“Wouldn’t it be dreadful to live in a country where they didn’t have tea?”
― Noël Coward
The trees were on fire.
Encircling the shores of Lake Iznik in northwest Turkey was an array of plane trees in their full autumnal blaze – pointed leaves turned a thousand shades of ochre and orange, russet and red. And at a little wooden table, by a little lakeside çay shop, I sat sipping tea and sketching the scene.
It was my first day off on the Evliya Çelebi Way – considering I’d only been walking for four days, was I due a day of rest already? Probably not, but nevertheless, when I arrived in Iznik on a Saturday night, a town founded in 315 BC and once known as Nicaea, I knew I couldn’t just keep walking right away.
Like the tea I would sip on Sunday afternoon, I needed to let my soul steep for a while in such a serious amount of history.
As I’ve written about here before, my most recent pilgrimage through Anatolia was one great challenge after another to keep moving ahead – despite getting lost countless times, the trail taught me to look inside myself for the momentum to keep going. Who knew we had the power to propel ourselves forward?
But Iznik held a different lesson for me.
When I got back online for the first time in four days, I felt almost defeated, overwhelmed by this sinking feeling of not only being behind on things, but being out of it entirely. The world had kept going without me (as it has this funny way of doing). There were emails that needed replying to, projects that needed working on, checklists that needed checking off. Did I really need to be walking across Turkey right now?
That Sunday afternoon in Iznik, I got my answer: Yes.
That sometimes, it’s okay to step outside our harried 21st-century existence and go our own way.
It’s okay to sit on the shores of a 2,000-year-old lake and soak up the golden light from one of the most beautiful sunsets you’ve ever witnessed.
It’s okay to order a cup of tea – and then another.
It’s okay to take a break from moving.
It’s okay to rest.
I suppose that’s what led me to make my sketch of Lake Iznik the next sketch of the month – so that as we kick off 2014 and prepare for the new year, as we set our intentions and fill our planners, we might also remember to leave space in our schedules to wander, to walk for the pure sake of walking, to linger over a second cup of tea.
And that we wouldn’t ever doubt ourselves for doing so.
Love the sketches, love your blog posts.
Walk on 🙂
Thanks so much, Rachel! That means a lot 🙂
Amazing how often we need reminding that it’s ok to rest. Even the Bible tells us to do so! 😉 If you didn’t rest, how would you really see the world around you? Lovely.
Way to bust out the Sabbath, Carmel 🙂 Do you know that in my journal for this particular day, I actually wrote at the end: “It just occurred to me that today is Sunday, and my day of rest not so ill-advised.” It’s amazing how often I still forget to take the time to rest, though. I hope you and Shawn are feeling rested and ready to explore Vietnam – I can’t wait to hear what you think!
One of the joys of traveling is getting to visit places with amazing and ancient histories. The stories those plane trees, in all their fiery glory, could tell!! It is definitely worth it to take the time for that cup of tea, to listen, and just ‘be’…
Yes! I would so love to hear their stories as well, Gayla. And there really was something about Turkey’s ancient history that moved me tremendously – there were a few parts of the Evliya Celebi Way that followed old Roman roads, and it blew my mind to think that I was following a path that had been walked by people for 2,000 years. I hope this year holds many moments for us both where we can take the time to drink tea and just listen 🙂 Happy 2014!
Will you be walking the entire route? Do you use a backpack or suitcase w wheels? Do you see older people doing this trek? Can this route be done w suitcase wheels? How exciting and beautiful!! Please tell more about the practical of this walk you are taking!
Hello, Nur! Thanks so much for asking about the Evliya Celebi Way 🙂 I think what you might be looking for is this guide I put together, full of practical advice for walking the trail: http://www.candaceroserardon.com/2013/12/evliya-celebi-way-guide/ As you might see in the guide, I actually didn’t come across anyone else doing the trek, either young or older. The trail is quite new, and I also think I was doing it a little late in the season. In terms of how to carry your clothes and gear, I definitely recommend doing it with a backpack. While there are some parts where you’re walking on asphalt, there are many other parts where you’re walking on dirt trails or unpaved roads, so I would think it’d be a little difficult to do with a suitcase. I hope you’ll take a look at the guide, and please let me know if I can help answer any other questions you have! I can’t recommend the trail enough – it was a fantastic experience.
What a good reminder as we start this new year! There is something about January that keeps me going full-steam ahead, only leaving me feeling burnt-out before it even ends! Happy New Year, Candace! I wish you only the very best for 2014 🙂 xoxo.
I’m so glad the post resonated with you, Pauline! And I know what you mean – it’s really about finding balance, isn’t it? Staying energized about the year ahead but also taking the time to rest and renew that energy. I’m wishing you a wonderful 2014! Can’t wait to see where it leads you 🙂 xoxo
I think the hardest thing for travelers such as ourselves is learning when we need to be still and understanding that we do need time to rest so that we can think and replenish our reserves and engage in a different time of growth. For the past few months I’ve really needed to be stationary, to focus on something other than moving from place to place, but I was so stuck in the habit of travel that I was scared of what might happen when I slowed down. As I wrote in my most recent post, what I found was that in order to burst into bloom, we first have to take root.
Steph, I adore that last sentence you wrote! It’s absolutely beautiful, and so perfect. I loved your latest post about deciding to settle down into Saigon for a few months, and I couldn’t be happier for you and Tony! (And maybe just a little jealous 😉 In all seriousness, though, it reminds me of my decision to stay in Goa for six weeks last year – and the stillness those weeks brought was so welcome! Here’s to a year of learning to stay still even as we keep moving 🙂
I think your sketch totally captures Turkish life…a glass of cay…gorgeous! Also, isn’t Iznik the cutest town. I used to live very close to there, and the lake is gorgeous!
Thanks so much for saying hello, Corinne! Iznik was indeed lovely – what a beautiful place you were able to call home 🙂 How long were you based near there? I loved the one sunset I got to witness on the lake, and can only imagine having that be part of my daily routine!