Sunday, 27 February 2005
Last night I met Peter for the first time, the only other Australian I know of in Mersin. Peter, his Turkish wife and their son came to Mersin six months ago although I did not hear about him until earlier this month.
We ate fish and chips, Turkish style, accompanied by a few beers and the Galatasaray-Samsun soccer game in the background. Both Peter and his wife teach English at a neighbouring town's university. Previously, they lived in Melbourne and came to Mersin to give their son a taste of Turkish life and because the wife is from Mersin.
Following dinner we went to Mavi Sanat for coffee and dessert. A French/Turkish couple runs Mavi Sanat and I had not visited the place for a long time. The atmosphere is more sophisticated than the average Mersin haunt and it is somewhere I should visit more often.
I enjoyed meeting Peter and although we are of different generations, we could relate on almost everything. I now know there were at least two people in Mersin watching last year’s
AFL grand final!
Saturday, 26 February 2005
Yesterday and today Mersin's water supply is supposed to be off for maintenance. I say supposed to be, because the water in the office is still on, although it is dribbling at a far slower rate than usual.
My apartment block has a bore and is not connected to the mains so I enjoyed that shower last night without any worries :-)
The bore system is not perfect, though. At the sixth (top) floor, the variable water pressure causes taps to hiss and spit, sometimes pushing out air, other times, high-pressure water, often in intermittent bursts. This is one of the quirks of living in Turkey.
Wednesday, 23 February 2005
I have recently added the Blogger comment system. From now on I will use this and not the Haloscan commenting. I now automatically receive Blogger comments as emails so they are much easier to keep track of. However, the main reason I have changed commenting is because Haloscan wouldn't let me comment as the IP is on the OPM blacklist.
Anyway, ignore the "old comment" links on the left of the page and use the comment function at the centre below each post.
Tuesday, 22 February 2005
Dear Friend,
We confirm your accreditation for the 5th European Winter Throwing Cup, Mersin 2005.
Your accreditation card which will enable you to access the media areas during the event can be picked up at Hilton Mersin from 10 March on.
Any suggestions on how I can fully utilise the pass?
I will make my website more
5th European Winter Throwing Cup themed as the event gets closer.
Monday, 21 February 2005
The past week was very busy. This is why I have not posted. Besides work and social commitments I also managed to register some .IN domain names, including Joe.In, in the
Indian domain name launch. Also this week, an ancient fossil was
found in Tarsus, and one protester died in Mersin when protesting on the sixth anniversary of
Abdullah Ocalan's capture.
The big news in Mersin this weekend is the visit of the main opposition party's leader, the Kemalist CHP's Mr. Deniz Baykal. At the previous Turkish
local elections, Mersin was one of the cities that remained with the CHP and did not change to the formerly Islamist AK Parti. Mr. Baykal opened the newly renovated
footpath in front of work. Following are photos of this event other things from the weekend.
Is anything funny written on the poster?
Assolist? Sounds a touch dodgy in English. In Turkish an "assolist" is equivalent to the "top billing" or the best soloist. The advert is for a nightclub.
Following is of a shop opening, wedding or something similarly celebratory. The restaurant sells roast chickens.
Do you love palm trees and other tacky light decorations? Come to the Mersin city centre - we have heaps!
In all colours, too...
Deniz Baykal came
Palms also look horrible during the day
Evil eyes made of balloons? We have everything in Mersin!
The new path. The resources gone into welcoming Baykal could have fed a starving country for a day. (Yes, those are: a) a Turkish flag; a picture of Baykal; and c) a welcome banner hanging off that building.)
Baykal arrives surrounded by his security and the Greater city mayor, Macit Ozcan and Akdeniz (Mediterranean) Council mayor, Kenan Yucesoy. The entourage included 4 full-size buses and several cars. The adoring crowd welcome him. Count all the baldheads in this shot!
The MC seemed to take forever welcoming both the Mr. Baykal and Mr. Yucesoy. The amount and strength of the compliments given were almost sickening. It was if gods were about to appear.
There was music and dancing.
Mr. Yucesoy spoke. There were volume problems with the microphones. I don't think people cared if they could hear him or not. I didn't. Notice Mr. Baykal's security stage-right of Yucesoy.
Mr. Baykal comes to the stage and receives rose petals.
CHP in balloons
That is more than enough palms, balloons and politicians for now...
The past week was very busy. This is why I have not posted. Besides work and social commitments I also managed to register some .IN domain names, including Joe.In, in the
Indian domain name launch. Also this week, an ancient fossil was
found in Tarsus, and
The big news in Mersin this weekend is the launch
HOLD ON, HOLD ON, STOP RIGHT THERE. I AM CURRENTLY IN A STATE OF MILD SHOCK. I just found out 2005's world's longest hammer throw was thrown in Mersin today. Not only that, but I most likely witnessed and even took a picture of the person throwing the record throw!I wasn't even going to write about the hammer throwing I saw today. It occurred on the dirt soccer pitch across the river from where the national politician Deniz Baykal was going to officially open the
new path. I was more interested in the path-launch and only watched the hammer throwing from the bridge whilst waiting for Deniz to arrive. This was the same location as
Tarkan's concert last year. The throwing looked like nothing special to me. The only thing strange was the surveying equipment used (instead of tape) to measure the throws. That, and the fact one participant threw far longer than the others.
Whilst looking for the "Mersin" stories at
Google News, I discovered
Esref Apak threw 78.06 metres at the Turkish National Winter Throwing Championships. This is more than any
other person has thrown in 2005.
Taking a photo of what I believe is Esref's record throw was a complete coincidence. I didn't know who he was and I only took a photo for the hell of it. I don't know if I've ever seen the hammer throw live before. As I mentioned previously, I wasn't even going to write about the hammer throwing in the blog today. After the record throw, the sparse crowd gave a round of applause.
Anyway, here is Esref, milliseconds after releasing his record throw:
A close-up view of the same throw:
Esref's follow-up throw:
Close-up:
Hopefully, today's news will create more interest in the
5th European Winter Throwing Cup to be held in Mersin in 3 weeks' time.
Monday, 14 February 2005
This morning I walked westwards along the coastline and back again. Now I have a digital camera I can take photos of random things and post them here.
Mersin's largest mosque, "Mugdat" Mosque, is undergoing extensions. The mosque's fifth and sixth minaret's are currently under construction. This expense seems grandiose for a country with ever-present poverty. I don't know why this money is not spend on charities instead.
Mountains (with snow!) in the background, the Mediterranean in the foreground, military in the centre.
What birds are those?
My new car :-)
Last night Orhan came around to say g'day and watch the soccer on TV. He arrived whilst I was making my current favourite smoothie:
Ingredients1 kiwi fruit
1 orange
2 or 3 Anamur bananas (the equivalent of 1 normal-sized banana)
1 heaped teaspoon honey
A few pinches of dried mint (fresh is better)
Water to liquidise
Steps1) Wash fruit and cut into small pieces. Add to blender.
2) Add honey, mint and water.
2) Blend until smooth.
I love this drink!
Kiwi fruit are relatively new and uncommon on the Turkish market. Recently, I have seen them at the weekly Wednesday bazaar for 2 YTL (2 million old lira) a kilogram.
Later, time came to open the Absolute Kurant vodka I bought from duty free at the Turkish-Syrian border. Soda water and ice smoothed the vodka.
The final drink of the night was a modified White Russian:
IngredientsVodka (normal Finlandia this time)
Kahlua
Soda water
Sweetened Condensed Milk thinned with a dash of hot water
Ice
Place all ingredients in glass and stir.
This drink was delicious, although highly intoxicating if drunk in significant quantities. Sweetened condensed milk is hard to find in Turkey and the stuff I used came from Syria. Complementing the drinks were "Tutku" chocolate-filled biscuits.
Saturday, 12 February 2005
Today my boss and I originally planned to eat at the only Chinese restaurant in Mersin. When we got there, it was closed for good. Short lives are very common for non-Turkish cuisine restaurants in Mersin. Locals generally don't like to try new foods. Instead of Chinese we went to the newer Mexican restaurant next door.
The fajita and tacos were quite good, although pricier than average for Mersin. This was my first Mexican food for ages.
Although the decor was not quite the best, with plastic-chandeliered candlestick holders and bendable metal forks, it certainly matched the front of the restaurant:
The Mexican hat and Valentine's Day promo hearts really do it for me!
I was playing with my camera in the office when I heard the "simitci" (bread ring seller) come. I decided to start the timer, place the camera on the top of my desk and have a potluck photo. Here is the result:
Although most of the photo is out of focus, I love the contrast between Kaya (the worker in the right foreground), the simitci with the bread rings carried on his head, and the statue of liberty sign on the window.
The following photo, also taken with the timer, is of the work lads:
Pick the foreigner!
Kaya (centre) began working for the company a few months ago. Shortly after Kaya's arrival, Serkan (right) returned from his holidays with a moustache, much to the disgust of his sisters and the work ladies. I think the only woman who likes his moustache is his Mum. There is no chance of me joining the moustache club!
Today I stumbled upon a
fascinating read concerning the early years of the Turkish Republic. The piece is put together by Erik-Jan Zürcher from
Leiden University and is based on the 1936-37 travel diaries of Robert Anhegger and Andreas Tietze.
Here are a few tidbits:
There the Kemalists were creating a new Turkey according to their vision of modernity. Three features seem to have been common to all new towns: Firstly, a European-type municipal park (belediye parkí), with flower beds, fountains and tea gardens; secondly, a statue of the Gazi, the president of the republic; and thirdly, a cinema, which in most towns could still only show silent pictures.
...
The old method of measuring time (dependent on the numbers of hours of daylight) is still in universal use. When people use the European clock (which had been adopted officially in Turkey in 1926 along with the Christian era) they always mention that they mean "alafranga" time.
Friday, 11 February 2005
Happy Birthday Anna!
As my way of saying 'have a good one', here is a joke our older sister sent me (and probably everyone else in her email list) today:
There were two statues in a park; one of a nude man and one of a nude woman. They had been facing each other across a pathway for a hundred years, when one day an angel comes down from the sky and, with a single gesture, brings the two to life. The angel tells them, "As a reward for being so patient through a hundred blazing summers and dismal winters, you have been given life for thirty minutes to do what you've wished to do the most." He looks at her, she looks at him, and they go running behind the shrubbery.
The angel waits patiently as the bushes rustle and giggling ensues. After fifteen minutes, the two return, out of breath and laughing. The angel tells them, "Um, you have fifteen minutes left, Would you care to do it again?"
He asks her. "Shall we?"
She eagerly replies, "Oh, yes, let's! But let's change positions. This time, I'll hold the pigeon down, and you shit on its head."
LOL!
What does the most senior Shia cleric in Iraq say about
gold;
graveyard visit;
chat between male and female;
chess,
permanent marriage;
social;
lottery and much more?
Check out all the
questions and answers. Many are quite frank and revealing.
Today, across the road from work, the council workers were planting palms on the side of the pedestrian path as the first blog photo from my camera shows.
Mersin's main soccer stadium is across the river to the left of the Australian gum (a type of eucalyptus) tree.
A few interesting aspects of the path development:
* This side (the east) of the river is part of the "Akdeniz" (Mediterranean) Council. The other side is the "Yenisehir" (New City) Council. I don't know if the other side will be developed.
* a) The new path extends from the vehicle bridge near the sea outlet, past another road to the next vehicle bridge inland.
b) There is a military base on prime land next to the river outlet.
c) The path is 3 or 4 metres wide and it is clear except for a few gum trees near the inland bridge.
Conclusion: The pedestrian path will be used as a short cut, particularly by police and council vehicles and possibly the odd private and military vehicle as well.
Thursday, 10 February 2005
Today, my boss brought the Sony
DSC-P73 to the office. Tonight I will be busy studying the manual and playing around with the camera. Tomorrow I should have the camera's first photos on the blog.
PS: I can't post comments at the moment as I receive this message when I attempt to publish:
Open proxy detected. Comment posting disabled. If you think you have received this message in error, please contact the webmaster and be sure to include this info: '81.215.160.107,195.175.37.71'.
In response to
Jeff's comment: Yes I do need more CDs, but first I require a CD player that works. My portable CD player is now only good to recharge my tape player's batteries after it fell off the fridge.
Tuesday, 8 February 2005
For the past hour the same 4 seconds of a dodgy dance song have been looping on
Mix FM, Mersin's automated, foreign music, dj-free radio station.
I wonder when either the CD will become unstuck or the producer will make an emergency visit to the radio station and fix it. If I don't get up soon and turn the radio off, something or someone will become the victim of a crazed Australian :-)
PS: In the morning a short guitar strumming piece was played over and over again on the same station for at least 30 minutes.
Sunday, 6 February 2005
I've just made a few modifications to the website.
*In two days' time I'll have a digital camera. With the convenience of digital I'll upload many more photos. In anticipation of this, I have removed the 'Photo Of The Moment' and replaced it with a smaller photo of myself, helping put a face to the words.
*The blog and website links are better organised. There are now new categories: "Other Australian Expat Blogs" and "Australian Blogs" and I have added new links. Blogs not updated in the past 3 months have a
line through them. These lined links still work, though (well they should!).
*To make the blog easier to read I want to restrict the width of the blog posts to 600. However, whatever html I adjust, does not seem to perform the function. Could someone more knowledgeable please look at the page source and suggest something? I would be most grateful.
ADDENDUM: I forgot to mention I added a "Commerce" category under the website links. If you ever want to buy a
poster or anything from
Amazon.com you can help me by purchasing via my links.
Saturday, 5 February 2005
I don't know how credible this story is as it is poorly written and I have not heard it from any other source. If true, it is a sad indictment on Mersin society.
National athlete froze to death at street
Turkish National athlete Cihan Kesici, who had represented Turkey in various contest for many times, could not bear freezing weather with his blanket at street, and passed away in the hospital he taken.
Cihan Kesici striking the agenda of Turkey last month with DIHA's story entitled '' The national athlete who has presented Turkey in 60 international competitions" has been living at street" lost his life in Mersin. Although his strong body had been able to struggle in 60 contests, he could not bear freezing the cold weather living homeless underneath a blanket. Being about to freeze to death, he was taken to Mersin State Hospital with aids of shopkeepers nearby, but could not saved from death in spite of medical interventions. His funeral ceremony to which none of his relatives attend was held by his a few friends in Guneykent City Graveyard, Mersin.
Striking claim
The shopkeepers helping Kesici taken to hospital have kept the officials accountable for national athlete's death said "It has been rainy for many days and Kesici escaped from freezing danger times and times. We called an ambulance last Sunday. The officials in the vehicle did not accept to take him into the vehicle because he was 'very dirty', so they left him ill with his bad situation. Is human life so cheap?"
Link
I work directly across the river 100 metres from the stadium where the main Mersin soccer team, Mersin Idman Yurdu, play in.
Today, via a new article on the web, I found out an Australian soccer player was playing for Mersin Idman Yurdu until last week when he returned to Australia and signed with Sydney FC.
How did I not know?
Admittedly, Ufuk Talay is of Turkish origin so he would have been treated as a local here. If he was an Australian of non-Turkish origin I'm sure every local would have told me of his existence 10 times over.
See the
Sydney Morning Herald (subscription) and
SBS for their versions on the story.
On a side note: it is funny how many
Australian websites write "Mersin Idman Yurdu" as "Mersin Ydman Yurdu". This is because the capital Turkish capital dotted I ("İ") often appears as a "Y" on non-Turkish enabled computers.
Wednesday, 2 February 2005
Believe it or not, in the recent past there was a website called
Mersin Love Fest On-Line located at
MersinLoveFest.net. The website does not exist any more but is cached at
Google.
Swingers or groupies in Mersin? Never heard of it before but anything is possible...
Tuesday, 1 February 2005
As mentioned
earlier, my boss is in Saudi Arabia for Hajj.
Whilst there, he is taking advantage to look at the digital cameras and their lower than Turkish prices. This time next week I should have a
Sony DSC-P73 in my hands.
Yeah, baby!
Back in
October last year I wrote about the Winter Throwing Cup, not sure exactly what it was about.
a few days ago I came across the official website at
Mersin2005.org:
The 5th edition of the European Winter Throwing Cup will be held in the City of Mersin, one of the most ancient settlements in the Mediterrenaen (sic) region, but one of the newest cities in Turkey. With its history dating back to the Neolithic period, the region boasts of rich and historical and cultural treasures.
The European Winter Throwing Cup will be the first EAA event to be welcomed in Mersin, but the City is well experienced in throwing events. National Winter Championships are staged every year in Mersin and the City hosts annual national and international training camps for throwers.
Judging by the pictures on the website, the Winter Throwing Cup consists of javelin, shot put, discus and the hammer throw.
The website is poorly written/designed for such a 'major' event. One has to click on the
Programme link on the left to find out the event dates (12 & 13 March) and what it exactly consists of. The dates should be on the front page.
If I am around then I definitely intend on attending at least one day and reporting back. Should I sign up for a
media pass? ;-)
