Ç is the letter I was looking forward to writing about the most because Çinar and Çay were the two most wonderful things that happened to me in Ganja.
The timing couldn’t have been better. I arrived to the city in late November – still in time to catch the last glimpses of the warming autumn sun while at the same time witnessing the falling of the leaves. The figure of Çinar, a plane tree known as Platanus Orientalis or simply chenar tree, has greeted me at the peak of its beauty. There’s something warming about the mere colour of the Çinar leaves that so perfectly matches the colour of the drink Azerbaijanis adore – Çay. Served from a pear-shaped glass known as armudu, this hot drink which the English-speakers know as tea, warmed my heart so many times, that I couldn’t imagine how my visit would have gone without it.
Whether when taking a moment to rest or stopping by to chat to a new acquaintance, a glass-full of Çay and Çinar-guarded haven proved to be the most calming company that’s never failed to make me smile.
areyoureallywithme 