The Turkey Diaries: City Center (Malatya)

The Turkey Diaries: City Center (Malatya)

• February 18, 2013

I know. It's been forever since I last posted about Turkey but fear not - there's still much more to tell! In my last post focusing on the city center of Malatya, I didn't go into much detail about the marketplaces, which Jeremy and I explored while the sun was still out and about. There were so many different markets in the area from copper to produce to rugs to shoes to apricots - they were never-ending. My favorite market was the copper market where I picked up a small coffee pot and coffee cup to take back to the states. 

Some of the favorite people I met were the shoe cobblers who all had tiny little stands along one of the side streets. They kept encouraging us to come over and take pictures! Like all other Turks, they asked me where I originated from; however, the one difference is that they guessed it right on the first try. It was one of those 1 in 100 moments. It turns out that the machinery they use to mend their shoes were made in Taiwan, hence why they guessed Taiwan before all the other Asian countries. Who knew? 

For dinner that evening, Jeremy brought me to Beşkonaklar Malatya Mutfağı, which was just indescribable. The restaurant is located within an authentic, restored, Ottoman house from old Malatya. Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of the outside of the building or the artwork featured on the walls, but just trust me when I say it's beautiful. The food itself was also incredible and I couldn't get enough of their mini-grape leaves! If you guys ever find yourself wandering around eastern Turkey, I would definitely recommend this place. If only I could transport back and grab some dinner there tonight. Oh teleportation, please come into existence sometime soon!