two days later

When I lived in Jersey, my friend Sal would always laugh at me because every year I would get so excited about going home to see my family, and every year the excitement would last about a day or two, and every year I would come back to Jersey complaining about my family.  My all wise friend would just shake his head and chuckle, "Rach, you love your family - you just can't live in Minnesota anymore."

Things haven't changed much.  About the third day, I had had enough.  My mother was determined to see every sight in Turkey, and Greece, while we're all at it.  I should have known better - but I really thought she'd listen to me this time . . . .  I said,
"Mom, things are different now.  I can't be your tour guide, I'm not really planning out your trip, and I'm having a hard enough time keeping track of things here.  I have a different focus."
"Of course," she said.
"So, I'm telling you - I don't want to go today.  I am tired and I want to rest."
"I understand.  Why don't you take a little rest, and then we'll go."

AGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

That's how we ended up in Ulus seeing the Roman ruin attached to mosque and hearing a sermon (or whatever you call the Islamic version of church) during the Friday service . . .

My mother was determined to have an adventure everyday, and pouted if she couldn't.  I understood her excitement, and I understood her disappointment - and it sometimes made me sick because she is me.

I had wanted to go to Ulus before, but Tolga wasn't really interested in it.  Tolga's not really interested in a whole lot of things, but I took his word for it, and never visited the place.  Now I had, and regretted it.  It was dirty, crowded, busy - not a peaceful place to take a baby out for a stroll.  After all that, we had to pick up Tolga for a doctor's appointment.  In spite of my rigid timekeeping - I got confused about the time (I'm getting confused about a lot of things since having a baby . . . ) and was late leaving to pick up Tolga.  I called him to say so, and he said, "You're in Ulus? Ulus? What are you doing in Ulus?"

Good question.

Mom kept saying: But I want to see
the Tower of Julian!

Roman ruin attached to modern mosque

Those outside listening to the service, village houses of Ulus  in the background.