Nolte Wingfest

That term has become well known in the Embassy.

When we have one of these, we invite about 70 people in which only half show up.  So, 35 is really the limit for us to host in our apartment.  So this time, being our last, we obtained permission form the Embassy to use an area behind the cafeteria for a personal party.  It being on a weekend, we knew fewer would show up, but with the invitation going to pretty much everyone in the Embassy, we still had over a 100 people.  Below are a mess of pictures.  The first one is before people arrived.Then they began to trickle in. One thing that makes these so special to me, is the Marines who come and partake of these.  Every time, the wings left over go home with them to feed those who were not able to come.   I asked the Marines to sell beer and wine during the fest, which helps them support the Marine Ball. The two females are Marines who know how to shoot to kill.  Don’t let their petite sizes fool you.  Also, notice the Marines on the left who stop by to sample the wings while on duty.In reality, the pictures do not do the Fest justice, because they appear to show much fewer people.  I spent the time at the feeding trough dishing out food (above) and Terese spent time in the cafeteria cooking the wings, so what pictures we had were minimal.  But suffice to say, it was most enjoyable and we look forward to creating the WingFest extravaganza when we get to Sao Paulo.

We have a dear friend who recently had a birthday, and since she is such a dear friend, Terese and I offered our apartment to host a small wing party for her and a few close friends.  What follows are pictures of the celebration. Terese with two other good friends.  Stacy on the left who has two Masters degrees and our friend Ann, who I mentioned before with degrees in Mathematics, Physics and working on her Electrical Engineering degree, plus is a concert violinist.When we have these parties, most of the people hang out either in the kitchen or on the patio. … and getting down to business on lighting the cake.Some of Gozde’s guests. … and the Pretty Lady watching it all.I have mentioned before, how you never know people until you take the time to visit with them.  Below is a picture of Gozde, who has a PHD in whatever she teaches (she has told me but it goes over my head).   I have had several good conversations with her on literature and all the creativity it encompasses.I am always amazed, no, I am truly stunned when I discover what is inside those I meet.  Gozde is a unique 34 year old individual, that follows her own path in life and never looks back.  I am glad to consider her a friend like I do Selin with her gift of dance.  You never know what resides in people.  I am truly gifted to meet and know these people, who consider me a friend.

~ Never underestimate anyone!  D.

The week after the trip to Cappadocia, we took a week off and drove eight hours to a resort on the eastern edge of Turkey, near the town of Muğla.  The little ”ğ” with the funny hat is silent, but it indicates that the preceding vowel is extended.  So it is pronounced Moola.  The resort we stayed at, Han Sarigerme is owned by close friends of a local-guard supervisor at the Embassy.  The supervisor, Burak Ozbaba, and his wife Funda invited us to go with them.  Burack learned his English by working in the Southern part of the US, so he has a southern drawl.  Speaks very good English and like most Turkish men, ornery.With them, they had their little 6½ year old daughter which was a delight to be around.  If you ask her how old she is, she will tell you she is 7, because she doesn’t like having that ½ year business in her age.  She is actually very mature for a 6½ year, er seven-year-old and was not afraid of anything.  She literally spent at least half her waking hours in the pool.  Both parents spent time with her swimming and was nice to see the love of the three.  But many times she was by herself in the pool and she is such a good swimmer, they never worried about her.I used to be a good swimmer, but now when in the pool my butt end just sinks.  I can thrash around, but I don’t go anywhere but down.    – so I stayed out of the water.  As indicated below.Here is a butt load of pictures of the resort, and then I will tell you about the owners.  First the pool area. The front area with samples of food and drink: The little kitchen where the good food comes from:One day, Terese and got into the truck and took a five minute drive to the Mediterranean coast and sat on the beach a few hours.  In the first picture, look at the two women in the burka swimsuits.  Blue and green/brown.One of the more rockier beaches: Since the owner of the resort is a good friend of Burak, he set up a boat ride for us to enjoy.  Below are pictures taken.   Burak’s little one, Aysan wanted to steer the boat, so the captain put her on the stool and let her have it for awhile.We were scheduled to return on Saturday so we could recover before work on Monday, but that Friday before, had the “coup” that took place in Turkey.  I have much to say about the fiasco but it is wise for me not to say anything at this point.  But we were told by the Embassy in Turkey to stay put.  Luckily we were able to return the next day, Sunday.

So we ended up staying an extra night, Saturday night which happen to have a BBQ/party for the 11th wedding anniversary of the owners, Butch and Hundun.  Plus there were many other close friends who came to the dinner.  Below are pictures of the celebration. The next day we all gathered for a final picture.  There several of these and I had to find the best one of me smiling.  Understand, I was indeed smiling on the inside.This was truly an enjoyable and relaxing trip.  It was interrupted by the coup attempt which had many of the people in tears, but the resort was a good place to be at the time.  I realized the place was small and quint, yet it had the touches and style of the 4-5 star hotels I stay at.  Incredible place.  We are even discussing flying back here from Brazil, just to spend time at Han Sarigerme again.

This incredible city is one of the few places in the World that I feel uncomfortable being in.  Not near as much as the cities in Afghanistan, but still a place that my core does not like.  Hopefully, I will be there only once more before heading back to the States, and will leave it for the good man who will replace me in Ankara.

But, regardless of how I feel, I am amazed at the beauty of the place.  This may be hard for some of you to understand, but Gaziantep has some of the best food I have ever eaten, with the exception of BBQ in Ron’s backyard.

The only pictures I have to show you are of a section of the market area where several of us went to purchase lamps that are made in Gaziantep.  I purchased a set which we will leave packed up until we get to Sao Paulo.

Below is the type of lamp I purchased.

The following images are taken inside the first coffee company in Turkey.  Or at least that is what I am told.I went up the stairs and took the following pictures below. A picture of the Brew-Master below.The group of us trying the pistachio coffee.  An amazing smooth and sweet coffee!And lastly, a quiet evening outside the hotel before leaving the next morning.We are heading to a resort in MUĞLA, Turkey Monday morning and will take a week-long and well deserved vacation.  I should be able to post another butt-load of pictures.

We took a few days off for a long weekend, again traveling to the Cappadocia area.  We stayed at the place we stayed last time because of the beauty of the hotel and the good man who runs it.  Halil.  We discussed him before.  So we didn’t do as much traveling around the area this time, because we just wanted to sit and relax and enjoy Halil’s company.  … and I purchased a few more rugs again, much to the consternation of my wife.

I love the architecture of the place, hoping that wherever we retire, it will have the same stone buildings we see here.  The best I can do, is post a mess of pictures with a few comments.

Pictures of the hotel inside and out.  Some of these may have been in the earlier post. … And the food!  Below is Terese breaking open a pot of lamb stew that was slowly cooked over a period of two hours.And the resultant dinner! And the last meal we had there.And a nice relaxing afternoon.I love rugs.  There is a certain satisfaction being in a rug shop that is actually inside of a cave. Terese deciding she didn’t like the one they displayed.And a pic of Murat leaving to find more rugs he thought we may want to look at.Notice in the three next images.  They are of the same rug, but seen from different sides.  100% silk. Nearby is a building that is well known because a TV series was filmed there about a decade ago and people still come by to see it.  Like the house where “Dallas” was filmed.  I show it here because I like the architecture. Some of the local residents of the hotel. On the way home we stopped in a little village that takes alabaster and creates beautiful items with it, along with some incredible ceramic bowls, etc.  First is the good gentleman who is working the grindstone.And last, but certainly not least, is a picture of Halil with us.  He has decided we are now family.  I told him I will inform my Dear Mother that she now has another son!  He was most appreciative.  I sincerely wish we had more time to travel there and visit.  Perhaps we will since it is only about a three hour drive.MotherDear, meet your new son, Halil Elalan.  And for the rest of you, it is still possible to fly into Turkey avoiding any area you are concerned with and we will pick you up at the airport near Cappadocia and can spend time there with Halil and drink the local wine and relax in an area unlike you have ever been before.

Next, I will post some wonderful pictures of a city in the SE of Turkey.  A city called Gaziantep.

I have come to realize this world has so many good people to experience, that it seems they come out of the woodwork.  … and I find it fascinating!

One evening in Cappadocia, I sat outside and ordered two glasses of the local wine for me and Terese, knowing she would be down to join me in the courtyard.  Then an elderly gentleman walked up to my table and asked if he was intruding.  I lied and said, “No. Please sit down.”

He right away introduce himself as a close friend of Halil, the hotel’s owner.  His name is “Ariif”, exclusively rolling the “r”.  The two were friends since childhood.Right away this fine gentleman lets me know he is 61 years old, as if he has an advantage over me in experience.  I did not tell him I too, am 61.  (I think that’s what I am.  It changes every year)

Ariif (roll the “r’) told me he taught English in school until he had a brain tumor removed, as he pointed to a substantial scar on his head, then had to retire.  He speaks with an extended vocabulary but speaks hesitantly, which I think it may have been due to the tumor.  He is number one of 11 children and saw his father married three times.  His father never divorced, just outlived the women, and he is now looking for his fourth wife.  His father is either 102 or 103, no one really knows, but it is certain he is at least 100.

Halil on the other hand is the owner of the hotel we were at.  He and his French wife, Brigitte are also my age.  That is not his French wife sitting nearby.  That is Terese.As my brother Gary will tell you, those who own restaurants/bars are some of the most interesting people to visit with, Hali is one of those.  His grandfather was the one who built the hotel(s) he owns which Halil acquired from his father.  He also owns several of the tourist shops next door along with an Art Shoppe which actually ended being a rug vendor.

I like rugs.  If you were to walk through our apartment, you will see rugs worth a total of $20k.  (According to the certificates given at the time of purchase.)  So, since Terese was with me this time, she got to experience the joy of perusing rugs.

There is just something comforting sitting in a large open area of a room, with carpets lining the walls, amidst hundreds of rugs of all sizes rolled up.  The seller will bring a rug out of hiding and roll it out in front of you.  He will then pick it up and sling it around so you can see it from all sides without moving your butt as you sip your wine.  He will show you all colors from the darkest red, through deep blues to the soft sheen of silk.

Some of the prices are reasonable and others blow my mind.  And some may be overpriced, but one has to bear in mind, that there are a great many hours of work involved in creating the rug.  Halil has rugs all throughout his hotel and pointed to a rug in a part of the dining area that took approximately 12 months to weave.  So, they are time consuming.

We did purchase a rug that Terese wanted, plus one that I liked; and somehow we also purchased a runner for the hallway.  The one I really would like to have purchased is below, but its price was well beyond what I wanted to pay.  $6000.So.  There is still time for a quick visit to Cappadocia.  If any of you want to fly into Istanbul, then take the flight to the Cappadocia area, you can sit in Halil’s courtyard with us, sipping wine from bottles and chat with good people.  Plus the area itself is stunning, as shown in the posting below.  That part of Turkey is very safe and will continue to be for many years.

Until then, kick butt.