The style
The costumes used for I perfectly knew I was w/Afra Saraçoğlu gave an impression as if they were made for the ballet. Of course the theme also included ballet itself. The fantasy and mythical elements were prominent in the costume pieces she wore for the project, with fabrics of pale shades, including pink, green and cherry red. Her ballet shoes were dainty and dollish and provided the perfect classical touch to Afra's transcendental and swan like presence and her dream to perform on Broadway.
The Girl with the pearl EARRING
Such Elysian beauty is seen here. A mystery, an outstanding fortitude and self respect amongst the deep softness of femininity can be seen in her expression in this picture. She is certain of her pathway and her place in life. Her maturity allows her to venture forward and organise her life and become content with the rewards of her ambition. There is a prominent divinity within this historical beauty akin to an angelic like essence with the power of something bigger than ego. She wears not an earing, but the pearls are within her eyes and they are unreadable yet magnfincnet in there coolness and softness of a girls heart.
Afra as Ece in Fazilet Hanım ve Kızları
notable moments from EPISODES of Fazilet Hanım ve Kızları
To see her face yet again even in the form of a picture is to see the dawning sun . The golden sweetness of Afra Saraçoğlu makes a sparkling appearance in these frames where her picture is shown . In Episode 4 during an argument scene, from a crying timid child, she suddenly becomes bold and powerful and her conduct becomes that of a lady who no one can defeat in conflict. In just a few moments we see her take hold of the scene with her voice and her gesture alone. Saraçoğlu becomes a prominent dominating screen presence both when she is a crying Ece and a bolder stronger Ece. From an woman to a girl in an instant she becomes the prevailing expression of morality in the conflict scenes.
The argument scene is beyond vehement and devastatingly heartfelt to watch. Her ardent and dramatic tears flow whole heartedly and her troubled screams, surpass the walls that confine her as she shouts with such raw and icy fury akin to a blizzard. She is rising upwards and the spirit to become the heart of the screen and to express all of her deeper emotions overtakes her and her rising momentum is visible. It becomes clear from start that this spirited and impassioned woman is untamable as she speaks with such firm reason.
It is a potent scene and shows such devastatingly beautiful passion from Afra. It is her first display of anger as Ece, who is used to being timid and bashful. Even when she is on the weaker side of the argument her morality and command over dictation seems to pull through and prevail. A different kind of power lies within her when she raises her voice and it is not quite easily defined by words alone. Her eyes seems to gleam more sharply when she finds the anger or zest to speak during conflict scenes. She expands her timid screen presence like a peacock would reveal its feathers and with her raw and fierce energy she easily dominates the scene even when she has not raised her voice to the full.
Ece is a good girl with pure heart and a placid reaction to her predicament. However her sensitive nature will cause tears to flow if she becomes the attention of the cruelty of others. She wants to please others especially her mother whilst also not wishing to cause harm to anyone. She avoid conflicts and is in no way vain. Instead she is a girl who is indeed beautiful but her nature does not allow her to become fickle. She shows rich compassion and love to those around her. and her silent care and companionship is warm and dear to anyone. She brightens like a moon when she is cared for and when she is scolded she cries with so much pain. When she sees injustice her authority and queenly anger will win any argument by her silence alone.
The fragility and indomitability of her beauty in figure 1 portrays her own eternal self.
Episode 5. The pictures below in Fig 2 and 3 taken from episode 5, show just how sweet and dear hearted Afra is. This is a rare sweetness bestowed upon a heart so strong and a morality so mountain like. Her adventures are filled with those who will help and laugh with her along the path. To describe the rarity of her adorable expressions has not been possible so therefore pictures and portraits are the only thing that can communicate this.
Ece's sorrow at the treatment she is given, comes to a climax when she is humiliated is a horrible way by the daughter of the mansion. In Afra's scenes the ideals of want and desire are explored. Is it wrong to want? Is it terrible and greedy to desire?
Ece herself is a lady that does not allow these more primal feelings to drive her life. She is kind to her mother and only because of her mother's words does she think more about the riches of life. However Ece is forced to confront these feelings of simple want in this episode. She cries because of the fallen morality she views in the situation. It is not wrong to want, in fact it is indeed a healthy reaction to life itself, and this conflict is conveyed by the raw beauty of Afra's heart pouring into the scene.
We can allow ourselves to want the good material things in life but we should also allow ourselves to want goodness and the pathway of non materialism itself. Ece sees both pathways in this scene, and her tears express the yearning that humanity has felt for both things, unlike Fazilet who only sees one pathway.
From Afra's exquisite performance, displaying humanity at its finest all these emotions in Ece can be seen.
This girl's heart is filled with power and when she cries so much depth is visible. She has such a meaning and percipience within her and Ece's tears are the tears for the evident immorality of life that she sees within her daily experience.
Ece seems to be the one to always become misunderstood. She never is able to tell others what happened to her and instead she takes all the blame. She is the kindest of all the characters in the show and yet she faces the most difficulty being understood. This leads to a girl who is in fact reliant on the kindness of others to help her and look after her sensitive nature. In these early episodes Ece is the only goodness without any wrong doing in the entire show. She pleases her mother, she tries to please her sister and comfort her sister and she also remains placid and quiet. Having just saved someone life she gets little to no recognitions and doesn't even seem to expect it. With such a pure and innocent heart, she wanders around her surroundings with the grace of a sleeping beauty.
Figure 3., Ece is caught between mother confrontation with her mother and the staff of the house.
Figure 4. Ece explores one of the rooms in the mansion.
It is this episode that Afra proves herself to be the most powerful actress of her era. The scene where she talks to Mr Hazim about the perfume is riveting and perhaps the most emotionally composed performance from an actress. She is such an angellicaly strong actress that expresses the deepest of emotions in the most authentic, understated and profound way possible. Her epic delivery and her encompassing goodness takes hold of the heart of anyone who witnesses her and brings tears to the eyes. She spoke with dedicated, mature conviction. She understood the depth of the emotion she was conveying with purity and self respect within herself. The best poets are the ones who have lived life and enriched themselves in its sweetness. The lady Afra Saraçoğlu has indeed understood the deeper complexities of human nature, she has "lived", she is indeed filled with such moral understanding as can be seen from this astonishing scene alone. She is great lady, The greatest actress of the era . No one has ever come close to such a emotional delivery. Her pairing with Mert Ramazan Demir only proved that the life within her was indeed as sparkling as it seemed more subtle before she worked with him.
Figure 6, Afra graces paris during fashion week march
In an interview, she mentioned she likes to play the drums and wished she started earlier. Her schedule is busy with her working on weekends as well.
Life is here to to be lived to the fullest, to dream and to work to enrich each day before we wake to the next. Afra mentions that she preferes the winter to the the summer even though she winter is cold. Winter indeed brings a magic to the night. the dawn of winter is more romantic and beautiful then the dawn of summer. The red sun, the pink clouds and the dark blue skies, the white frost sparkles in the pale sun of December. The nights are earlier and the dawns are later. The sleepy warmth within compless the person to his place of work.
Afra Saraçoğlu 's America
Afra has visited America on many occasions to see her relatives and family. Some beautiful things can be discovered about her from these trips. She likes to cook, she likes Broadway in America and she likes to travel the world. During the last month she visited Virginia and cooked lovely food for her family. She likes to cook lovely food in the kitchen for all of her family and making deserts is her favourite.
This is a sweet quality because Seyran also cooks lovely breakfasts on Yali Capkini as well as lentil soup. She is full of love and life and the simpler things about her are just as dazzling and beautiful as the qualities she shows in the spotlight. Her ordinary qualities are dear and wonderful and it is clear that those who know her cherish these qualities very well. On this post her family member wrote the caption "she made it delicious ❤". This dish looks very carefully prepared and served with a warm heart.
Phildephia, virginia and new york
The joy of traveling the world, living and experiencing each country is an ambition of Afra and it is lovely to see that this ambition has been realised. Who is this lady? Only those closest to her will ever discover the deeper heart and really it is not for the world to know, and yet from her pictures on vacation it can be gathered that America is a dear place to her that causes her to smile. She visited America a few times and she also visited her freinds Beril Pozam and Ersin Arıcı in New York, during the summer of 24. Here she celebrated football and other wonderful adventures there. The sun is always shining on the dear Afra Saraçoğlu wherever in the world she goes.
Virginia, Espania, AUSTRIA and Greece (Italy too) The sun always shines on Afra Saraçoğlu in any COUNTRY IN THE WORLD
Apart from America she also has been on holiday to Espania, Greece, and Austria to name the subjects of a few wonderful posts from Instagram. It was evident that in Austria, the sound of music was really with her as she smiled and her eyes reflected the glittering blue of the fresh water lake. Boat trips are her favourite also, especially with her best friend.
Antalya and edremit
Afra, the lady, is a girl who is sensitive and pure. She has the heart of a dove and yet those whom are dearest to her, she will always help them notice the wrongs. She is mature and wise, and her love is both nurturing and sweet. She cares for those dearest to her with a tender grace. She likes to cook, and the ways in which she loves her little dog, shows this deep nurturing care she gives to those who she loves. Her life is one made up of hard work as well as family and love. She and her mother are very dear to one another and it is beautiful and heartfelt to see her talk about the bond she has with her mother. She wishes for her privacy to be respected and hopefully the Turkish media learn to do this in the future.
Afra is the most sensible girl, and even though she can be very playful and have sweet moods with her freinds, she is a deeply mature, produndly sophisticated lady . Her timeless grace deserves to be noted in history. She is able to become the voice of reason due to her inner emotional and moral wisdom gained from hard work and caring for her family. To those whom she gives her love and respect she strengthens them in times of weakness just by the purity of her silences alone and her moral aid to their nature.
The sweet hearted girl will became strong in times of hardship and this has allowed her to reach her childhood dreams of becoming a actress. She worked so very hard as a child model and even if these things are little known in the public or media, the hard work and difficulties that she has faced should always be respected. Those who love her are proud of her strength and kindness.
In Afra'a own words from an early interview she spoke about her childhood.
My mother used to work all day. I started working at a young age to earn my own money. I worked as a child model to support the family. I learned to stand on my own two feet. These things made me mature......
when speaking about her mother she said
....Her life became mine, my life became hers.
Her name means moon, and desert flower.
Antalya life.
Antalya is a coastal seaside city on the southern mediterranean shores of Turkey. It is known for its's subtropical climate and it's clean and refreshing street atmosphere. It is a very beautiful Turkish city with mountainous landscapes that surround it. The winters are rainy and mild. Antalya is known for its's cliffs . The rich historical and geographical environment and formations have crafted the city of Antalya. It was home to many ancient civilizations that have enriched the current historical heritage of the city. The mediterranean beauty of the city as well as its sunny climate is also another reason why the city is very special in Turkey. Antalya is also known as the Turkish Riviera because of the rich historical past and natural beauties. Afra moved to this city with her mother during her childhood.
The coast is known to be refreshing and sparkling in all aspects because of its vibrant mix of heritage and climate. The following paragraph about Antalya is cited from an article titled The Recent Changes In Place Formation And The Traditional City Identity Of Antalya written by: Rüya E, htiyar1 Akdeniz University, Volkan Altintaş Bonn University Aylin, Aktaş Alan, Akdeniz University, Seher Oren, Akdeniz University. It provides ample information about the rich historical and natural beauties of Antalya and the region.
The Mediterranean costs of 640 km. length are embellished with archaic cities, monument graves, charming harbors, golden beaches, and Mediterranean-blue beaches, forests embracing the sea, tropical plants, orange yards and waterfalls. At the back side of these mythological legendary costs, snow capped Taurus Mountains rise. It is a very rich province of us in terms of natural beauties, maintaining still its feature of being the center of an important settlement area on the south of Turkey just like during the history..... One of the most important elements determining the identity of the city is the cliffs extending on east and west directions. Antalya is the place where world’s travertines are spread out with their all features. The travertines have a cliff of approximately 20 km. length and 39 m height on the shore. Antalya has gained a universal city identity with its characteristics and undebatable values.
The section in the article includes more information about the ancient history of Antalya
The history of Antalya goes back to the Stone Age. The proof of this is the findings of Paleolithic age found out in Karain Cave near to Yağca Village. These findings are the evidence of the fact that first human being remains were encountered in this period. Moreover, Antalya is one of our unique cost cities which have been successful to protect the historical values and elements of Rome, Byzantine, the Seljuk and the Ottoman till today.
Figure 13. A woman walks past an antique store in antalya
figure 14. The majestic Roman theatre in the old town of Side, Turkey.
Figure 15. This old THEATRE in Aspendos ANCIENT city Serik/Antalya is still used to host events and concerts
Afra as Ece in Fazilet Hanım ve Kızları
Continued
We now continue in episode 6. In this episode after her potent scene of emotion discussed earlier with Mr Hazim, Ece goes through much harsh treatment in relation to perfume and the ring and therefore she is very sad in this episode and this leads her to run away from home. However her sweetness and kindness never fades and she remains unchanging in the face of defeat and constant bullying from others. As usual Afra brings passion, levity as well as raw emotion and deep gravity to her role during this episode.
During episode 7 she says tearfully and with such pain that she is " so tired of being in-between" whilst she explains to her sister that running away from home was her own choice. To put this in context Ece flees from home with her lover in order to leave the harsh treatment that she experienced in the mansion and her mother. It was clear that Ece was held in-between and that she, due to her placid kindness, tried to make both her sister and mother and lover happy and often became the middle ground in terms of conflict. Sadly whatever she did she fell in-between and she was often subjected to the scoldings of both her sibling, mother and others and therefore she was forced to run away.
Ece stands up for herself with a voice rich with unconcealed emotion. The deepest pain is reflected in Afra's voice. Like the fire that flickers, her sensitive tears are untamed and filled with quiet yet burning energy. Ece is a girl that's on her own path, she is homeless and searching for the warmth of home. Unlike Hazan who is able to rebel openly, Ece instead is too pure hearted to rebel and therefore her tears spill more vividly. Her tearful voice reflects her own loneliness. Is the angel in the form of home or does he remain in the flames that she watches ? Indeed the carpet is magical. In episode 6 she was hurt by Selin in the manion as well as her own mother and she fled. In all truth Ece is a girl that just needs to be loved and cared for at such a deeper level. Such a sensitive and real depiction of emotion has never been seen before in an actress. She ecompasses the scene with her dialogue alone and she becomes the heart of the story even if she is not the main protagonist.
As mentioned in volume one, Afra is a girl who is born to shine and dance on the great stage of Broadway and The Westend and this is clear from her theatrical screen presence and grand delivery. Her momentum and self confidence within her nature is clear when she takes on big dramatic scenes. She possesses the ability, in the scene where she makes a phone call to her sister, to show the most truthful most tender parts of sorrow and the deepest sensitivity of a little girls fragility through her voice alone. Again her delivery and her deeper nature is unparalleled and of a stellar nature in this scene and her exuberancy can be likened to the white glow of flames that watch over her.
The Beautiful Maturity of Ece
Ece proves she can have a fruitful healthy domestic life in the farmhouse, she does not need the material things and instead can be even more sustaining than Hazan who is colder to love and less social. The simple life suits Ece, for she is not conflict driven and she wishes to just be genuine and kind to those around her. She keeps order in the house whilst also becoming the heart of the kitchen. She is a good girl despite the chaos of her turbulent life with her sister and her mother. When she is found again in the forest she meets Yasif, who is the second eldest son (figure 20). Showing wisdom and courage she confronts, who in her mind would only be the "cold CEO" ,and tells him his plain character frankly. Her adventures lead her to kind places. In episode 8 little Ece finally comes home after running away and being found again (fig 22). The bond Ece shares with Fazilet is very endearing and quirky as well as warm and caring.
Afra is able to show the change of feelings Ece has when Hazan wins the beauty contest instead of her. Because there is such a mystery to Afra's silences in her scene and because she has such an opaque energy at times the audience is constantly wondering what will happen next when Ece is angry or feeling upset in a hostile way towards others. Of course this is also owing to her indomitable presence during the conflict scenes when she takes over the augments and becomes the most powerful voice .
Afra possesses both sweetness and power and therefore she becomes very mysterious when she is quiet. To be unpredictable is the most revered and effective quality of an actor and Afra has mastered this amiably with her silences and her deeper expressions that display such thoughtfulness and such a moral consciousness within her. Afra is playing a girl who has been “spoiled” with her mothers attention to her looks and physical appearance. It is only natural that because her mother inflated her ego by telling her “she will be the best out of all the rest”, when her mother removes her attention, Ece will feel lost, betrayed and even unloved as this is the primary form of compliment she received from her mother prior to Hazan winning the beauty contest. Afra is able to communicate the childlike immaturity and yearning for attention with conviction and realism. The untamed and raw sadness of a girls sensitive heart is displayed through powerful outbursts of expression during this episode.
In Episode 9, Ece is taken back to the mansion again. She has a scene with Hazim efandi, and during this scene she yet again displays deep conviction, wisdom and self respect with her eyes. There is such a vallour and sophistication to her expression and her beauty. During this speech it is ever more clearer that Ece is a girl of that possesses gallantry (figure 23). Saraçoğlu is so young hearted and yet her maturity is so striking within her expression. She porrays the vivid elements of Ece's heart and inner feelings with such grace and strength and this is evident from every scene she is in.
In episode 10. Ece shows a more intellectual side of herself and a more confident energy during her conversation with Yasif. She holds herself strong and steady in the worst arguments it is clear.
Figure 20. She becomes beholden to the forest rains and the lightning and thunder as she tries to escape from Yasif Engermen in Episode 7 she is then found again and returned to safety .
Figure 21. Episode 8: Afra's sweetness and mint green eyes never fail ro make the scene magical
Figure 22. Ece is reunited with her mother
Figure 22. The striking and raw morality of Saraçoğlu's expression is a rarity of the world
The Lady's Dream
With a yearning ferocity Ece's tears glisten as she cries for the loss of her house. This is a turning point for Fazilet and her daughters. And yet the old little home is part of both Hazan's and Ece's childhood, the sad part of growing up for both girls has begun. Afra can convey the sparkling hope of a dream within her eyes. There is such a bravery within her and such a form of deep determination seen from her most early roles. This determination is conveyed within her modelling and her perfect performance as Ece, the little girl, is no exception. The deep tenacity is within Ece, the lady's dream, something that cannot be put into words. The vibrancy of each tear, the wisdom of her each glance and the sweetness of each thought fills this series with such a power only because of her presence alone. The warmth she brings to the performance is so rare and charming and really one of a kind. It is evident from the first 12 episodes that Afra Saraçoğlu is about to dazzle Turkey and the profession of the arts with her sparkling eternal presence. This is no ordinary woman and she is has so much power and magic within her heart and this is evident every time she graces the screen in these early episodes of Fazilet Hanım ve Kızları.
With the delicacy of a buttercup and the eternal beauty of a white rose, the new chapter of Ece's world is portrayed by the enchanting and mysterious Afra Saraçoğlu.
FOOTBALL
In an interview Afra says she has a love for football and fenerbahçe fc. She mentions, this is because of her mother's love for football when she was growing up. Afra got used to watching football when she was little because her mother would passionately watch the Tv matches with great joy and emotion. Afra prefers to watch their matches at the stadium.
The world that we live is very flashy and full of galas and events but I like remaining simple, living my private life away from the flashy world. (an english translation of what she said in the interview)
Her name means White, clean soil. She liked the show Avrupa Yakası and would imitate the character Burhan Altıntop, This was the show she mainly watched when she was younger and from here she wished to become an actress.
Antalya
When she moved to Antalya the longing to play something, any character, was with her. She began to write scripts for characters and with her freinds she would write these scripts for superhero characters in Akçay as well. She set about modelling at age 13 in order to support her family and therefore she had to navigate the seemingly unrelenting sphere of beauty standards at this young age. She says her soul is old, because becoming the one who helped her family allowed her to become mature.
She likes Da Vinci as a her favourite historical figure. During her interview she comes across as very rational but with such poise and kindness. She speaks from a pragmatic stance. Her smile is sparkly and enspirited. She really is beautiful when she talks . Her favourite food is chips and hamburgers and she doesn't like to lie.
During this interview it is clear that she is full of life, and jubilant when she speaks, both care and perfection create such a nurturing quality within her and she sparkles with animation and such profundity of beauty within each laugh and smile. She is unfeigned and artless and it is notable that she does not act in ways just because of what people think of her. Despite her childlike sweetness , she brings with her the grace of a lady.
As a child she had the instinct to lead the way. She would sit in the front seat in the taxi and she would walk in front of her mother. this s a very beautiful thing and shows her love for her family. She also likes masculine fashion and this is perhaps why business style suits her personality so aptly. She also took piano lessons as well. Her interests included dance, hip-hip and breakdance, K - pop dance.
THE SAFETY OF AKÇAY TO ISTANBUL
In Akçay she spent her early childhood and then she went with her mother to Antalya, she studied in Eskişehir and now she lives in Istanbul . The waters are cold in Akçay and there is mineral water there. It is a safe environment. She studied comparative literature and was doing a language at high school and she liked the city of Eskişehir and this led her to apply to study the language German and study at the university. After seeing an Instagram post on his account notifying of a new project her mother messaged the director of the film Second Chance: Özcan Deniz, After seeing that he had started shooting for the film she was lucky to get through to him. They needed a girl with colourful eyes to play the daughter of Nurgül . She was then invited to Istanbul for audition. The company called two days later whilst she was in Eskişehir in order for her to meet with Mr Özcan and she was then confirmed for the role.
She said in the interview that she has always felt something like this would happen and her strong feelings about her becoming an actress proved truthful. At 17 years old this was a big responsibility for her to complete such a role without ever having experienced the profession before.
Flavours of Akçay and Scents of the Aegean
The BEAUTIFUL Coastal town on the north eastern shores of the Aegean
For more information about the Aegean region read here
There are shops for many things , and the pretty shore swirls with the scent of the Aegean , natural beauty, and little cafes. There is safety here and a quiet and serene friendly people . The sun is very mystical and big. The skies are magnificent and atmospheric. The friendships and the community are kind and welcoming and bring fruits to guests. The Hasan Boğuldu is a waterfall and the water is jewel toned and glistening . The place s greatly revered for its exceptionally pure and fresh air. The thermal springs , Kaz Mountains. There is a wealth of history and legends of Troy and Greek mythology that is preserved within its landscape and little mountain villages. The town is located at the foothills of the Kaz mountains and is known as the "water town" amongst the locals. The cold water springs and Artesian wells are special to the town. The golden age of Akçay was a time when the town experienced the urbanisation.
The mountain air is mind blowing. Mount Ida and the Kaz mountains are home to some special trees and plants that are used as raw medicine as well as the oxygen which is marvellously pure. The Kaz Mountains are known to home to the Greek Gods. The springs are mint scented near the Kraz mountains and peaks pierce the white clouds glinting in the Akçay sun . Along the beachfront there are many restaurants with a varied and rich cuisine. The architecture of the mosques are of course dazzling and add to the rich historical heritage of the town. The town is renowned as a Tourism paradise due to its deep historical association with legends and artifacts that date back thousands of years and more. The natural beauties here are also beyond compare and skies and coastline is clean and spectacular.
The Kraz Mountains
The treasure of architecture, historical ancient civilisations and legends has gathered here. The magical mythical tales that sparkle like gems beneath the surface of the blue rippling spring and swirl within the breeze of mountain Ida is bound enthrall and enchant. The sweet whispers of the pine trees make the air pure and the mountain breeze is filled with The immortal love of Hasan and Emine. The air is so pure it is akin to the alps. Kaz means goose in Turkish and there is a connection between the two names for the mountains the other name being Ida.
The BEAUTIFUL Coastal town on the north eastern shores of the Aegean
The cool water spring
The town
This is a picture of the Mosque Akçay Merkez Karabaş Camii. The Mosque, built in 1989, is located in the center of Akçay neighborhood. It consists of a single minaret and a domed structure. The main door is wooden and made using the kundekari technique. An elegant minaret stands out inside. The sermon lectern is also wooden and is notably of beautiful craftsmanship . Upon walking down the stairs you can go to many places in the market to drink tea. The Mosque is also close to the glittering promenade where one can stroll happily through the magical Aegean sea salt breeze. The sweet smell from the café's that serve the best Turkish cuisine is also here. Most amazingly there is a lovely little restaurant called Fazilet Hanim Manti Evi. In true Fazilet style the food is properly home cooked and delicious. The vibrancy of the market centre is very pretty. Through the center of the market opposite the Mosque there is a grocery store called Kazdağı Çiftlik which sells natural food. The customers that have been shopping there for many years recommend the cold pressed olive oils. There is also a pastry shop called Ata Furun Cafe that sells fresh dry cakes and rare desserts and this will be explored in volume 3.
The sun setting in a golden pink market and the view of the beautiful and majestic Akçay Merkez Karabaş Camii. A secret treasure of edremit is indeed this little town.
an Akçay road
Fazilet Hanim Manti Evi
The menu includes stuffed zucchini , manti, dried meatballs, meatballs and delicious olive oil dishes, karnıyarık, stuffed vine leaves with olive oil and lentil soup. The stuffed squash blossoms are notably very beautiful. There is also ravioli, stuffed cabbage, and stuffed zucchini flowers. Also the food is completely made with olive oil and is very delicious. The location is conveniently located in the city centre. Rice wraps are also served as well as stuffed vine leaves, green beans, spinach boran and artichoke. The shop changed positions once and moved 100 meters. people who talk about the place cay it is like eating at there mothers house because the food is home cooked and the atmosphere is warm and kind. The portions are large and beautiful.
Read more about the restaurant Fazilet Hanim Manti Evi in volume 3
Kazdağı Çiftlik shop
Olives, olive oil, breakfast sauce, hot pepper jam. tahini, 8 thieves vinegar and pomegranate syrup are all delicious local products sold in the grocery store. The customers favour the mixed village breakfast and Mediterranean toast. These breakfast dishes are liked because they are also fresh.
Akçay Sahil
Afra mentions that this place is very safe and a "place of her own" and indeed this little town is very homely and cosy with richness of life on the shores of the dear Aegean. How lovely ode it is for a restaurant called Fazilet Hanim Manti Evi to be named after her drama. such a sweet hometown with warm hearts and eternal memories enriches the foothills of the Kaz mountains and glitters upon the dreamlike shores of the dear Aegean sea
the legends of the mout kaz
The villages that are nestled below the mountain are filled with myths and ancient secrets
the following passefes are cited directly from https://www.dailysabah.com/life/travel/mount-ida-turkiyes-alps-mount-of-anatolian-legends-greek-myths
Let's start with an Anatolian legend that gave its name to one of the southernmost peaks of the mountain, which have endless myths and legends. (the next volume will include the next legend)
Legend of Sarıkız
Once upon a time, a blonde girl, who was widely known as Sarıkız, and her father used to live in a village known as Kavurmacılar. The father and daughter had moved to this village from Çanakkale's Ayvacık after her mother passed away.
In this village, they were living happily. Sarıkız was so beautiful, so charming that everyone in the village admired her. Sarıkız's father went on a pilgrimage one day. Upon his departure, he entrusted his daughter to his neighbor. Of course, it took a long time to go on a pilgrimage back then. During this time, the young men of the village, who took advantage of her father's departure, all sought Sarıkız's hand. However, none of them won her heart, so she turned them all away.
When her father returned from the pilgrimage, no one in the village looked at her father's face. Her father asked his neighbor after noticing such peculiar behavior from others. His neighbor informed him that the whole village has been talking about Sarıkız and said that she had gone astray. The neighbor told her father that he had to kill his daughter because of the rumors about her and that he could only maintain his honor in this way. However, her father refused to commit such a deed, and instead, left his daughter with a few geese on the summit of Mount Ida.
Time flew and years later her father heard rumors that Sarıkız was still alive. The old man set out for the mountain. When he reaches the top, what should he see: His daughter was there. Sarıkız and her father embrace and catch up on the years. Then Sarıkız's father said that he would do ablution and asked his daughter for water. Somehow, Sarıkız reached out her hand from where they were at the summit to the valleys down below and brought water to her father. He was stunned. How can this be, how can his daughter reach down to the valley from such a height?
At that moment, the father understood his daughter was no longer a simple human and that she had attained sainthood. He realized all the villagers had lied, and they had slandered his daughter. As soon as the secret unfolded, Sarıkız suddenly disappeared. Her father wandered to and fro on the summit of Mount Ida with a heavy heart. Finally, he died on a hill of the mountain. The locals made a grave for Sarıkız and her father. The hill where Sarıkız's grave is located is known as Sarıkız Hill today, and her father's grave is right next to her, on a hill that is now called Baba (Father) Hill.
Today, every year in August, local people and visitors from all around visit these hills to commemorate Sarıkız and her father. In the festivals, called "Sarıkız Türkmen Festivals," sacrifices are made at the summit, offerings are made and prayers are offered in hope of a good year.