Sanliurfa, Turkey

Sanliurfa was another city that had a really large market area where people make things by hand out of copper and leather. It is all very fascinating.

There were tea houses everywhere where men would socialize, drink chai, smoke and play cards or backgammon. Dad and I played a lot of backgammon.

I think that Turkey has some of the worlds best bread. It is the most soft and chewy stuff that I have ever tasted. Always fresh.

This is supposed to be the place where Abraham was born.

Islamic graveyards are different than our own.


My favorite thing about Sanliurfa is the endless maze of narrow streets in the old town.

I was sitting in a bakery, chatting with the guys that work there, when this little girl came to pick up some bread for her family's breakfast. I don't think that she expected to see me in there.

This guy makes horse collars that are used for horses that pull wagons or plows. I'm going to mail him one of these pictures.


Just a pretty door

These kids were really a lot of fun. First they almost hit me with one of the rocks that they were throwing at each other. An old lady walking by started yelling at them for that. Then they wanted their pictures taken with funny poses. Then they started following me and laughing and telling jokes. I turned around and looked at them like I was getting scared and started to run away from them. I knew that this would just encourage them more. Then I turned suddenly and snapped there picture. They thought that this was the funniest thing that they had ever seen. I thought it was pretty fun too. I wish that I could always have fun like this.


People would see me walking by on the streets and invite me in to talk for a bit and have some tea with them. Even though I know less than 20 words in Turkish, it's amazing how much we could still communicate.

Another pretty door. This one has meaning though. The sign above the door means that the man who lives here has been to Mecca.

These two kids were friendly. Their uncle had tea with my father and I for quite some time. Usually, I would try to get to know someone for a bit. Then, I would show them my business card which has one of my pictures on it. When it was time to go, I would ask if I could take a portrait of them. This time the uncle wanted me to photograph his two nephews. I think that they are twins.

Most women dressed like this. I would have liked to have taken more pictures of them, but women absolutely forbid me from taking any photos of them.

Guys don't mind having their pictures taken though. I could tell that these two guys are Arabs because they are wearing red scarves.

Pedestrians never have the right of way!

This guy reminded me of a modern day Abraham.


In Turkey, young boys are constantly working. This is one of the boys who would shine my leather boots as I sat and drank tea and played backgammon.

Every morning I would go out at about 6am to take pictures of the empty city streets. In Southeastern Turkey nothing happens before 8am.


The first people to come out in the morning are the kids on their way to school.

This is a bread maker on his way to work. He is carrying the paddle which is used to take the break in and out of the wood-burning ovens.

Did I mention that I like the bread in Turkey?


I had my grossest cup of tea in Turkey with this guy. He invited me in for tea, and just poured his own out and started making me tea in the cup that he was just using. The level of generosity amazes me, but I still find it a bit gross.





We had a lot of fun with the guys in this fruit and vegetable market. I took lots of pictures and they gave us lots of apples and cucumbers.

This kid told me that he loves his mom's cooking. Just kidding!