Spent the last two weeks traveling to Adana and beyond, then home; then to Istanbul and now home again.  Be here for at least a week or two.

I had thought a predominantly Muslim country would not celebrate Christmas, but they do.  Below are pictures I took of some of the decorations for the season at the high end hotels we stay at. Note that all of these were taken during the week after Christmas.  Long after most Americans remove their decorations and start thinking of Valentine’s Day.

As I stated in so many words in the past, the Turkish food is incredible.  And for me, that is not a good thing.  Very difficult to only eat half portions, but I am starting to win the battle.  We traveled Southeast from Adana to do some work in a city that is well known for its food.  Below are a few pics of the cuisine.The one above was the main dish.  I forgot to take a picture before eating it, but know it looked much better at the beginning.  I stayed at a hotel that looks like it was renovated from an old fort a century ago.  I do like the decor.Below is a picture taken from the hotel window in Adana, of the sunset across from the canal below.Luckily, Turkey is civilized enough to have its share of Starbucks restaurants.  There is one that sits on the Bosphorus Strait.  This is the body of water that divides Istanbul, and is also the division between the Continents of Aisa and Europe.

This restaurant has the best view of those I’ve been to.  It has four levels with the lowest sitting on the water’s edge.  We stopped there a few times for coffee in the mornings and I got a few pics. For those who choose to come visit, if we make it to Istanbul we will stop there.  This is an incredible city.  I could easy retire there.  The only big negative I see is the traffic.  The volume is so high, people working at the Consulate know it will be 30-60 minutes of driving in the morning, and 45-90 to get home in the evenings.  But if I am truly retired, it wouldn’t make any difference to me.

Until next time, keep kicking butt.  D.

Got my camera back so now I get to throw some pictures up on the screen.  Enjoy.

Below are our two Regional Security Techs.  These two good men make our jobs easier.  The gentleman on the right is Aydin, who travels with us and causes things to happen where otherwise they would get bogged down.  On the left is Savas who is an expert on the explosion-proof doors and windows that are used at Embassies and Consulates.  He is sent all over the world because of his abilities.

The picture below could be misconstrued to something other than the truth.  Suffice to say, the kiss was not consummated.  …. I don’t think.   And for you kids, this is what alcohol will do to you.Below is a picture of us with a couple who recently got married.  They were the ones in a previous post.  She is from the Texas Panhandle and he is a resident of Turkey.  They plan to be in Lubbock Texas this May and want to drop by and visit with an incredible 96 year old Texas Lady.  He is looking forward to it and every time he sees me, he tells me he has the perfect gift for my mother.

Also, notice the multiple photo-bombing in the background.We very much enjoy hosting these and every fest brings more people.  What started with just 20-25 people, has swelled to 50-60.  There would have been more people at this one, but Valentine’s Day was the following day, so the turn-out was smaller.

Until the next Wingfest, eat your wings, drink your beer and kick butt.

The Wingfest was a success as they usually are.  Many indulged in wings and sat and drank together.  Much jocularity took place.  But … I left my camera on top of the host’s refrigerator and will not have it in my possession until next weekend.  So, until then …

Winter is here in Ankara.  Has been for several months.  Ironically, when I worked several weeks in warm Adana which is close to the Mediterranean coast, Ankara received several dumpings of snow.

The Turks are not good drivers.  They are always in a hurry when they drive and will cut you off to get in front of you at a light.  So when the snow and ice comes to Ankara, it is often comical to sit at our 7^th floor windows with coffee and watch the spinouts on the street below.

At one point, the snow was so heavy, when Terese took a taxi to the Embassy, the driver gave up just a few blocks along, stopped at an intersection and said, “Bitti.” (it’s finished) and left her on the curb.  “No charge,” he stated as he drove away to get through the intersection and head back the direction he came.

Luckily, she was able to stop a more daring taxi driver.

About a month ago, the woman went out with one of her more rambunctious friends and while climbing into a taxi, her phone jumped out of her purse and landed in the street.  An alert valet saw it fall out but was not able to get it at the moment.  He saw several men pick it up and pocket it.  When he was free, he went and forced them to give it back.  The next day, with the help of a Turk in the Embassy, phone calls were made and it was found.  Later that day she had it back.  The SIM card was removed, but she was able to get a replacement.

So, all was good for a few days.

When I check out of a hotel, often I will forget my phone charger.  So I ordered some cheap ones from Amazon.  Ten of them for $11.36.  A real bargain.  But I did violate one of my rules for ordering off the Internet: Read the reviews.

So I gave one to Terese to use and she plugged her phone into it; the phone that was previously lost and now found.

The next morning as we headed off the work, her phone would not come on.  The nifty little charger I gave her showed evidence that the smoke inside escaped, and the breaker feeding the receptacle it was plugged into was tripped.  All this was not a good sign.

Further inspection determined her $600 phone was fried.  Evidence on it indicated the smoke escaped from it also.  All in all, it was not a pretty picture.  No.  Not a pretty picture.

So, she now has a new phone, not as nice as the one which gave up the ghost, but nice enough.  In the months that will follow, she will set money aside, a little at time and later purchase a new one, perhaps in the summer when we are home in the States.

So, until I get my camera back and can post some pics, kick butt and read the reviews.    D.

It’s been awhile since we visited.  After the first of the year we have been busy working on a project in Adana which has finally come to the end, just in time to advance to the next project.  Traveling to and fro with little time to sit and write, but that is not a bad thing.  Then the gods of the nether world hit me with a cold which kept me from being a normal human being for a week, but I recovered to a great extent and now I can sleep without scaring the damn cat with ungodly snoring.

This Friday the 13^th, we plan to have another annual Wingfest and should be able to post some pictures of it that weekend.  Stay tuned.

Last Saturday, we had the wonderful opportunity to attend a Turkish wedding, between good friends of ours. Allison is in the Foreign Service and hails from the small Texas town of Stinnett. Serkan is one of the guards at the Embassy. Both are incredibly good people and we are fortunate to be a part of their lives.

The actual wedding service is simply the couple sitting at a fancy table on one end, the witnesses on the other, and the Officiator in the middle.  Allison and Serkan as they enter.They sat at the table and listened to the Officiator ask the proverbial question, “Do you …”  Serkan was asked first and he grabbed the microphone and firmly stated, “Evet!” (yes!)  Allison was asked the question and with a demur smile, she stated, “Evet!”  Then they sign a paper which is passed on to the witnesses and then the Officiator.  After that, it is stated they are married.  All this took place with a very casual atmosphere.  People were joking with everyone on stage as the  photographers walked all about taking their pictures, all during the process.Then they stood in a reception line and people filed past them congratulating them and wishing the best.  This took place at a wedding palace which had couples come in and do their thing, then move out so the next couple could come in.  Below are pictures of the couple during the photography session afterwards. And below is a picture I had to take and present, because it typifies many places of the world that few Americans see and appreciate.  The man below is selling balloons and simit, which is a pretzel with sesame seeds.Later that evening, the dinner was held which is the essence of the celebration.  We sat in a table in the back end, which to me was perfect, because it enabled me to to see and watch people.  And I love taking pictures of shiny things. Food was brought in four courses.  This was beef and delicious.  This small portion is common throughout most of the world which is just the right amount.  Any larger and I would think I was in America.

The music played and the people danced.  Allison would dance as long as she could, but Serkan continued to dance all night.  I don’t think he ever stopped except to find someone else to drag out onto the floor.  At one point, he grabbed my hand and led me out there, and I made some resemblance of a dance until he turned to someone else.  Maybe 5-10 seconds then I disappeared, with full intention of avoiding that area again. The energy typifies the joy of the evening.  Weddings are naturally joyous and it’s good to see people you know and love enjoying life as all people are meant to.  My heartfelt congratulations to these two and I hope to continue our freindship.  In May, they will travel to America, specifically the Texas Panhandle for Serkan to meet the rest of Allison’s family that did not make it to Turkey.  They are planning to make a stop in Lubbock to meet a friend of Allison and to let Serkan meet an incredible 96 year Texas Lady.  I wish I could be there.                  D.

Heading to a wedding between an American and a Turk this afternoon.  Hope to have some pictures to show you later.