Doomsdayers flock to Turkish village
2012-12-11 15:00
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Turkey
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Ankara - Believers of the Mayan calendar prediction that
the world will end on 21 December have flooded into a small village in western
Turkey, near the ancient Greek city of Ephesus.
Some New Age spiritualists are convinced of a 21 December
"doomsday" foretold by Mayan hieroglyphs - at least according to some
interpretations.
Sirince, a village of around 600 inhabitants, has a
positive energy according to the doomsday cultists, who say that it is close to
an area where Christians believe the Virgin Mary ascended to heaven.
The Mayan prophecy has sparked a tourism boom in the
village, which is now expected to host more than 60 000 visitors according to
local media.
"It is the first time we witness such an interest
during the winter season," Ilkan Gulgun, one of the hotel owners in Sirince,
told local media.
He said the tourists at his hotel believed that the
positive energy of Sirince would save them from an apocalyptical catastrophe.
An ancient Greek village, Sirince is home to boutique
hotels attracting Turkey's wealthy class. It is also well known for its wine.
Erkan Onoglu, a Turkish businessman, produced a special
"wine of the Apocalypse" for 21 December, a product on sale
especially for superstitious survivalists, the daily Radikal newspaper
reported.
A resident of Sirince working in the hotel business,
Ibrahim Katan, welcomed the enthusiasm of tourists to the village, hoping that
local businesses can benefit from the boom.
"The rumours floating around have increased the
number of customers. We are only happy about it," he told AFP.
