To Ankara Sept 17

Hittite country Sept 17

The whole area around Ankara is basically flat and excellent for agricultural crops. Many huge wheat fields, lots of orchards, vineyards, and truck gardens.

We saw farmers with their small trucks laden with sacks of potatoes or onions. They sat at major intersections and would sell to anyone who stopped. There were many melon stands and also squash stands with lots of produce for sale.

Larger transport trucks along the 4 lane highway with their containers full vegetables were on their way to cities and bigger markets.

We noticed quite few temporary camps where pickers would stay while working in the fields. Whole families were camped there and probably spent a month or so in one place. Rustic conditions but perhaps it was not much better at home. Right now they are picking sugar beets. It is one of the later crops for this area.

Around the city there was a lot of construction. Many new apartment buildings and lots of road construction. Good for their economy, I hope.