AFTER BELLY DANCING, TIME FOR HODJA

Tourism is big money in Turkey. The country is dotted with sites of antiquity. Great civilizations such as Phoenician, Assyrian, Greek, Roman, Persian, Byzantine, Ottoman made their history in that region commonly as Asia Minor, a vital link between Europe and Middle East, of East and West.

A package tour invariably includes experience with other delectable things such as Turkish Bath, Turkish Delight, belly dancing show ...

During the group tour to Turkey recently we stopped for lunch at a restaurant at Ozkan, a town in Aksehir where Nasreddin Hodja (1208 - c.1284) used to live during Sultan Timur Leng's rule. Hodja is an honorary title for a learned religous man. (A figure of Nasreddin is seen under the sign pillar).

Nasreddin was famous for his eccentric sense of humour that carry certain messages or advice. He was not afraid to be humorous even with the Sultan.