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.
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?
ReplyDelete(I always make sure I don't get too close to them though)
I took the photo and left pretty quickly. I wish I could acquire the belief that nothing bad will ever happen.
ReplyDeleteFrom health and safety batty Britain to lassez faire utterly crazy Turkey, is there a middle way (true to my liberal principles!)
ReplyDeleteA fire extinguisher propped up against the back wheel!
DeleteHello 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.
ReplyDeletePeace.
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
DeleteMaybe it's why he serves intestines...I bet his grub is very tasty too. Shall we make an afternoon of it?
ReplyDeleteI'll have the Shish - not keen on the intestines.
ReplyDelete. . 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!
ReplyDeleteAnd that's why you're here Alan, and why I came back.
DeleteActually, I've never seen this!!! Pretty cool of him! I agree,never a dull moment around here! Cheers!
ReplyDeleteA quick hello from Datca..Really enjoyed reading about your observations about us :))
ReplyDeleteThank you TD.
ReplyDeleteI'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....
ReplyDeleteOh, that was funny. Thank you for that.
ReplyDelete