Foça, a tailored fit for the calm life


The daily tempo of cities moves very fast. Most times, we can’t keep up with life’s rhythm and we lose our spiritual and physical well being in this endless rush.




In situations like this, find a break from the fast pace and give yourself a chance to rest in a small seashore town. One of the places you can spend your valuable time is through quiet living in Foça, Izmir.

The coastal town of Foça is an important place along the Aegean coast and has managed to preserve its historical origins in part because it was declared a specially protected environmental area. There are two important parts of the town: one named Eski Foça (Old Foça), the protected area, and Yeni Foça (New Foça). After a short scenic trip from Izmir, just over 70 kilometers, you will notice the silhouettes of Foça. Its striking entrance with a birds-eye-view of the city is the first of its charms. The old windmills that dot its hills bring you back to a simpler past.

Deep silence reigns before the start of the tourism season in the coastal resorts around the two small bays known as Küçükdeniz (small sea) and Büyükdeniz (big sea). The curved coast amazes you with its pristine stretches. The large number of people spending their retirement in Foça is also noteworthy.

Fishing, tourism and olive farming are the main means of livelihood for local residents. The bay is filled with fishing boats. Fishermen coming and going is a common sight, and their appearance is awaited eagerly by local cats and pelicans longing for a bite. In addition to professional fishermen are many amateurs who try their luck along the coast. While one may happily fill his basket with gray mullet, the other one sees only pieces of fabric on his hook. The humor of the situation isn’t lost on the cheerful residents of Foça.

Menderes Gün, a longtime fisherman, tells us about the various fish in the region. Barbun (Mullus barbatus) is a very common fish in Foça, he says, and one of the specialties of local restaurants.

You can find something from every period of history in Foça. Originally known as Phocaea, Foça was established by the Aioli in the 11th century B.C. Phocaea was renowned for its skillful sailors and traders. Ancient ships with up to 50 rowers at a side and 500 passengers established a trade bridge between Egyptian and Ionian cities. At the entrance of the old port of Marseille today is a sign that reads ‘’The city you live in was established by Phocaea in the year 600 B.C.’’ That’s why the citizens of Marseille made a gesture by establishing a French holiday camp in Foça. In the sixth century B.C. the Persian army surrounded Phocaea and managed to capture the city despite its towering walls. Alexander the Great was the one who later ended the Persian rule. Following Alexander the Great’s death, it was conquered first by the Seleucids then the Bergama Kingdom, later the Romans and Genoese, and finally the Byzantines and Ottomans. As Foça was the stage for many ancient cultures, you feel like a time traveler while touring the city. The small bridge at Küçük Deniz bay and the Athena Temple just next to it are just two of the historical monuments in the city. A little bit further awaits an Ottoman fortress in all its glory.

The old stone houses that run along the seashore still resist the ravages of time. Most of these houses were left by Greeks who left during the population exchange between Greece and Turkey. “Welcome” signs in Greek are still visible on the grandiose doors of such houses, the restoration of which offers of hope that the houses will be standing for centuries to come.

We meet a local woman named Fatma who is out collecting the fennel. She tells us the herb is peculiar to the area and that inhabitants use it in the preparation of various meals and herbal treatments. The smell of the pungent herb is similar to anise, the herb used in the preparation of “rakı,” Turkey’s famous alcoholic beverage. Fatma also tells us of the area’s specialty dishes such as stuffed bread during Ramadan and a local meal called kalbura basma, both of which are available at the Teachers’ House, arguably the city’s best restaurant.

You can’t pass through Foça and not notice the people playing games in the coffeehouses filled with retirees. Cobbler (shoemaker) Rüştü Merül, whose shop is next to the coffeehouse downtown, also owns a olive oil shop on 79th Street furnished with oil he presses from the olive trees in his backyard.


Many neighboring islands are reachable by boat from Foça, and tours abound during the summer. The Mermaid Rocks (Siren Kayalıkları) are home to the endangered Mediterranean monk seals. Marble Island (Incir Adası) is another place you can visit, just a 15-minute boat ride from Foça. The island across the English Nose (İngiliz Burnu) carries traces of ancient cultures, such as tombs, altars engraved in stone, water channels, drains, caves, embossments and temple remains.


Foça’s seals threatened by extinction

Foça may be known for the lovely endangered Mediterranean monk seals; however, the first symbol of Foça’s inhabitants was a actually a rooster. Foça’s old inhabitants used to adorn their meeting halls, temples and ships with a wooden rooster, and many still believe there is a golden rooster buried somewhere in the area. Though their numbers are decreasing, on the island’s shores you can still see the seals, the new sign of Foça. However, special care is requested when approaching or observing the animals as the species is under the threat of extinction.

‘Those who step on the black stone can no longer leave Foça’

Mustafa and Sevgi Kadam, who retired in Foça, shared one legend with us when our paths crossed there. According to the legend, a girl fell in love with a young man and they used to meet every day at the same place. This meeting point was made of black stone. One day the girl’s beloved didn’t appear, never to return again. In her grief the abandoned girl wished that all those who step on the black stone could no longer depart from Foça. Foça inhabitants confirmed the story. Tahsin Sığınır, collecting sea urchins along the coast, told us he has been living and fishing in Foça for almost 20 years. He said he originally came to the area when his brother had an accident and that he never left. In addition, resident Hatice Halıcı tells us she came from Istanbul and adds that “whoever comes here once can never part again.”
07.02.2007
CAN ERCAN  FOÇA
http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=102116





Remember, you can find a great deal of information on the forums about the areas from people already living there and holidaymakers.