Reflections on Day 2

A country song passes through my mind tonight - or this morning - at 2 AM - as, with jet lag still present, I reflect some of the many people I met today on day 2.  

"God is Great, Beer is Good, People are Crazy".

Musa, 21, a Turk, now living in Germany, a Fullbright Scholar who I talked with for over an hour at the hostel.  Motivated, mature, very intelligent, inquisitive.  He studied on his Fullbright in Kentucky.  He gave me an informative tour guide quality itinerary for the Black Sea coast, complete with photos.  I told him there is an unlimited future in store for him.  We could have talked for many more hours.  I would enjoy being a mentor to him.

Machmud, 27, nearing graduation from University, working the graveyard shift at the hostel.  "I do not know what I want to do with my life".  I told him it is time to decide.

After wandering back to the hostel from the hilltop castle and buying some beer (expensive) I heard a lot of commotion upstairs.  I took a bottle of beer and went to investigate.  I could tell that they were not Japanese travelers........   

About 10 students - Archeology, Mechanical Engineering, Urban Planning majors that were on a foreign exchange program - all young - several from Poland (that I easily related with), Spaniards, Portuguese, Turks, Germans, Italians.  All young men and women.  They had 3 bottles of vodka and orange, lemon and lime mixers.  I drank mine straight, in the Polish style I so easily learned with minimal coaching during my 2 weeks of travel there.  

I had over an hour of continuous, enjoyable, wide ranging conversation with each of them.  Some conversations were shorter than others.

Work or pleasure travel?  I replied "Neither.  I am on walkabout".

Are you Turkish?

Do you believe the 9/11 event was actually a plot by the US government?  

The male Polish student was the most engaging and enjoyable.  

The women had no use for an old fart like me, but they were quite engaged with the buff young Spaniard.  I wished I was a buff young Spaniard.  They were around him like bees to honey.  

I stayed with them for an hour, sipped some vodka and got exactly what I wanted from the hostel - young, international, intelligent conversation.

I doubt that the hotel beneath the castle and above the mosque will have the same atmosphere tomorrow night.  Almost every room key was hanging on the board behind the desk in the office when I inquired about availability today .........  

Just exactly what I want and need.