Sketches of Urfa
Urfa, officially called Şanlıurfa, is a major city in Southeastern Turkiye. It is widely known as a cultural melting pot where Turkish, Kurdish, and Arabic traditions and cuisines have blended over centuries into a unique regional identity. For visitors, it is also known as the base for visiting Göbekli Tepe, the oldest known temple site in human history.
Besides the usual list of “things to do” in Urfa, which already seemed impressive, I began noticing something in the earlier part of the day I was not prepared for: I was getting a lot more looks from the locals, often with smiles. While I was trying a Menengiç—a pistachio coffee famous in the region—I couldn’t help but look back at a family where some members were staring directly at me over their shoulders. I finally decided to walk toward them and present myself to give them a longer-lasting memory of their exotic visitor. Some basic Turkish phrases and child-level gestures went a long way; perhaps they were even better at sharing our human energy.
Afterwards, I followed the crowds into the Grand Mosque to witness the feeding of the pigeons, an important local tradition. I tried my best to look calm despite the stares in all directions, but when a group of boys finally asked for a selfie, I noticed a line being formed in front of me, accompanied by smiling parents waiting for their turn. I didn’t know how the photos would be used or how I would be associated with, but I didn’t mind being the excuse for their photo-taking. Their curious energy was sufficient.
When I asked the initial group of boys how I could climb up to the Urfa castle, it was part genuine question and part an excuse to hang out with them longer. Instead of giving a verbal answer, they were happy to take the lead and walk up to the castle with me.
We spent the next four hours together, walking around the city and dropping by the famous pool with sacred fish (Balıklıgöl), the archaeology museum, and the central shopping mall (it appears that it is where the cool ones gather). It was my secret that I silently deleted all my afternoon plans just to keep being spontaneous with them. Through a translator app, I learned about the cultural differences and similarities among them, how they spend their weekdays, their suspicious bragging about girlfriends, and their curiosity about “my place.”
It would be a form of bias, but the city of Urfa will remain strongly associated with the memory of these guys and what we did together, rather than the famous sites Google tells you to visit, and I am grateful for the particularity of this memory.
April 12, 2026 Sanliurfa, Turkiye
