I had a feast this afternoon

[Londoner]

I haven't had meat at least for the last three weeks. So I decided to have meat and a feast today. So I cooked a beefburger, enhanced with Barbecue sauce, in my special halogen oven, which helps to drip all the fat down. I also cooked bourgul-mushroomed thick lentil soup, enhanced with a lot of crushed black pepper and, a lot of ginger, garlic and onion, which first cooked/fried in olive oil. I also made fresh salad from coriander, red onion and tomatoes still on vine. The scent of the vine, which many times I inhaled deeply, reminded me with my childhood time when I was playing in tomato fields which belonged to Arabs.

I remember we were living in a village, which didn't have drinkable water, so we had to go to the river to collect drinking water. On the way, we had to pass through two Arab villages, which had a lot of vicious dogs. Usually they always attacked us on the way. To get rid of them or rather to give them a lesson, we used to set a donkey on them. This donkey in the village was known as 'kere hareke=the mad Donkey, which hated dogs. No dog dared to come near it. When ever this donkey had a chance it chased dogs but luckily the dogs were faster. So in these Arab villages on the way, we had to release this donkey to get rid of the dogs. Gradually, these dogs learnt their lessons. They were only barking at us far away from us.

On the river, not only we got drinkable water, we also got vegetables like tomatoes and others. This is as a reward to do some work in the field while we were there. The scent of tomato vines reminded me to day with that time when I was playing in tomato field while other working.

[Kulka]

... and till today - the only one thing that our enemies can do is to bark at us from a distance (we dont even need a donkey to protect us - they are scared anyway)

[bleu ciel]

You are probably so lovley person.. My mouth was watering while reading your post, especially the cooking part , because I am so hungry now ,, and your childhood story made me smile.. To me, it is like 'reading one part of traveling book'.. I've never been to any part of Middle East, because I always thought that traveling alone there is too dangerous for a woman. but now I actually want to visit and walk and breathe the fresh air at the village you used to live.. I traveled around England and Scotland before. My english was awful at that time but still, I couldn't understand A British English.. roj bash kak londoner

[Kulka]

thats right - i live in england two years (for many years before i learned english) - but many times i still dont know what they talking to me. for me american english is more easy to understand.

[Barış]

Thanks for the recipe and also the laugh.

[Londoner]

Many thanks for all your replies. I hope one day dear bleu ciel can go on travel in Kurdistan.

[bleu ciel]

Thanks, kak Londoner. You really make me smile today. I traveled London twice, but it didn't give me any good memories, high transportation fee, and expensive hostel.. and British English.. but the only thing I still remember is "The Phamton of the Opera" I couldn't understand a word but it was so impressive, since I never had seen Opera before..

today, it is raining all day long and your post made me happy and melancoly and miss those beautiful old days.

I wish I could travel Kurdistan one day, but the reality is it is not easy for a single woman to travel alone, but I am very sure I will travel London again and next time, I'll probably like London.

[Londoner]

Thanks, kak Londoner. You really make me smile today. I traveled London twice, but it didn't give me any good memories, high transportation fee, and expensive hostel.. and British English.. but the only thing I still remember is "The Phamton of the Opera" I couldn't understand a word but it was so impressive, since I never had seen Opera before..

today, it is raining all day long and your post made me happy and melancoly and miss those beautiful old days.

I wish I could travel Kurdistan one day, but the reality is it is not easy for a single woman to travel alone, but I am very sure I will travel London again and next time, I'll probably like London.

The phantom of opera is still being shown. Now for around £7.00 you can get daily bus pass in London and can use it to travel on buses, underground and trains for upto midnight without ristriction all around London. I am sure this time you are going to enjoy London.