2013年の初夏、写真家・中垣美沙が覗いた、バスでトルコを一周した7日間の旅。
光のシャワーを浴びた、儚くおぼろげな記憶。

In early summer 2013, photographer Misa Nakagaki had a short visit to Turkey. This is the record of her 7-day bus journey: her sweet and distant memory, full of showers of summer light.


トルコ語で「綿の宮殿」を意味するパムッカレは、昔から良質な綿花の生産地であったことから名付けられたそうだ。まるですべてが真っ白な雪に覆われたような景色。これらは長い年月をかけて、温泉に含まれる炭酸カルシウムが沈積した石灰棚。水面には青空が反射し澄んだ水色に輝き、私は裸足で歩いた。

Pamukkale means “cotton palace” in Turkish. It is said that this area is called that because it used to be a production center of high-quality cotton in ancient times. It looks like everything is covered with pure white snow. These travertine terraces were made by deposits of calcium carbonate brought by hot spring water over a long period of time. The sky reflected on the surface of the water, shining in bright clear blue. I took off my shoes and walked barefoot.

メヴラーナ博物館の敷地内のガーデンにて。メヴレヴィー教団はイスラム神秘主義のひとつ。教団の中心部であるコンヤでセマーを見た。白いスカートを穿いた人々が、印象的な笛に合わせてくるくると回転し、踊り続ける祈りの儀式。回転は宇宙の運行を表し、右手で神からの啓示を受け、左手で人々に伝える。博物館を出ると、ベンチで談笑している人たち。のどかな景色が夢のように感じた。

At the garden in the premises of the Mevlana Museum. Mevlevi is one of the Islamic mystical sects. In Konya, which is the center of this sect, I watched Sema, or the spinning dance. A group of religious dancers wear a white skirt, rotate and rotate endlessly in accordance with the impressive whistling sound. They believe that their rotations represent the movement of the universe, and the right hands of dancers receive revelation from God, and their left hands transmit it to people. As I left the museum, I saw local people chatting on the bench. A peaceful scenery, but somehow it didn’t seem real, I felt as if I were walking in a dream.

スルタンアフメット・ジャミィと名付けられたブルーモスクが完成したのは、今から約400年前。
オスマン帝国時代の名建築家ミマール・スウィナンによって建てられ、世界で最も美しいモスクと言われている。繊細なモチーフで装飾されたステンドグラス、釣鐘状のライトに照らされ、幻想的なムードを醸し出していた。

The Blue Mosque, or “Sultanahmet Camii,” was completed about 400 years ago. Built by the famous architect Mimar Swinan of the Ottoman Empire, this mosque is said to be the most beautiful mosque in the world. The inside was decorated by stained glass windows of delicate motifs, illuminated by bell-shaped lights, everything was so fantastic.

「ここにしかない、美味しいよ」と薦められて食べた水切りヨーグルト。つぶつぶのけしの実とはちみつがかかっていて、まろやかな優しい味がした。滞在中に小さなカップで飲んだトルココーヒーも思い出のひとつ。バスで移動中の何気ないドライブインにて。

I dropped by a drive-in cafe during my bus travel. “This is a specialty here, so delicious!!” Recommended by a seller, I tried a bit of strained yogurt. The topping of honey and fine-grained poppy seeds made it mild and creamy, it was so tasty. I enjoyed a tiny cup of Turkish coffee, too, which was a nice highlight of my journey.

ボスポラス海峡は、トルコのヨーロッパ側とアジア側を隔てている。このガラタ橋は釣りの名所で、鯖サンドを買って食べた。様々なヒジャブをまとった女性達が海を眺めていた。どんな想いで、見ていたのだろうか。

The Bosphorus Strait divides the European side of Turkey and the Asian side. And Galata Bridge is a popular spot among anglers. Here I bought a mackerel sandwich and ate it. I saw local women wearing various hijabs, looking at the sea. What were they feeling as they watched the sea?

窓から溢れる光の午後。カッパドキアの自然の岩をくり貫いて作られたホテルにチェックインした。扉を開けると、洞窟のような美しいロマンチックな部屋。ホテルは高台にありベランダからはギョレメの景色を見渡せた。タイムトリップしたかのような高揚した気分で、深い眠りにおちた。

Afternoon light was overflowing from the window. I checked in at a hotel in Cappadocia. The hotel was built inside the huge natural rock. The room was like a cave, so beautiful and romantic. The hotel was located on the hill, I could see a great view of Goreme from the balcony. I felt like I had been travelling into an ancient time. I fell asleep, part of my mind still feeling excited.


中垣美沙

写真家

雑誌や書籍を中心に撮影し、自身の作品制作も行う。

http://misaphotos.com