Sitia, Crete, and Minoan ruins at Kato Zarkis

a cemetary in a village in the mountains near Kato Zarkis - click to enlarge

Another view...of family tombs at a roadside church - click to enlarge

Yesterday, we drove from our aparment in Sitia about an hour along the rugged, twisting, coastline, up and down steep, rocky hills, to another Minoan Palace. The palace at Kato Zakris is roughly 4,000 years old, and was probably destroyed by the cataclysmic volcanic explosion from Santorini/Thira in 1650 B.C. The volcanic explosion is said to have been the strongest ever on earth.

Zakris is an extensive ruins, far less reconstructed than the one at Knossos. Two nights from now, we will be staying on the very rim of the caldera formed on Santorini when the volcano exploded and blew a gigantic hole in the middle of the island. The hole—a calderas--filled with seawater. Our hotel in Thira is 30 meters from the edge of the caldera. That volcanic blast wiped out most of the Minoan civilizations along the Aegean.

Click to enlarge. Jack and Keelin Curran at the Minoan Palace at Kato Zarkis

We are currently staying in Setia, Crete, a little-touristed, sleepy, 8,000 person town, lined with great beaches (including an almost deserted one right near our apartment). It’s great swimming here, in the 90 degree water. . .the same temperature as the air. The water is very clean, and the Aegean here is bright blue. The beaches are lined with fantastic round pebbles in reds, greens, greys, ivory, white, and agate. I’ve picked up a few handfuls for my now extensive collection of rocks from North Africa, Central Oregon, Puget Sound, Canada, Montana, Idaho, California, the Oregon coast, Turkey, Cape Cod, and the San Juan Islands.

The Central courtyard at the palace at Kato Zakris - click to enlarge

I’ve noticed on this trip that I have not experienced ruin- or museum-fatigue. In fact, on the odd days when we haven’t visited an ancient site, I actually miss them. I keep trying to get Column to write a counterpoint on the ruins. At times he’s clearly felt like “we’re travelling two hours to look at another rubble heap of columns, bricks, stones, and broken statuary?!”

If we didn't have enough museums and ruins for the day, we stopped at an old Greek Orthodox Monastery on the way home for half an hour and inspected many Ikon paintings and old engravings and manuscripts. It was interesting to see how deteriorated the paintings had become since they were painted five centuries ago...when you remember that we have been looking at incredibly intact frescoes and cave paintings on this trip up to 3,500 years older (see, for example the earlier post on the caves and churches of Cappodocia).

Perhaps the most interesting exhibit--for me at least--were the displays of blunderbusses, rifles, pistols and ammunition from wars in the 1800s, World War I and World War II, when the brothers put down their devotions and scholarly pursuits to take up arms and defend Greece, their Monastery and Church against various maurading hordes. . .up to and including the Nazis (who, as you may know, savaged Crete during World War II).

Finally, in the bay at Zakris, sits a listing, rusting freighter thay may or may not be abandoned. I wrote a poem about the freighter, which I will post next.

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The Incredible Minoan Ruins at Knossos, Crete

4/5 of the family at Knossos. The other 20% were taking the photo. Click to enlarge.

We visited the impressive Knossos ruins, just outside Heraklion, Crete, about half an hour after landing on our turbo prop flight from Rhodes. This is my second visit here, and it’s still as impressive as I found in 1982.

The famous dolphin Fresco at Knossos. Circa about the 15th Century B.C. - click to enlarge

Although the controversial archaeologist Arthur Evans took some liberties in his reconstruction (but not his excavations), in some ways these are the most impressive ruins of all, and give you a better picture of what once existed there. Some other archeologists strongly disagree with his theories on Minoan culture and life at the palace. And, in particular, people object to his use of reinforced concrete (and other “non-native”) materials to bridge the gaps (of missing timbers, slabs, or tiles) and actually recreate entire rooms and series of rooms and chambers. They also object to his use of copies of frescoes, thrones, and friezes (that he took away and placed in places like the Heraklion Archaeological museum). On the other hand, unlike other British raiders, he left the booty right here in Greece, instead of hauling it back to the British Museum.

Jack's drawing of the famous Minotaur at Knossos - click to enlarge

Seeing even copies of the 4,000 year old frescoes in place is incredible, and puts the palace in great context, unlike the extensive ruins at, say Afrodesia or Ephesus. If you want to see the originals, you visit the Heraklion Museum…just like you don’t see Michaelangelo’s David outdoors, but a copy. It’s not that radical a concept…if you visit ruins and museums a lot, you well know that most Roman and Greek statuary is hidden away in museums, not exposed at their native site.

part of the reconctructed ruins at Knossos - click to enlarge

People do respect much of Evans’ theory and work, but a small group violently object. . .and it’s not hard to see their point either. Evans was brilliant, so sure I don’t begrudge him a few crackpot theories or taking certain liberties. In my booklet, it was all worth it.

another famous fresco at Knossos (or, rather, a copy--the originals are in the stellar museum at Heraklion). Click to enlarge.

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The Island of Rhodes, Greece

The fortress of the Knights of Malta

Rhodes was an interesting and fairly frantic stop on our trip (we were there two nights). Aside from the convergance of tour buses on some archaeological sites, this was by far the most touristy part of our trip so far. There weren't many Americans in Rhodes, but there were thousands of Danes, Germans, Brits, Swedes, Italians, and Greek tourists as well. The beach was crowded and intense. There were a fair number of topless sunbathers, most of them 65 year old Dutch women.

The tourist part of the new town is predicatably garish and crowded. The old town--inside the old Knights of Malta fortress was also heavily touristed, but the fortress was so incredible, you lived with it. For a short period of time, The Knights ruled Rhodes, with seven Garrisions that each spoke a different language. They controlled politics and trade until the Sultan Suleyman sent them packing and claimed the Island for his own empire. The fortress is an incredible stone affair, with a moat that is unbelievably deep and wide. I'd never really toured castles much, so I don't think I'd seen a moat before. Wow. I'll put in a picture of it.

Aside from the fortress and fortification walls, Rhodes has the remnants of an Acropolis, and a heavily reconstructed theatre and stadium. We walked up the hill one night on our way to dinner to check out these ruins (even some of the kids have become ruins buffs by now).

After that, we went to a local place our landlord had recommended for the best chicken and potatoes in Rhodes...in the form of the ubiquitous "gyro." It was great...so great, we went back the next night. In addition to being the cheapest food on our trip, it was a real treat for us on Rhodes, because it was absolutely not a tourist joint. Fortunately, our waiter spoke great English and steered us through ordering. She was also a fan of America in general (as many Greeks seem to be...excepting any love for our President), and asked us lots of questions, and expressed a desire to visit the US soon. And she was incredibly beautiful...appropos of nothing at all.

After two days in Rhodes, we were ready to depart on a turbo-prop for Crete. It was great to be back in Greece, and it was everything I remembered. The retsina, the great salads, and most of all the exuberant and warm Greek people (Hellenikis)...it was nice to renew our acquantance. We flew to Heraklion, Crete, stopped at the ruins at Knossos, and drove a winding mountain pass along the coastline to Sitia, a coastal town with virtually no tourists. We have an apartment here, a block from the beach. That is most welcome because the temperature is hovering in the low 100s. The water is warm, the waves gentle, and there are some great ruins to explore, both in town, and in Zakros (where the second largest Minoan palace is being excavated).

Tomorrow afternoon, we depart Sitia for Santorini, a/k/a Thira, to see that amazing geography for one day and night. Then, we take another boat, and head to Naxon, another small island, and the next to last stop on our trip (Athens is the last). More soon...



Claire's friend, who lives in the hotel courtyard, with her mom and seven siblings - click to enlarge


The moat at the Knights of Malta fortress - click to enlarge

Backpacks on, the Brummet-Curran clan get ready to depart the Island of Rhodes for the Island of Crete via turbo-prop airplane

Ruins at the Acropolis of Rhodes

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Drawing: The cafe by the creek at Ilhara Gorge

click to enlarge

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In Setia, Crete, Greece

We departed Rhodes yesterday, via a 45 minute turbo prop jet flight, and have no arrived in an 8,000 person village on the island of Crete, Setia.

We arrived at Heraklion--Hercules Town--and rented a beat up Hyundai and drove an extremely windy mountain road three hours across the island. But on the way, we did stop at the fantastic ruins of Knossos. I am in computer limbo right now, but will put up pictures when I get the chance.

I am sitting in an insane "Java Cafe" filled with thirty shouting teenagers and pre-teens, mostly playing World of Warcraft, Call of Duty 2, and downloading illegal movies and music on Limewire.

My laptop won't connect to their wireless, so I am typing on a greek keyboard and trying to get in touch with my office to deal with some weirdness.

But hey, that's part of vacation too, after all, for an Americaniki, isn't it?
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On the move again,from Rhodes to Seteia, Crete

We're kind of in the phase of our trip like "If it's Tuesday, it must be Rome." After two days on the island of Rhodes, we are flying to Seteia on the island of Crete tomorrow afternoon. A lot of these flights are costing an incredible $3o USD (pretty amazing when you consider that gasoline, and presumably, kerosene (aka jet fuel) costs about $11 USD a gallon (quit your belly achin' America). When we refilled out rental car with 7 gallons, the tab was $75 USD.

The trip on the ground, in the air, and on the water so far::::::::::::::: fly Seattle--> to Calgary-->to London-->to Istanbul (stayed a week)--> fly to Izmir-->drive to Selcuk (stayed three days)-->Drive from Selcuk-->to Datca (stayed three days)-->Drive from Datca-->to Marmarise-->sail to Rhodes, Greece (stayed two days)-->fly to Seteia, Crete, Greece.

From Seteia, we will take a bus to Heraklion, Crete and visit the famous, awesome, and controversially reconstructed ruins at Knossos (where Icarus and Daedalus flew their ill fated mission) and the home of King Minos, anwhich Keelin and I visited previously in 1982. From Heraklion, we will sail to Naxos, and then to Santorini, and finally to Piraeus (which is the port for Athens). After a couple days in Athens visitd all the bull worshipping. After visiting the great ruins there, we will board a plane for home. Wah.
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Graffiti in the marble, pointing the directions to the Brothel along the collonaded walkway at Ephesus

click to enlarge


This tile of marble, still laid along the walkway, points out the direction to the local house of ill-repute in Ephesus.
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Poem: Prayers in Istanbul

1.
On a dusty cobblestone street
I hear three muezzins
In three directions

Call people to prayer
At three mosques,
With a slight delay

Between the calls.
Three chanters in three different rooms
Sing the same song

In phase-shifted rounds
Through nine silver speakers

Mounted on three
Ivory-white minarets
Capped in gleaming cerulean blue.

2.
At the washing stations,
Water splashes from brass spigots
Into pale grey limestone basins.

The faithful wash,
Bag their sandals,
And for the fourth time since dawn,

Walk onto the lush carpet
Of the cool quiet mosque
Tiled in words and symbols.

3.
They kneel, face the wall
And pray one more time.
I don’t know what they pray for,

But when I see their faces
And watch their devotions,
I know it’s something good.

4.
It’s so still and calm
In the mosque,
You could hear a fly expire.
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Adolph Hitler's return to Berlin

Madame Tussand's withered, hunched over, half-mad rendition of Hitler is now on display

The Times of London reported today that a wax figure of Adolph Hitler has now arrived in Berlin. Interestingly, one of the last things Hitler said before he killed himself in April 1945 was that "he was determined not to fall into the hands of the Russians — and land up as the freak exhibit in a Moscow waxworks."

According to The Times "As luck would have it, Hitler — or, at least, a waxen effigy — has now been put on display in Berlin, a short stroll away from his former bunker.

"Thanks to Madame Tussauds, which has just opened a new affiliate in Berlin, Germans can at last view a realistic model of the Führer. The suspicion, though, is that he will bring nothing but trouble.

"To ensure that the wax Führer does not inspire neo-Nazi pilgrimages, Madame Tussauds has cordoned off the dummy and imposed a no-touch rule. You can kiss Robbie Williams or even Angela Merkel, but not Hitler; nor can you pose for a picture with him. There are CCTV cameras and the London-based company has also taken the precaution of moulding a very shrivelled Führer. Unlike the Hitler model in London, he is shown as a distinctly unvigorous character. It was created using 2,000 photographs of The Fuhrer for models."

I have drawn and painted a few Adlophs over the years. Here are two. One is a digital paintng, and one is a crude approximation I created in my police sketch software, Faces 3.0:

click to enlarge

click to enlarge
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Poem: Just beneath the topsoil

Collonaded ruins wait
Hidden beneath the topsoil
For the next generation

Of archaeologists and historians
To begin excavation anew.
Cream colored Ionic columns

Shattered friezes, and statues
Lie quietly in repose
As someone back at the University

Matches Part 1324A to 1324B
And come up with a cornerstone
To act as a plinth

For the first earthquake fractured column
And the reconstruction begins.
If time and grants allow,

They may later get to the fragementary
Fingertips, hands, noses, ears, and penises,
And reconstruct the statues for us.
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Painting: The Temple of Aphrodite

Click to enlarge

This is my rendition of the Temple of Aphrodite (Venus) at the ruins of Afrodesia, Turkey, which we visited on our car trip from Selcuk to the coastal town of Datca.

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Happy Birthday, America, more or less

And, yes, I know, many people say it is jingoistic and/or ethnocentric of us to call our homeland America. But::::::::that is how we are known in Europe and at least the part of Asia I have spent time in now. When they ask you where you are from and you say United States, they usually respond, "America." Most people have relatives there, and a fair number have actually been there. On that note, I often try to tell them I am from Seattle, but once someone said "Oh! all the snow in Alaska!" Other times, I try to explain...West Coast, on The Pacifico...near Canada...northwest U.S...and about half the time now I just say California, which registers instantly. It's not too big a jump after all...I've lived there and been there at least 20 times in the last 18 months.

This is the second time I've been away from the States on the 4th of July. The first time, we were with our long-time vacation pals the Hokits on Salt Spring Island in Canada. Our kids (minus Claire, she claims) put on red, white and blue facepaint and were very cranky about Canadians ignoring the 4th, not to mention the fact that they had no fireworks. Yes, they were unable to make the almost sacred Hejira to Boom City to buy the real (aka not "Safe and Sane"), dangerous, fireworks. I think somehow the Tulalip Tribe was still somehow able to make their payroll, and that massive pre-4th logjam on Interstate 5 probably still occurred.

As Henry Gibson said in his song in the great Altman movie Nashville, "We must be doing something right to last 200 years." Over here you realize what an infintesimal drop in the bucket that 200 years really is (sorry to end with a preposition...sometimes it's just easier).

Jack, July 4th, 2007, Ródhos, Hellas, Europa

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Datca, Turkey to Rhodes, Greece

The Isle of Rhodes


This morning we sailed from Datca, Turkey to the Island of Rhodes in Greece. It was a one hour boat ride across the sea.

This very minute I am sitting with Keelin at the cafe our hotel owner has outside the hotel. We are talking to him about the ruins of Greece...and he is expressing his anger and sadness that Turkey is not still part of Greece ("the part, not the east...that's the Kurds and others.").

I just asked him if other Greeks feel the same way. "No. Many are much more angry about this."


The castle of the Knights of Malta in Rhodes

It's nice to be back in Greece, after 26 years. Rhodes itself seems very European and Cosmopolitan, compared to mich of Turkey at least. In fact, Keelin and I are celebrating our return this afternoon (it's 5:30) with a glass of Retsina in the garden of our hotel. We were half our age when we came here last( a pre-honeymoon of sorts).

One thing that has definitely changed in Turkey is the money and the prices. When we were here in 1982, it was very very cheap. The currency was then based on the Greek drachma. They now use the Euro, and you can just imagine how the dollar is faring against the Euro. (a Euro is now worth about $1.60). More sticker shock. Since we got up at five AM, I spent much of the afternoon napping, and recovering from a touch of what you might call the Sultan's Revenge).

In case you're wondering about the Colossus of Rhodes (one of the "seven wonders of the world")...don't bother. Yes, this is where one of those seventh wonders was, but it no longer exists. It was destroyed in an earthquake fifty-four years after it was built. (According to the Wikipedia: "Media reports in 1989 initially suggested that large stones found on the seabed off the coast of Rhodes might have been the remains of the Colossus; however this theory was later shown to be without merit.

Another theory published in an article in 2008 by Ursula Vedder suggests that the Colossus was never in the port, but rather on a hill named Monte Smith, which overlooks the port area. The temple on top of Monte Smith has traditionally thought to have been devoted to Apollo, but according to Vedder, it would have been a Helios sanctuary. The enormous stone foundations at the temple site, the function of which is not definitively known by modern scholars, are proposed by Vedder to have been the supporting platform of the Colossus."
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Mareymane - The Virgin Mary’s House???

click to enlarge and read the story behind Mary's house

As you know by now, most ruins, sites, and museums charge around 10 YTL (or, as I call them yurtles), or, $8 USD for admission, and sometimes an additional $8 USD or $2 or $4, for a special extra admission (like the incredible dwelling excavations at Ephesus). And likewise, the admission to visit the Virgin Mary’s last purported domicile, outside of the town of Selcuk was a stiff ten yurtles.

The place was packed with Catholic faithful (the Pope also visited recently), kneeling and making the sign of the cross. It was a small stone house, and entirely unremarkable. The evidence, as you will see from the informational sign, was shaky at best. After four minutes, you’ve seen everything there is to see.

Mareymane is where St. John the Evangelist brought Mary to care for her. On the cross, Jesus requested his favorite disciple to care for her. It was in this part of Asia Minor that John was charged with establishing churches and spreading the gospel of his friend and savior.

According to legend, after Jesus was assassinated, John never left Mary, and took care of her until her dying days, as he wrote his letters, his Revelations, and his Gospel.

A highlight of the visit to Mary’s was filling our bottles with real spring water at a source. It was the first time we’ve drunk much tap water since arriving in Turkey. It was also the first museum-ruin-site where I felt like we had been fleeced!
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The Food In Turkey ( a very subjective take)

Turkish breakfast




The Turks claims this is one of the six countries in the world that is food self-sufficient. They grow everything they eat and drink. At least that’s what they claim. I’m not so sure about the Coca Cola (or the just as good and half the price Turka Cola). I don’t know who the other five countries are, but I wouldn’t be surprised if one is Mexico.

On the whole, Turkish food is serviceable. I’ve never had bad food here, but then again, I’ve never had great food. In general the quality level doesn’t vary much. And there are roughly 12 dishes that you see everywhere, and they rarely have many local or creative twists.

The number one snack food on the street is grilled corn, which somehow came here from the new world and became a local favorite. Istanbul in particular has hundreds of grilled corn carts, but I saw it in most other cities as well. You also see carts selling incredible tasting almonds and pistachios.

The soups, both lentil-based and tomato based ones are very subtly spiced (usually no or little garlic and almost never spicy). They are almost always good. There is also a nice vermicelli soup in a tomato base, with oregano and mint.

Fresh squeezed orange juice is everywhere, and it’s cheap ($1 or $2 USD)and great. They also have excellent cherry, apricot, peach, and pomegranate juices.


Lahmacun, a respectable Turkish version of pizza

You see lime trees everywhere, and I’ve seen them in vegetable stalls a few times, but they are mostly ignored in favor of lemons. However, the most common form of lemon is bottled lemon juice, which is like bottled lemon juice everywhere…that is, pathetic. I think my time in Mexico has left me far preferring lime to lemon. Additionally, the fresh lemons never seem vibrant here, but always seem a little tired, like the peppers.

Mezes – Usually cold starters that include spreads, dolmades, and other nibbles. They are almost strictly vegetarian, and would be a good option for our veggie pals, and most of it would even work for more extreme vegan-Taliban.

You would have to work extremely hard here to maintain a gluten-free diet. The salads and soups would probably be safe, as would sis kebap. You could eat the pilaf, but sometimes, they have broken pieces of vermicelli in it, which would not work for celiacs. There are a lot of fruits and vegetables and meats, so you could piece something together, but it would not be easy.


Rice Pilaf. This is a much beloved food, but, alas, I find it pretty subpar and almost always far too oily. Of course, I have much the same complaint about restaurant risotto, and restaurant paella too.

Pizza. They have their own take on pizza (pide) — one comes with cheese, and the other with minced lamb, with a few other variations. The crusts are baked in a wood fired oven, and are excellent. You get a small pizza (enough for one person) for around $2.75 US.

Tea, or Çay (pr: chai). The number one beverage. Çay is served in delicate, small fluted glasses, usually with a couple lumps of sugar and a tiny spoon on the saucer. It’s very good tea. They also serve (but don’t drink themselves) a very tasty apple tea. One turk told me he drinks dozens of glasses of Çay a day.

Turkish Coffee – Is a suspension of water, coffee grounds and sugar. I used to drink it many years ago, at Greek restaurants, but I don’t have the heart for it anymore. When you finish, there is about an inch of sludge in the demitasse cup. People will read your fortune in it, like they do in tea leaves in the western world. Some places have espresso, which I’ve avoided. I don’t think I’ve seen a Starbucks here. I’ve been making do with one cup of the ubiquitous and execrable Nescafe, and am almost decaffeinated. Now I just have to quit drinking Turka Cola light.

Sis kebap, or Shish Kabob. Usually lamb. It is never bad, and is often very good. The marinated lamb (or chicken) is cooked over charcoal, and often served with eggplant, roasted tomatoes, and other vegetables.

Doner – Like the Gyro often served in America, but better because they don't put too much meat on. Lamb or chicken is cooked on a vertical rotisserie and as the meat chars a carver slices off thin slices for your sandwich. It is served on something like a Pita (Pide), but much better, with usually tomatoes, a little onion (never enough) and a touch of sauce (tomato or yoghurt based). These are great, ubiquitous, cheap, and pretty clean (e.g. very little oil).

Yoghurt – Yoghurt here is great, and comes in many varieties. In fact, at the grocery store, the yoghurt choices are mind-bending. The yoghurt section is an emormous aisle and very little distinguishes the dozens of varieties to the non-Turkish reader. So far our random selections have all been good.

Turkish Breakfast – This meal often gets you through from 9 AM to 6 PM. The basics include some fruit (apricots, or oranges); sometimes a feta-like cheese, and another local mild cheese; at least two kinds of olives—oil cured black ones, or brine-cured green olives; baskets of the good and ubiquitous French bread; cherry and strawberry jams; margarine or butter; Çay (Tea) or Nescafe (powdered instant coffee with milk); often an omelet or a boiled egg; and sometimes yoghurt. Breakfast was always good. A bagel like bread was often served too, almost always with sesame seeds baked into the crust. It is my favorite bread.

Shepherd’s salad – usually tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, parsley and olive oil. They give you wedges of lemon to season it, salt and pepper, and bread. Honestly, it’s kind of a feeble Greek Salad a/k/a Choriotiki…

Eggs – Eggs are very similar to those in Mexico…extremely fresh, with bright orange yolks. They come ten to a carton. A dozen is not a frame of reference here.

Drink – Some of the local wines are very good. Interestingly, alcohol is taxed at the grocery store at 18%. Efes Pilsner, a local brew is very good. Three or four other beers are available: Carling, Miller High Life, and two more local beers. Raki, an anisette beverage is fiery, and pretty good if you have just one or two. Foreign liquor goes for $40 to $80 a bottle, but locally made vodka (votka), gin, and raki is reasonable. The local version of diet Coke is very good (Turka Cola) and half the price of the American stuff.


Wines made in this region are reasonable (10-15 USD), and pretty good, but you also see really mediocre wines from elsewhere, like Yellowtail from Australia, selling for $40. A bottle of French wine we buy in the US for around $15 goes for $60. In short, stick with the local wines, liquors, and beers, or just drink Çay.

The local "French" bread is very good, and they serve it at breakfast, lunch and dinner. It goes for an incredibly cheap seventy-five cents at the bakery...still warm.

The two times we’ve had a kitchen in an apartment, I have gone to the grocery store and cooked dinners (like I do in Mexico). Shopping in a Turkish grocery store is like being on drugs …you aren’t even sure what about half the goods are and the labels and pictures don’t often tell you what is inside. A package of Oregano may have a picture of a monkey and it is ground more like we grind thyme (when you can even see the packet’s contents). As always, vegetables are the easiest to buy, since they’re not packaged. I can tell when they are ripe, old, expensive, etc. Meat is tricky—the cuts are far different than ours, although they treat chicken exactly the same as we do. I could usually tell what I was looking for by the texture. Cheese was a total crap shoot—we locked onto one we liked and stuck with that.


Fruit was like fruit anywhere, and the best here seem to be cherries and apricots and oranges, and, of course, watermelons, which Turks love. Every day you see dozens of trucks hauling in watermelon and a large percentage of people you see on the street are carrying one home. It is a frequent desert.

They love baked potatoes here. The potatoes are basically Russets, and they serve them with all sorts of toppings. Yoghurt, of course, and various dips and spreads, and chicken, and olives, and salt and pepper.

Although most of the vegetables are excellent, the peppers are always a bit tired. And don’t try to buy just one banana or head of garlic! You take the whole stalk, or nothing, and if you break the rules, you get a good-natured scolding.

I was cooking dinner last night (sis kebap, Greek salad, and tortilla Espagnole) and I had Del run to a store to buy salt. He had to draw a picture of a table with diners and a salt shaker. Finally someone in the store said “[in Turkish] Oh, he wants saray tuz!” When Claire went to buy feta the first time, we ended up with goat cream cheese. Two times I ended up with buttermilk when trying to buy sweet milk. It’s always an adventure…
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