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Speaker 1:
[00:00] Get Sleepy is a production of Slumber Studios and is made possible thanks to the generous support of our sponsors and premium members. If you'd like to listen ad-free and access weekly bonus episodes, extra long stories and our entire back catalog, you can try out premium free for seven days by following the link in the episode notes. Now, a quick word from our sponsors. You know those moments where you're comfortably resting on the sofa, scrolling on your phone, and you see the product you've been looking for for a long while? You click on the link, add to basket, and hit the checkout button, only to realize you don't have your payment card anywhere nearby. But that's when you see it, that purple pay button that has all your information saved, making checking out as easy as a simple tap of your screen. 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New episodes are added each week, and you can even search by narrator and listen exclusively to episodes narrated by me or by any of my wonderful fellow storytellers. Slumber has other unique features too, like the ability to add and adjust background sounds to create your own perfect mix. So I highly recommend you give Slumber a try. It's available in the Apple App Store and on Google Play. And as a Get Sleepy listener, you can unlock all of the content in the app free for one month. Just go to slumber.fm slash Get Sleepy to get instant access to all of the content in Slumber free for one month. That's slumber.fm slash Get Sleepy. Welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax, and we get sleepy. My name's Thomas, and I'm your host. It's a pleasure to have your company once again. Tonight we'll be visiting the Turkish city of Gaziantep, home to one of the world's oldest coffee shops, Tamiz Karvesi. You can still enjoy a coffee here in this place today. A big thank you to Kayla for writing this one, which I'll be reading for all of you. If you'd like to support us in the most effective and direct way possible, and get some great benefits for yourself in return, we'd love for you to try Get Sleepy Premium. As a Premium member, everything is completely ad-free, and you'll have access to our entire catalogue of well over a thousand episodes, including all our weekly Premium bonus episodes that come out every Thursday night. Like tomorrow, when Nikki will guide us through a peaceful meditation, inspired by the quiet beauty of the moon flower. For more information and to join us tomorrow night, head to getsleepy.com/support, and I'll pop the link in the show notes too. Thanks so much, everyone. So, it's time to get nice and cozy in bed now, ready to enjoy tonight's story, as you gently make your way towards sleep. If you're feeling at all anxious about getting to sleep or staying asleep, just give yourself time and patience. Don't put any pressure on getting to sleep. Forcing it never works. It only creates pressure and an even bigger obstacle for your mind to get past. So instead of trying to sleep, just listen along tonight and focus on giving your body a chance to feel rested and relaxed. That's something you do have control over. You can encourage a greater sense of presence by slowing down your breathing, inhaling deeply, and then easing the air back out for a little longer than the in-breath. Feel the way your body moves with the breath, and how your nervous system seems to respond, slowing down with every gentle exhale. Bit by bit, feel any tension, anxiety, or stress melt away. Each cycle of the breath takes you another step further into rest and relaxation. Enjoy that blissful ease, and just continue to breathe deeply and naturally. Now, as you continue to relax, let's turn to our story. Coffee houses have a long history of being places of community and connection. I'm delighted to accompany you on this relaxing visit. So, let's begin. It's a chilly winter morning in Gaziantep. The city is scattered over limestone hills, near the Sejure River, a tributary of the Euphrates. In the ancient world, Gaziantep was on the Silk Road, the famous trade route between Europe and Asia. Many people would stop here to spend a few days resting and trading spices and other goods. As you wander the historic streets, you can see the remnants of the ancient city in pottery fragments and ruins of old buildings at archaeological sites. In the Middle Ages, the city changed hands many times. It then became a part of the Ottoman Empire, right around the time that Tamiz Kavasi, the cafe you'll be visiting today, started salving coffee. Gaziantep continued to be a cultural crossroads, where people would stop to enjoy a hot drink in a coffee house or kavahana. They would catch up on the latest news in ideas, art, and daily life. During this time, Gaziantep became known as a city that was strongly rooted in Turkish culture and traditions. Following the winding streets of the city center, you wander through covered markets selling local wines, halva, baklava, and pistachios. The smells, sights, and sounds are enticing, but getting lost in the markets will wait for another time. Today you've come for the coffee. You push open the wooden doors, and step inside to be greeted by the smells of freshly brewed coffee. Traditional Turkish music mingles with the lively chatter of people enjoying a morning with friends. With high wooden ceilings and thick stone walls, it feels like this is a place where time stands still. Despite renovations to keep the building in good shape, the ambiance probably hasn't changed much in the last 400 years. In the center of the cafe, on the black and white tiled floor, is a wood-burning stove. It gently crackles, keeping the place warm on a cool winter's day. Thomas Kavasi, meaning coffee roasting place, began serving coffee in 1635. It's thought that coffee, which originated in Ethiopia, made its way to the Ottoman Empire through Middle Eastern traders. But nobody knows for sure exactly how the bean made it to Turkey and became such a staple of its culture. In the time of the Ottoman Empire, coffee was important both for court life and for the general public. You can imagine traders, artists, academics and nobility gracing this cafe, indulging in philosophical debate or literary criticism while enjoying warm cups of dark coffee. At the counter, you notice that the walls are filled with portraits of famous people from the region. The coffee house was originally built entirely with stone columns, and it's nice to see some of the old architecture maintained in the building today. At the counter, you're greeted by a smiling man who helps you find a seat. It's also near the window, so you can enjoy the sunshine and the bustle of the street outside. You ask for a recommendation, and the waiter smiles. He's delighted to be able to share his knowledge of Turkish coffee. He invites you downstairs for a moment to the kitchen, so you can see how his favorite cup of coffee is made. You follow him downstairs, past long benches piled with red and white cushions, and a column painted with the Turkish flag. Stoves sizzle with coffee, which almost bubbles over the rims of pots. The smell here where the coffee is brewed is strong and delightful. The waiter tells you that the best way to understand the uniqueness of Turkish coffee is to watch them making the perfect cup. Like many other coffee traditions from the Arabic and Mediterranean worlds, the coffee is brewed with the grounds still in. In a small copper pot called a jesfah, the waiter boils some water over a gas stove. You hear the gurgle of the liquid, and watch him add a scoop of finely ground coffee. There's no specific measuring cup, only the intuition of how much to add from years of making coffee like this, in the cafe and at home. The waiter's eyes twinkle as he adds the perfect amount of coffee grounds, like he's showing you a secret trick. You notice the copper detailing behind the stove, a rich panel showing the history of the cafe. The waiter sprinkles a little bit of ground cardamom and sugar into the pot, telling you that this is his favorite way to drink coffee. Then he turns down the heat and gently stirs the contents of the pot. The smell fills your nostrils, rich, bitter, and a little bit sweet. Next, you watch him do the coffee pot dance. When the brew starts to foam, he takes it off the heat until it bubbles back down and then places it back on the stove, waiting for it to bubble again. He repeats this a few more times before finally removing the coffee and pouring the dark, steamy brew into a ceramic mug. He puts the cup in a beautifully ornate silver holder. It's engraved with the landscape of this region of Turkey and the word TAMIS. It's a small cup, just a little bigger than an espresso shot, but much smaller than your average mug of coffee. But the waiter assures you, the coffee is strong and rich. Besides, he says, you don't want to drink too much of this brew. Afterwards, you should try a cup of their famous Pistachio coffee. He fixes a silver lid on the cup, just as beautiful as the body, and places it on a small silver saucer. He takes a couple of pieces of red and orange Turkish Delight and puts them on another silver plate. Sweets like Turkish Delight and Baklava are perfect accompaniments to a bitter cup of coffee. From beneath the counter, the waiter pulls out another beautiful piece of Turkish coffee equipment. He places the coffee and sweets on the tray and then scoops dried nuts and legumes into a bowl, also putting that on the tray. Lastly, he fills a small, narrow glass with water, telling you that this is an important part of Turkish coffee tradition. Their coffee can be intense in flavor, and having some water after a sip of the hot drink can help cleanse the palate for your next sip or drink. Drinking water before your coffee can also help reset your taste buds, so you get the full enjoyment of the flavor. There's also a tradition of using the water to make the coffee last longer. Once your cup is about halfway empty, you can add some of the water, refilling it closer to the top. The waiter leads you back to your table, elegantly carrying your tray of coffee and nibbles up the stairs. You settle in to your seat, the winter sun from outside feeling warm against your cheek. The waiter places everything on the table, setting down each item with a gentle clink. He smiles and tells you to enjoy the coffee. You lift the small cup comfortably, the silver holder stopping your hands from getting too hot, and smell the fragrant coffee. There's no need to rush. You take a small sip of the coffee and let it rest on your tongue for a moment, savoring the subtle sweetness of the cardamom and sugar against the bitter coffee flavor before swallowing. A smile forms on your face. It's such a satisfying brew. You take a small sip of water to refresh your palate and look a little more closely at your surroundings. You notice that it's more than just the architecture that makes this building special. Beautiful chandeliers hang from the ceiling, and artifacts from days of the past are displayed around the cafe. A brilliant dala, a coffee pot, is on show in the corner, and old lamps and instruments sit on different shelves around the cafe. There's also a shelf dedicated to hookah pipes, once an activity that often accompanied a fresh cup of coffee and a chat with friends. You take another sip, enjoying the combination of flavors, and then you enjoy a small bite of the gel-like Turkish delight, which is covered in white powdered sugar. Your waiter was right, the sweetness perfectly balances out the bitter taste of coffee. You enjoy slowly sipping on your coffee and tasting Turkish delight, watching the day unfold before you. A few solo travelers sit at tables, drinking coffee and flipping through the pages of their guidebooks. A couple strolls in, settling down with plates of sugar-coated baklava, and another group of friends chat boisterously over cups of Turkish tea. Taking another sip of coffee, you see waiters weaving through tables with their silver trays. Serving hot cups of coffee and tea, along with pastries, sweets and savoury snacks. You continue taking slow sips of your drink, each time noticing a new detail in your surroundings. It's not often you get to just sit and enjoy a drink this slowly. You relish being in this place, where coffee is rarely taken to go or drunk at a desk. Here it's always enjoyed at leisure. Perhaps with a good book, the company of friends, or just the enjoyment of being alone with your thoughts. Your waiter comes by to check in on you and to see if there's anything else you'd like. You're nearing the end of your drink, so you ask if he recommends trying the pistachio coffee, or perhaps a cup of tea. He offers to bring you half a cup of each, so you can try both. But first, he wants you to finish your current drink, so he can show you a fun Turkish coffee tradition. Reading your fortune from the remaining grounds. The practice is called tassiography, and is similar to traditions that read fortunes in tea leaves. He says that it's very important you never read your own fate in your cup, but he enjoys doing readings for customers and friends. First, he asks you to think about an intention for the reading. Perhaps a question that's been nagging at you, or a part of your life that you've had on your mind a lot lately. Next, he asks you to turn your cup over onto the plate. He swirls it around a few times, loosening the grounds, so that they'll fall down the sides of the cup. While you wait, he tells you more about Turkish coffee. It's especially important in wedding ceremonies. According to one tradition, the bride should prepare coffee for the family of her husband to be before the wedding. She should prepare everyone's coffee with sugar except for the cup of the groom. That should be seasoned with salt, pepper, or a pungent herb. If he's able to drink the whole cup without showing any discomfort, he has the grit to be a good husband. You smile at the story, reflecting on all the ways coffee has infused itself in the traditions of this country over the last 400 years. The cup is now ready to be read, and your waiter turns it over. He points to the silver plate, which is now covered in coffee grounds. When a large part of the liquid stays on the saucer, he tells you, it means your worries are leaving. Let them go, and you will move forward with more lightness and joy. Looking inside your cup, he smiles. Positive and interesting things are going to happen in your life. There may be times of change coming, but it's the kind of change that leads to growth in the relationship with those you love, in your job, and in your inner world, your relationship with yourself. It's a time to take risks, he tells you, to go after the thing you've been thinking about for a while. The time to do it is now. You thank him for the reading, mulling over what he's said with a grin. You're reminded of an old saying, The only constant in life is change. The waiter clears the table, and then goes off to prepare your next cups. You hear the soft sound of coffee brewing below, and the stove grunting with wood as you look out of the window. The sun is starting to sink a little lower in the sky. These are short winter days, but there's still plenty of time to enjoy this place. Bundled in thick sweaters, jackets, and hats, people wander the streets below, gazing into shop windows and admiring the historic building of the Coffee House. Closing your eyes, you imagine what it must have been like 400 years ago, when coffee was first becoming a popular drink in the region. How exciting it must have been to get to try something completely new. And how beautiful that coffee brought with it so many rituals that support community connection and cultural traditions that are still alive and well to this day. The waiter returns with the two new beverages and a sticky piece of baklava made freshly in house. The tray glistens in the lowering sun as he places everything in front of you. Then, with a smile, he leaves you with your thoughts. Starting with the pistachio coffee, you again close your eyes and take a sip. The rich flavor is a little sweeter than your last coffee. It has a delicious nutty aftertaste that goes perfectly with the flaky, sticky baklava. Once again, you enjoy alternating between the two, relishing the exchange of flavors. Coffee houses were once a place to slow down, to engage in conversation and enjoy the arts of deep thinking, creativity, and pleasure. You think about how wonderful it is that a place like this still exists today. Suddenly the music in the cafe shuts off, and you open your eyes to look around. A band with traditional Turkish instruments has just entered. They're carrying a small karnon, a string instrument with a rich sound, along with a lute and a wind instrument called a zona. They begin playing a tune, and some of the people in the cafe clap along. You watch the band dancing with their instruments, faces full of joy. You continue enjoying the flavors of your drink, as these new rich sounds join the rhythm of the bubbling water, the crackling stove, and the coffee house chatter. You tap your foot in rhythm to the song. It's both happy and soothing, making you feel perfectly at ease in this place where you've spent such a wonderful day. Once you finish the pistachio coffee, you flip it over on your saucer, wondering what these grounds might have to say. But you're in no rush to find out. You're enjoying being fully immersed in the present moment. You sample the tea next served in a small glass cup. It has a light flavor that perfectly washes down the last bite of the baklava, sending warmth through you as you lean back in your chair and enjoy the beats of the music. After spending the day here, you not only feel more connected to Turkish coffee culture, but also to the history of coffee and coffee houses as a whole. You have experienced this place in much the same way as others have been doing so for a few hundred years. As the sun starts turning the sky pink, you pull out your book to enjoy some reading as you finish your tea. A peaceful end to an enchanting day. You turn each page slowly, savoring the moment. After a while, you put the book down. Once again, you take in all the sights and sounds of this beautiful, historic place. The traditional music plays quietly, creating a background track for mermaids of friendly conversation. All adding to the rhythm this coffee house has held for hundreds of years.