Got back from a 10-day trip to Turkey this Tuesday and have finally got situated, so I'm posting a topic.  I would also love help from someone/anyone going to or with family near Foça, Turkey to get something I saw there. 

My trip wasn't a fig-hunting expedition, it was a vacation, but I had my eyes open the whole time for interesting stuff.  Sadly, I didn't take a lot of pictures because there wasn't a ton of stuff I saw that was out of the ordinary.  Lots of green figs, not a lot of dark figs.  I'll post what I took just to share.

I want to say, I was seriously, seriously impressed with Turkey.  I hadn't expected such an open, friendly, crime-free, English-speaking, hospitable and inexpensively beautiful place to visit.  I have traveled all over the world... I would not hesitate to say that I have never, ever been to a place with such a kind, giving and friendly country.  Seriously.  (Not yet, at least).  The country had tons of melons, stone fruits and figs.

Our trip was as follows :  3 days Istanbul, 2 days Ürgüp (Kapadokya), 3 days Foça, overnight again in Istanbul, then home.  So, we did urban, desert/mountain, coastal, urban, then home.

In Istanbul, east of Hagia Sophia, there weren't a lot of figs.  On the west side, we found a lot more.  Sadly, we were only on the west side for the final night. 

Ürgüp had almost no fig trees.  Lots of stone fruits and melons, no figs.

Foça had a fig tree every 50 yards or less, and most properties had at least one, if not several (including restaurants and hotels).

Every breakfast looked pretty much like this, with green figs (abundant), heavy heavy seed crunch, nice rich, honey, figgy flavor, very different from the green figs we see on the east coast USA where we have no wasp.



We at a lot of sweets while in Istanbul on a short culinary tour.  I preferred the chee kofte, kibbeh and ichlee kofte, but when we got to the sweets, one of the things they had was unripened figs that had been candied in sugar water - I didn't like them, but I took a picture so I could share with everyone (also pictured: baklava, candied pumpkin/chestnut/black walnut/baby eggplant)



I found this fig tree which has (almost to the letter) the leaves of Ronde de Bordeaux.  I tried to take cuttings with a butter knife (couldn't find anything else), but I failed.  I couldn't find a knife or pruning shears at any alleyway shops or anything, and it really kicked my ass.  I was with three other people so I couldn't spend a lot of time on it, I still really really want cuttings of this tree. 

High resolution version:  http://i.imgur.com/wSq9i.jpg

Low res version:



The location of this fig in both satellite view and map view is here:





If anyone can assist with this, let me know (PM me or something).  I don't care if it's only tissue culture... I'm frustrated because I paid good money to get there and couldn't bring the one thing I really wanted back.  ;)

Sap or no sap, I'd have used my teeth!    Sorry, had to be very frustrating.

Was very frustrating.  I'm sure that I could have smashed a branch in half with a brick, but when you're in a different country with a different set of norms and a different set of expectations, it's tough for me (personally) to jump in a ditch with a boulder and smash some wood in half, and then suffer the risk of getting popped with something like that in your luggage, you know?  I had a hard time with it.

Thanks for the presentation.

When I think of all the places I've been in Mediterranean areas pre-fig interest, after seeing your pictures, I feel I've missed something really cool. Not so much collecting, though I probably would have, but just seeing, eating, and appreciating.  Sigh.

Dude! I have used my bare hands!! Hard to make out the leaves, but it seems kind of sprawling for a RdB.

Jason is this tree in Istanbul. I love Turkey, food and people are so good. Have you try Doner kebab while you were there.

Eden, the tree is in Foça, which is a small town near Izmir.

Ruben, they apparently cut the three trees down to the stump regularly, which is why it looks to be sprawling, and why it's so low to the ground versus the big bushy trees shown in satellite view.  Because of this, there really was nothing much more than 1"-2" to pull on, and while I'm a talented rooter, I'm not sure I could do much with that.  the tree needs to grow for a couple of months and have cuttings taken.

One major aspect to islamic food culture, is the amount of fruit and vegetables one is exposed to.

This is one great experience I have gotten out of graduate school is the respect for the food and people in this region of the world. Can't wait to get more exposure.  

People really don't know how amazing Turkey is. I lived in Ankara for 2 years. The wife and I visited Izmir and other places. We plan on going back one day. Glad you had a good time Jason.

Even Suzi, who saw an opportunity on a neglected property, short sale, took her hands and ripped!  She stuck the cutting in water and when she got home, cut off the rip, and put it in slightly damp sphangum moss in a baggie.  Took 2 weeks, but we got roots!!

Istanbul is an amazing place.  Been there.  Amazing sheets!  They know how to make a bed!  What is that river? Bostphorous?  Not sure.  Loved Istanbul, and also feared it.

Suzi

Jason,

Great post. Thanks for sharing. Too bad about the cuttings but hopefully someone can help you get some from those trees.

Sounds like an amazing adventure Jason, thank you for sharing it with us.

Great Pics Jason, must've been a great trip too. Oh next time bend and twist until it breaks off!!

Thanks for allowing us to live vicariously for a minute or two, Jason.
 
I feel your frustration. Two years ago, touring the Island of Madeira resulted in fig bupkiss as well. There were plenty of trees to see but were either behind  fences or on private property just out of reach or the tour bus wouldn't stop! 

Couldn't you pull out a sucker or just break a branch with your hands and then make a clean cut later? very nice leaves....

Afraid in what way?  Or of what?  (I've never been  :)

Hey Jason you should learn to sharpen a butter knife on a brick, seriously. This thing would be good too, although I think you would need have it in checked baggage. TSA says wire is OK to carry on but saw blades must be checked.

I'm glad you had a good time.  After NYC, I think Istanbul is my favorite city. I would head down to the market and bring back 2 bags full of fresh fruit for 3 bucks.  I was there in 2005.  I had brought back cuttings from Insanbul and Isarel.  Neither of the two from Istanbul ended up fruiting, and all three died during a summer heat wave a few years ago.

~james

Or watched the karate kid a few times

I love you, Bob!  HAHAHAH