Matri - Calm before the Storm

Y porque no solamente se vino aquí pa'l matri, hacemos también un poquitín de turismo :)

Pero la empezamos bien, mejor de lo que se podía haber pensado. Un desayuno de padre y señor mio en casa de la seño que nos acojió: tomates, aceitunas, pan, chai, chai, chai y más chai. Genial. Luego hacia el mirador, a disfrutar la vista de la ciudad. Una vista privilegiada para los lugareños y una vista de regalo para nosotros. La ciudad, sus fábricas al lado, las puntas de las minarets dejando al mundo saber donde están. Bella. Y de ahí al centro de Eskisehir. Un centro pequeño en una ciudad universitaria, pequeño pero lindo. Sus calles peatonales, su pequeño boulevard juerguero, sus bares con recutecus y por sobretodo sus precios!! Luego de Estambul, que refrescante ver que en Turquía la vida si es barata.
Se empieza con una caminadita, un paseito por entre bazares de antaño y luego su empachada de regla.

Luego un paseito por el parque de niños, al fín y al cabo somos niños nosotros también. Los juguetes un poco distintos (un mini cooper y cuatro botellas de cerveza al lado) pero niños igual.

Se corre por entre los honguitos, se cuelga de los perros gigantes, se trata de escalar el castillo, se imagina uno de arquero asediando al castillo, se tira piedritas al lago... y luego un tecito en la cafeteria aledaña... Una mañana tranqui

Y de ahí a trabajar se ha dicho. Los matris no son gratis: hay que ponerse bonito, ¡aún si eso implique planchar las camisas! Por lo menos disfrutamos viendo el sufrimiento de un virgen al planchado y de mucho más chai del que podríamos acabar ;)

Matri - The Beginnings

Y si, ese soy yo, el que caminaba con su chullo, sin saber en verdad lo que se esperaba venir....
My second time around in Istanbul.
Upon leaving I knew I was coming back; I couldn't tell you why. I simply knew I hadn´t seen enough, there was still so much more to see. A few days after arriving in Istanbul, an invitation to see that more presents itself: "There is a wedding in Eskisehir, want to come?" The question, almost redundant.



Finally, a bit over two months later, the wait is over and we start heading toward Eskisehir. 4 men, one car and many interesting ideas on how to spend this weekend. But it goes without saying: I fall asleep on the way there. Típico.

It´s already dark by the time we roll into town. Some quick maneuvers, some questions asked, a phone call is made, the noise of a car making toward us, a man that comes out of it, a greeting, a response, some gestures to get back in the car, he departs, we follow, he stops, so do we, he goes into a reception hall, I hesitate. I need a minute, the moment is here and I want to savour it. I should take it slow and sip on the moment, but it's late and the rush is big: the fear the music will soon finish is overwhelming....

Hard to explain the rest of events as they seem to get all mixed in now. I do remember running for chai and a lady saying something to me and tying a white cloth to my arm "so they know you are single" I refrained from asking who "they" were but a smile shows me that "they" also have something tied to their arms ;)

There is no one Turkish marriage tradition since there are so many different ethnic groups in this beautiful country. This time around it is Turkish-Crimeans we meet, and they have their special ways: the live band comes into the shape of an accordeon and a piece of wood to be beaten to the rhythm and the live show comes as a dance without shoes. Not comfortable enough to take my shoes off and too tone-deaf to join the percussion, I remain in my comfortable spot of side-observer/ sometimes-dancer/ photo-taker/ plenty-of-chai-drinker.

As I see it, there will be plenty of chances to be more daring ;)

The night dwindles and the place starts closing. Time to head back to the house, make some more raucous, drink some more tea, play some more music, sing a few verses, dance a bit, drink one beer, and then go wake up the groom who had a few hours before decided he needed to sleep before his wedding night and left the party ;) "It's an Eskisehir thing" they tell me.


Pero me recordaré la copla esa de: ya se casa mi hermana, ya se casa mi hermana, ¿cuándo diablos me tocará a mi?! ......