Out of contact with the world, sailing the the Turkish coast the week after 9-11.
Someone was pounding on the bedroom door of our budget-priced hotel in the Sultanahmet district of Istanbul. "Come quick. Ya gotta see what's on the TV downstairs."
My wife Dorothy and I joined a group of 10 or 12 huddled around the only TV in the hotel. We were with our traveling companions George and Earlene Ridge. We sat in stunned silence with tears in our eyes as the Twin Towers burned and collapsed.
Finally in the late afternoon we were able to go out for fresh air in the narrow winding streets of the Sultanahmet. Street vendors asked, "Are you American? We are so sad for what happened in New York. Allah maaka. May Allah be with you."
The next morning we were out on the streets getting ready to start our gulet (a two masted sailing boat) trip up the Turquoise Coast of Turkey. The vendors again asked if we were American. Again they expressed their sympathy but added, "Remember we are still selling rugs."
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For several years George Ridge, University of Arizona professor of journalism, and I, retired M.D. with a camera, had a monthly travel story in the Travel Section of the Arizona Daily Star. The Travel Section was cancelled because no one would be doing much traveling after this sneak attack on the United States of America.
─ Hal Tretbar
