As I wrote about when I lived in Rome, I am a huge fan of the bidet. During the pandemic, during the toilet paper shortage, some people switched to the bidet.
Typical toilet with bidet, flush, toilet paper, and trash can.
Now that I live in Turkiye, I am back in the land of bidets. But, unlike in Rome, the bidet is a nozzle of water that is part of the toilet. Usually, it is a small spout in the back of the toilet under the toilet seat. It is activated by turning a handle on the right side of the toilet somewhere on the wall. The flush is usually a flat button (usually there is a small and large flush button) built into the wall behind the toilet.
In some countries, the seatless style of toilet where one squats over a hole in the floor, is called a, “Turkish toilet.” Some consider this more hygienic as no part of the skin makes contact with the toilet. This squat style toilet is not so common anymore in big cities in Turkiye. One still finds them in public toilets at malls and out in the countryside. Most of the toilets here have the bidet function and toilet paper for drying off. Many toilets in Turkiye cannot handle toilet paper so there may be a trashcan nearby.
A squat toilet which in other countries is often called a “Turkish toilet.”
Another thing about Turkiye is that people wash their hands a lot here. Before they eat and after. With every meal, there are wet wipes and napkins available. Plus, the “cologne” that is splashed on your hands after the meal which works like a sanitizer.
One thing to note about Turkiye is that people eat with both hands. In Bangladesh, another country with many muslims, people rarely ever used their left hand when eating.
Often outside the bathroom, in restaurants, there is a sink for handwashing. And at mosques, there are places to do one’s ablutions.
A place to wash one’s feet.
Modern Turkey is a secular country so maybe that has something to do with how things are.
All I know is that I love the built-in modern Turkish toilet, the bidet.
I like Adana. I like living in Adana. And the flies in Adana like me. The moment I step outside, the fly is dive bombing straight at the corner of my mouth. (I now see why ladies of olden times wore gauze around their heads.) When we go out to eat if outdoors (and sometimes indoors), there will be a fly that will start to buzz around our food and our heads.
If you recall, I carried mosquito rackets with me in Dhaka. While I have yet to see a mosquito here in Adana, I decided that I needed a fly racket to defend myself and my khavalti (Turkish breakfast) from the flies. I bought an electrified fly racket at Koctas (like Home Depot), the home goods store. It didn’t seem to work. Maybe because it was too small and cute. I bought another.
But, more than that, I had seen that one of the bakeries used a table fly fan to keep the flies off their baked goods. I went hunting for it. The electronic stores did not have it. The home goods store did not have it. No one had it. I had to buy it on Trendyol, an online shopping site, and when I got it, I went on another adventures to find D3 batteries. It turns out that one can use two AA batteries instead. I was in the store and when the employees helped me with finding the batteries that worked, they seemed a bit disappointed for me that the fan was not going fast. I used Google translate to explain that this was not a fan to keep me cool but a fan to keep the flies off my food.
I don’t think they believed me.
A note about online shopping. The first couple of items that I bought online, the delivery person called to get the verification code, then hunted me down to hand deliver to me. A third item required me to go to the post office for retrieval. Now, Trendyol is growing accustomed to me and they just hand the items to my doorman. I am not endorsing Trendyol but if you use them through the internet, the site will get translated and that makes shopping easier. If you don’t speak Turkish.
Radical open plan living was shocking in the 1930s in Pennsylvania. This is one of the things you learn when visiting Falling Waters, the house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Falling Waters is a UNESCO world heritage site.
The inside living area was low, cool, and open.
Visiting Falling Waters makes for a long day trip (a 3.5 hour drive each way) from Washington, DC. Falling water is a popular site so make sure to buy tickets beforehand. The tour is about an hour. Be warned that there are many steps.
The house is built over a water fall and one can see how this was a calming retreat from the bustle of the big city.
The amenities are super. The visitors center is well designed and has a cafe, shop, bathrooms, and lots of comfy chairs.
Falling Water is so secluded that your cell phones will not work out there. The WIFI is spotty at best.
The building is being renovated.
We visited during off season which was cool and peaceful.
Do you love the Southwest of the USA? But wish it was in South Africa? Then you are in luck! Here are some of the things to do in Clarens, South Africa. The Golden Gate National Park is right there, and this town is near Lesotho, so it makes for a good stopping point. The area has a frontier, southwest USA, feel to it. It’s about fours from Pretoria.
Golden Gate Park.
Cheese tasting at Baris: This farm cheese shop is so fun. Go for lunch and order a cheese tasting.
Cheese tasting platter at Baris.
Hiking: This is the real reason many people visit this area.
Gorgeous sunset in Golden Gate Park.
Gin tasting: At Clarens Brewery, they have a gin store, Junipers Craft Gin Bar, and they do tastings (plus they have some yummy food including their ‘chips’ or fries and they have Bunny Chow, a curry-in-a-loaf-of-bread specialty of South Africa.
View over my Bunny Chow.
Shopping: Lots of artwork, souvenirs, cards, clothes, and gin. I almost bought paintings by this local artist, Johan Smith. There are other cute shops including the Purple Onion. Make sure to check them all out. They are all next to each other. Everything from art, fudge, cards, shoes, clothes, and antiques.
Clarens has a Southwest wild west feel.
Entertainment: This town has live entertainment including a local guy who is famous in this local town.
Old timey feel at Purple Onion.
Eating: Surprisingly good restaurants for such a small town. The Italian one, Bocca di Lupo, run by a guy from Bologna, is divine. Excellent pizza and pasta.
Spicy spaghetti.
Sleeping: You can stay in a castle. I stayed at the Protea, a Marriott hotel because it was about four minutes downhill by food from the Clarens square with the shops and restaurants. Made for an easy commute after shopping or eating.
The shop at Highland Brew.
Outside of the town of Clarens, there are other things to do and see. Other than the cheese place, there is also a dinosaur center. If you want another cafe with views of the mountains and hiking areas, check out Highland Brew. It has food and drink, plus a shop selling jam and coffee.
One of my concerns about going on safari was the toilet situation. [If this is TMI, too much information, then stop reading now.]
When reading about safaris, no one seems to mention it. Why is this? I do not have the bladder of a camel. I like to stay hydrated and did not want to go four or five hours without drinking water. Especially in the hot dusty “bush” of the game park. I asked my friend who has been on many safaris about the peeing situation when on a game drive (these are usually from 5 am to 9 am) and again from 3 pm till dark. She said that they squat somewhere behind a bush… and watch out for lions…
A few weeks before going on safari, I was chatting with a colleague and it turned out that he had once owned a safari company. I asked him if they put up a “privacy tent” for the ladies when they needed to use the bathroom on the game drives. He said no. Usually, they recommended finding a bush… and watching out for lions…
I told him that I would be marking the vehicle, peeing right against a wheel. No wandering off to find a bush for me!
Some suggested that I use a Shewee (a funnel that allows a woman to stand while urinating). I would still have to get out of the vehicle… and watch out for lions…
But, then I got to thinking about it some more. I did some research (read about some of it here or this funny tale here). I asked around to those who do use adult diapers or know those who do. I decided that an adult diaper was the way to go. Just in case. I did some shopping for diapers. I could not find any that told me how much liquid an average diaper could hold. I read, “extra volume” and “holds for 12 hours” but no one mentioned if I could drink my 2.2 liters of recommended water and use only one diaper.
It didn’t matter because I could not wear it. It was too itchy. The “material” is made of the same material used for disposable underwear. Too itchy around the edges. The pads would be the solution. But, I still had no idea how much liquid it could hold. For those who do not know about adult incontinence pads, they are built with a substance that absorbs the liquid and turns it into a gel. Sort of as if you were building a small wall or brick. And that is a bit what it feels like.
To relieve my curiosity, I did an experiment. In the sink. I filled my daily water jug with water and poured it into the adult “pull up” underwear. I poured slowly as to avoid spillage. It held. I also tested the pad. It held. But it seemed like it would be uncomfortable.
So I went on safari without a solution. I think that safari places should take a pop-up seat along for the women. Or maybe I should take my own next time.
In the end, we could ask for a toilet stop or wait till the break. During the breaks, we could find a bush. I did not wander far off like some of the others. I just went to the other side of the jeep. This seemed a good idea to me for several reasons — I didn’t randomly touch some bush. I wasn’t in the bush with wild animals. And, I was still in the “profile” protection of the jeep (read my safari article to see why that is important).
All in all, I did not drink as much water as I normally would. Despite the heat and the bumpy rides. I tried to do all my hydration from 8:30 am when we got back for breakfast.
When baby elephants galumph, that’s when they are cutest.
I’ll admit that I wasn’t all that excited about going on another safari (okay, do I sound jaded?) but then, my friend reminded me that it was springtime in South Africa… and there would be lots of baby animals. And who, who (not I), can resist the cuteness of baby animals (I’m jaded but not a monster!)?
Going on safari entails not just the bit where you see the animals but also the “hotel” bit of the stay. The part where you see the animals is called the “game drive” because you drive out to see game. Most safari places have two game drives per day, one for sunrise and one for sunset. Depending on the place, you may have to get up at 4 in the morning. Others it’s 5 am. Our driver/guide told us that he would call us at 5 am and he wasn’t kidding. Every day for four days. We went on a four day safari so we went on eight game drives. There are also walking tours to see the animals. We did not do that, but you can if you want to. Each game drive lasts for three to four hours. Usually with a “pit stop” for a breakfast snack or a sunset cocktail snack. We were back at the safari lodge by 8:30 am every day, just in time for breakfast. Then again from 4 pm to 7 pm, back in time for dinner. After a lunch and a “tea” — going on safari is like a land cruise. You eat all the time!
Looks serious. I think it was an eland.
One’s safari experience depends heavily on where you have the experience. When I mentioned that I was going on safari, friends said, “oh, like glamping” — no, absolutely not. There is no tent involved. At least not for me. Some people like the idea of sleeping in a tent. Out in the bush where the warthogs and hippos roam…
I could even see the elephants from my bed!
I prefer to be separated from the animals when I am sleeping. We stayed at Madikwe Hills in the Madikwe Nature Reserve. Our place was fancy. The rooms are separate houses and ours was the size of an apartment. We had a sitting room, fireplace, large bathroom area with bathtub, shower, separate toilet room, and an outdoor shower. Outside, we had a wrap around balcony/deck and a private dipping pool. Our pool and deck had resident “rock wallies” which are a type of native rodent, like a guinea pig but slightly bigger. They moved away when we went outside and were not aggressive. Below is a slide deck of lots of the animals.
I liked the game drives at Madikwe. The guides from all the lodges are connected via radio and they make sure that no more than three vehicles are at any animal siting. This keeps it from being a circus. Often, it was just us and the animals. Our tracker sat on a chair on the front grill of the safari jeep (a nine seater + driver and tracker) and spotted animals and animal tracks for us. The driver/guide knows how to use a rifle and takes that with them when they go on walks (a “bush walk”). It takes a different sort of license. The truck is kitted out with blankets (they do safaris all year round) and the crew take well care of the guests (it is just like a cruise). They even fried up a “venison” meat every night, although the game venison was always sourced from a food source and not from the reserve.
What does it cost? Well, that depends on how lux you want. Madikwe Hills cost around $900 per night but we used one of their last minute deals that was 55 percent off. There is also the cost of tips, game drives, park fees, and park conservation fees. Don’t visit Madikwe if you are trying to do this on the cheap. Madikwe Hills is one of the most luxurious of the safari lodges. I chatted with some South Africans who were at the lodge and they mentioned this.
The gatehouse at our lodge with our vehicle waiting for us.
Most people go on safari in Kruger National Park. It is a bit more exclusive at Madikwe and the crowds are smaller. One night there was a cultural performance by the staff and a buffet “boma” which is a dinner around a campfire. The word, “BOMA,” comes from “British Officers Mess Area” and that factoid was my favorite part of it. Okay, not really, but I am a bit of a word nerd.
Looking into the interior dining area.
As for clothes, one reads about not wearing blue clothes or anything too bright. In Madikwe, that was not necessary. I had brought lots of lightweight long pants made of linen but in the end wore shorts and a linen shirt. It was hot. Like an oven hot. And in the early morning when it was cold, they provided blankets which were two layered with a fleece side and a windproof side.
Our tracker found a lost GoPro.
The animals in Madikwe do not include hippos or large elephants (in Kenya the elephants are much bigger than the ones down here) as those are not native to this part of South Africa. The lingo around safaris is different — there is the “big five” (African lions, leopards, rhinoceros, elephants, and Cape buffalo) which refer to the types of animals that you hope to see to check off your bucket list. We did not see a leopard.
Happy Hour on the game drive. Biltong, or dried meat, on the left.
I had never heard of the “little five” (Elephant Shrew, Ant Lion, Rhinoceros Beetle, Buffalo Weaver and Leopard Tortoise) which are related in name to the “big five.” The big five originally was a phrase used for big game hunting, but now the hunting involves camera shots only. Also mentioned was the “ugly five” but beauty is in the eye of the beholder so we had fun debating that list (warthog, vulture, wildebeest, Marabou Stork, and hyena).
This is the view you will have most of the time. Unless you have a zoom lens.
In Madikwe, the baby animals are allowed to spend their first six months not being watched by tourists which may make for less cute photos but is better for the animals. We did get to see cheetah “teens” who had just turned six months old so we were allowed to look at them. There are also a lot of birds. Lots. If you are a birder, then this is a joy. Take a huge camera lens. Otherwise, you will see the birds, but may not have photographic proof. The lodge gave us a little booklets so we could mark off what animals we had seen, including birds.
Zebra crossing…
Even if sitting in a dusty hot open air jeep is not your idea of a good time, you kind of get into it. I did. It was fun to learn about animal droppings. And to learn that lions pretty much just sleep all day.
One of the vehicles.
Was it dangerous? No and yes. No, because the animals are accustomed to the vehicles. So far, no tourist has been harmed (in 2018, a lion mauled a woman to death) recently. Yes, dangerous, because the vehicles have no windows. The animals are wild. We were told not to lift our butts off the seats because if the animals see a different profile in the normal “jeep” shape that they are accustomed to… as our guide said when one of our group started rising up to get a better photo… “that lion can get here in three seconds” — got it!
Let’s just say that we looked out for each other (as in we all yanked him back down onto his butt!). Because none of us wanted a lion attack. If you do get attacked by a lion, the advice is to face the lion and look as big as possible. The key is to not act like a source of food so no running like a gazelle. And, try to find well-fed lions.
Not to sound too jaded, but I no longer buy magnets, keychains, or mugs as souvenirs. I try not to buy anything… and fail. Here are some of the things I looked at buying while I was in South Africa.
Traditionally in indigo colors but now found in the full range.
Shweshwe: is a fabric type. It is a thick cotton with printed geometric patterns. Read more about it on this blog. Apparently the name is the sound that the fabric makes when swishing around someone.
The original store. Okay, a well known store.
Vellies are a type of shoe that are thin soled (so you feel the earth) with leather uppers. They are a working shoe. It is a thing. These are made by many people and come in all colors. I wanted to buy the ones made by the pest controllers at the safari lodge (odd side business, eh?) but they did’t have the ones I needed in the color or size that I wanted (even though they were willing to custom make them) and I didn’t want to wait.
Our safari driver/guide wearing his well worn vellies.
Blankets: maybe it’s not special but I liked the all cotton ones I got at Barrydale Hand Weavers.
They had thin blankets, like this one, and heavier ones.
Linens: Seems odd, but household linens from Mungo are divine. All natural, handmade, locally sourced, and those other feel good goods.
Yes, we wanted everything.I even bought the apron.
Leather is apparently a thing to buy but I didn’t find any that I wanted to buy.
Artwork, especially from local individual artists, is a good souvenir.
Artwork at the farmers market.
Clothes: If you are a ‘plus size’ person, then you will find that South Africa puts those clothes in the regular shops and makes them in colors and styles that you would actually wear.
In the US (and in 120 other countries), you will see these little boxes with free books. They are part of Little Free Library, a non profit organization.
I have seen some towns where they have boxes with free tools or free food. I like this idea.
It is often “bizarre foods” that are old traditions that no longer are available. In Italy, people asked me if I had tried “Casu martzu” which is maggot cheese. No, it’s illegal and I do not need to have maggot larvae jumping at my face while trying some cheese. I am not Andrew Zimmern. Like most of us, I was raised to try everything one is offered. But, I think that is different when offered things that are a bit on the special side. Often, I think that people are pulling one’s leg. When the situation is legit, then I will try it. Unless my gag reflex tells me not to. So I have tried moose nose and it was okay, but I was not offered the seal blubber because I was not of high enough rank. I have also tried to eat steamed aloe vera, but could not because it was worse than snot.
This is in Annandale, Virginia.
Other odd foods I have heard of are “virgin boy piss eggs” in China where eggs are marinated in urine. Apparently this was done with horse urine in Korea in the old days. Speaking of Korea, the Koreans have outlawed eating dog. Apparently there are parts of China that have banned eating cats and dogs. In several places in the world, I have seen unfortunate sign juxtaposition of Korean restaurants and veterinary practices. Was this oblivious, on purpose either from malice or humor? Whatever the reason, this will, with time, disappear as the people slowly realize that the Koreans no longer eat dog.
This is in Rome, Italy.
Because of the connection with Koreans and eating dog, I was a bit surprised when I saw what I thought was an oven for dogs… but it was a specialized dog dryer — a sign of the opposite end of the spectrum for dogs — from meat to pet.
In a world of territorial conflicts, there is a quintessentially American space that is sought and claimed — the front porch. In America, having a front porch is a sign of pride. A place where one can sit outside and enjoy the evening, the fresh air, the sunset — whatever it is that makes you feel like the king of your castle.
You can read some of the history of the front porch here. Basically, the porch is the in between space, a greeting space for the house, a place to cool off during hot weather, and a social space that is not all the way in the house but also not on the street. Sometimes called a deck, patio, stoop, or veranda, the front porch is something else.
From the 19th century until World War II, houses had a porch, including upstairs (often for sleeping outside during the hot nights). Then air conditioning became much more affordable and house design focused more on backyards. Modern houses are often built with a porch for nostalgia but people do not seem to sit out on their front porches anymore.
It makes me admire those who still insist on having a front porch, no matter the size.
Visit the oldest farmers market in the USA in Alexandria. George Washington sold stuff at this market… Free, only on only Saturday mornings 7-12 noon.
Shop at Eastern Market. On the weekends, there are also outdoor stalls with art, fresh vegetables, etc. The market is over 130 years old. Free and on capital hill.
Take a water taxi from Georgetown to Old Town Alexandria or Mount Vernon or to the National Harbor. It’s a cheap way to get a boat cruise.
Go on a wine tour. There is one right in DC and there are many about an hour or two from DC. Read about all these great places from this Washingtonian article.
Harpers Ferry is one of my favorite day trip destinations from DC. Go for a hike up the other side but make sure to learn some history in the town. Free.
Hike or drive in the Shenandoah. You might go there to visit the famous cavern, but driving along Skyline Drive is fantastic too. Or stop for a hike. Fee for entering the park. Or buy a year pass.
Watch a comic or movie at Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse (this is a historic, if tired, art nouveau building from 80 years ago). Price of tickets, but you will likely not see other tourists here.
Take a paint and sip art class. See this list. Or a cooking class or some other class. Check out this site for more info.
Go to a Korean spa like Spa World or King Spa, or go to a hammam. Scrub yourself away to another world.
Truong Tien to test out your new knees while sitting on a stump and slurping food from Hue. Kudos to them for miniaturizing and taco-izing the crepe. Go for that alone.
TeaDM Plus for the clubbing cool cat feel during the day while drinking boba.
High Tea at the Willard so you can test that pinky finger. Other places like the Ritz also serve British style tea.
Capital Grille for the old boys or old gals club feel. One of the few places where an all American dude can sound like a British butler.
Arlington Cinema and Draft House for a show and popcorn. You might even meet a comedian. There are new chains of drafthouses but this is the old one.
Perry’s for the drag show and sushi. Sashay you stay!
King Spa because nothing is so relaxing as eating with a towel around your neck.
Oegadgib for all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue. Sometimes you just want meat, meat, meat! There are other places but this one is a not flashy and new.
