Atatürk and Remembrance Day

"Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours.. You the mothers who sent their sons from far away countries wipe away your tears. Your sons are now living in our bosom and are in peace. Having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well."
 - Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

These powerful words, which always make my heart swell, are attributed to Atatürk who said them regarding the WWI 1915 Gallipoli campaign where it is estimated that some 130,000 men, allies and Ottoman troops, lost their lives in the 215 days of conflict. A fitting choice of words for today, Remembrance Day as yesterday also, is an important day here in Turkey, for as I wrote, on10th November Turkey commemorates the passing of Ataturk, national hero and the new Republic of Turkey's first president, a hundred years ago now.  

Today, after a three hour lunch and catch up with Alison, at Midpoint, (we haven't seen each other for more than eighteen months, so there was a lot of catching up) ..... I used the metro to go to Taksim where I  visited this photographic exhibition, strolled Istiklal Caddesi, had a beer and then came home again!!

oops because I uploaded after midnight, it registered as 12th, not 11th November - so I've just changed the date.