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August  2008                                                                  

 

 

Fethiye, Turkey             

 

It is so Hot


 

Rene is back in the US helping her mother who is now undergoing chemo therapy and I am on the boat in Fethiye Turkey with a lot of time on my hands to complete boat projects and put a critical eye on.... well a whole host of things. Take for instance, Coca-cola. 

 

This global product is what Shiraz runs on.  No, it's not the diesel or the wind, it's Coca-Cola.  Coke keeps the crew energized, wired and happy. Just fill a tall glass with ice and pull that ring tab and your on your way to refreshment.  First you drink half the can in one continuous swallow to slake your thirst and cool down your body temperature. Yeah for sure, you're thirsty right? And after all it is 105 F out. Go ahead and enjoy.  Next pour what's left over the ice and listen to the crackle of the cubes as the effervescent bubbles rise to the top.  No don't pour it down the side, let the gases escape to release the actual taste of the elixir.  Then let it set for 45 seconds so that the ice can chill the coke without watering it down and now enjoy a few swallows to get the taste of secret ingredients and sugar.  

 

Then down the remainder in one last swallow.  Glug, glug what an enjoyable sound.  Now open a second can and pour it over the ice.  These are, after all, 330 ml cans not the 12 ounce variety you are use to in the US. Sit back and go about your task like reading the news on the internet and enjoy a sip now and again.  There you have it and the only question is should you open a third.  Okay lets not be glutinous.  The cases are heavy to carry back to the boat and you only have so much room to store twelve or thirteen cases.

 

There is one other secret I will share with you. This isn't the only way to enjoy this most excellent experience.  No it's not a drink, its not soda, its an experience.  Take a liter bottle and put it in the freezer section and let it stay there until it is super chilled.  This takes some experimentation since freezing the coke to the point that it will not pour will only delay your enjoyment.  But if you get the timing down right the coke will pour into the glass (no ice needed ) and form a slush on the top and this perfect product will be unadulterated by the local water and make it the most perfect product invented by man.  If you don't believe this just travel the world and see it's universal popularity.  With the world divided by religion, ethnicity, climate and political beliefs this drink proves Bob Marley is right when he sings about  "one world". 

 

Daytime temperatures in Feithyie can reach 105 and there is no rain during the summer months.  So you can imagine how much Coke I go through. You can also imagine that there aren't many projects left to do.

 

Now for a little rant.  For the last six years we have been utilizing frequent flyer points for airline tickets, car rentals and occassionally hotels so what is this about expiration dates on these loyalty points?   Why should my points have an expiration date?? Yeah I know they are carried as a liability on the balance sheet and the last things our failing airlines need are liabilities but hey I chose to fly that particular airline to earn frequent flier points and now they tell me that they are no longer mine.  Give me a break. There's no spoilage and it's not as if you can't make a reservation for any flight at any time.  I understand the restrictions of flying only when seats are available but I don't understand why my banked points, (just like dollars in the bank) and should be mine ad infinitum.  Maybe the FAA should take a lead from the FDIC and guarantee the first 150,000 in an effort to bring back confidence in our airlines.  I like that.  Talk about passenger rights, that's the one I would like to see.

 

I will be flying back to the states next week.  I can't imagine there will be any more log entries this year since we will leave the update software on the boat.  So we will sign off  by wishing everyone a Happy Holiday Season and we will pick up the log 2009.

 

 

 

Happy New Year

 

 

If you're headed our way: 

 

  • ECE Marina is a very nice facility but not one I can recommend for a long term stay.  The marina focuses on charter fleets,  mega yachts and tourists toting gulets.  You must pre pay for power and water utilizing a credit card type system that is awkward and "sorry no refunds".   Also you can't use the pool but they love to have you eat and drink at the restaurants.  It's expensive and just not cruiser friendly.

 

 

Back   2009