Well, we're stuck and are waiting for parts to fix the clutch. They will have to be shipped from Istanbul. Ankara didn't have them. We'll be in a hotel again tonight with our fingers crossed. Right now we are at the campground waiting to go to dinner and a folk dance show at 8 p.m. Today we had a tour around this area, which reminds us of the Grand Canyon and Utah, maybe Wyoming. High dry land with many weird rock formations. Some Christian churches have paintings inside from the 9th century; most of the churches are in caves and hollowed out cave-like structures. We also toured an underground city where the Christians hid from their persecutors (Romans, Moslems in the 700-800s, and probably others). The cities were connected by tunnels. People stayed inside for a week or month at a time.
In the meantime here are some photos from yesterday. Two are of Ankara. One is the freeway around the city (8 lanes), and the other is of the new apartment housing. The govt. ousts squatters from their shacks and gives (free) the people new apts. The govt mixes in the former squatters with other residents to avoid areas that will become blighted in the future (like our projects housing).
Here are two pix of caravans, one modern and one from the 1200s A.D.
And finally one of our troubled RV. Fortunately we have good help. Ashar from the CG is on the case. He communicates with our tour guide Peter in German, and with the mechanic in Turkish. Then he tells us what he finds out in English. Peter is German, and his English is not so good. Ashar says we have no problem, and we hope he is right. The Turkish mechanic was a jolly fellow. I was not so jolly.
I'm enjoying your blog. What an adventure! Here's the news from the Burger Queens: Clara's new bike was stolen (again!); Helen is getting ready for a cruise to Tahiti; Lydia has started her painting class; Brenda is on a cruise (I forget where to); Becky is no longer teaching our Monday class; Judy is sailing across the Atlantic soon, heading for the Mediterranean; Peggy went fishing in Evergreen yesterday; Rocilla is going to the wilds of Mexico next week to visit her son and family who are living there for a year; G & I are going to SD for his annual pheasant hunt. On Monday we're celebrating Brenda's, Gayle's and Mardi's birthdays at some Italian restaurant that used to be owned by a Mafia family, according to Claudia. We'll raise a glass to you!
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