Being a Lokafyer is not an easy feat... Meeting new people, showing them around and trying to help them enjoy a new place requires lots of work and especially, knowledge about your surroundings. The whole idea of Lokafy is to discover villages and cities through the perspective of locals, and of course, connect with people with similar interests in the process. Fortunately, we have the most charming and outgoing people with us! For this Lokafyer profile, we’re going to talk with Selahattin, our Lokafyer in Bodrum, Türkiye, someone passionate for history and culture, who couldn’t resist the magical atmosphere of this city. With his warm personality, he has helped people from all over the world learn about the peninsula and the city through a completely different lens. Keep reading our conversation to learn more about his story and the way it has become intertwined with the history of Bodrum.
Tell us a bit about yourself!
I am a typical Turkish citizen who has family roots of different historical, geographical, ethnic and cultural origins extending from all corners of the old lands and the cradle of civilizations known as Anatolia. “Anatolia” may be a bit of a confusing expression for some, because as a geographical and political term it refers to the Asian part of the present-day Turkey (Asia Minor), however as a historical term, it covers not only Asia Minor but the Balkans and the Middle East which roughly corresponds to the lands of the 3 great empires in human history, namely Macedonian Empire of Alexander the Great, the Roman Empire and the Ottoman Empire. So, I consider myself as a local Anatolian living in Bodrum (Halicarnassus) for the time being. After working 41 years in the government service as a teacher of English, university lecturer, teacher trainer, foreign trade specialist in Ankara and the commercial attaché in Turkish Embassies in Jerusalem, in Khartoum and in Melbourne, I got retired 7 years ago and settled in Bodrum to enjoy the sunny and warm climate of the Mediterranean throughout the year.
How long have you been living in your city and what do you love about it?
I first came to Bodrum 50 years ago when I was a young university student and as Cevat Şakir Kabaağaçlı (1886–1973), a prominent Turkish author who adopted the pen name “The Fisherman of Halicarnassus” said, fell in love with the area and left my soul behind.
“When you reach the top of the hill, you will see Bodrum. Don’t assume that you will leave as you came. Others before you were the same too. As they departed, they all left their souls behind.”
At that time Bodrum was a small fishing and sponge-diving town with beautiful natural sceneries, rich history of the region, the warmth of the people, their customs and culture, but above all, their relaxed and tolerant way of life. Then I bought a small piece of land and had a summer house built there in 1990, spent summer months in Bodrum and have become a full-time resident after my retirement in 2017.
How did you discover Lokafy and what made you want to become a Lokafyer?
I discovered Lokafy by chance on the internet 2 years ago while I was browsing through local travel tips for the Greek island of Kos which I was about to visit shortly from Bodrum at that time, then I liked their way of approaching the new concept of independent travel and tourism, I applied to be a Lokafyer, then the following week I had an interview on the phone and joined the Lokafy family from Bodrum. Since then, I have been working as a Lokafyer in Bodrum.
What are some of the most memorable experiences you've had with travelers through Lokafy?
Three months ago, I had an American couple come to Bodrum on a cruise, it was their first time in Turkey and in Bodrum and they had dreamt of this journey for a long time. However, just a day before the tour I had a message from the lady that her husband had been diagnosed with Covid and would not be allowed to leave the ship. She said she had been diagnosed negative in the tests but afraid that she might be a porter and that she would not be able to attend the tour. Just to assure her, I said we’ll wear our masks and do the tour if you really want it. The next day, we did the tour as planned before and she took so many pictures to share with her husband who had to spend the day on the ship and probably watched the harbor and the Castle from a distance.
How has Lokafy changed your perspective on travel and culture?
I have been a professional licensed tour guide approved by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism since 1974. Beside my various government posts, guiding has always been my hobby and passion, and I have very closely observed and followed the changing trends in Turkish domestic and international travel, tourism and hospitality industries for the past 50 years. After years of mass tourism, mass travel, mass holidaying being dictated to the end consumers, there is a growing global trend on individualism, eco-culture, gastronomy, exploring indigenous cultures and their impact on global history, and tailor made programs according to personal tastes and interests. This new way of travel has been getting more and more popular especially with the young generations and Lokafy seems to have captured the “local”, “personal” and “customized” implications of this new trend. Since I have always preferred working with small groups or private individuals throughout my 49 years of guiding career, I found that Lokafy and I have a lot in common and we are looking in the same direction from the same window.
What are some of the tips or advice that you would give to someone who wants to travel like a local?
Very simple, if you want to see, eat, taste, buy or experience the right thing “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” There is no need to reinvent the wheel.
When you’re not working for Lokafy, what do you like to do for fun?
Since my paternal side was coming from Yoruks (Turkoman Nomads) from the Taurus Mountains of the Mediterranean, I like being on the move and love traveling when I am not working. There are about 3.000 registered and known historic/ancient sites in Anatolia only 10% of which have already been excavated, renovated and restored and open to the public. There are still places in Anatolia which I have not seen or visited and I love to visit new places, meet the locals, listen to their experiences, stories and legends and taste their local dishes, and to share the same table and way of life with them.
Any final comments for travelers visiting your city?
There is so much to see, to do and to experience in Bodrum. However, do not forget to add Bodrum Castle and Underwater Archaeology Museum to your bucket list. If you ever come to Bodrum in spring, remember these words of Cevat Şakir (The Fisherman of Halicarnassus)
“Take a blind man to Lycia, and he’ll immediately know from the smell of the air exactly where he is. The acrid perfume of lavender, the pungent fragrance of wild mint and thyme, will tell him”
And finally, do not forget to pay tribute to another famous man from Halicarnassus, Herodotus-the father of history.
It’s been quite the journey with Selahattin, don’t you think? His way of talking about Bodrum and all of the knowledge he has really shows just how an excellent Lokafyer he is. In the end, you only need passion and love for your city to give the first steps into becoming an ambassador, and what better way to do it than by being a Lokafyer! Today, Selahattin showed us how to uncover the best kept secrets of one place and how to enjoy even the littlest detail. Let’s keep that in mind for our next trips, because it is a great way to have a memorable experience.
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