Friday, June 5, 2009

sinop turkey


This small peninsular town off the Black Sea coast is where I want to live for the rest of my days. It juts off into the sea, trailed by rolling countryside and full of nice people and happy stray dogs.

It has been rainy here, and while I was walking around I stumbled upon an outdoor fish market that had crabs for sale. I stupidly gestured to ask if there was a restuarant anywhere where I could eat them. They told me there was using their own gestures. When I found the place I was told by the waiter that they in fact did not have any. But there was an old man inside eating and he told me I could buy some from that market I was just at, bring them back to him, and he would cook them for me (he spoke English). He actually decided to walk there with me, bought them for me, and then once they were cooked invited me to eat them on his boat with him. So I did. It was my own ´old man and the sea´ .....he told me all about his career as a fisherman, his travels, his family. Now 83 years old, he just kicks around this town jovially being kind to strangers like me. That is him at the top, 35 years ago. King of the sea.

3 comments:

mom said...

Wish you had been able to post a picture of him today. What a kind soul to encounter!

Karen Jane DeWitt said...

Paige the World Traveler!!! Your stories are awesome.

Patrick Cavan Brown said...

holy smokes... that must have been the best day ever.... very cool.