This post is dedicated to the lost children of the developed countries. I just returned from two second world countries (Bulgaria and the Greek islands), and one third world country (Turkey) - now, this is not the language of the romantic traveller, rather it is that of the aspiring political scientist. But having read all those texts about which godforsaken country stands where on the development scale, I started to look at my experience more "scientifically". Bulgaria: the place has not been repaired for 50 years. Ugly, hideous apartment complexes date back to the beginning of the communist era-nobody repaired or painted them since-why??? is the inevitable question. No public transportation, car rentals, or commutable roads! Highways and local roads feature giant holes that amaze even the most experienced driver. Unbelievable, with all those EU funds, the country is still like a ghost ship-in fact, worse than that. Did I mention that the villages have no street lights, the streets are totally dark at nights-like the middle ages, if not worse! Also, I should mention the unhappy, unsmiling, arrogant "urbanized" waiters who make your already not-too-exciting-fast-food experience a living hell. No knives, bread, or other basic amenities that you need and expect as a hungry and paying customer. At the end, you sneak out of the place, feeling lucky that the gross waiter did not slam you on the face. One wonders where all this unfriendliness comes from-is it cultural, or does it depend on the specific country the loud costumer comes from? Maybe it is because we started to order our food by joking and making loud remarks about this and that: we were too happy for the place I guess! My overall impression: below zero. But there is hope. The name of the hope is EU Funds.
Turkey: Now, where to begin with- the AKP's determination to destroy the secularist Ataturk legacy; the rapidly declining economy, the nonexistent infrastructure, the slums, the dust on the highways, the strange indeed idiotic way people look at you, or the overall pessimisim and "birgun sana donecegim bir elimde gul bir elimde silah" philosophy (read the graffiti at the Izmir bus terminal!). Not sure which is worse: post-communist and proudly underdeveloped Bulgaria; or post-capitalist and blisfully ignorant Turkey. Look at me, born in two places that rank below all kinds of world standards.
The Greek Islands: The thinking girl comes to a philosophical halt: here my rational analytical inclination melts away, and I return to my romantic self- the Greek islands have the cultural formula, the spatial authenticity to make me go back there every year-what I liked most is the simple harmony of kindness, hospitality (non-existent in Bulgaria), Greek mythology, and Ottoman ambiance. Three days spent at Rhodes, Lindos, and Faliraki, plus one day spent at Symi. ....And the warm hug of the loving Mediterrenean.