Romancing The Stone

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The question arose the other day when talking with a friend about opportunities and setting aside a fair amount of time to play and enjoy the people around us.

How would you finish it: ''Life's too short to ......................''


Today there are so many people, so many things, so many emotions, and the more there is, the less I want. The more man flies to the moon, the more I want to look at a tree -or even an old house-. The more I live in the city, the more I search for a piece of green or blue.

So I wait all year for summer:) It's so good to step outside of my life. This summer goes down as one to remember for me. Because Ayvalik always surprises me with unexpected views, flamboyantly colourful houses, and doorways that stood the ages of use. As I love the vintage look, so I was forced to document it now:)

Although most of the buildings in and around the town share some distinct architectural properties, I see that the Roman and Hellenistic buildings bearing the stamp of neoclassical style have not lost their values as time goes by. Some of my snapshots that emphasize various aspects of inside Ayvalik, and those colourful houses I fell in love:




The town of Ayvalik has extensively used Gunda stone, a yellow glass-rich tuff, and particularly Sarmisak tasi (English: Garlic Stone), which is equivalent to the Lesvos (Turkish: Midilli) 'Pink Ignimbrite'. What makes Ayvalik buildings special is this stone, 'Sarmisak tasi' and its perfect harmony with the wood! Ayvalik still has an active ignimbrite stone quarrying and sculpting industry. So the town is nicely decorated with public fountains, statues and many internal decoration objects which are made by local artists using pink-reddish sarmisak tasi (below):


Here's one of many examples of elaborate carvings, on a balcony support, used Sarmisak tasi:


A stroll through the narrow roads of the town is so fascinating insight into some fine Greek and Ottoman architecture with good examples of the volcanic sarmisak tasi, and a myriad of fascinating wrought iron windows railings, interesting wooden windows and knockers (below). Oh I love details, where the beauty is hidden:



The town continues to charm me with fine examples of old renovated doors:




Windows adorned with colourful curtains, rows of oil olive bottles on kitchen ledges, and many unique knockers fastened to brightly coloured doors... It's obvious that many designs and figures engraved into the stonehouses showing evidence of the town's mosaic of cultures!

With a population of ~59,000 people for today, Ayvalik is one of the rising stars of Turkish tourism, and should be a high-ranked town for its unique historic and cultural texture within a few years, not only popular with life resort during the summer.

So, what do you think about my question above?

Just think about it in the context of your own life. It could relate to anything or everything, does not have to be what I was talking about above.

My response to this is ''Life's too short to keep the doors close.'' Open doors to opportunities, and enter an exciting world of learning.

Complete and share your thoughts. I'd love to hear...