THEBEACH Summer 2014 | Page 54

52 MAGAZINE | THE BEACH EVERYONE LOVES A CARNIVAL…and who more than the Turks! Each region of Turkey celebrates its produce and its heritage. The word ‘carnival’ has a Latin root (carne levare = farewell to meat): and ditto for ‘festival’ since it occured immediately before Lent. Carnivals were introduced into areas with Catholic andn Orthodox populations reaching Argentina and Brazil via the European colonists. Nowadays the carnival has become a secular event, that generally takes place during the warmer months. Here are some of the local festivals. FESTIVAL FUN enjoy some mellow evening weather at Fethiye’s newly restored old amphitheatre while listening to some world renowned jazz and classical music performances... U zumlu Morel Mushroom Festival This is celebrated 4 days in April generally towards the end of the month. The festival promotes knowledge of mushrooms edible and inedible, in particular the famous morel mushroom which grows all through the region. Considered a great delicacy in France and North America it is picked and dried for export. Visitors are made very welcome. One can attend lectures, go mushrooming with local guides and are then offered this rare delicacy cooked in various ways. Uzumlu is a very attractive small town