Oct. 11, 2014. Breakfast with Yasar Durucu

I had the most enjoyable conversation this morning over breakfast.  II had met Yasar Durucu yesterday as I was attempting to change rooms - to a room with a view - but we did not introduce ourselves.   

The reception attendant did not speak English and Yasar heard me attempting to converse and he offered to translate. He graciously helped me convey my desire to change hotel rooms to a room with a view. 

This morning I was down at the beach taking pictures of the sunrise and thought I would go into the restaurant to have a cup of coffee.  While getting my coffee, I recognized Yasar and said "Good Morning".  I asked if he would mind if I joined him for breakfast and he said "Please do."  After trading pleasantries - where are you from,  are you traveling alone, do you have any children, where are you going next, where have you been - our conversation switched. 

On the 50" flat screen TV in the restaurant, aTurkish CNN was reporting on all the violence in southern Turkey on the border with Syria.  We talked about the war against Syria,  Asaad, ISIS, beheadings and the war war in Iraq following 9/11. 

Speaking of ISIS, he said, "They are not Muslims.  In our faith if you kill someone like that you will not go to Muslim heaven.  They are not Muslim."

He talked about war all around Turkey - to the north in the Crimea/Ukraine vs Russia, Syria to the south, Iraq to the SE and beyond Bulgaria to the west in Bosnia.

He said "War everywhere around Turkey.  They are all trying to drag Turkey into their wars.  We do not want to fight. We are friendly people."

I said,  "There has always been war.  There was war here in Synop 4000 years ago.  Look at the Castle and fortifications here in Synop.  It is what humans do, have done and will do forever."

I asked him what he thought it would be like in Syria and Iraq in 60 years, when his 2 children (boys 2 months and 18 months old) are my age.  He said "There will be another big war....World War III.  

I left it at that.

The conversation then changed to Palestine and Israel and the ongoing conflict there that I said, "That  will never end."  He described the growth of land controlled by Israel since 1948 -  the Golan Heights, The West Bank, Gaza.  Russian Jews immigrating to Israel and Israeli support for immigrants to increase their population.

I asked "Are there Jewish people in Turkey?"  He replied " Yes, yes, many.  Turkey has all religions - Muslim, Christian, Jew, Buddhist - all religions."

We talked about Istanbul, his hometown. He talked about travel south from Istanbul along the western coast of Turkey along the Aegean.    We also talked about travel along the Mediterranean and how it differs from travel along the northern Black Sea coast.  "More tourists."  

I said, " That is why I am here."

It was the most interesting conversation I have had since I have been in Turkey.  We talked for almost an hour.

He gave me his business card and email and nvited me to come and visit him in Istanbul.

On Walkabout.