Back from Turkiye

No, that's not a misspelling! Turkiye - Tur-key-ay. The folks do
correct you, understandably so, for the spelling of certain cartogaphers and
the connotations that derive from a bird's name.
Yes, it was our 31st "honeymoon" (assuming we had only one a year for
our 30 years), but we didn't leave Scouting out. Still dazed by the 11 hours
of flight time, and seven time zone difference, my wife and I stumbled through
the streets of Ankara, map in hand, looking for the Headquarters of Turkiye's
Scout and Guide organization. We found it three flights up on an obscure
street and without pre-arrangements began sipping apple tea with the
Secretary-
General of Turkiye's Scouting movement. And trading patches!! Scouting
is. of
course, an entree anywhere - but apple tea is the social lubricant throughout
Turkiye, from rug salesmen to the attendents at gas stations. Wouldn't
that be
a nice touch here in the US, sipping tea from a tulip shaped glass while you
tank is being filled?
Anyway, as we enjoyed our casual chat with the Secretary-General other
Scouters drifted in and out, and we received names of Scouters to contact
along
the route of our intended journey. Some we were able to contact, others not,
but it was a joy even though we had to do some resceduling.
The sights of Turkiye were diverse and amazing, and the food enough to
dismiss glutony as a sin. Soon I'll try to compose my opus on the trip, and
develop some 600 photos. Anyone interested in a little adventure just ask, we
were tentatively even discussing an international Scouting exchange.
YIS
Jay Thal

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