The Turkey Diaries: Kanal Boyu

February 1, 2013

On Jeremy's first free day in Turkey, when he wasn't teaching, we took a trip to the city center of Malatya to explore the downtown area and find some trinkets to bring home to my close friends. Since Malatya doesn't really get many tourists, and since I stick out like a sore thumb, so many of the shop owners kept inviting me and Jeremy to sit down and sip a few cup of teas. I'm not one to say no to free things, or free food especially, so I happily sat and chatted with some of the friendliest Turkish men I've ever had the pleasure of coming across. And of course the first question they all asked was where I originated from. Of course.

My favorite part of Malatya was definitely Kanal Boyu, which is the street pictured in all of these photos. It's a famous road that's split down the middle by a canal, which eventually leads to a man-made waterfall, that is lined by small shops and cafés. It's such a beautiful sight to see and the street is always populated by pedestrians taking leisurely walks and crossing over the numerous foot bridges that span the length of the canal.

Target Gray Cardigan
H&M Plaid Shirt (similar), Raspberry Jeans (similar)
Ruffle Loafers c/o Pink & Pepper

Jeremy and I stopped by one of the cafés that specialized in Baklava, which I pretty much craved every single minute I spent in Turkey. Despite the fact that there were so many different flavors to try, I couldn't help but stick to my absolute favorite - the classic pistachio baklava. Both of us decided to warm up with a cup of sahlep as well which is a thick milky beverage that contains flour ground from the roots of Anatolian mountain orchids. Jeremy best explained it as being a "marshmellow-y" drink. So warming and delicious. If you guys ever have the chance to try it, I definitely recommend it. Now to find a restaurant that serves it in NYC...