When in Rome, do as the Romans do (Trabzon, 4278 km)

(Trabzon, 21.08.2018 - 22.08.2108) This proverb labels perfectly this posting on my arrival in Turkey, where I arrived on the first day of the Sacrifice Feast, a four-day religious festival. Traditionally, on the first day of the Sacrifice Feast in Turkey, men of each family go to a mosque for a special morning prayer. Then the sacrifice ritual begins. Unsuspectingly I saw men leaving the mosque earlier in the morning, but this religious slaughter came unexpectedly and most disturbing to me, when I took a rest for breakfast; rely on me, I selected the least upsetting photo. 

The children who were standing around, were apparently much less affected than me, if that. Later I learned that the butcher reads a prayer before slaughtering the animal. Families share about two-thirds of the animal’s meat with relatives and neighbors, and they traditionally give about one-third to the poor. Let's forget it, next stop: Trabzon, the biggest city of Turkey in the Eastern Black Sea region!

Many people in Turkey reserve the first day of the Sacrifice Feast for visiting their closest relatives. People usually wear their best clothes during the feast. Reasons enough for me to go to town, but again, for my western-urbanized viewing paterns, the huge number of (full-face) veiled women has a disturbing effect to me.

On the other hand I experienced during my first day in Turkey an outstanding hospitality. This said and in order not to leave any doubt, let me clarify: I stay far away from accusing my temporarily hosts for their religious rites, but perhaps it would be easier for me to follow the proverb "When in Rome, do as the Romans do" in Rome rather than in Trabzon!