TURKNOY: Exploring Turkey: Hasan Boguldu

It's almost perfect to have picnic in most of the places in Turkey. We went to Hasan Boguldu this time of the year and the weather was blissful for a picnic. We definitely had a great time outside exploring nature!

And there's more to Hasan Boguldu than a nature park and picnic area. There's a legend behind the place and the name. And we love stories! Chatting to kids about the name of the place and the story that happened way back makes it more interesting. Eating outside, our feet enjoying the flowing cold water, cool breeze blowing, trees are humming, clear sky highlighting the perfect scenario! Trees, stream, we were almost one with nature. A good memory to cherish especially when we will burn in extreme heat in the dessert for this summer. Figuratively, of course.

How lucky we were that as children we were able to play with trees, swim in stream without even an entrance fee! Those were the great times being a kid.

Anyway, back to Hasan Boguldu's story. Hasan is a very romantic man. Hasn Boguldu literray mean "Hasan drowned."He fell in love with a woman who lived up in the mountain. Back then, they discriminate locals living from the lowland. People from the mountain thinks that men from that area were not good enough, not strong enough. The woman and the woman's family wanted him to prove himself and his strength by carrying a sack of salt from the lowland to the mountain. He carried it until he reached the waterfalls. He realized that he could not carry the sack anymore s he threw himself to the waterfalls because of shame. His body was found and the waterfalls was given the name "Hasan Boguldu."

Lesson of the story? Well, apparently it is true - lowland men are not strong enough. Haha! I know there are several versions to this story but that is the one we know for now.

Well, the water from the area is really fresh to drink! We didn't get a chance to swim but it looked refreshing. We had a nice time enjoying nature in Hasan Boguldu. We are hoping that the kids will remember the memories. We might be coming back in Hasan Boguldu anyways in the near future, who knows.

Entrance to the picnic area!

There is also a trekking up the mountain!

BBQ station!

The place is a bit "commercialized" too as there are vendors selling stuff which could have easily been forgotten for picnic such as spices, fruits - of course we didn't forget anything as the grandparents are really so organized!