Thursday, 16 February 2012 16:48
Balyolu (pronounced "Ball-yole-ew"), is the first honey tasting walking journey of its kind.
balyoluThis journey is a seven-day trip in Northeastern Turkey that is led and inspired by local women who are training to become world-class beekeepers & rural entrepreneurs.
The purpose of the trip is to explore the unique tastes and diversity of Turkish honey, the ancient nomadic travel routes of Northeastern Turkey, and the artisan culture of rural communities in the region. Tickets and limited edition products from the program are currently on-sale on Kickstarter: www.kickstarter.com/projects/260601899/walk-the-honey-road-with-balyolu
Cat Jaffee, a Colorado native, Fulbright Scholar, and program Founder thought of the initial idea while researching rural migration in Turkey, 2008-2010. In 2011, Cat moved back to Turkey to live with nomadic beekeepers in Turkey’s Northeast and band birds with local non-profit KuzeyDoga. After joining the first EU supported women’s organic beekeeping course in the Kars region, Cat wanted to start a honey tasting tour program to support local women trying to produce high-end organic honey. Proceeds from the program will go towards marketing trainings, organic beekeeping workshops, and rural business incubation in local communities. Cat is joined by a global team of entrepreneurs who together are starting Balyolu – Burcu Uzer, Deniz Duygu, Sertac Turhal, and Alex Barberis.
Due to the historical importance of Ani, the old Armenia capital that is prominent in the region as a formerly substantial trade hub (one that rivalled Istanbul, Cairo, and Baghdad 900 years ago), and the ancient seasonal migration patterns of the local people, old roads and walking routes are common across the region. In an effort to build something truly environmental and unique, the Balyolu trips walk these ancient roads from village to village, while tasting honey, sampling local food, learning about local birds and animals from non-profit KuzeyDoga, and exploring one of Turkey’s wild frontiers.
“We believe tourism should be harnessed for social good,” explains founder Cat Jaffee. For Balyolu, it's adventure at its sweetest!
LOVE THE HONEY BEES This blog is dedicated to providing information about the honey bee. We celebrate the honey bee through "An Evening in Honor of the Sacred Honey Bee" with traditional Bulgarian bee rituals, songs, music, poetry and dance. Our second "Evening..." was held August 15, 2009 at Pt. Reyes Dance Palace, in celebration of the first National Honey Bee Awareness Day. Pictured are Gradina Balkan Music Ensemble: http://www.traditionalfun.org/gradina_about.html
Sacred Honey Bee Evening video clip, CLICK ON THE PHOTO TO VIEW
Click on this photo for a video of "Evening in Honor of the Sacred Honey Bee". Photo by Daniel Bahmani
Turkey Travel Group is an excellent tour agent! I brought a group of 5 students to Istanbul for a study abroad program. Before coming to Istanbul, General Manager Yasar Celen was extremely helpful when I was preparing the program. Despite the time difference, he was very quick to get back to me with his answers to my questions and his further suggestions for our program. Our tour guide, Ender Boz, and other personnel (including our drivers in our daily excursions) were extremely helpful, attentive, friendly, and nice. Overall http://www.packagetoursturkey.com Turkey Travel Group presented an excellent example of Turkish hospitality during our stay in Istanbul.
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