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First of all, I would
like to stress that this one page of information has never intended to tell the whole interesting story of
mining one of the most valuable minerals on the earth and the people who work in this business. I
just wanted to enlighten you pipe smokers who would like to learn
more about meerschaum a bit more. Although a few pictures will not tell
everything, I believe that anything from this side of the world would be
worth an addition to your knowledge. Even to me, seeing how this
miraculous mineral comes out of the earth had been a dramatic
experience in my life.
As I
stress all the time, anything is "handmade" in this business. Check
these pictures out. I took these pictures in a cold winter time. My
digital camera was a bit frozen but thankfully kept running with me
in a good way. The region was so rural that, on the way to mining
area, I saw a bird of prey at the right time just as it caught a
hare! I stopped my car to get a better look and take a shot of this
once in a life time picture. But the bird got a fright of our
existence and left the prey flying away rapidly. The hare was lying still,
apparently it was dead. As I have been a lover of watching nature
documentaries all my life long, it was the time I had the same
experience with my own eyes. On the way back, there was no part from
the hare in there. Most probably, the bird was back and got his meal
after we have left the spot.
I hope
this little glance to the countryside of the meerschaum will give
you a
small clue of why your meer pipe would deserve a bit more of your affection.
Puff in
peace!
Sinan A. Altinok |
