Kars, Turkey

Sometimes it’s worth to travel all those miles, to reach a beauty. Even a glance takes all the fatigue away. But there are times, while focusing on farther destinations, closer beauties are unseen to the eye. It reminds me of The Alchemist, who travels all the world to find the meaning of life, whereas he ends up where he started and finds out it has long been at his starting point.

Covered with a white piece of cloth, Kars was just like that. A beauty closeby that has long been waiting to be discovered. The Russian years reflect at every stone -that makes it much more different than any other eastern Turkish city. It has a soul. It has harmony. When I just embarked on Kars, I felt I was elsewhere. During my days, I truly was in a Russian fairy tale.

And when I stepped out of the city to see the Ani Ruins, I traveled back in time. It’s an ancient city where time stands still. And I was in one of the churches, sitting by the window, thinking of all the former civilizations that passed through this land. All the prayers that was said in different languages, at different times yet under the same dome. I was unaware that Sara was taking my photograph. When I stood up, I heard her saying “Go back to where you were.”

And while gliding in the horse sledge on the icy Cildir Lake, I was looking at the Sun hid behind the fog. And all I thought was how lucky we all are. And how late it was to discover this beautiful land. And how Sara was right: I was, eventually going back to where I was… (Serhat Şengül, Editor)