While not all Americans believe this or live like this, there is a prevailing attitude in America that ignores history in favor of selfishness, greed, laziness and self-indulgence.
P.S. – we are almost finished with our new website.

U.S. Citizen – We loved Topkapi Palace and Hagia Sophia. The Grand Bazar was shopping Mecca! I bought lots of treats – Turkish Delight, perfume, and goodies for friends. Bought a “Guns and Moses” t-shirt for my son.

I loved the shop owners. I just smiled at them and politely declined their offers until it was time to haggle. Then the fun began. But I admit that I was the only blonde in the bazar… it seemed to draw extra attention.

Katy

Ran into a bunch of kids when we were at the Topkapi Palace. They all wanted to practice their English on us. Also at St Sophia

Did you visit the Grand Bazaar? What a place! Loved it……but the shop owners were really pushy. They would follow you down the isle trying to make a sale. Bought some great pottery there.

In that same trip we went to Ephesus and Kusadasi…….talk about biblical history!

Then on to Morroco. That is the only place I have been so far that I did not trust the people. They seemed very underhanded to me and I didnt like it there at all.

Glad to hear you had a great trip. That section of the world is soooooo different from anything anywhere in the US. Nice place to visit and learn, but wouldnt want to live there.

You just described everyone in the Middle East. Religion is irrelevant…..Muslim, Christian, Jew……

From Morocco to Pakistan, everyone is miserable.

And from Seesaw…..a non-sequitur for the ages.

BTW…my pepperoncinis are from Turkey…and are delicious. Let’s discuss! LOL LOL LOL LOL…..

Because I would really like to know more about the juxtaposition in your mind on such points, it would be helpful if you could write a sequel and expand on your last paragraph:

“I will remember the people. They know the history of their countries, and are painfully aware of current threats — unlike Americans, who seem defiantly determined to repeat the mistakes and ugliest parts of history.”

Do you mean by this we do not know our history (totally agree, less than ever) and don’t have a clue about just how dangerous the world is? (I would agree here too) And if the “ugliest parts of history” means we wage too many wars to easily (I would agree with this too). But only you (Grimes) could tell anyone who would like to know, just what did you meant with your last paragraph. In it you dealt in generalities for Americans, but in the main narrative you dealt with more specifics for Turks and Israelis (e.g., “However, there were plenty of clever shop owners, and operators of tiny bodegas, who make money very creatively when hawking their wares along the streets and alleys of the cities. These people work all hours of the day and night, without union rules and regulations. They know that work means income.”).

Now, Americans also work hard and own shops all over the country. Might you expand on what you meant. Your overall conclusion was so general, and I would really like to be more specific.

Thanks.

(Note: I was one of your correspondents back when you were covering redevelopment. WE felt the same way about that, that redevelopment was a clear honeypot for the building industry, developers and so on, and that if only Brown would knock it down. Remarkably he did, to his ever lasting credit, and along the lower Russian River wehere I live, me and some friends who fought redevelopment for years, consider what Brown did was a miracle. Since that time I have always looked over CWD periodic updates with interest…)