TAXI DRIVER & NOTES
I hired Abdullah’s cab to go to Side from Kaş. We stopped in Myra- must go back for a real session [I did, see Book 8] — Lush wall o’pine trees up to the sky — Lycians: 500 BC – Rather than submit to the Persians, they barricaded themselves in the city of Xanthos, killed their loved ones, opened the city gates & fought the Persians to the last man. There are none left except in their tombs. — Spectacular giant Sycamores over a terraced hill at Çinar Restaurant — Ulu Pinar on the road from Kaş to Side — Abdullah “No Turkish music! Çok guzel!” — I sang the last 2 hours & we had a good time.
DANCING GERMAN
Kevin has a pub in London. He bought 2 carpets from Nizam & spent a week drinking & carousing with him — Kevin & the carpet he didn’t buy — Nizam in a fez & caveman beard — Pissed off because I’m staying in a different hotel — [List of numbers in Turkish] — This vision of happiness was dancing in the restaurant in the wind — 1 August 2000—– Walked in to find these two hungover & befuddled.
JANDARME
I had to argue to keep the Jandarmerie from ripping this page out… It is forbidden to draw them – I didn’t know- “When you and I are dead & this book is in the museum,” I said to Hakki, ”then let them uncover the picture.” Later Nizam told me that this made him immeasurably sad—– I pinned the picture shut for 21 years- you can see the rusty pin at the top left of the page, and the stain it made next to my signature. The Jandarmes themselves were delighted to be drawn.
ROMAN FOUNDATION
…Byzantine adaptation to storehouse — Nizam—— Being careful.
ASLEEP
Little girl asleep in the lobby at Kleopatra… her mother went dancing & left her alone – When she wandered into the lobby the doormen put her to bed on one of the couches & watched her all night. — This is a Czech cat – and I am Lenka Sedia – Horovice u/Kosmonatu CR—–The sleeping girl was not Lenka who wanted to do her own drawing.
EMILIE DRAWING
Emilie is from Germany, here with her father- drawing.
KID & OLD TOOTSIES
Kid on the beach — Old tootsies cruising the boys on the bay——
NIGHTCLUB SINGER
As I recall the boredom of the singer is reflected in this drawing.
ME BY HIM
A picture of me by Nizam—–
NICE GUARDS
These nice guys let me in to draw the fabulous Roman Theater ruin in Side & even found a policewoman to escort me into the forbidden zone. — Musa — Hasan—— Nizam introduced me and my drawing project to them and they couldn’t have been nicer.
EACH OTHER 2
Another drawing of me by Nizam — Trici Venola — Nizam — Another drawing of Nizam by moi — Nizamettin —— Drawn on the beach in Side & rendered in the American Hospital in Istanbul shortly before I left Turkey in December 2000.
ROMAN THEATER W/ GUARD
View from the Roman Theater in Side — Biblioteca in the distance – 2nd C AD — 2-6 August 2000 In the heaviness of the cicada-buzzing heat—— Good thing I had a huge hat. The original drawing has a kid, Seçil, in it, but I later transposed a more interesting face, of Guard Musa.
COLLAPSED ARCH
…In the Roman Theater in Side——-That keystone wedged up there is still doing its job.
DANGEROUS & FORBIDDEN
Side Roman Theater — This beautiful young policewoman escorted me into the theater to keep the rest of the tourists out. Dangerous! — “It is dangerous and forbidden to climb on the walls.” —— a sign posted on the theater, but when the other tourists saw me drawing the collapsed arch, they climbed down into the theater and refused to leave. So Nizam took me to the police station and explained the matter, with this result. She was lovely!
A TULIP IN SIDE
Oh La la! First I drew Lale, this classic Turkish beauty, & then later I drew the ruins — Sweat is pouring down me in rivers as I frantically get this down — LALE — Down in the white hot stage——- At the Roman Theater. ‘Lale’ means ‘Tulip’ in Turkish. She was 13, traveling with her parents. They were all thrilled at this drawing.