Roses, hearts and more: Turks mark ‘festival of love’
Celebrating Valentine's Day might not be a widely celebrated traditional festivity for most Turks, but the day was a perfect opportunity for some romantics in the country to redeclare their love or even pop the big question.
Preparations for the 'day of lovers' celebrations began late on the previous night as many flower sellers and gift makers worked hard to get the orders ready on time. It was seen that florists were in a non-stop rush, particularly in Istanbul and Ankara.
"We have been working since night to make the couples happy. The price of roses varies, they range anywhere between 40 Turkish liras [$2.95], 60 liras [$4.45] and 100 liras ($7.40)," said Ferdi Kılıç, a flower-seller in Istanbul's working-class Bağcılar district.
Ahmet Sağlam, another florist in the Turkish metropolis, noted that he began the preparations in the dark of the night because of those who came to buy flowers at night or ordered online.
However, the prices of flowers were not that reasonable everywhere.
A florist in the eastern province of Kahramanmaraş prepared a Valentine's Day bouquet worth 20,000 liras ($1,450), which she combined with euro banknotes and red roses, and contrary to expectations, the bouquet quickly found a buyer.
Day full of surprises
While some couples walking on streets with a chocolate package or a bouquet of flowers drew attention, many sweethearts who decided to move away from florists and souvenir shops came up with more exciting ideas.
With its underground cities, fabulous sunsets, hot-air balloon rides, horseback tours and hotels offering cave room options, Turkey's Cappadocia region became a hot stop for couples who wanted to have an unforgettable Valentine's Day.
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