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.

We took a few days off and went down south to the Cappadocia area of Turkey.  Yes, the same Cappadocia mentioned in the Bible.  We were there a year ago, but was unable to do much that weekend.  This time we explored the area.  The best way to express how amazing this area of the World is, is to post a mess of pictures.  Images that are mind-boggling.  What you will see, are remnants of volcanoes back when man was just a sparkle in God’s eyes.  After millions of years of erosion, what was left was porous stacks of the volcano core. Now, I know what you are thinking…  “Mr. Nolte, there appears to be people living in these strange things!”

And I would reply, “Yes!”  And as a matter of fact, here is the one of the offices of the local Jandarma.  (police)And needless to say, places like these have tourist traps strewn all through, but that just makes the place more interesting.Including an occasional damn cat.

Next I will tell you about Ariif, friend of Halil, and the Selcuklu Evi Cave Hotel and the $6000 rug.

In past postings, I mention a pretty lady who works in the Embassy who first appeared shy, but gradually started feeling comfortable enough to talk to me.  Her job at the Embassy was a purchasing clerk in the Security Office, and she would come into our office to get signatures and deliver paperwork, then simply smile and leave.

Eventually, I got her to stop by and fill her coffee cup from time to time.  As I got to talking to her one day, I asked how her weekend was and she mentioned that she danced all weekend.  So, I asked her what kind of dancing she did, and she told me mostly salsa and was learning ballet and hip-hop.  After a few more discussions, I found out she dances in Turkey and all over Europe.  She is well known in all the dance festivals.

She and two others started a school of dance in which she teaches salsa and other forms of the art.  After two years of being around her, we started discussing her life and all it offered her.

Her expertise did not come easy as she has been dancing for many years.  She once told me she didn’t have a coach at first and had to learn what she could on her own.  She is to the point now that her joy is teaching, and she is only 27 years old.

She has a tattoo on her waist that you can see in her videos on YouTube which says, Dancing is my life.  And it is true.  On her back is the quote from Nietzsche, “You need chaos in your soul to give birth to a dancing star”.Image from her Facebook page.

About a month ago, she confided to me that she was thinking about moving on.  She said she was having problems with her dance partner but I think her soul was just restless.  She didn’t elaborate, nor did she need to.  She was looking for a change.  Then an individual she knew down in the Bodrum area offered her a job as the Dance Team lead at several of the resorts in the area.  She thought about it and discussed it with me.  She really didn’t need to, because I have learned that Selin gives herself a deadline to decide, then makes up her mind and never looks back.  Nor does she regret it.

So, she accepted the offer and today at noon, I caught her on her way out and gave her a hug and kiss on each cheek and reminded her how proud I was of her.  She tells me she will contact me the next time she is in town, but as busy as she is and the number of friends she has, I expect it will not happen.  That is okay though.  She has given me an insight on what a true success in Life is.  I wish her many years of continued success.  She deserves it.

I have met my share of Politicians and I was not impressed.  Sport Stars are overpaid.  Those on the Silver Screen are paid to pretend to be someone they are not and they irritate me.  Writers and Artists I consider to be my colleagues.  I have a respect for people of the Sciences.  But people like Selin who surpassing their goals is simply a way of life, are the ones who put me in awe.  She is doing what she loves and when she is ready, she moves on to another goal and never looks back.  People like her are few and far between, and I am amazed that she considers me as a friend who she can confide in.

I noticed a quote she posted on her Facebook page:  “My happiness in life is summed up in my ability to give people a shred of a smile that I can capture …”

I believe this to be so.Selin is a true success in Life.   … and someone I consider a friend.

Last Saturday we had another one of our WingFest.  We sent out about 70 invitations, knowing maybe half will accept.  With that number expected, about 35, we ordered 18 kilograms of chicken wings, which is about 40 pounds.  The cafeteria at the Embassy precooks them for us and then Terese finishes them with her sauce and a quick crisping in a hot oven.  We actually had about 40 adults and a few kids show up.  As they entered, I told them my mother is 900 years old and wants pictures, so “Is it okay if I get you in a picture?”  No one objected.

We especially wanted to invite some of the new people in the neighborhood, along with some Turkish friends of ours.  We also invited the Embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission who is second only to the Ambassador.  He and his wife graciously accepted.  I was sure to be downstairs to greet them when his motorcade arrived.  Later that evening, when they left, I took a small tray of wings and gave them to his body guards.  They were most appreciative.   Additionally, at the end of the evening, when everyone had their fill, I took a tray of wings and a carton of orange juice down to the guard house of our apartment compound.  Then, what was left, the Marines took back to the other Marines who were not able to come.

So, I took a butt-load of pictures, picked the best and posted them with a few comments below.

Terese and I with the Deputy Chief of Mission and his wife.

Below is our resident Seabee and above is his wife and two quiet kids.  They are expecting a third little one within the month. Then three of the Marines showed up.  Above is when they first arrived and below after they ate and was relaxed.  Now, don’t get them mixed up with Serkan, the crazy Turk in the colorful shirt.These two beautiful ladies come to our WingFest every time, and I if don’t watch them, they will start cleaning the kitchen.  Left is Zeynep and right is Sezin.  Sezin can’t keep her eyes open for flashes.  Never did get one of her with her eyes open. Above is my boss and his pretty wife.  When the kids are at home, the stress on their faces go away.

In the following pictures you will see Serkan.  If you remember last year, we attended the wedding between him and our friend Allison.  She is from the Texas Panhandle and he is a Turkish Guard at the Embassy.  He is a vibrant individual who has more energy than anyone I know.  I am convinced I lose weight just being around him, but I also age faster.  So you will notice I look much older when I am with him.                      His Texas wife is the pretty lady on the right, below. Allison is currently working in Iraq and will complete her mission in June.  Afterwards, she and Serkan will move to Virginia.  They will take a vacation down to Texas to see her parents and friends in the Panhandle and are planning to make a trip to Lubbock to see what a 900 year old woman looks like.  I have a feeling she will actually become a few years younger around him, unlike me who aged.  It will also be good for Serkan who considers himself to be a Texan.  Rightfully so, as Texas has many characters like him and he will fit right in.

I added another book report.  It is a little late because I always hate writing them.  But I did finally complete it.  Actually, I find reading a book easier than writing the report on it.  Click here:  https://www.dknolte.com/page-two/i-hate-book-reports/