Our main stop in Selcuk was to visit a weaving school. The government of Turkey subsidizes these schools to preserve the traditions and promote a new generation of weavers. After completing the three year program at the school they receive a master weaver license, which enables them to create rugs at home or in shops and still receive the health insurance subsidized by the government. Initial learning is on wool, which has thick fibers; then they do cotton, and their master's project is using silk.
At the school we saw the whole silk process from larvae to thread. Each cocoon has a single thread over a mile long. The principal of the school and one of the students showed us how they get the thread. Cocoons float in water, and are swirled with a bristle brush, which picks up the threads. Ten or twelve individual threads are then spun into a single strand and wound onto a spool. Once dyed, it can be used in weaving.
The weavers were amazing. Neither of us would have the patience to do that! Following a plan sheet, they tie the thread onto the backing thread using a knot that distinguishes Turkish rugs from Persian rugs. I didn't know that. Then they use a tool to push the threads tight against the existing weaving.
Then they brought us to a viewing room where we sampled Turkish apple tea (which was delish) while they rolled out different rugs for us to view and have the opportunity to purchase... which we did. Each one was more fantastic than the next.
Finally it was back to the bus and the ship. We had dinner at another of the specialty restaurants: Crown Grill, a steakhouse. Our server was Natalia from the Ukraine. She was a lot of fun.
It was a great port, one of our favorites so far.
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