Erzurum: Where the Wind Bites and the Pide is Divine (Seriously)
okay, so erzurum. where do i even begin? i’m a botanist, right? i’m supposed to be waxing poetic about alpine flora and the resilience of life in harsh conditions. and, yeah, there’s that. but erzurum… erzurum is more than just tough plants. it’s… a feeling. a bone-deep chill that settles in and refuses to leave, even after you’ve downed three cups of çay.
i just checked and it’s… a proper frost right now. the kind that makes your eyelashes stick together. feels like -6.18, which, honestly, is pretty standard for this time of year. i’m not gonna lie, i packed way too many layers. but hey, better safe than shivering into a puddle, right?
my mission? to find the legendary erzurum pidesi. apparently, it’s a religious experience. and, well, i’m always up for a religious experience, especially if it involves cheese and dough. i spent a good chunk of my first day wandering around, trying to decipher the local signage. it’s… charmingly chaotic. i ended up relying heavily on pointing and smiling, which, surprisingly, works about 60% of the time.
and the people! so friendly. i overheard someone - a very serious-looking gentleman with a magnificent mustache - telling another patron at a cafe that “the best pide is at Mehmet Usta’s, but be prepared to wait. he only makes a few each night.” i immediately added it to my list. (check out TripAdvisor for reviews, though take them with a grain of salt - apparently, the wait is brutal.)
“Don’t even think about ordering the döner from that place near the university. Trust me. You’ll regret it.”
seriously, that was the drunk advice i got from a guy leaning against a lamppost. i’m taking it as gospel.
*Palas Kongre Merkezi was surprisingly cool - a massive, modern building that feels a little out of place amongst the older architecture. but hey, contrast is good, right? I spent a couple of hours wandering around, trying to warm up.
Things I Learned (Mostly the Hard Way):
*Layers are your friend. Seriously. Like, a lot of layers.
*Learn a few basic Turkish phrases. “Merhaba” (hello) and “Teşekkür ederim” (thank you) go a long way.
*Don’t be afraid to get lost. Some of the best discoveries happen when you’re wandering aimlessly.
*The wind is relentless. Like, it will actively try to steal your hat and your dignity.
*Find a good çay house. It’s the heart of erzurum.
if you get bored, kars and artvin are just a short drive away. i’m thinking of taking a day trip to see some of the more unique flora. apparently, there’s a whole ecosystem thriving in the mountains around kars. i’m itching to check it out.
“The old women selling boza on the street? They’re the real keepers of erzurum’s secrets. Listen to them.”
boza… i’ll have to try that. i saw a few vendors, but i was too busy chasing down pide. i’m also going to check out the Erzurum Archaeological Museum - I found a listing on Yelp that looked promising. https://www.yelp.com/biz/erzurum-arkeoloji-müzesi-erzurum
and the pressure is 1030, humidity is 68, sea level is 1030, ground level is 823. all very scientific, i know. but hey, a botanist’s gotta document things, right?
I'm also looking into local foraging groups - there's a forum here: https://www.erzurum.gov.tr/.
okay, i’m off to find Mehmet Usta and that elusive pide*. wish me luck (and warmth!).
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