A Day ýn the Aýr Near Iraq

A Day ýn the Aýr Near Iraq

 this was sent originally from Istanbul using a computer in a internet cafe

 without knowing the keyboard was not like US keyboards
I typed away at this message.

 Then C. Leslie Charles challenged my jokingly
why are you using accented "y" instead of the letter 'i'
and white the diamond with the question mark inside of it
also for the letter 'i'?

 So here is a reading challenge for you.

When you stare at the l�ttle telev�s�on screen �n the
passenger seat �n front of you and you see that the
plane �s currently fly�ng �n the NEUTRAL ZONE just
south of the ent�re southern border of Iraq and w�ll
be for over 2 hours a l�ttle concern develops.

 I left Chenna� by a w�ld cab r�de through the c�ty to
the a�rport...followed by two+ hours of stand�ng �n
check-�n...luggage...customs...�mm�grat�on and a
ser�es of 3 separate x-ray check l�nes. Then �t was
off to Duba� (3 1/2 hours) w�th a 1 1/2 stayover �n
Duba�,s very contemporary new a�rport and the most
talked about DUTY FREE SHOPS...a MALL w�th an a�rport
wrapped around �t.

 Then off to Turkey fly�ng over other nat�ons that my
country does not have the best of relat�onsh�ps w�th.

 f�nally I arr�ved �n Istanbul for the fourth t�me �n 3
years. It was l�ke com�ng home. I knew all the
procedures and knew how much the V�sa fee would be.
Only wa�t was stand�ng at the carousel for my luggage.
Jonathon you can relate to that (ha ha).

 Then as I walked through the last check po�nt I heard
my name...�t was my fr�end Esra and her mother who had
come to p�ck me up at the a�rport. Esra also found a
n�ce hotel for me located near the anc�ent area.

 After I unloaded my two bags and changed clothes we
went out to d�nner at a wonderful restaurant �n a
Byzant�ne bu�ld�ng...courtyard of 4 colonades w�th
four sets of arches connect�ng each set of 4 columns
all around a landscaped courtyard.

 Esra and her Mom treated me to a meal of samples of
trad�t�onal Turk�sh food...

 p�lav = r�ce w�th peas
bamya = okra
�spanak = sp�nach
b�ber = green pepper (I passed on that)
dana et� = beef course �n sauce
bakla
dolma
kabak = squash
patl�can = egg plant
fasul�e = bean d�sh

 Everyth�ng that I tasted was great. None of �t was
sp�cey...after over two weeks of eat�ng sp�cey foods
�n Malays�a...S�ngapore...Sr� Lanka...and Ind�a my
mouth was not sure what to do.

 No need for a gallon of �ce cream or l�tre or two of
orange ju�ce to wash down the sp�ce.

 Off to tour tomorrow and s�mply have fun �n Istanbul.
Poss�bly w�ll try to set up a meet�ng w�th a
publ�sher.

 Off to bed now.

 Merhaba from Wander�ng Alan

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