Photos

A squatter squatting in his squat : this is Hüseyn Bey, he lives in a one-room cave high up in Ürgüp, alone with countless cats (one is hidden on the left, below the fridge !).

=> If you follow this link, you’ll be able to tour a series of photos about Hüseyn, his cats, his lodging and his neighbours (some of them, you have already seen, others are new - some, rather FYI, but interesting IMHO) and finally return to the original post :
=> next photo : => a tender gesture towards one of his cats...

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This was maybe my 5th visit to his place, I don't count anymore. He told me that he survived the winter which had been particularly tough this year (-35°C at some point), thanks to the coal that the municipality had provided him for free like each year. He does not pay any rent - for the moment he is allowed to remain there, but he could be evicted if a restoration project was starting.

When he has some cash, he pays for his electricity bills ; for the water he has the help of kids from the neighbourhood who bring him bottles from an fountain downhill for some pocket money, but he does not have gaz for cooking his tea anymore.

An old "kahveci", he was running a "café" where mostly tea is served all day long ; having heard probably too much gossip along his long carreer, now he prefers the silent company of his cats and he cannot refuse the new comers : last year, he had 28 of them or even more ! 10 were present that day but they'll probably make babies soon...

He likes to live alone but is also happy to get some visit ; most visitors leave him a tip, as he can show the way to various Byzantine chapels in the neighbourhood, including right next door ! So, he manages to live that way, a bit excentric but still in dignity. And occasionally he cracks some funny joke...