Observations and the Sleeping Place

* Local construction workers bring their dogs to the construction site every day, complete with doghouse!
* The Starbucks allows smoking, even in malls. There is no tip jar and someone is constantly running around cleaning tables and emptying ashtrays.
* I have no idea what 3/4 of the stuff in the grocery store is. I can't find baking powder or baking soda...
* There are a few things less expensive here: laser hair removal is very cheap, lasik is around $500!
* A dolmus is anything that is stuffed, including peppers, minibuses or grape leaves. :-)

Tonight as I was walking I saw a huge gate, with a beautiful mosaic around it. I thought maybe it was an embassy, or a palace? There was a guard there, I asked him what the place is. He spoke very little English. He did lots of sign language...he put his folded hands to his face as if he was sleeping. I said, "Oh, hotel!" He laughed and laughed and laughed. Nononono. He said, "The end. The end!" I couldn't figure out what he was trying to explain so I smiled, thanked him and left. It was a mystery until I got home, and asked Nihal what it is, and it's a cemetary! That explains the guard doing the shoveling movements :-)