Thursday 10 May 2012

Opportunity knocks



This photograph encapsulates the Turkey I remember and love and I'm cheered to see individuals like this still around.  Why invest in restaurant premises when all you need is tables, chairs and something to cook on.  As long as the sun shines, he's in business. The complete disregard for health and safety (on so many counts) is also refreshing after 12 years in a country where window cleaners tell me they are no longer allowed to climb ladders. His absolute faith that nothing untoward can happen to him is so intrinsically hard wired into his identity, that he decides lighting a charcoal barbeque grill on top of his car's petrol tank is a good move. Should he inadvertently detonate his diners, the event will be described in terms of extreme bad luck and no blame will be apportioned to the unlucky proprietor. Not so much a pop-up restaurant, more a blow-up café.
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15 comments:

  1. Ayak10 May 2012 at 19:13

    I can't remember how many times I've seen Turks lighting barbeques in the boots of their cars. And of course if it blows, it's no-ones fault...it's all in the hands of Allah isn't it?

    (I always make sure I don't get too close to them though)

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  2. BacktoBodrum10 May 2012 at 19:21

    I took the photo and left pretty quickly. I wish I could acquire the belief that nothing bad will ever happen.

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  3. Jack Scott10 May 2012 at 23:32

    From health and safety batty Britain to lassez faire utterly crazy Turkey, is there a middle way (true to my liberal principles!)

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    1. BacktoBodrum11 May 2012 at 11:05

      A fire extinguisher propped up against the back wheel!

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  4. Dee11 May 2012 at 03:53

    Hello to a person who is so able to see the humor in life. And who can discover the sense of ridiculousness that resides in us all. Thank you for sharing your appreciation of Turkey and the Turkish people. Reading your blog is a learning experience for me.

    Peace.

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    1. BacktoBodrum11 May 2012 at 11:09

      I do love this place, despite all it's quirks and absurdities. It drives one mad on a daily basis but it's never boring

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  5. Southern Cross Blue Cruising11 May 2012 at 04:40

    Maybe it's why he serves intestines...I bet his grub is very tasty too. Shall we make an afternoon of it?

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  6. BacktoBodrum11 May 2012 at 11:14

    I'll have the Shish - not keen on the intestines.

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  7. Alan11 May 2012 at 21:16

    . . ridiculous? Crazy! Come on folks, these guys are wonderful and enterprising! If the government drove a motorway through his house he'd shrug and get his wife to make gözleme!

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    1. BacktoBodrum12 May 2012 at 00:12

      And that's why you're here Alan, and why I came back.

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  8. Unknown11 May 2012 at 21:45

    Actually, I've never seen this!!! Pretty cool of him! I agree,never a dull moment around here! Cheers!

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  9. Sahildeki Ev12 May 2012 at 08:28

    A quick hello from Datca..Really enjoyed reading about your observations about us :))

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  10. BacktoBodrum12 May 2012 at 10:14

    Thank you TD.

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  11. Erica (Irene)13 May 2012 at 04:05

    I've seen those kind of 'cafe's' a coule of times.....actually once I was starving to death and nothing else was around so we got a kofte...... you know it was one of the best kofte I ever had....so yummy. I'm not sure if I ever would again. Love this post....

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  12. Karen29 May 2012 at 14:09

    Oh, that was funny. Thank you for that.

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