Water Fountain at Incesu

Photo: town of Avanos with local clay pots
In the hot region of southwest Turkey, roadside fountains beckon. People regularly stop to drink, wash their faces and fill containers. In Marmaris, we visit the roadside cesme in the evening and carry back delicious drinking water for the house.

Central Turkey, near Kayseri, also has public water facilities. Located in the centre of the tiny town of Incesu, the public fountain is dedicated, of course, to Ataturk.

The town's name, Incesu, means thin water, and indeed, the stream that flows from this fountain is thin. The fountain leaks, in spite of a new cement patch. As we drink, fill our bottles and splash our faces, water trickles through the dust at our feet.

A donkey stands in the road. On his back is a diminutive old woman carrying a tiny switch. Her friend on foot is also tiny. In spite of the heat, the two are wearing many layers of skirts, scarves and pantaloons. I fell that when unwrapped, they would be the size of children, or dolls.

They greet us and we chat together. They explain that the woman on the donkey was coming to her friend's house so they could make some food together. Even with their Kayseri accents, I am pleased to note that my Turkish is good enough to follow most of what they say, even though I don't catch the name of the dish they plan to cook.

It seems that some essential ingredient was left at the other house. The rider turns the donkey around with a couple of light taps of her switch and rides off to get whatever is needed. Her friend stays and tells us about her son and her grandchildren.