The Life of the beautiful Seyhan
Lake, Adana
In Australia I live near a beautiful Lake system called
Tuggerah Lakes. I have grown up around the lakes. Being around a lake makes me
feel at home. Maybe that’s part of the reason I feel so at home when I come to
Adana. Adana, also has a beautiful lake called Seyhan Lake.
Lakes are places of life and often reveal much about the
people who live around, revealing their lifestyles and sense of environment,
family and culture. Seyhan Lake is no exception and I really think if you visit
Adana, you really need to take a walk, take a drive around the lake. Stop at
one of the many vendor vans and take in the surroundings peacefully whilst
drinking a nice hot cup of salep in winter or their famous Bibi Bibi in Summer.
I’d like to give you a taste of the lake so explore with me from a tourist eyes, or that of a frequent visitor.
They are little hidden bays and winding roads lined with Salep vans so you can sit and take advantage of the scenery.
Or if you prefer a full meal there are so many wonderful
little restaurants each with their own character. The prices are very good here,
I mean seriously good prices by western standards. You can eat well and sample
all the tastes of Adana, Turkey around this large Lake.
And the people are very friendly, hospitable, even though
this is not known as a Tourist destination.
Personally I love the little street food vendors and vans,
salep and cay machines, in the winter, so refreshing!
Last time I was there we visited a larger lake side restaurant
that probably doubles as a night club style restaurant in the summer season for
its perfect location and size. Its name was KAKTUSPARK and it’s located right
by the long bridge that runs over the
lake (Bati Bridge).
There is also a little restaurant on the other side of the
bridge which is the picture of my wife and I sitting by the water here, but
for now I’ll talk about the KAKTUSPARK and surrounds.
KAKTUSPARK RESTAURANT
KAKTUSPARK restaurant. We chose a Turkish pizza and chicken
dish which came with salad and it was both generous and very tasty! The service
was nice, friendly and the salad fresh. It
was off season when we were there so very few people. A host of high school students
arrived as we were finishing up and they all crowded around little Michael Emre
and took selfies with him. Where ever we take Michael in Turkey his half
Aussie, half Turkish combination a winning combination with the locals. (Though
he gets more of his good look from his mum than me! ) lol
I think this picture above of them all together is gold and
classic Turkish. Really attractive picture of the youth of Adana, happy, full of
life and smiles and like most of those from Adana, very attractive advertisements
of Adana. The young chap in the centre, what a great Turkish smiles! J
Surrounding the KAKTUSPARK restaurant is the entry to the
bridge and the waterfront. I’ve added a few bridge picture from different years
below.
Directly in front of the restaurant on the roadside and lake
foreshore is a typical scene. As is the case for many parts of Adana, stray dog’s
line the road ways and waterfronts. Generally
they are friendly dossal animals but the odd one may take to you with a snarl
so better to be safe than sorry and not approach. These dogs you see in the
photo were very friendly but one just 20 meters behind me took a dislike to me
and came barking across the street. I bid a hastily retreat! J
Don’t let the dogs put you off thought, in 7 years that’s
only one that ever bothered me.
Directly on the road, next to the bridge entry is an unusual
site. Pony rides. Well pony rides are not unusual but pony rides right next to
a gun shooting range certainly is! The owner of this weird recreation
combination has set up balloons along the lakeside for customers to shoot at. For
the kiddies it’s ponies, for the adults it’s guns! Scary. Scarier still, I did
see a young boy about 10 or 11 fire of a round. That won’t pass any OH&S checks back in
Australia, that’s for sure!! :-/
Moving on around the lakes, there some unusual sites also to
see, like a windmill on a hill top and boat houses. It’s very calm lake so boat
houses would probably be nice!
One of my favourite pictures I took a few years ago is my
cover photo for this blog, that is, two rowers enjoying the calm waters of the
lake with the city skyline in the foreground.
There is also a picture of a lone individual on a little
grass bank just looking out across the lake contemplating life. Now that I
really relate too!
Another favourite is a typical scene around the lake, and
that’s of a family making a BBQ together. How wonderful!!
But my all-time favourite picture of the lake is not a lake
picture at all, but a picture of a recreation area beside the lake. This, more
than any other photo represents the wonderful family and community spirit in
Adana.
Lake Seyhan, it really is a wonderful place in Adana.
But it can be better...
I don’t want to end with a negative so it you want, just
stop reading now. This is more for the people of Adana, and the ones that can
make decisions.
I really do hope that someone from the Adana’s local
Government or Mayor reads this. (with a better Turkish translation than google
can give it hope) The greatest asset of Adana is its wonderful people and next
to that, is its natural environment. Lake Seyhan is and asset to treasure and
protect!
From what I have seen, over the years the lakes foreshores
and recreation spaces have been neglected, allowed to gather litter and rubbish
in enormous quantities, and the water quality is degrading.
This is the people’s lake, owned by all Adana’s people and
for that reason alone, should be looked after. But also there is great
opportunity for prosperity around this lake. It could be a gold mine for
tourism, both domestic and international if it was managed right and the
recreation spaces looked after, upgraded.
Like the city of Adana, the lake has so much to offer. This
is relatively unknown to the international community and could present some
wonderful opportunities in the future.
I implore and strongly encourage the local and city government
of Adana to do more, don’t let this treasure degrade any further. I am happy to
share the experience of Australian local government in Lakes management with
Adana.
Lake Seyhan is an asset of the people of Adana. Not only for
your generations, but for the ones that come after you. Please take care your
lake. It’s beautiful!
