At the lounge in Istanbul, I met a shy little girl named Lula. I politely asked her master if I could visit with her and he gladly obliged. While I was petting her, I pulled back some of her white hair hanging over her face so she could see me, but then realized she only had one eye. One very large eye. Her master said she lost the other one in a fight with a cat. She was very quiet and obedient, and waited patiently and a little apprehensively while her master stepped out for a quick smoke. Below is a picture of the little beauty.

On the way to work in the mornings, we like to stop at a Starbucks on the Bosphorus and have coffee. This particular Starbucks has four levels to sit out and view the water and passing boats. Very comfortable.

We stopped on the way to Istanbul and had lunch.  Even before ordering our food, this is what was brought out for us.  The little bucket is yogurt.  Eating that is what makes you immune from the bacteria you will pick up in the country.

Here are a few pics taken at night from the hotel in Istanbul …

… followed with the sunrise.

I will sincerely miss this incredible country as well as those who live here.  But as with every country we go to, they will reveal their beauty and its people will share their love.  … and we will welcome it all like a refreshing drink of water on the desert.

Keep kicking butt.  D.

It’s been very busy since we got behind during the holidays, so now a bit of catching up.

One of the Guard Supervisors at the Embassy is a good friend of ours and invited us to dinner the day after New Years.  He had been bragging about his wife’s cooking, so I called him up on it.  His name is Burack and his lovely wife is Funda.  I mentioned Burack before with his southern English he has mastered.  He learned it many years ago working on construction sites with Contractors from Louisiana and Texas.  Sometimes when he talks to me, he will stand with his feet slightly apart and his hand on his over-sized belt buckle.  So, below are pics of the incredible food we ate!  The fist one is a “bread crusty” thing full of rice. (don’t know how else to describe it.)

Then all the rest!

Below is Burack and Funda, then me and the little one.

Along with me and Terese, there was another guard from the Embassy and a gentleman who works in the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

We finished the evening off with chestnuts.

That next day, Sunday, I headed to Adana for a week.  On the way, we pass by an inert volcano which happen to have a beautiful cloud formation on it.  Then is a picture of the city from my hotel window.

One day last week, I headed further east to another city to do a little bit of work and had to take a few pics of the food we ate at lunch.  That particular city is well known for its food and I have to agree.

The picture below is a kind of a salad soup.  I never would have thought it was any good, but with just the right amount of spices, it was amazing!

Okay.  Heading off to Istanbul tomorrow.  Kick butt.  D.