Hello, today we got together with some friends. We were thinking about what to do, and we decided to go on a picnic. We went to a place called “Bottomless Lake,” located in the middle of the mountains, about 10 km away from Kınık village in Hekimhan, Malatya. It’s right on the edge of a cliff, and we thought it would be the perfect spot to set up a barbecue.
But there’s an important detail—you have to prepare Adana kebab using a cleaver (zırh) instead of a meat grinder, because otherwise the meat loses all its essence. Keep that in mind: the taste of Adana kebab made with a cleaver is simply amazing.
There I was, surrounded by mountains, a cliff on one side, and the breathtaking beauty of nature all around. The fresh scents carried by the wind made everything even more delightful. I love nature; being so close to it is always such a pleasure.
We started preparing the table. One friend was making salad, I was putting the Adana kebab onto skewers, another was grilling, and yet another was just sipping beer and watching us.
There's a special happiness in being surrounded by nature. I find special joy in cooking in nature. We enjoyed the beautiful scenery and our interaction.
We laughed, joked, and had so much fun.
Everywhere I looked, there were wild rosehip trees. I immediately started picking them and stuffed my pockets, planning to make tea when I got home. It’s such a healthy plant — I really recommend trying it, it’s like a natural source of healing. I hope I’ve been able to share a piece of this beautiful moment with you.
Do you know why they call this place “Bottomless Lake”? Because, as they say, it has no bottom. A few people once tried to swim here but never made it out — they drowned, pulled down into the depths. That’s what our elders told us. Such a sad story… may God give patience to their families. But aside from that, it’s a breathtaking place — hidden among the mountains, perched on the edge of a cliff, with a stunning lake.
In summer, families come here for picnics. Visitors arrive from Sivas, Elazığ, Tokat, Tunceli, and many other cities. This place has become famous in the East — almost like a little paradise. About 1 km further in, there’s another lake. It used to be very deep, but over the years the water has receded and now it’s turned into a swamp. Still, it was worth seeing — I couldn’t even decide whether to call it a small lake or a marsh.
And at the end of the day, with the cool breeze of Bottomless Lake and the embrace of nature, I lit my grill. All my fatigue melted away into peace, and the noise of the city gave way to silence. Sometimes you need to get away — to come closer to yourself and to life again. Stay with nature, stay happy.
My friends decided to head home — they were all married, with wives and children waiting for them. But I didn’t want to go back just yet, so I asked them to drop me off at Ilıca. There, in a picnic area covered with tall poplar trees and lush green grass, people also barbecue with family and friends. In summer, couples even hold their wedding celebrations here.
Ilıca also has a hot spring pool, fed by a natural source from the mountains, surrounded by rocks and cliffs — another little piece of paradise. I quickly put on my shorts and jumped in. Swimming in it gave me such joy; I could feel my whole body relaxing. I swam for hours, completely refreshed, not wanting to leave the pool.
There was one more person there, and I asked him to take a photo of me so I could share these moments with you. I hope one day your path brings you here too — to see these wonders with your own eyes and to experience swimming in this warm spring. I truly hope I was able to reflect a bit of this joyful journey to you.
Thank you for the reading!