Julie’s Lake
16″ x 10″ Watercolour

There is a Turkish film called Entelköy Efeköy Karsi (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFmswW2tUt4 with English subtitles) which beautifully and hilariously illustrates the lack of understanding between the incoming “enlightened, arty and enviromentally aware” townies and the farming community upon whom they descend. The story revolves around the relationship between the leaders of the two camps and how love and profit eventually lead to reconciliation. I was reminded of this wide difference in attitude on a walk through the winter woodland above Esenkoy yesterday morning in the excellent company of Oludeniz Hash Harriers. Any clearing in these woods with nearby car access was full of litter, and I do mean full. Yet all summer Turkish families will come for traditional picnics and barbecues and sit happily amongst the piles of debris to add their own contribution of wrappings, broken glass and dirty tissues at the end of the day. It’s heartbreaking to me to despoil such natural beauty, and it will take a generation to change. On a positive note, more and more often, I see local schoolchildren go out of their way to use the litter bins that have appeared all across Fethiye. Somebody, somewhere deserves due credit and our gratitude for this change.