An Adventurer for Travel, is that you? Do places hold romance and memories?

I discovered Turkey before it became popular.
My stepfather hated the place. I suppose I was a rebel. I had an invitation to go to Istanbul.
I suppose I was contrary too, my step father said…If you go to Turkey, you will get your throat cut!
I was on the next plane. In those days, airports were somewhat primatibe I didnt’t really know what to expect. When. I saw people climbing the wire mesh caging the airport. I was full of trepidation.
My first student was an older lady, and a teacher in Istanbul. She met me off the plane to my relief. She lived in Uskudar, quite a poor area but next to the sea. The Princess tower of Isandra is in Uskudar: built for the Princess as a fortune teller had told the Sultan his daughter would die from a snake bite. Her Prince swam to the tower every night with fruit and flowers, but in the fruit was an asp, and it bit her and she died.
Every night, we walked to the sea front to watch the sunsets, over the Bosphorus to the tower.
I suppose my stepfather, being in the navy, frequented bars and dangerous port stops where sailors got drunk or into fights.

I began a long romance with Istanbul and Turkey. People were polite, hospitable and kind.
We had to travel the coast to Izmir as my friend had a summer course to attend for teachers.
All science subjects were taught in English.

Of course, I wore a head scarf as a single lady and adapted to their culture.
Travel was by ship and coach, and took several days. We visited Efes, Bodrum and Kusadasi, which were fairly small in comparison to today.
One summer, I sold coats in Kusudesi to tourists, and traveled a bit more.

Kusadasi on the Agean coast

Uskudar, Leander’s Tower

What were your best adventures? Did you enjoy your teens and twenties? I loved discos and nightclubs.
In Bodrum, where I stayed, there was an open-air disco on the cliff tops. And the restaurants and clubs in Istanbul are open to the Bosphorus sea,
Of course, belly dancers encouraged us all.
The sea and sun, white sandy beaches and open-air life are magic, plus invitations to yachts and swimming in blue seas. The east can be exciting in comparison to the cold English sea and gray skies.

Night club in Istanbul

Turkey Nightlife EXPOSED 🍑🔥 | Sexy Turkish Girls, Clubs & Wild Parties in Istanbul

It’s wild, great fun!
And of course my favorite game, Backgammon, everyone plays it.

The Four Lads - Istanbul (not Constantinople)

Brooklyn Funk Essentials - Istanbul Twilight

Rihanna - Umbrella (Lyrics) ft. JAY-Z

Everywhere you go in Istanbul, you have Western music.

Where is your magic place, and your best memories?
My hometown is now considered dangerous at night, and I have to be more aware both night and day. Times appear to have changed,
I would not necessarily consider the immigrants responsible for any dangers after reading the local press.

So, post music, memes, and images that reflect good memories and chat with friends.
Most of all, enjoy!
Do you consider the world a different place?

And a very happy Valentine’s Day to everyone here at LFE!
Have a wonderful day with all those you love, four legs and two legs!

Lian and Kieran

The Sweetest Moments…Friendship

A friend is what you are to me.
Love endures.

I can only count my true friends on one hand. When you get older both, I would say.
Above all, a friend never lets you down.

LOL

Seriously….
Old friends are like gold, new friends are like silver.
You can never fully repay a good friend.
Unfortunately, when you are older, you may lose your peer group or friends and only have memories left.
We cannot manage without friends or family.

My best friend was my collie, always there, faithful, and genuine,
He didnt care how much money was in my bank account. The most valuable present he gave me was his bone. A REAL SACRIFICE.
And the best thing about LFE is that we are friends here.

Tell us about your friends and how they may have helped you.
Do you still have old school friends? I lost touch many years ago. Sad.

There are lots of sayings, memes, songs, and experiences about friendship, so chat on LFE about your friends and experiences.
Enjoy and share.

Lian and Kieran
🌹🩷

Bill Withers - Lean on Me

Distraction: Cat and owl become friends

Bruno Mars - Count on Me

Dog and Frog Friendship: A Heartwarming Tale of Unlikely Pals

Let It Snow And Failing Communications

The weather has been terrible, too much snow, ice, wind and rain, plus cold, and disasters.
Communications in many parts of the world went down.
To top it all, my phone was spoofed. Someone was using my number.
I was waiting for an important phone call. It didn’t come.
Yesterday I thought I would make contact, but my phone didn't ring out.
Luckily, I have two phones, so I rang my friend. He said he had rung my number and a man had answered????!!!! No men in my house, so I was shocked. So I rang my own number, and a man answered,
I went to my server, they thought I was crazy, they rang me, and my phone rang. So they thought I must be a bit crazy.
I went home and spent over an hour negotiating for a new number and compensation. I went to the cemtral outlet in yellow warning weather, torrential rain and high winds.
They didn’t believe me, but negotiation realized a new number and some compensation. Customer care considered ‘spoofing’ someone’s phone unusual and opened an investigation.
Then my internet went down, still have difficulties loading disqus. The weather was readily blamed as a culprit.
Internet still presenting difficulties.

Its raining fish, (and chips in Eastbourne)!

Patrick Watson - Love Songs For Robots

Styx - Mr. Roboto

Would you really prefer a relationship with a robot rather than a human?
Could either malfunction? LOL

We’ve come a long way since the cat’s whisker 
So why does technology appear to go so wrong?

Do you still listen to the radio?

The Buggles - Video Killed The Radio Star

Blondie - Hanging On The Telephone

Lady GaGa - Telephone

Post images, gifs, music, chat with friends and enjoy.
We had buildings collapse in torrential rain. Waves sixteen ft high, a little girl fell into the sea and drowned.
No politics or religion, please.

Lian and Kieran

One By One

We can change the world, one by one. I never used to imagine we could, but we can.
I was lucky enough to work for two women who made a huge difference for many people.
One was Xenia Dennen and the other Zena Daysh.
Recently, I met another lady at a bus stop who was up against the establishment. She displayed immense courage. Her son was killed on a building site. He was delivering a message, and the shell of a three-story building fell on him. The builders denied responsibility, but it turned out they lacked building permits. The establishment was against her, as the land had been sold illegally.
Her son was in the wrong place at the wrong time. She was nominated as a brave woman who fought for justice over her son’s death. She is a new friend, and her journey continues.

I met Xenia going for a job interview, and got the job of looking after her two young boys. She was like an angel, always calm and serene. It was one of the happiest periods of my life. Little did I imagine Xenia was the Bette Noire of the KGB? She married the Rev. Lyle Dennen, who was an American from Joy Street, Boston. She set up a bureaux in Moscow, investhating ethnic minorities in Russia who were persecuted or disappeared. She travelled from west to east across Russia alone, interviewing people and visiting work camps. Documents were smuggled out of Russia during so called Perestroyka of people who were persecuted or disappeared. She was banned from entering Russia for some years.
The other lady I worked for was Zena Daysh, a Firey whirlwind of energy. I worked for her, and although there was a huge age gap, we became best friends and family, working and holidaying together.
She was the first person to start an Ecology movement in the world.
I learned a lot from both ladies.

Below, Xenia, wearing my old second-hand fur coat, which she mentions in her lecture during her travel with the Rev Bordeaux. She became chairwoman of Keston.

Commonwealth Human Ecology Council, Zena, 1914-2011, working till 2011, aged 97, for World Peace.
She was a tough cookie, but lots of fun!

I read a book called One by One, where one person took on the world in a peaceful manner to bring about change.

Who are your heroes, heroines? Have you fought for justice? Perhaps you have a story or know someone who fought for justice?
I have a few heroes on LFE too, but that’s my secret. Everyone has a special quality.
Post memes, gifs, music about your personal heroes. What qualities did your hero have, and what battles?
Chat and enjoy the discussion. 

Lian and Kieran

Enrique Iglesias - Hero

David Bowie - "Heroes"

The KGB's Bête Noire - Xenia Dennen

Willie Nelson - My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys