Admin Mon Aug 15, 2011 11:30 am
Hi Judith,
Yes, I remember Ertie going to the police station in Turkey to collect his passport; I didn't go with him as I was over in England at the time, but I do remember him saying he also had to go to collect his birth certificate from Soke (or somewhere in Aydin - can't quite remember - and he wasn't born on 1st January, either!lol) but that was about it. Just his kimlik, birth certificate - and a couple of pictures which he had taken in a shop, and which I'd actually gone with him when he had them done. I'm glad I did that, cos it was quite an eye-opener watching the photographer sit Ertie on a high chair, and I think he actually combed his hair for him! He made it look very neat and smart!
Then with a flourish and a twirl he told Ertie to look at the camera, and I watched as he almost naturally adopted this pose; as though he was auditioning for a part in a film about some suave, stern Turkish Army General, sitting all stiff, upright and serious. The photographer obviously expected this type of pose, and told Ertie to raise his head a little higher - which made him look even more Army General somehow. All he needed was some elaborate facial hair and people would have saluted him. These Turks do take their snaps seriously don't they?
Funnily enough, I went with Ertie recently when he went to renew his passport in Knightsbridge, but the main reason I went with him was that we were then both going to shoot off up to North London to visit my children. It turned out to be a really nice day, and while Ertie waited around for about an hour to hand in his application I went off and sat at a cafe opposite Harrods and had a couple of glasses of wine while sitting in the sunshine (one of our few sunny days this summer!) talking on the phone and people watching. It was really nice. I then had a small bite to eat (just a starter as I wasn't that hungry, and were going off to a barbecue at my daughter's in-laws) but I needed something with the wine, so had Mozzarella, Avocado and Tomato Salad with Basil and hot French bread. I was shocked the Mozzarella wasn't Buffalo (right opposite Harrods, too!) and had a little moan about it to the waiter (as I like to have my moans) but as it was so tasty I didn't moan too much! Actually, I was really getting into the cafe mode sat there, and the waiter was one of those funny, warm, welcoming types who make you forget you've been served pizza Mozzarella, and you tell yourself 'oh, it's OK really' cos you're feeling all happy, the sun's shining, the waiter's funny - and you're on your second glass of white!
I've gone right off on a tangent again!
Strawbs
Home
One of the numpty gorms piped up in KKs defence and said how busy his restaurant was, well his must be the only busy one in Marm, most of them are dead as a dodo. 
These liars do make themselves look soppy 
