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News > Interview with Wildland Turkey guide Deniz Kilic
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Interview with Wildland Turkey guide Deniz Kilic
One of the Wildland Turkey tour guides, Deniz Kilic's greatest passion is sharing everyday Turkish culture with travelers through the eyes of a local. He loves guiding because it keeps him out of the office, traveling and meeting new people.
We asked him a few questions about guiding Wildland groups, his love of motocross and his favorite "insider" place to eat in Turkey.
Q: What sets Wildland travelers apart from other groups?
A: In general guiding small private groups or single travelers is more
enjoyable for me. I can spend more time with each person to share my
knowledge about Turkey and ensure that they enjoy their time and
experience in my country. With all the Wildland travelers I have led so far, the groups are small and I have the chance to get to know people personally. And by the end of the trip, we're family.
Q: What places and sites in Turkey do Wildland travelers most enjoy?
A: I think Wildland travelers most enjoy Cappadocia. The landscape of the region is completely unique and there, they have the chance for a real cultural encounter - meeting with Mevlevi Dervish (the whirling dervishes).
Q: What do you like most about working as a guide?
A: None of my days are the same as the previous and I always have the chance to introduce local people to the travelers.
Q: What is your favorite Turkish dish? What meals do travelers
typically most enjoy in Turkey?
A: My favorite dish is guvecte kurufasulye which is a typical Turkish dish made from beans and
cooked in an earthen pot. Travelers mainly like all kind of kebabs.
Q: Tell us one "secret" place - restaurant, viewpoint, park - that only locals know about and where you take travelers?
A:
There is a small restaurant which is a specialist for pide (turkish
pizza) in the local bus station in Urgup, Cappadocia. There is no
chance to see any other foreign visitors there.
Q: You like motorbike/motorcross? Can you tell us about where you race and what it is like?
A: In my twenties I used to race in National Motocross
Championship all over the country. But these days, I can only
participate in the races in Bodrum, near where I live. Motorbike has an
important role in my life, I don't even have a car! For me, a holiday
means to go somewhere on my motorbike. At the end of last year, I rode
from Bodrum to Iran. It took 45 days and I traveled 6,000 miles on my
bike!
