Yesterday, walking in Alanya with my friend, who is going home this week and was making her final shopping, we were passing by a spice store (“baharatçı”). I said that this must be one of the greatest spice stores in Alanya and you could find more than just spices and dried plants in here. “I will not be surprised if we see something like dried bats in the jars”, I said. My curious friend became very excited — she said she definitely wanted to see it.
We entered the shop, and were taken away by the mixture of fragrances and a view of cans, jars, bottles, sacks and bunches of dried herbs. It was like a store from fairytale. “Wow, it’s like an ‘All for the witches’ store!”, I said.
I don’t know if you agree, but I think that there is a little of a witch in every woman. And there are the days when we lock our angel’s wings in a wardrobe and fly on a broom. So, visit to such a shop is a right activity for these days.
Apart from “traditional” spices for cooking, dried vegetables for stuffing, fruits and herbs for the teas, we saw many interesting things, and even managed to recognize some of them. I wonder who buys them and what for? What on earth one can do with the artichoke’s leaves or petals (whatever it was)? Or with the dried spikes of ribwort? Anyway, it was still fascinating.
Then, we moved to a shelf with various creams, masks and oils. When you look at the products, you just admire the richness of nature. There were hundreds of phials with oils. I used to be fond of aromatherapy, and still remember the properties of different oils. One makes you relaxed, one makes your mind clearer, another one just make you feel like a gorgeous woman (do not misunderstand me, I am just talking about aroma oils!).
There were also small bottles with snake poison and ant eggs oil. That must be definitely witch stuff! Still, the inscription on the ant eggs oil bottle said that it must be used to prevent unwanted hair growth.
I could spend hours at that shop. The creams and masks, promising to make your skin softer and elastic, your body — younger, your hair like a waterfall. What else a woman can wish?
Leaving the shop with multiple purchases, I asked the shopkeeper, if they really have dried bats. “No, we don’t,” he answered without batting an eyelid, “But we can order if you want”.
Polina Akar
