Part 2: Last Days in Ankara

My last day in Ankara was really beautiful. I'm going back to Istanbul today, but the good memories I had yesterday remained in my mind. This short Ankara trip was very good for me. I rested and remembered my old memories again.

When I woke up yesterday morning, the weather was actually very nice. The sky was deep blue and there were white clouds. It is already possible to see this in the photos. Ankara sometimes shows a very beautiful face to people. But as the day progressed, the classic Ankara atmosphere came back. The clouds multiplied and the city started to look gray again. They sometimes say "gray city" for Ankara anyway. Indeed, it often has such an atmosphere. But frankly, this weather also suits Ankara.

Yesterday, I first went to Hacı Bayram Veli Tomb and Mosque. This is one of the most important spiritual places of Ankara. I've been there before, but it makes me feel different every time I develop. The atmosphere there is really peaceful. Even if there is a crowd of people, it still feels calm.

I spent some time there. I watched people. There were people praying. There were families. There were children. Birds caught my attention the most. There were pigeons all over the square. People were feeding them. Walking among the birds reminded me a lot of Umrah. I especially thought about the birds I saw in Medina. It was so nice to experience that feeling again. For a moment I felt like I was really there.

I also distributed bites there. It is a very common tradition to distribute bites in such places in Turkey. People are offered a small dessert. I think it's a beautiful and meaningful tradition. The donuts were also very nice. It was fresh and warm.

Then I drank Ottoman sherbet. At first, I liked it even when I only saw the color. There was pomegranate flower, cinnamon and hot water in it. They said something else, but I don't remember exactly right now. I really liked the taste. It was a hot, sweet and spicy drink. It feels different, especially when you drink it in a historical place like this.

It is possible to see the old and new sides of Ankara at the same time while walking around Hacı Bayram. There are historical buildings on one side and modern city life on the other. This mixture gives Ankara a different character. The girl working at the place where I drank sherbet was selling bracelets too, and she showed me this one. I liked it and bought it from her 😊

I spent a long time there. Sometimes I just sat and watched people. Sometimes I looked at the birds. Sometimes I watched the sky. Moments like this are very good for me. One slows down a little and his head rests.

As the evening approached, the weather changed completely. The clouds multiplied and the sky started to darken. That classic gray atmosphere of Ankara is back. But still, the city looked very beautiful. Especially in cloudy weather, Ankara has a different atmosphere.

After leaving Hacı Bayram, I saw the statue of Atatürk on the road. Ankara is already a city famous for its statues. Especially the statues of Atatürk are too much. Atatürk is a very important figure for Turkey. People have great respect for him because he is the founder of the Republic of Turkey. You feel this much more in Ankara because the traces of Atatürk are seen everywhere in the city because it is the capital.

Then I went to Maidan to meet my friend. When I lived in Ankara, it was still under construction. I saw the finished version for the first time. It's really beautiful. There were restaurants, cafes and different venues in it. It has become a modern and lively place.

There was also a very sweet statue there. She looked colorful and cute. It created a very beautiful image with the rainy weather. I took a photo right away because I liked it very much.

We had a great time with my friend. We ate first. We had a long conversation. Then we went to a cafe and had coffee. Sometimes sitting and chatting with old friends is really good. There is a lot to talk about, especially if you haven't seen each other for a long time.

We talked about the old days. We talked about our memories in Ankara. Then the subject came to Umrah. My friend also went to Umrah two years ago. That's why we talked about it for a long time. It was a spiritually good speech. Sometimes people feel like they are reliving when they tell some memories.

While the rain continued lightly, the image outside was also very beautiful. When wet roads, cloudy sky and lights combined, the city looked cinematic. Ankara can sometimes really look like a movie scene.

Thus, I also closed my Ankara book. Three days were short, but it was very good for me. I saw my old friends, visited beautiful places, drank coffee, chatted, felt spiritually peaceful and rested a little.

I'm going back to Istanbul today. Istanbul is a very different city. More crowded, more active and more tiring. But people still miss it. Now I will return to Istanbul again and continue my daily life.

Maybe I'll make my next post from Istanbul. But this short journey of Ankara has really remained very special and beautiful for me. Sometimes even short trips feel like a long break. Ankara made me feel exactly that.