Five Feet, Nine Inches Above Ground

Saturday February 14, 2026

Happy Valentine’s Day! I know! I’m a week late in writing this post but better late than never! Saturday morning was vibrant with sunlight and a refreshing breeze s we set out to explore the city. Izmir is a growing modern metropolis with many historic features. One of those is its clock tower, constructed in honour of the 25th anniversary of Sultan Abdul Hamid II’s accession to the throne in 1907. Its elaborate ornamentation is in stark contrast to the modern office and apartment towers that dominate other sectors of the city. We descended in the Elevator to the lower, coastal part of town and walked to the clock tower in Konak Square.

A six-lane highway runs along the entire waterfront. In compensation, it is bordered on the waterside by a pedestrian path and cycle path. Flowers were in abundance because of the day.

Not far from the clock tower stands a tiny jewel of a mosque. It is operational and was open, offering an oasis of quiet in the hustle and bustle of Saturday morning.

Our next venture was into the market area – streets closed to vehicles and filled with store owners, street vendors and customers. I was looking for the bazaar building, and we became entirely lost in the web of streets, lanes and alleys. It was so much fun!

We did find the building followed by a mosque where an older woman welcomed us and chatted with Mahmood while I went inside the mosque.

When I returned, the lady, whose name I can’t remember, invited us to take tea at her family store. I knew full well this was a ploy to get us (me) into the retail outlet in hopes of a sale. Several twists and turns later, we were in the establishment sipping hot Turkish tea and I , of course, began shopping. I was very happy with the deal I made and I think they were , too. It was time to move on.

Izmir is home to 3.5 million inhabitants plus tourists. It’s a destination because of its own history and its proximity to Ephesus.

I elected to not spend the time and money on visiting the outdoor museum of the Roman acropolis. There was more to explore!

After walking through the park in the centre of the city. we followed my instincts and headed for the sea and lunch.

It was a glorious spring like Saturday afternoon and everyone was out enjoying the sunshine and fresh air.

And we ended up where we started: The Elevator. There was a line up, of course but it moved fairly quickly.

My experience of Izmir was limited to one day as we would be spending Sunday driving to Istanbul. It is a growing, busy metropolis and although I am not fond of living in big cities, I found this one to have its charms. I think I will return. Thank you , dear reader, for following along. The next stop will be Istanbul. Until next time.