Hello, today we got together with some friends. We were thinking about what to do, and we decided to go on a picnic. We went to a place called “Bottomless Lake,” located in the middle of the mountains, about 10 km away from Kınık village in Hekimhan, Malatya. It’s right on the edge of a cliff, and we thought it would be the perfect spot to set up a barbecue. We planned to enjoy rakı along with Adana kebab.
But there’s an important detail—you have to prepare Adana kebab using a cleaver (zırh) instead of a meat grinder, because otherwise the meat loses all its essence. Keep that in mind: the taste of Adana kebab made with a cleaver is simply amazing.
There I was, surrounded by mountains, a cliff on one side, and the breathtaking beauty of nature all around. The fresh scents carried by the wind made everything even more delightful. I love nature; being so close to it is always such a pleasure.
We started preparing the table. One friend was making salad, I was putting the Adana kebab onto skewers, another was grilling, and yet another was just sipping beer and watching us. It was truly a wonderful day. As we enjoyed our kebab, we clinked our rakı glasses together. Everything was perfect—it was an unforgettable day.
As we kept drinking rakı, we slowly started to feel that pleasant buzz. We laughed, joked, and had so much fun. I was enjoying it so much that I don’t even know how to put it into words.
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Everywhere I looked, there were wild rosehip trees. I immediately started picking them and stuffed my pockets, planning to make tea when I got home. It’s such a healthy plant — I really recommend trying it, it’s like a natural source of healing. I hope I’ve been able to share a piece of this beautiful moment with you. Do you know why they call this place “Bottomless Lake”? Because, as they say, it has no bottom. A few people once tried to swim here but never made it out — they drowned, pulled down into the depths. That’s what our elders told us. Such a sad story… may God give patience to their families. But aside from that, it’s a breathtaking place — hidden among the mountains, perched on the edge of a cliff, with a stunning lake. In summer, families come here for picnics. Visitors arrive from Sivas, Elazığ, Tokat, Tunceli, and many other cities. This place has become famous in the East — almost like a little paradise. About 1 km further in, there’s another lake. It used to be very deep, but over the years the water has receded and now it’s turned into a swamp. Still, it was worth seeing — I couldn’t even decide whether to call it a small lake or a marsh. And at the end of the day, with the cool breeze of Bottomless Lake and the embrace of nature, I lit my grill. All my fatigue melted away into peace, and the noise of the city gave way to silence. Sometimes you need to get away — to come closer to yourself and to life again. Stay with nature, stay happy. My friends decided to head home — they were all married, with wives and children waiting for them. But I didn’t want to go back just yet, so I asked them to drop me off at Ilıca. There, in a picnic area covered with tall poplar trees and lush green grass, people also barbecue with family and friends. In summer, couples even hold their wedding celebrations here. Ilıca also has a hot spring pool, fed by a natural source from the mountains, surrounded by rocks and cliffs — another little piece of paradise. I quickly put on my shorts and jumped in. Swimming in it gave me such joy; I could feel my whole body relaxing. I swam for hours, completely refreshed, not wanting to leave the pool. There was one more person there, and I asked him to take a photo of me so I could share these moments with you. I hope one day your path brings you here too — to see these wonders with your own eyes and to experience swimming in this warm spring. I truly hope I was able to reflect a bit of this joyful journey to you.
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