The Perfect Love

The Perfect Love

Faiz scooped up the snow underneath. The boy, now twelve years old, formed the snow into a ball.

Plaque! His throw slammed into Nasira's right cheek, now six years old.

"Mak Long Azizah, Bang Faiz naughty, throw Nasira with snow," Nasira complained to Azizah. They are currently on the front page of a luxury apartment in the Kavaklider area. The apartment was covered in snow, but not too thick.

It doesn't feel like six years have passed now. Both kids are growing up now.

They only arrived yesterday in Turkey after a week of Umrah worship in the Holy Land. Faiz and Nasira's school holidays last for two weeks. Both parents then took the two to Umrah for one week in the Holy Land. They will spend the rest of the week in Turkey.

They entered Turkey through its capital Ankara. Yesterday when the plane they were boarding landed at Esenboga international airport, Youari immediately asked the taxi driver they were boarding to take them to the Kavaklider area. They will stay one night in Tuti's apartment. Tuti after graduating S1 from UAD continued his S2 at UIN Suman Kalijaga. As he continued his education, he met a young Turkish man who continued his education in Indonesia. His name was Aydin.

After graduating from S2 education, Tuti and Aydin decided to get married. Aydin then took Tuti to Turkey.

"Faiz don't bother your sister."

"Basic ngadu, ndak fun."

"Faiz here to help the same father Mr. Ngah Fahri lift the travel bag into the trunk of the car."

Faiz according. He approached Nizar and Fahri and helped the two adults lift the travel bag and put it in the trunk of the car.

"Weight, here Mr. Ngah who put the travel bag into the trunk of the car." Fahri takes the last travel bag from Faiz's hand. He then put the travel bag into the trunk of the car after Nizar had previously inserted a travel bag into the trunk of the car.

You are talking to Tuti who is now one month pregnant. This was her first pregnancy. Aydin is now in Germany because the office he works in sends him there. In two days Aydin returned to Turkey.

"I'm so sorry I can't accompany you on your way to Istanbul."

" It's okay to have Dimas."

Dimas is the second son of Pak Puji. Pak Puji is one of Fahri's neighbors in Dwi Ratna Housing. After graduating from MAN 2 Pontianak, Dimas continued his education at Istanbul University. After graduating Dimas did not go back to Indonesia. Along with other campus friends, he opened a cafe business in downtown Istanbul.

On their last day in Medina, Fahri called Dimas, asking Dimas if he could be a tour guide for them while they were in Istanbul. Dimas intercepts a request from Fahri.

"The tightness of Mak?" ask Arini. He helped put a knitting motif scarf around Nurpiah's neck.

"Now, really."

Temperatures in Ankara are estimated to be between five to six degrees Celsius. The city is located on a plateau so if winter comes the snow will cover the city.

***

"Who's Bang?" ask Andari who is sitting in the middle seat of the car with Nurpiah and Arini. Nursiah sat on her mother's lap while Nizar and Azizah and Faiz were in the back seat of the car.

"Dimas sent a message about the hotel where we will stay later" Fahri said as he read the incoming SMS on his phone. He sat next to the driver of the rented car. The rented car they were riding on crossed a road to Istanbul. Outside it looks snow that falls again though thin.

About four hours later they arrived in Istanbul. Istanbul is not the coldest city in Turkey. It usually snows in mid-December. That too is thin. But because of this late December they can see some of the roofs of buildings and streets in Istanbul that have been covered in heavy snow. The tree roasts without leaves leaving only stems and twigs. The trees will regrow their leaves when Turkey enters spring around March.

Using English Fahri tried to tell the address of the hotel where they stayed in Istanbul to their rental car driver. Frowning their rented car driver. He really did not understand what Fahri said. Fahri had to call Dimas. Through Fahri's phone, Dimas, who was across the street, spoke to the driver of their rental car in Turkish, telling him the address of the hotel where Fahri and his family had been staying in Istanbul.

A few minutes later the rental car they were riding in stopped in front of the Acra Hotel. This hotel is within close proximity of Blue Mosque and also Hagia Sophia facing each other, approximately two minutes

just walk. At the door of the hotel was waiting for Dimas. He will help Fahri family to check in at the hotel.

"Where was Hagia Sophia or the Blue Mosque or Topkapi Palace?" ask Fahri the next morning. After breakfast, they decided to explore Istanbul. Outside the snow no longer fell but piled up on the road. The sky outside looked bright. They hope the snow doesn't fall like it did last night.

Dimas had been waiting for them in front of the hotel. He called Fahri. They then decided to first visit Hagia Sophia.

They had to pay forty Lira or they could buy a fitting meseum ticket for eighty Lira for five days to enter the Hagia Sophia. Because tomorrow they're going to Cappadocia they're going to pay forty liras.

Hagia Sophia was once a beautiful church. It was built during the time of the Byzantine Emperor. After being conquered by Sultan Mehmed Dua or Sultan Muhammad Al Faith in the year four hundred and five thousand three then Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque.

In nineteen-three-five, the Hagia Sophia was transformed into a museum by order of Mustafa Kemal Atatruk. He was the first President of Turkey. At the front of the pulpit in the Hagia Sophia they can see the mosaic painting of Our Lady holding the baby Jesus on a singana full of jewels. This painting has a height of five meters, but because the structure of the Hagia Sophia building is so large and magnificent makes this painting look small. The painting itself is flanked by two large discs seven meters in diameter with the writings of Allah and Muhammad. These two plates were the work of calligrapher Mustafa Izzet Efendi in the year eighteen four and eighteen four nine.

After visiting Hagia Sophia, they continued their journey to Topkapi Palace. From Hagia Sophia only takes approximately six minutes walk to Topkapi Palace.

To enter the Topkapi Palace they were charged around thirty Lira. They then decided to visit Topkapi Harem Palace. Topkapi Harem Palace is a special building for the mother and the wives of the sultan. The building consists of many rooms. About three hundred rooms. To enter the Topkapi Harem Palace was charged again around fifteen Lira.

In Topkapi Harem Palace there is a room with very beautiful ceramic ornaments. It was in this room where the concubines of the sultan gathered.

In addition to Topkapi Harem Palace they also visited the Sacred Relic Pavilion. The room that was once the sultan's room holds the relics of the Prophet Muhammad SAW. Like letters and robes and the sword of the prophet kept in a chest made of gold. The prophet's beard is inserted into a glass tube and relic in which there is a broken tooth of the prophet during the battle of Uhud and also a print of the prophet's right foot. The print of the prophet's left foot is stored in Al-Alqsa Mosque.

Actually there are still many rooms that they have not stopped at Topkapi Palace but at this time the clock has shown at two noon past fifteen minutes. They had to finish their visit at Topkapi Palace because they had not yet performed Dzuhur prayer.

From Topkapi Palace they headed to Sultan Ahmed Mosque or people more familiar as the Blue Mosque. From Topkapi Palace to Blue Mosque only takes approximately twelve minutes walk.

The Blue Mosque, a landmark of Istanbul, has six minarets. There is an iron chain above the gate of the mosque. According to the story in the past, only Sultan Ahmed was allowed to enter the mosque by horseback. This iron chain was installed so that when Sultan Ahmed would enter the mosque area, he would bow his head so that he did not stumble in the chain. It is a symbol that the leader should be humble.

Blue ceramics of approximately twenty thousand pieces cover the floor of the Blue Mosque. The floor tiles are made with traditional Turkish designs. Gallery floors are made with floral and fruit designs. The floor was covered with the finest silk carpet.

The window glass of the mosque is made of decorative glass. The glass was approximately two hundred. Window frames and frames are assembled with pieces of various materials of choice. Formed later with mosaic patterns.

Mihrab made of mamer carved with stalactite decoration and double incritve panels on it. The ceiling of the mosque is decorated with very beautiful calligraphy.

Common prayers that are usually performed

the Blue Mosque was completed a few hours ago. Not far behind them, some oriental-faced people were taking photos with the background of the interior of the Blue Mosque.

They then performed Dzuhur prayer and Nizar was appointed as the prayer priest because in addition to his eloquent prayer readings, he was also the oldest man among them.

"Sir is hungry" Nizar said on the way. He walked beside Nizar.

"Nasira is also sir" Nasira told Fahri, who was holding her.

"Jak's neighbors."

"Biarin, besides Nasira is hungry, Bang Faiz is hungry."

They then stopped at a restaurant. They chose to sit on the third floor. Not far from their right, bounded by transparent glass, they could see the Bosphorus Strait. Several ships appear to pass over the Bosphorus.

The menu of the restaurant is a traditional Turkish cuisine. Dimas helps them in selecting the menu in the menu book.

"What is a sack of shit?" ask you to Dimas, when Dimas asked if they wanted to order borek.

"A kind of Turkish salty cake Kak. It can be ground meat, spinach, and cheese. Can be layered or rolled like lasagna."

They then ordered three borek, two tandir kuzur, one pide, two kumpir , five sahleps , and three ihlamur teas. As a dessert they ordered lokum .

After lunch, they went to the Grand Bazaar for souvenir shopping.

The Grand Bazaar is the largest and oldest closed market in the world. It was founded by Sultan Mehmed Dua. Starting between the years fourteen five one to fourteen five six. This market has an area of approximately five and four thousand square. The number of stores in the Grand Bazaar is estimated at approximately four hundred and forty stores. It is spread over sixty-four streets in the Gran Bazaar.

The number of visitors to the Gran Bazaar is estimated to be two hundred and fifty thousand people every day.

"How Much?" Ask Dimas. Currently they are in one of the carpet shops in the Grand Bazaar. You are so interested in the motif of a carpet the size of a prayer mat in the store. The carpet is also quite thick.

Using Turkish, Dimas asked the shopkeeper the price of the carpet.

"Six hundred Lira Brother."

"How much if it's broken up?"

"About three million and a half."

You then tell Dimas to bid the price of the carpet. Finally the merchant was willing to remove the carpet at the price of three hundred Lira.

In addition to carpets, they also buy Turkish veils, key chains, refrigerator magnets, mugs and ceramic dishes.

***

The next day, at about eleven o'clock in the afternoon, the plane they boarded with the Fahri and Dimas families landed at Erkelit airport. The airport is located in Kayseri. If you go to Cappadocia by bus, it takes approximately twelve hours from Istanbul but if using the plane only takes approximately one hour from Istanbul.

Out of the airport, they were immediately attacked by taxi drivers. Taxi drivers are scrambling to offer each other services, ready to take tourists to Cappadocia. Dimas drove the taxi drivers to use Turkish.

A middle-aged man waved at them. His name is Ahmed. He was one of Dimas' uncles. Originally from Kayseri, he lived with his wife in Cappadocia.

Ahmed's gonna take them to Cappadocia. Yesterday in Istanbul, Dimas called Ahmed, asking if he would take them tomorrow to Cappadocia. After agreeing with the car rental money offered by Fahri, Ahmed was willing to take them to Cappadocia.

Dimas had met Ahmed. Their meeting happened two years ago when Ates took a vacation to Cappadocia. Ates was one of Dimas' friends. They're one major on campus.

The car they were riding on split a road to Cappadocia. From Erkelit Airport it takes approximately one hour drive to Cappadocia. It was snowing again outside and this time it was a bit thick. They expect the weather to be clear tomorrow. They're going to ride a hot air balloon tomorrow.

Before heading to the Cave Land Hotel where they stayed while in Cappadocia, they decided to have lunch at one of the restaurants in the Avanos area. From Kayseri to Avanos it takes about fifty-six minutes. They then ordered a pottery kebab and a typical Turkish apple tea for their lunch.

After lunch, they headed to the Cave Land Hotel in Goreme. Tourist attractions in Cappadocia are indeed many in the Goreme area. From Avanos to Goreme takes approximately eleven minutes.

"Beautiful Bang," you commented the next morning when they went up to the hot air balloon. He looked at the view below them. The entire building in Cappadocia is made of stone covered by snow. They were grateful that today the weather was so sunny that there was no obstacle for them to ride a hot air balloon. Around them there are several hot air balloons that foreign tourists like them ride.

"Yes, it's beautiful" Fahri commented. Inside this hot air balloon is filled only with Fahri and Dimas families.

You smile, looking at the sun that is beginning to appear in the eastern horizon. His heart was filled with happiness at this moment. He has such a perfect family now, and he hopes that this happiness will last until they are separated by death. Their love is now perfect.

FINISHED

NOTES

Pak Ngah: call for uncle number two in Malay.

Kuzur tandir: the meat of Donna that is hung and roasted entirely traditionally. Served with rice or yogurt or can also be with potatoes.

Pide: a Turkish pizza. It contains ground meat, spinach and cheese.

Kumpir: a typical Turkish baked potato. It contains fresh butter and rough cheese.

Sahlep: a drink made from the tuber flour of an Italian Orchis orchid plant. Usually drunk in winter.

Ihlamur tea: decoction of tea leaves and linden tree flowers.

Lokum, better known as Turkish Delight. This dessert is so chewy and sticky. Has a variety of flavors and contents. Usually given a sprinkling of refined sugar on it. It is very tasty to eat when new so because the ready to eat the contents are lighter and a lot of sugar so it dries faster.

Kebab pottery: kebabs in clay pots. The potting part is covered in a kind of pottery then coated in aluminum foil . This kebab is then cooked by burning or put into the oven until cooked. This meal is a typical food of the Cappadocia community. This kebab is usually eaten with rice or bread. This kebab itself has a spicy, wry and sour taste. Even this kebab is a cut of tomatoes, peppers, beef or lamb, onions, onions, and some vegetables such as eggplant.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

This book was written before Hagia Sophia changed its status back to a mosque.

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