Jazz...

So, I ended up attending the opening of the spring jazz festival here a little while back, it was at the German Cultural Centre in downtown Ankara. While I'm not particularly a jazz fan, I had a fabulous evening. The pianist (Jens Thomas, German) was outstanding! He used almost every part of the piano to make music, even singing into it with the chords vibrating back. Sometimes he'd be playing a melody on the keys with one hand, plucking the strings inside the piano with the other and then scatting away with his amazing voice. It was unique for sure, but didn't qualify as weird in my mind as the music he made was beautiful. Talented guy, well worth seeing.

This short intro. concert was followed by cocktails with the artist. We had wine, real cheese (Turkish variety is ever so limited) and crackers, plus hors d'oeuvres of various kinds served to us by waiters in white shirts while we mingled and chatted. And the whole thing was free! Trying to figure that one out...promotional I guess.

Nice change of pace from the usual.

Great teeth?!

So I went to the dentist the other day for a regular cleaning (it's been well over a year since the previous) and as this Turkish dentist took a look around (with state-of-the-art equipment I might add) I was informed that my teeth were clean already!! I have never, ever, been told that by a dentist in Canada, not ever.

I don't know if his comment was more a reflection of the type of teeth he normally sees on a regular basis here; or of the obsession we seem to have in North America with aesthetic perfection, i.e. perfect white teeth; or of the money-making industry that seems to be the dental industry in North America...perhaps it was a combination of all of the above, not really sure.

Whatever the reason, I have to say it was so very nice to go to a dentist and not be guilt-tripped or shamed about the status of my teeth but rather praised, praised for not smoking and praised for my efforts at taking care of my teeth:)