We were eagerly awaiting the Oktoberfest celebration but the week before, the horrible attack on the peace-protest at the train station in Ankara took place.  The German Embassy decided that it would be inappropriate to have a celebration the following weekend.  Also, Andrea Merkal arrived to pay her respect which consumes resources.

My boss was in the States for about 6 weeks leaving me to be the man of the house.  Finally, after his return, Terese and I took a trip down to Antalya with two other couples.  One of them was the couple whose wedding we attended last year.  She is an American and he is a Turk. The resort we stayed at was one of those which has everything inclusive.  Pay for nothing except the initial daily fee.  It was expensive, but we needed to get away for a few days.

Now, the interesting part of this story is the Turk who married the American.  His name is Serkan.  Her name is Allison.  Full of energy, he cannot sit still more than 60 seconds.  He speaks so rapidly and often, I swear I lose weight standing next to him.  So, what I will do is post several pictures taken during the few days to get a better idea of his personality.  The first is him with Allison.

Quick stop at Starbucks on the way out.  Then fuel.  (For those who are going to comment about my smile, it’s on the inside.  As always)

The other couple are interesting people.  Arturo and Rill.  Friendly and easy to laugh with.  I don’t know who’s worse, Terese corrupting Rill, or Rill corrupting Terese?  But as a group of three couples, there was always something to laugh at.  Especially with Serkan around.

The last night at the resort, I was joined by Serkan and Rill as I enjoyed my cigar.

Serkan is one of those rare individuals who wants to stop and talk with everyone. Allison told me if he sees a flock of sheep near the side of the road, Serkan will stop and visit with the shepherd.  So on the way home, when we took a rest top near an apple company, Serkan and Allison saw mounts of apples in the distance and went to investigate.

That is truly a mound of apples in the distance.  Most will be made into apple sauce.  And yes, that is Allison in the distance.

As we continue on our return home, Serkan found a small town on the side of the mountain that looked like it had some interesting things, so he decided to stop.  I was able to get some beautiful shots of Turkey.  Notice the aqueduct in the distance on the first one.

At one point, Serkan stopped to ask an old man about the street ahead, and the two carried on a conversation.  Afterwards, the old man gave us a couple of berries as a gift.  May sound silly to us, but to him he was giving us a bit of the town and himself.

There are so many jokes that can be said about the picture above, but it typifies Serkan’s energy and not just his love of Life, but the thrill of it.

As we continued home, we stopped at a small cafe along the road and had chai.  Terese sat down and some little cat knew right away she is a good woman and jumped in her lap.

Traveling further, we stopped at a small parking area on the side of the road to take pictures.

Turkey is an amazing country with incredible resources.  But one thing this country suffers from, is the careless way its people treats it.  Below is the garbage that was thrown out.  This not an isolated instance.  It is everywhere.  We can look out from our apartment window and see trash strewn all over the area.  I have seen a car pull up to a curb near some trees, and open his doors and toss out all the trash in the vehicle and drive off.  It’s sad to see this.

We continued on and stopped for fuel and food.  Always good food in Turkey.

As you travel along the highways, even small farm roads, you will see stands selling the local produce.  A lot of produce.  At some places, these stands were less than a mile apart.  We decided to stop and get a pumpkin for Halloween, and I had to take a few pictures of these amazing places.

I will forever be moved by the beauty of this country and all it encompasses.  I was not expecting its people to be so friendly and helpful.  They will give you anything you need with a smile.  And they will always take compensation, but not without a smile and a heartfelt thank you.  Just like every country I have set foot on, I take a bit of it away with me.  We placed our bid for our next post and look forward to finding out where we will be placed.

One more thing to say.  It was one evening that we were all sitting and eating, that Serkan commented about some answer to a test he took in the States this past summer.  What I didn’t realize, though everyone else did, he took the Citizenship test and is now a US Citizen!  My respect was already high for this man, and now it has been elevated.  I am truly glad he is a friend of ours.  He considers himself not only American, but also a Texan, plus I think I got him voting Republican, perhaps to Allison’s chagrin.

Serkan, I plan to stay in touch with you the remainder of my life.  Stay genuinely happy, and since you are now a Texan, don’t hesitate to kick butt.     D.

A few months ago, Terese started having pains in her left shoulder, which over the next few weeks, started having loss of feeling down her left side.

She went to the doctor at the Embassy who told her she had a displaced first rib.  Don’t feel bad, I’ve never heard of it either.  So, they sent her to a chiropractor who did blood tests and MRIs.  What the tests showed, was Terese had several herniated disks in her neck and upper back, as well as calcification in several.

The calcification indicates the damage has been there awhile.  The Doc asked Terese if she had been in a major accident in the past year and a half, and Terese said, No, but I got ran over by a bull several years ago.

It turns out, when Terese had her short dance sequence with the bull three years ago, she landed on her head which caused damage to her neck.  Since then there was no noticeable effects of the bull other than a damaged foot, until she started having the pain in her shoulder.

Now, after several weeks of physical therapy, with several more, she is healing slowly but steady.  The therapy is painful, but the shoulder is improving and the numbness is gone.

I don’t know of any moral that can be expressed here, other than choose your dance partner wisely.

… and keep kicking butt.      D.

I made a trip to Adana a few weeks ago.  One of our favorite places to eat at noon is a second floor restaurant across the street from the Turkish airbase, with a very enjoyable and interesting view.  Lately, due to threats against the Base, there is a curfew in place to limit the traffic going in and out.  As a result, many of the establishments that cater to the people on Base shut their doors, as it would not be lucrative.

So, we had to find other places to eat.  With my Regional Security Tech, Aydin, we drove around looking for a place to eat.  We turned down a side street in a warehouse district and came across several worth trying.  It is like finding a truck stop to eat at, because truckers know the best places to eat for their money.  Same here.  The people who work at the commercial establishments and warehouses, know where to eat.

We sat outside on a little table.  It looked to me like it was on a sidewalk.  Below are a few pics of the restaurant and the food.

Any meal is always complete with chai.

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I encounter many people that leave me in awe.  Remember our dear friend Hiwot in Ethiopia?  I find there are a great many “Hiwots” in life and I feel they alone are worth living life for.  Let me tell you about a few I have met in Turkey.

Selin is a beautiful young lady I have mentioned before.  Meek and quiet.  She wears her hair in a braid at times and with her glasses, she looks almost like a little old lady.  Yet her passion in life is dancing.  She has a tattoo on her waist that says, “Dancing is my life.”  On the weekends and holidays, she travels all over Europe competing and teaching the art of salsa dancing.  Just recently, she (and I would guess friends) opened a dance studio to teach.  She is celebrating her love of life in ways many of us will never experience.

Then there is Nadja and Camal.  They come into the office several times a week and clean and empty trash.  Camal is an older man who could pass for Nadja’s father.  It is most interesting to watch the interaction between the two.  Nadja is light-hearted and often sings while she works.  Camal will at times get on to her for not working harder.  She just smiles and continues singing with a twinkle in her eyes.  Camal just moves on.

Then there is a young Turkish girl who works in the Commissary store at the Embassy where we can buy minor things.  She is friendly and always smiling.  Visiting with her, I find she also is a dancer and competes at contests.  She is a published author and has promised me a copy of her book, although it is in Turkish.  Furthermore, she plays a concert cello.  You would never know without taking the time to visit.

I know a young Turkish woman who was raised in France and can speak that language better than her native tongue.  Plus she knows Russian, German and Latin.  Her mastery of the English language is such that I forget it is not her primary language.

There is an office in the Embassy which employs people with more intelligence than I have.  One day, I was visiting with a young lady from that office and asked her what her ancestry was.  Thai, she said.  Never been to Thailand, but she is Thai.  I asked her what her schooling background was, and she said she has a degree in Physics.  And a degree in Mathematics.  I tried not to show my surprise that she had two degrees.  Then I asked her if she was going to go back to school and get her Masters in one of those.  She said, No.  She instead decided to get a degree in Electrical Engineering.  I found it hard to suppress my awe.  After a few weeks, I was talking to her husband, and he stated his local band was in need of a bass guitarist and since his wife also was a concert violinist!!, he thought he could teach her.  So, after a weekend teaching session, she is now the bass guitarist for the band.  He told me he was afraid to teach her lead guitar, since she would probably play better than he can.  And this little woman will bake cookies occasionally and will always bring me a dozen or so.

I do not feel belittle with these good people I meet, but instead I become more in awe at humanity.  You never know what is in the minds of people you meet.  Likewise, you never know what people endure deep inside.  What Life has shown me, is if you take the time to accept people as they are, you will understand why they do the things they do and why they say what they say.  I am convinced, the gift of Understanding, is one of the most precious aspects of Life.

Sometimes, it’s best to kick our own butts.   D.

For some strange reason, I have an attraction to cemeteries and have often wondered why?  I can only suggest it is the obsession I have with the lives of people in the past and the heroes of this world.  When I recently had the gracious opportunity to visit Arlington National Cemetery in Washington DC, it was an overload.  As I walked viewing the markers and reading the names of those buried there, I felt mute and stunned.  It wasn’t until I returned to Turkey and had a chance to download the images, did the tears start to flow.

The Numbers

In looking at the rolls of grave markers that seemed to go on to infinity, I guessed there were probably 10,000 graves.  I was not correct.  On the web I found there are over 400,000.  This stunned me!

I also thought the cemetery had only a few heroes interned each year and was shocked to find there are 3-4 a day!  Below are images I took of a parade as it passed by.  At first I did not know what was going on, until I saw the horse drawn carriage roll by.  It was then I realized I was witnessing a funeral procession and I backed away behind trees with my camera to keep from dishonoring its solemnity.

The Unknown:  … known but to God

This is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier that is guarded by the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, day, night, sun, storm and snow.

This is such an incredible sight; I stood and watched several minutes before I realized I need to take a few pictures of it.  Below is the process described in Wikipedia:

The Tomb of the Unknowns has been perpetually guarded since July 2, 1937, by the U.S. Army. The 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (“The Old Guard”) began guarding the Tomb on April 6, 1948. There is a meticulous routine which the guard follows when watching over the graves. The Tomb Guard:

Marches 21 steps down the black mat behind the Tomb.

Turns, faces east for 21 seconds.

Turns and faces north for 21 seconds.

Takes 21 steps down the mat.

Repeats the routine until the soldier is relieved of duty at the “Changing of the Guard”.

After each turn, the Guard executes a sharp “shoulder-arms” movement to place the weapon on the shoulder closest to the visitors to signify that the Guard stands between the Tomb and any possible threat.

Twenty-one was chosen because it symbolizes the highest military honor that can be bestowed—the 21-gun salute.

Each turn the guard makes precise movements and followed by a loud click of the heels as he snaps them together. The guard is changed every half hour during daylight in the summer, and every hour during daylight in the winter and every two hours at night (when the cemetery is closed to the public), regardless of weather conditions.

The Changing of the Guard

Following the tolling of the bell in the tower nearby, a large soldier with broad shoulders and a very stern attitude, silently marched out to direct the changing of the guards.

He is followed by the guard who will replace the incumbent. Before this takes place, he will be inspected by the directing soldier with the broad shoulders and stern attitude.

There is a full 3 or 4 minutes during which the replacement is thoroughly inspected.  The stern soldier looks him over, up, down, left and right while standing in front of him just a mere 18 inches away.

Then from the close quarters, the replacement soldier thrusts his rifle into the hands of the stern soldier for inspection.  He flips the rifle in all directions inspecting it.  He will look at the stock, forearm, barrel and muzzle.  The rifle is twirled like a baton as he checks it for cleanness and shine.  I believe the only thing he did not do to the rifle was turn it inside out.  He then thrust it back to the replacement, who deftly caught it and returned it to his shoulder.

Afterwards, the inspection took place behind the replacement.  Same thing, up, down, left and right.

Then in a loud, very clear voice, he commanded everyone to stand and remain quiet.  No one misunderstand what he was saying, except one young lady who was mesmerized by her phone.  Without turning his head or moving any part of his body except one arm, he raised it toward her and stately commanded her to stand.  She realized she was the only one sitting and rose.  Very quickly.

Every movement made was quick and sharp. Every turn of the body was with a foot stomp followed by a hard clack of the boots as they came together.  The only thing they did quietly and graceful, was the actual march from one side of the shrine to the other.

Laying in Wait, Beneath the Earth

It was interesting to note, the spouses of the fallen (or some of the children of single parents) were buried on the opposite side of the stone, and it is recorded that many slaves are buried there also.

U.S. Secretary of State under President Dwight D. Eisenhower.  Dulles International Airport bears his name.

Looking closely at this stone, it honors the men who fought in the famous battle between the Monitor and the Merrimack in 1862.  Two iron clad ships that fought for hours.  The Monitor eventually was lost during a gale off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, on December 31, 1862.

There are many special monuments dedicated to the fallen.

And the incredible architecture.

The words around the arch state:  We Here Highly Resolve That These Dead Shall Not Have Died In Vain

There was so much to see, that I will return each time I am in the DC area.

I took over a hundred pictures and culled out the best.  They are on our Flickr site.  To see them, click on this:  Flickr

If you would like to spend an half hour on some very interesting reading, click on this Wikipedia article.

Until next time, kick butt.  And if you are an American, take a moment to silently thank those who gave their lives so we can continue to be a free country.    D.

In our travels in the world, we see a magnitude of people from all stages of life.  I have come to realize the most interesting are the very old, and the young adults with tremendous potential.

After our long R&R back in the States (more on that later), I had to run to Istanbul for a week and I took Terese with me.  During the evenings, she would sit out with me with drink and cigar and watch the people.

There was one old man that held our attention every evening.  We think he is a regular in the hotel we stayed at, and looks to be in his nineties; but people in Third World countries, (and Turkey is still Third World whether they admit it or not), tend to age quicker than those of us in the States, so he was probably in his eighties.Every evening he would go to the Executive lounge and the wait staff would take him and seat him at the table where he always sat.  It was a small round table, and if some of the chairs had been moved to other tables he required all to be returned to their places.

Always had a light meal brought by the staff, followed with something sweet.  Then he had his chai (tea).

Afterwards, he would sit and talk to himself. After awhile, I noticed he started with unusual hand gestures that seem to coincide with his speaking.  It was then I realized he was saying his evening prayers.  Islam requires Muslims say a rote of prayers five times a day.  His gestures were a symbolic cleansing of the body before praying.

It was most interesting to watch the good man.  No telling what his past would reveal.  What did he do for a living?  Any children?  Any accomplishments in Life?  His loves and his fears?

… and yet this can be said for all of us.

Take care and keep kicking butt.   D.

I wish I could sit down and write about all the amazing people we encounter on a daily bases in Turkey.  I never would have thought that this country, has not only incredible resources, but also wonderful people.

Just got back from Adana today after being there for five days.  The drive to and fro is a sight of some of the natural resources this country produces.  In the Adana area, it is a cornucopia of citrus and nuts.  Between Adana and Ankara, we see farm trucks parked on the side of the road selling potatoes, onions, grapefruit, oranges, lemons and any nut you can think of.  I am amazed at how successful this country is on farming.  Not just small bags of these items, but bags weighing 10 kilos or more.  We could have stopped and purchased a bag of potatoes that would have lasted a month for us, for perhaps 20 lira. (about $8)

We stay at the Hilton Hotel in Adana, and on one of the top floors is the Executive lounge.  We go up there and get free snacks that pretty much makes up our dinner which saves us about $20-30 each.  Plus there is a small assortment of drinks available.  I usually bring my own whiskey because what they give is what the local Turks like.

Last night as we sat in the lounge, the head chef came in to peruse the area.  He is the one who made the good food we were eating.  He could tell we were English, so he came by to express his gratitude for us being there.  We too looked upon him as a special individual who has excelled in his ranks.  Any of you who have cooked for the public, will know it is no easy task, especially when it comes to good cuisine.

When he came to our table, I stood, shook his hand and told him how delicious the food was.  His handshake was firm, indicating his confidence in his craft.  We spoke a few minutes, asking each other where we were from.

He is Turkish and had chefed in Beirut, Tunis (Tunisia) and Mersin on the Mediterranean Coast.  He has been in Adana for 8 months.  I used the trick I use with several people, that my mother is 900 years old and loves pictures of people we meet.  I asked him if he would be so kind to allow me to take his picture, and replied, Of Course!

So, below is a chef whose food we find delicious, yet unusual for any American.To Chef Ismail, I bid you success and prosperity in your life.  You deserve all that is good.

For the rest of us, keep your head up and kick butt.    D.