Dursunbey - For many years a close friendship connects us with Rasim, operating a large furniture store in Alanya and also in construction of family houses and villas.

And for many years it is Rasim's big dream to deal with the self-expansion of a mobile home to discover his own country in stages, which is another connection between us; camping; in short terms: so far it is lack of time to implement these plans.

Dursunbey - mountain idyll awaits us

Of course, we quite often discuss our project work "A journey of Intimacy and Culture along the Roman Roads" time which often lead to the question of new stations and targeted locations, which is a very important part for any traveler with Camper and of course within the framework of the project, where we developed the idea, even to plan and set up a camper spot.

One region was in conversation again and again, because Rasim always gushed from his hometown Dursunbey, a county town in the district of Balikesir, which has not been achieved on tourism so far in a still densely forested mountain region, apart from kinship and acquaintance of visits of Turkish residents.

And since it is also about us and included on the project, to help regions develop by means of sustainable tourism, moreover, to link companies in their product marketing internationally, also in order to reduce migration, it was obvious, to pay the region a visit of several days.

Rasim gushed almost from the many wood processing small businesses in the region.

For this Rasim offered the assistance of his father, a returnee from Germany with very good German, who was to accompany us during the investigation and the talks.

Densely forested areas in Dursunbey

Dursunbey, formerly called Balat or in Greek Palation (stands for Palace, which we shall explore, because in a fire station we came across Greco-Roman artifacts), is a town in the eastern province of Balikesir, approximately 80 kilometers away from the provincial capital.

The city received the name "Dursunbey" in 1916 or 1918. About 40,000 inhabitants live in the city today and over 100 villages are in the district where the original village character has been well preserved due to the mountainous region.

The highest peak of the district Dursunbey is the Alaçam with 1,645 m. Large areas of the district are heavily forested, making the region a paradise for nature lovers, hikers and mountain bikers.

We first wanted to explore the city itself, which was associated with the same invitation for a meal as part of a circumcision feast in the city center. Countless hands were shaken, everywhere were inhabitants towards us.

Rasims father is a personality in Dursunbey, without any question. So first acquaintances were made, resulting in the sequence to other companions of our exploring.

Park with tea rooms by the river

For first talks we then went to the city park, where trout were held in a mighty stream with barrages, which were then captured on demand, fresh and prepared from the stream. Large amounts of flowing fresh water made the fish a delicacy.

Ever this park with its tearooms under tall plane trees, beeches and oaks was an attraction in the city Dursunbey, which was not only used in the context of leisure activities: a center under trees, which must be seen as a real meeting and gathering place of local people for a tea or food.

We arranged to have a first exploration tour to a hot spring for the next day, which can be used as a hot spring bath. But more about that in the next report.

Please read as well:

Basilica Cistern - Sunken Palace in Istanbul

Tekirdag - Wine and Raki from Thracia

• Dursunbey - Park in the Center Dursunbey - Park in the Center
• Dursunbey - Park in the Center Dursunbey - Park in the Center
• Dursunbey - Park in the Center Dursunbey - Park in the Center
• Dursunbey - Park in the Center Dursunbey - Park in the Center
• Dursunbey - Park in the Center Dursunbey - Park in the Center
• Dursunbey - Park in the Center Dursunbey - Park in the Center
• Dursunbey - Park in the Center Dursunbey - Park in the Center
• Dursunbey - Park in the Center Dursunbey - Park in the Center
• Dursunbey - Park in the Center Dursunbey - Park in the Center
• Dursunbey - Park in the Center Dursunbey - Park in the Center
• Dursunbey - Park in the Center Dursunbey - Park in the Center
• Dursunbey - Park in the Center Dursunbey - Park in the Center
•