Near Çakmakli is the village of Kozbeyli , where a new friend of mine lives . Omar has an indoor farm behind his house where he raises pigeons , small chickens , cows , turkeys , and grows magnificent vegetables and fruits . Omar is a great cook too ; I had the pleasure of numerous opportunities to taste the fantastic dishes he prepared . I remember the first time that I was invited to join the table , Omar had cooked quail .
Omar always wears his rubber boots , sometimes riding his scooter , moving cows around the farm and region . He always has a gift of figs for me .
There is a woman in Kozbeyli who bakes wonderful bread which I ’ ve had the opportunity to taste many times .
One Saturday I met the owner of the Sakir in Yeri Kahvesi who invited me to taste his coffee and gave me a small book with the history of the town , in Turkish , that I am still translating . From what I could see , it is a historically prominent place . You can still see the settlements of houses with Greek architecture , some demolished , others reconditioned . There was also an aqueduct that crossed the city , where the stone constructions can still be seen to this day .
The surroundings of Çakmakli are impressive . Walking towards the end of the beach and continuing along the path that goes between the mountains , one discovers beautiful and small beaches with spectacular views towards the island of Lesbos , Greece . It is worth a walking tour and discovering these hidden gems where you can enjoy a picnic with a view that will take your breath away . From the top you can see the entrance of huge cargo ships heading towards the port of
Aliaga . The ships , parked , waiting their turn to unload , are part of the natural landscape . The sunsets are wonderful . Many trails provide great options for hiking .
The town is small , everyone knows each other , and the people are very gently . Every Thursday the local market is held where it is possible to buy vegetables and fruits at a very reasonable price .
Forty-five minutes from Çakmakli is the metropolis of Izmir . A vibrant and progressive city with almost three million inhabitants . It is the third most populous city after Istanbul and Ankara .
One afternoon Mustafa called me on the phone and told me to get ready , he would pick me up to go on " a mission ".
Like I mentioned , the village is small , no more than seven hundred people live in Çakmakli , and the beach is beautiful . It is only attended
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