The idea of traveling to the Black Sea was more appealing as someone who was overwhelmed by the Izmir heat on hot August days when everyone was flocking to the south.. I was thinking that what we call a holiday should be something that will not overwhelm us, relax and make us experience different beauties.
It is not easy to get up and mix with the even more humid air of Antalya when it is burning at 40 degrees in İzmir. It wouldn’t be wise.
DUZCE
After I’ve done a personal job in Istanbul Then I passed Kocaeli and Adapazarı and entered the borders of Düzce province.. Duzce, which has 7 more districts apart from the central district, is more crowded than Bolu, where it was a district before, with a population of approximately 350 thousand.
When the units affiliated to Bolu İzzet Baysal University were separated by taking the name of Düzce University in 2006, an increase occurred in the number of students coming to the city.
A typical conservative city view The municipality in Düzce is from AKP.
The city, which became a province after the earthquake and is the only province in the west to receive incentives with the incentive law, attracts the attention of investors.. Since it is located at equal distances to Istanbul and Ankara and at the crossing point of both provinces, the industry that once started from Tekirdağ and extended to Gebze in the Marmara Region has now passed through Adapazarı and reached Düzce.
A highly developed city in road freight transport. It hosts important companies in truck transportation.
KAYNAŞLI
A quiet and beautiful settlement on the Düzce-Bolu highway in Kaynaşlı district.
Because my friend from school is from Kaynaşlı, Kaynaşlı is the first district I enter the city center in the Western Black Sea Region.. While it is stated by everyone that there was no surviving structure in the district in the earthquake; The district was almost reborn after the earthquake.
Efdal Altundal is the mayor of the district from AKP. Almost everyone knows each other in the district, which has a population of around 21 thousand including its villages.
I entered a coffee house in the district center because I could not reach my schoolmate because his phone was switched off.. When I say your last name in the coffee shop, they say “take the first left after the pole, second house from the left”.. It’s a bit interesting because we don’t know the names of our neighbors in Izmir.
MOMENT OF ENCOUNTER
After finding the house of the bards on the recipe; I pull up the car and knock on the door. I will disturb who is there by pressing all the bells of the two-storey house.. I came from afar, that’s all. I go inside and slowly go up as the door machine is pressed. She is a woman of my mother’s age.
“Hello, I am looking for my aunt Ozan Altundal, I am her classmate.”
“Welcome, come in, please!”
After the speech, I invite my family, who is waiting outside, to come in.. Such a warm and sincere welcome inevitably impresses one.. Today, we know that it is difficult to treat someone we see like this for the first time…
I learn that Ozan is in the highland, that is, in the village.. In the meantime, Ozan’s father, Adem Brother, is making breakfast ready, we are just road tired.. Such hospitality affects us. Mom and Dad are surprised. Hop on cars after breakfast. Straight to Tavak village…
KAYNASLI/TAVAK VILLAGE
I saw countless villages in the Aegean Region. I thought I was someone who knew about village life.. I came to a Black Sea Village for the first time. Don’t tell me if that place counts as the Black Sea.. Greener than Samsun, cooler than Samsun, more Black Sea than Samsun! and i was happy. Nearly the whole village is related and they come together with such interesting activities, you would be surprised.
There is a general audience going abroad to work.. In the summer, they return to their villages on their leave.
After giving my friend a little surprise, we started to tour the village in general.. Every place with a nature that keeps the Black Sea alive, from typical Black Sea houses to hazelnut orchards.
Corn fields in places and green as much as possible.. The weather is as cool as possible despite August.
We coincide with a village wedding.. Getting a bride from the house is the scene of a tough struggle. The villagers who block the groom’s way are persuaded by a hard bargain and let the groom take the bride.. While the bride leaves the house with prayers; Religious conversations are attended in the village mosque.
Then, the convoy of more than 50 vehicles is stopped on narrow village roads by those who want to get money.. According to the customs, the money left in the envelope is given to those who cross the road in exchange for opening the road.
The weapons that represent everyone’s power are removed from the waist while sending the bride off.. The magazine is emptied and shows of joy are presented. While even 90-year-old grandmothers aim at the air without fear, Black Sea people show that they protect themselves due to geography.. For the first time in my life, maybe for the last time, I am meeting with a gun.. I’m pulling the trigger like I’m tearing my ears off. An interesting experience.
After entering the hazelnut orchards, my friend’s father said that you can collect as much as you want, and my search for hazelnuts started.. I couldn’t distinguish the hazelnut because I saw a hazelnut tree among the greens for the first time.. After saying where are the hazelnuts in a confused way, I finally discovered the hazelnut. The pleasure of plucking a hazelnut from its branch is also different.
It’s past noon.. The heat has started to show its effect. We’re going to the sea to cool off a bit.. Route Akçakoca.
AKCAKOCA
It would be nice not to see Akçakoca, whose photos I saw years ago and was very impressed by, after I came to Düzce.. The municipality passed from the DYP to the AKP here as well.. We swim in the famous Kale Beach. Sea littered with algae and dead jellyfish. Doesn’t taste sweet. You can’t understand that you are in the sea because there is no salt. When the pollution of the sea is added to it, we stay for half an hour and come back.. On the way, the mosque with interesting architecture attracts our attention.. Akçakoca, where holidaymakers flock to, is more beautiful than swimming.
SAMANDERE WATERFALL
Samandere Waterfall and Natural Nature Park, located within the borders of Kaynaşlı district, fascinate you with its magnificent view and cool water.. The local people, who provide the passage over the river with the suspension wooden bridges on the side of the highway leading to the waterfall, have prepared everything that will make their life easier.. I meet the fruit named Taflan. It is good for diabetes. There are blackberries everywhere. Trout are pouring in from the cold water coming from the mountain.
We are going to the Selale Restaurant a little above Samandere Waterfall.. There are live trout in the pond. They make fresh barbecue and serve it right away.. For those who don’t like fish like me, there are options such as meatballs and chicken.. After everyone eats my trout and I eat my meatballs, we get back to our cars and return to Tavak Village with the falling air temperature.
AMAZING VIEW
When we enter the village borders, we realize that a great fire has been lit in the vast meadows next to the mosque.. Corn scattered around the fire. Corn Party!
This is how organizations are held at harvest time, people of the village come together. Unity at the highest level. We also benefit from roasted corn. There is also a tea service for those who are cold.. They don’t forget to bring me something thick right away trying to walk around in shorts.
It’s such a beautiful sight that the whole village is chatting around the fire and eating roasted corn.. After the increase in tiredness, we return to Kaynaşlı district center to the house of my friend Ozans.. Our attentive hosts have prepared our beds…
LOCAL ELECTION NOTE
10 out of 11 municipalities in Düzce are from AKP and one is from Democrat Party.
No one supports AKP can’t seem to stop. So much so that in Akçakoca, which seems to be the most stopable district, AKP received 3.349 of the 10,434 votes, while DSP received 28, MHP 50, DP 1 votes.. CHP remained at 2,297.
In Kaynaşlı, 4,154 votes were won, 2,454 by AKP and 60 by CHP.. SHP was able to get 687 votes depending on the candidate in this district.. The name of the MHP is not even readable.
The central district of Düzce, on the other hand, received 101,741 of the 172,803 votes from the AKP, which corresponds to almost 60%.
Duzce province and its districts are likely to be AKP members in the next election.. Depending on the island, maybe one or two municipalities may go to the DP, but Düzce is a strong AKP stronghold.
As everybody in the districts knows each other, mayors are also among the people.. According to the general mentality, I don’t see a party that can get ahead of the AKP.
I haven’t heard anything negative about the AKP actually.. Here, AKP does not represent an ideology, but a party whose relatives are candidates.. It also seems like an opportunity for service and money to come to these places.
The next stop is Abant, Bolu.