Izmir, Turkey (2013) - Turkey is an intoxicating mixture of the old-and-new, the East-and-West. Although it’s primarily known as being part of the Asia, its history remains closely bonded to the origins of the West. A good example of this is the port city of Izmir. A few hundred miles north sits the famed city of Troy, dating back to the 1334 AD. And a short trip to the south lays Ephesus – home to some of the world’s best-preserved Greek and Roman ruins and the passages from the Gospel of John. Connecting all of these historic Western sites are Izmir’s modern electrical trains.
I took this photo in the Basmane Gar train station while waiting to board the train to Ephesus. Barely 200 years old, this station is located in the center of Izmir’s glass and steel high-rises. During rush hour, it’s not unusual to see hundreds of young professionals flooding the station, some dressed in stylish western garb, and others in more traditional clothing – including head-scarves and burkas. Yet another example of how the East-meets-West in Turkey.