is the
Mercedes of Carpets and that the silk of Bursa has no match anywhere. That is
his version. Stated with obvious pride in the workmanship and quality of the
produce
The best however was the concept of First Copy
and Second Copy. Now I know Troy, a smattering of the Greek Gods, the struggle
to establish Christianity and what not. But this First Copy zapped me. I was
truly flummoxed to see a gentleman walk out with Louis Vuitton bags, and more
bags in the larger bags. The couple looked ever so happy with their bargain
stating it was a genuine first copy. Then we visited one showroom, in an
industrial area, looked a reasonable place but once inside, plush, a
sophisticated plush was the word. A dream come true, clothing lines to bags to
shoes, name the brands, they were there. With tags to boot, only the scan takes
you to Turkey. I am not naming the luxury brands, all were there. Assured first
copies. Now I just had to research, the difference between counterfeit, fake
and first copies ! none, essentially, a close or as close to the original
product of the brand. Not impossible, if your suppliers are top class,
ultimately its just the label which is the price.
In India, we have lawyers from companies
sweeping in, ensuring there are no such practices. Turkey was a revelation. In
average shops also such products are to be found. The quality would be lower
maybe but First Copy, Second Copy and even Third Copy were a words I heard used
effortlessly. Indians were certainly out everywhere but so were many others.
Its al too tempting.
The joke ! If a lady meets me with superb
branded products, and says she has been to Turkey (some add China too), now how
do I react. After all, I did run into a couple, fellow Indians, they were
walking brands from head to toe. But after watching the shop till they could
drop dead, I could only think, now were the original dresses and gear they wore
on the firs day original or what ! Its quite a thought.
It works out as follows – I know you don’t
know it’s a first copy, Sheila and Kiran and Dushyant don’t know it’s a first
copy, but I of course know it’s a first copy ! After all I am using it ! Now who is conning whom ! and you still did
pay a reasonable price. But then as another lady said, paying Rs 75,000/- is
nothing as compared to shelling out Rs 1.50 lakh ! well, to each his own, but
from now on, I will always ask, subtly, have you been to Turkey or China !!
Baklava, specially by Mustafa, is a must
as was the food at a joint junior took us too. The Turks like their desserts to
be really sweet. All in all, a lovely place. I read about Kamal Ataturk, the
Dardanelles Straits, the Aegean Sea, the Gallipoli campaign, well done that and
seen Effuss etc too boot. Visited a small Turkish village and absorbed its
flavours. Tasted the Raki (the store keeper said, one makes you a tiger, two a
lamb), , seen the natural splendour of Cappadocia, imbibed the flavour of Konya
and Rumi and the waters of Pummakale.
And am confirmed its only the ladies of Turkey who stand out, issue
closed, it just is that way ! And first
copy and second copy, if we open up here, we will give anyone a run for their
money ! in any case after watching the tourists flocking to the stores, I
wonder as to the proportion of originals to first copies !
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comments
Post a Comment