After supper

Had a hot shower, washed out a few things , and am tucked under 2 blanets in our huge, castle like room. There are 2 stone archways going to the sitting area and vaulted stone arch over the bed. I feel like a queen.

We had such fun at dinner. Most interesting, refreshing people!

We got off the train from Istanbul in the capital, Anaka, this morning. I thought sleeping on the train was fun, Jerry didn't sleep much, so was pretty tired today as I had kept us both up the night before being sick off and on all night Others had been scrubbing their teeth with tap water and hadn't gotten sick, so I must have gotten a bug somewhere. Luckily I felt fine the next morning.

In Ankara we went to a wonderful historical museum. They had original artfacts from the different ages - even statues of earth goddesses - giver of life. I'm wondering if the worship of this goddess plus the presence of the strong Amason women from this area made the men decide to become dominant and devise harems.... This is an original idea and may not be valid at all.

So much history has taken place here. One of the most exceptional leaders was Ataturk. After WWI when Turkey, having sided with Germany , was going to be divided into little pieces , Ataturk gathered an army and after 4 years of fighting the Greeks and other allies, established the Republic of Turkey. In less than the next 10 years he separated church and state upholding civil law over Islamic law; alligned Turkey with the west instead of the east;adopted the Christian calendar and the western alaphbet (letters); changed the language spoken in mosques from Arabic to Turkish - it has returned to Arabic- did away with polygamy and gave women many rights. We visited his tomb and while we were there the ambassitor from Portugal came with military representatives marching a bent knee goose step, and laid a wreath before his tomb. Taps was played and all the many tourists stood silently honoring Ataturk.

Time to hit the hay - some are going on a hot air balloon early tomorrow morning. The fresh fruit stands are glorious with fresh figs, peaches, apples, bananas, all kinds of nuts etc.etc.