Summer is my favorite season. Warm weather, light clothing, icy cocktails, and beach holidays are what everyone dreams of, aren’t they? This year, I think we’re beyond those dreams. My city, Istanbul, is hotter than usual. Sometimes I feel like I’m in Dubai. Air conditioning isn’t my favorite way to cool off, but I don’t know if I could live without it these days. Türkiye, especially in the eastern regions, can get much hotter.

In this article, I want to share how people in Türkiye cope with the heat.

There are seven regions in Türkiye. Generally, everywhere except the Black Sea region can be very hot in the summer. People in Türkiye often go to the highlands to escape the heat. The highland culture reach back to ancient times. The most common highlands in the Mediterranean region are on the peaks of the Taurus Mountains. I’m on this highland these days. You can see from the photos I took how green it is. The weather is very nice and humid level is very low. But the weather at  night time  and sky view are magnificent. Because the weather is so cool and the light is low, stargazing is very enjoyable.

I can’t say the same for city life. People in cities are often have trouble about what to do in the hot and humid weather. Especially in the Mediterranean region, in the city of Adana, people are driven mad by the sun’s direct rays. A few years ago, a man even got into a fight with the sun and threw a stone at it. This news still makes me laugh.

In Southeastern Anatolia, people find very creative solutions to the hot weather. Most of the people who lives there are farmers. Some of these farmers even turn the backs of their trucks into swimming pools, creating enjoyable activities for both themselves and their children. In this region, people sleep outdoors on the upper floors of houses, called ‘Dam’, during the summer months. To avoid flies, they cover their beds with curtains with mosquito nets called ‘Cibinlik’ .

It’s not just people who suffer from the heat in cities. Conditions can be very difficult for birds, cats, and dogs. But Turks are very sensitive to this issue. You’ll find water for animals on every street. Crows and seagulls even take showers in these waters.