Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Delays in Ankara

Well, we all know what they say about the best layed plans and mine seem to have gone astray as well. I am still in Ankara actually. I had planned to be here only for New Years and another day or two to see the sites I had missed and quickly press on. In all honesty there is not a lot here for a tourist to see or do but the people I am with out here are so cool that I just can't leave. I do not have cold feet about going to the middle east, I think I am just lazy now and haven't gotten into travel mode yet. Ankara is, after all, not a new destination for me either. There was every reason to delay and wait out the Bayram holiday that was most of last week. It has been a mix of everything here, sun, rain, snow. Anything from 12C to -7C. Inanc and Andre (the Brazilian) and I ran around and saw Ataturk's mausoleum and have gone out a few times. Very cool guys.
If you don't know who Ataturk is, don't tell any Turks you might meet. He is the father of modern Turkey, having put it together out of the mess that was the ottoman empire's collapse and take over after WW1. His statues and pictures are everywhere and in all was actually a very important and powerful guy, reforming the language and creating the secular and western thinking Turkey that exists today.
As cool as Inanc and his parents are, I was eventually kicked out because he had family coming in from out of town. Still not wanting to leave just yet I moved in with another couch surfer host. Maybe I just miss the abuse of travelling with the girls, but I am in a flat with 3 female university students. Ah, it's all good. I just wish I could stay in Turkey longer and see more of the country. Right now, being winter and all, that is just not going to happen. I will definately be coming back someday.
Anyway, I have no idea how long I will be here or what the schedule is at this point. My new motto is "Give me anything but a choice."
Ammon

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